First published April 2009.

Although the foundational description for appreciating our relationship with the Living God is as slaves, the status of the redeemed is elevated by other biblical terms. Notably we are called ‘the friends of God’. This was first used to describe the relationship that Abraham had with God:

NAU Isaiah 41:8 “But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend,

NIV Isaiah 41:8 “But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend,

KJV Isaiah 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

Isaiah was written between 740 and 680 B.C. or roughly 1,300 years after the time of Abraham. This concept of God as friend introduced by Isaiah was followed up by the author of 2 Chronicles whose inspired writings can be dated roughly two hundred years later between 536 and 515 B.C:

NAU 2 Chronicles 20:7 “Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?

NIV 2 Chronicles 20:7 O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?

KJV 2 Chronicles 20:7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

To be a friend – the Greek word is teknon – was to be someone close, a dear one or beloved. This is no mere acquaintance but one who is a confident, one who is aware of another’s deep thoughts. This was demonstrated by God in the life of Abraham in Genesis 18:16-33 but especially in verse 17 in the reporting of God’s plans for Sodom and Gomorrah:

NAU Genesis 18:17 The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

NIV Genesis 18:17 Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

KJV Genesis 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

As a friend of God, Abraham is allowed to be privy to the intimate plans of God. But it is left to James in God’s revelation to explain why Abraham is called the friend of God

NAU James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.

NIV James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” {23 Gen. 15:6} and he was called God’s friend.

KJV James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

It was Abraham’s faith (i.e. confidence or trust) in God that resulted not only in the imputation of righteousness but in becoming God’s friend.

Are you a friend of God? A friend of God is one who trusts God for the care of his/her soul. God demonstrated His care for our soul by promising a remedy for our soul-sickness (i.e. sin) through the work of Christ. Our trust in God’s care for our soul through Christ’s work results in our enjoyment of the remedy – imputation or being declared righteous and therefore able to enter eternally into the presence of God. Such trust is rewarded by being called the friend of God – an elevation from our status as slaves.