Doctrine of Friendship

1. It is tragic but true that friends can lead others away from the worship of God.

 Deuteronomy 13:6-7 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter,
or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly,
saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy
fathers; 7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee,
or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth.”

2. In the Old Testament a severe penalty was attached to those who encouraged others to
forsake the Lord.

 Deuteronomy 13:8-9 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither
shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: 9 But
thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and
afterwards the hand of all the people.

3. Friends should show pity towards those who are suffering.

 Job 6:14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh
the fear of the Almighty.

4. Friends can suddenly disappear like the passing of water in a brook.

Job 6:15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they
pass away.

5. For philosophical reasons friends can be terrible at comforting those who suffer. Sometimes
friends want to teach a spiritual lesson as to the origin or cause of suffering.

 Job 16:2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

 Job 16:20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

6. Friends who turn on friends become vicious, ruthless enemies.

 Job 19:13-22 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily
estranged from me. 14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten
me. 15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an
alien in their sight. 16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him
with my mouth. 17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's
sake of mine own body. 18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake
against me. 19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned
against me. 20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the
skin of my teeth. 21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the
 hand of God hath touched me. 22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied
with my flesh?

7. Friendship is best expressed by entering into the sufferings of others.

 Psalms 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled
my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom

8. Friends can and do betray friendship by words and actions for no other reason their selfish
gains.

 Psalms 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my
bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

9. There is an anguish of soul when a friend betrays a relationship, which is one way to know if
there was a bonding in the first place.

 Psalms 55:12-14 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne
it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would
have hid myself from him: 13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine
acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in
company.

10. Sometimes the Lord will separate people from social friends.

 Psalms 88:8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an
abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

11. A sign of friendship is that of concealing delicate matters.

 Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit

concealeth the matter.

12. A friend will love at all times and especially in days of adversity.

 Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a
matter separateth very friends.

13. There is a fundamental way to make friends and that is by being friendly.

 Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a
friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

14. Sometimes friends will stay closer than family members.

  Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a
friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

15. There are certain people to avoid making friends with for the expressed purpose of not
learning their sinful, harmful ways.

 Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou
shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

16. Friends are wise not to go into debt for another friend.

 Proverbs 22:26-27 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are
sureties for debts. 27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from
under thee?

17. To maintain friendships there is a measure of freedom and space which must be allowed.

 Proverbs 25:17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee,
and so hate thee.

18. Faithful friends will risk wounding someone who is cared for (Prov. 27:6). Friends will give
counsel that helps and does not hurt (Prov. 27:9).

 Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are
deceitful.

 Proverbs 27:9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's
friend by hearty counsel.

19. Friendships should not be soon forsaken.

 Proverbs 27:10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into
thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbor that is near than
a brother far off.

20. A false friendship is indicated by profuse statements offered hastily.

 Proverbs 27:14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the
morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

21. Healthy discussion among friends will enhance the relationship as iron sharpeneth iron.

 Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his
friend.

22. People need friends.

  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their
labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone
when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together,
then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against
him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

23. Ultimately people cannot be friends unless there is a fundamental respect and agreement.

 Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

24. Paul, forsaken by friends, was gracious toward them.

 2 Timothy 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray
God that it may not be laid to their charge.

25. There are a number of friendships mentioned in the Bible that becomes patterns to follow.

 Abraham and Lot Gen. 14:14-16

 Ruth and Naomi Ruth 1:16,17
 Samuel and Saul 1 Sam. 15:35; 16:1
 David and Jonathan 1 Sam. 18:1-4; 23:16-28;
2 Sam.1:17-27; 9:1-13
 David and Abiathar 1 Sam. 22:23
 David and Nahash 2 Sam. 10:2
 David and Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9
 David and Hushai 2 Sam. 15:32-37; 17:1-22
 David and Ittai 2 Sam. 15:19-21
 Joram and Ahaziah 2 Kings 8:28,29; 9:16
 Job and his three friends Job 2:11-13
 Daniel and his three companions Dan. 2:49
 Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and Jesus Luke 10:38-42;John 11:1-46
 Joseph and Jesus Matt. 27:55-61; 28:1-8;
Luke 24:10; John 20:11-18
 Luke and Theophilus Acts 1:1
 Paul and his nephew Acts 23:16
 Paul and Priscilla and Aquila Rom. 16:3,4
 Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus Phil. 2:19,20,22