- The Friends of God

The idea of the divine-human friendship originated with God. Had not God said first “Ye are my friends” it would be inexcusably brash for any man to say “I am a friend of God.” But since He claims us for His friends it is an act of unbelief to ignore or deny the relationship.
As with every other relationship affecting moral intelligences, our friendship with God is capable of degrees, grading up from the formal to the intimate. We all know persons whom we properly call friends but whose friendship is so fragile and tenuous as to stand almost no strain without breaking. And there are friends, usually only a few, whose friendship has been tried in the fire of long experience and which it would be next to impossible to destroy.
Even though radically different from each other, two persons may enjoy the closest friendship for a lifetime; for it is not a requisite of friendship that the participants be alike in all things; it is enough that they be alike at the points where their personalities touch. Harmony is likeness at points of contact, and friendship is likeness where hearts merge.
For this reason the whole idea of the divine-human friendship is logical enough and entirely credible. The infinite God and the finite man can merge their personalities in the tenderest, most satisfying friendship. In such relationship there is no idea of equality; only of likeness where the heart of man meets the heart of God.
This likeness is possible because God at the first made man in His own image and because He is now remaking men in the image that was lost by sin.
The image of God in man cannot extend to every part of man’s being, for God has attributes which He cannot impart to any of His creatures, however favored. God is uncreated, self-existent, infinite, sovereign, eternal; these attributes are His alone and by their very definition cannot be shared with another. But there are other attributes which He can impart to His creatures and in some measure share with His redeemed children.
Intellect, self-consciousness, love, goodness, holiness, pity, faithfulness—these and certain other attributes are the points where likeness between God and man may be achieved. It is here that the divine-human friendship is experienced.
God, being perfect, has capacity for perfect friendship. Man, being imperfect, can never quite know perfection in anything, least of all in his relation to the incomprehensible Godhead. Perfection lies on God’s side, but on man’s side there are weakness of purpose, lack of desire, small faith and numerous other impediments. These make for a friendship which, though it is the most wonderfilled experience possible to man, is yet short of that completeness we would enjoy if these impediments were removed or even reduced appreciably.
Though the truth compels us to admit these imperfections on our side of the divine-human friendship, yet there is no reason to despair. In spite of our human frailties we can grow in grace and move progressively toward a more perfect experiential union with God. This we can do by firm self-discipline, quick obedience, unceasing prayer, utter detachment from the world and the exercise of robust faith in the truths revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
It should be pointed out that no revealed truth becomes automatically effective. The effect any truth has upon us depends upon our attitude toward it. First it must be accepted in active faith and received into our minds as completely trustworthy and beyond dispute. It must become a kind of dye to give color to all of our thinking and praying.
The more perfect our friendship with God becomes the simpler will our lives be. Those formalities that are so necessary to keep a casual friendship alive may be dispensed with when true friends sit in each other’s presence. True friends trust each other.
There is a great difference between having “company” and having a friend in the house. The friend we can treat as a member of the family, but company must be entertained.
God is not satisfied until there exists between Him and His people a relaxed informality that requires no artificial stimulation. The true friend of God may sit in His presence for long periods in silence. Complete trust needs no words of assurance. Such words have long ago been spoken and the adoring heart can safely be still before God.
Unquestionably the highest privilege granted to man on earth is to be admitted into the circle of the friends of God. Nothing is important enough to be allowed to stand in the way of our relation to God.
Nothing in heaven or earth or hell can separate us from the love of God; we should see to it that nothing on earth shall separate us from God’s friendship.