Beloved Friends

It's not necessarily what you know, but rather WHO you know that can make the biggest difference in life. Christianity is NOT a religion, but rather a RELATIONSHIP of mutual abiding. I in Christ, and Christ in me. But Jesus in John 15:9-17 takes this abiding relationship to the next level. We are more than branches connected to the vine. Instead, we are in an inseparable love relationship with Christ. Jesus calls us His FRIENDS. As friends of Jesus, we are privy to the full revelation of God! We are insiders. We know things that were hidden in the past, but revealed to us. Plus we have the ability to understand spiritual truth. As friends of Jesus, we experience a close, intimate, personal fellowship with Jesus Christ. We abide in His love-- and the way that we experience His love is by obeying Him. A friend of Jesus loves Jesus, and loves Jesus' friends. Just like Jesus' love for us, we are to sacrificially give of ourselves for the benefit of others. As Jesus' friends, we've been chosen by Him and appointed for service. We've been commissioned to go and bear fruit that will remain. Christianity is not a spectator sport, but as friends of Jesus we've been sent on a mission to share His love with others.