It’s a wonderful and a great experiential reality to know that believers in Christ are God’s friends! Abraham was declared as God’s friend as given in the Old Testament because he believed and trusted God at His words, even to the extent that he was prepared to sacrifice his son born from Sarah.

Sin separated us from God, made us strangers and foreigners, unfriendly and rebellious in the sight of God like the prodigal son. But God loved the world so much that He gave His own Son to pay a price for the unconditional forgiveness of all sins of the entire mankind and thus the world is reconciled to the loving Father of Heaven. Son of God became our peace between God and us. Christ destroyed the enmity between the justice of the holy God and the sinners. Before the world was created God had already planned to redeem the man through the death and suffering of His Son Jesus Christ. Son of man carried our sins and sickness, suffered and died to make everyman God’s friend and child.

Jesus Himself called His disciples and the people who came to listen Him as friends, brothers, sisters and mothers. In Christ’s parable of Vine and branches he revealed that believers are one with Him. On the day of Pentecost God poured out Holy Spirit to abide within us, which is a seal of friendship and love of God for believers. Jesus called His disciples and followers as friends and brothers. Christ taught that giving his/her life for others shows the greatest love for anybody, and He Himself practiced it by sacrificing Himself for us.

Yes, we the Christian believers are God’s friends by His grace and mercy and we experience it through the path of faith. Let us accept it, rejoice and proclaim this good news to everybody around us by being witnesses of the power of being God’s friends. Beyond the man-made denominational barriers, we are called to proclaim and practice this friendship with our living God through His Son. Holy Spirit who lives within us is the One who will help us to experience this great friendship with God. Amen