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. FRIENDSHIP. "This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, that someone should surrender His soul in behalf of His friends. You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you, I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, because all the things I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:12-15). "And this commandment we have from him, that the one who loves God should be loving his brother also." (1 John 4:21).
"Then the king will say to those on His
right, 'Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom
prepared for you from the founding of the world.
For I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I got thirsty and you gave
me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; naked,
and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you
came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him with the words,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty, and give you
something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably,
or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to you?' And in reply the king will say to them, 'Truly I say to you,
To the extent that you did it to one of the least of
these my brothers, you did it to me.'"
(Matt 25:34 "Now that by obedience to the truth you have purified your souls until you feel sincere affection towards your brother Christians, love one another whole-heartedly with all your strength." (1 Peter 1:22 NEB). "A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress." (Prov 17:17). "Some companions are good only for idle talk, but a friend may stick closer than a brother." (Prov 18:24 NEB). "The betrayer of secrets loses his credit and can never find an intimate friend. Love your friend and keep faith with him, but if you betray his secrets, keep out of his way". (Eccus 27:16,17 NEB). "Be ashamed of reproaching your friends, or following up your charity with a lecture." (From Eccus 41:22 NEB).
FALSE FRIENDS. "A friend may be all smiles when you are happy, but turn against you when trouble comes." (Eccus 37:4 NEB). "Prosperity does not reveal your friends; adversity does not conceal your enemies. When all goes well a man's enemies are friendly, but in hard times even his friend will desert him." (Eccus 12:8,9 NEB). "Wealth makes many friends, but a man without means loses the friend he has." (Prov 19:4 NEB). "Many curry favour with the great; a lavish giver has the world for his friend." (Prov 19:6 NEB).
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