4:Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5:It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6:Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7:It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
The verses quoted in 1 Cor 13”4-7 (see above) would be meaningless, unless you understood that the type of love that is being spoken about here is that between friends, a brotherly love. This can be determined from the context, if you read 1st Corinthians 12 and 14, you will see that he is instructing the members of the church of Corinth on how to behave to one another(I’d have looked in the Greek for “phileo,” but Dad is not online, so I can’t ask him to translate the passage). However, these words were also inspired by God, and included in the Canon, meaning that they are an instruction to all Christians, as well, on how to behave to one another. This verse can also act as a standard for the ideal friend, since friends are supposed to love one another. I will exposit on this verse, as the essay, since it is the “meaning of a true friend” in a way that none of us could ever say it.
I think that the answer to the question “What is the meaning of a true friend,” cannot have an answer, but rather only an opinion. Different people define a “true friend” different ways. A non-Christian will usually define it a lot differently than Christians will. A non-Christian will generally define it as anyone with whom they spend a lot of time, and who is “there when they need them.” A Christian will generally agree with that statement, but also take it significantly farther. They generally define a “true friend” as someone with whom they have a deep relationship with, and with whom they spend a large amount of their time with, and who takes care of them while in need, and vice versa. They are also someone to whom they go to for advice, as well as offering advice of their own when it is needed.
I mainly agree with the conventional Christian view. A true friend is basically someone upon whom you have an intimate relationship with, and with whom you often share and receive advice and help from each other. Between two Christians, a relationship between two “true friends” should be mainly a spiritual one. The two people should constantly be encouraging each other, building the other one up, and helping them in their spiritual walk with the Lord. If two Christian people that call themselves “true friends” are not using other to help in their spiritual walk, then they are either not truly “true friends,” or they are not Christians, in my opinion.
Now, that is not to say that a Christian cannot to be a friend with a non-Christian, I am not saying anything like that at all. However, as a Christian cannot gain anything in their spiritual walk by being friends that a person that is not a Christian, then I would say that they cannot be best friends. They should not be the person in your inner circle, the people that you spend the most time with. One may be ok, especially as he may benefit from the other people in your inner circle, but you should not be spending all of your time fellowshipping with non-believers, as we are commanded in the bible to fellowship with other believers(I don’t know the reference to the verse that deals with this, but I know it exists).
So, in conclusion, a “true friend” of a Christian person is someone with whom you frequently fellowship with, and who assists you daily in your walk with the Lord. A “true friend” of a non-believer is someone with whom you spend a lot of time with on a regular basis.
Filed under: Christian teens, Religion, Teenage, Teens, Teens for God | Tagged: best friends, christian friends, Essay Topic, relationships, the meaning of a true friend
I would agree and I would also say that a true friend is one that is willing to sacrifice their reputation to help out their friend when the are in a true time of need.
-Shawn
Also take a look at Christ who is the ultamite friend. He showed humility by washing his disciples feet. (A job I have compared to cleaning toilets or picking up your dog’s “presents”.)Also Jesus stated that, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friend.” (John 15:13)and “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”
Very interesting, I see you put a lot of thought into the subjects you write about. Thanks for the earlier comment and I’ll keep in mind your advice! God bless