Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples
Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
Proverbs on Friendship, Part 2 Selected Scriptures • We multiply our joy and divide our sorrows by sharing them with friends
Levels of Friendship • There are different levels of friendship in which people can move up or down • Some people can handle more friendships at various levels, but everyone has limitations • The multitudes are those you encounter in the course of life
Levels of Friendship • Acquaintances are those you know a little about • Casual friends are those you know general information about and can talk about some personal issues
Levels of Friendship • Close friends are those you trust enough to help you achieve goal and desires and overcome weaknesses • Intimate (best) friends are those you trust enough to share your deep thoughts & emotions
Isolation Proverbs 18: 1 • Those with few or no intimate friends are in a dangerous position living contrary to sound reason • Pain is to be expected living in a cursed world - we must follow God’s plan for dealing with it
Isolation Proverbs 18: 1 • Your plans seem wise to you (Proverbs 12: 15), and we should plan, but let God direct the steps (16: 9) • Pride causes all sorts of problems including separation from God’s sources of wisdom
Isolation Proverbs 18: 1 • Godly friendships are God’s design for His people to help one another spiritually mature
Inundation Proverbs 18: 24 • Too many acquaintances and casual friends hinder you from developing close and intimate friends • Seek to develop true friends you can trust and that will help you walk with Christ
Blessed or Cursed? Psalm 1 • Blessing requires avoiding ungodly influence, not just having godly influence • Ungodly progression of influence ➢ walk in counsel of ungodly ➢ stand in way of sinners ➢ sit in seat of scoffers
Influencing, not Influenced • Jesus was a “friend of taxgatherers and sinners” yet not influenced by them • A lopsided friendship - they consider you a closer friend than you consider them - you give, not get • Lopsided relationships are
Influencing, not Influenced • A humble person remains a true friend even if desire to deepen a friendship is not mutual • A proud person nurses hurt and rejects & may even disparage an unreturned advance of friendship
Influencing, not Influenced • Kings Solomon’s life models the negative influence of the ungodly - Deuteronomy 17 cf 1 Kings 11 You will become like those whom you like
Sinners Proverbs 1: 8 -19 • Sinners whose feet run to evil and hasten to shed innocent blood are hated by and an abomination to God • Adversity pursues sinners and their wealth is stored up for the righteous (Prov. 23: 21 -17)
The Wicked and the Evil Proverbs 4: 14 -19 • People marked by this character are also hated by and an abomination to God (Prov. 6: 1619) • Proverbs 6: 12 -15 gives further description of the wicked person along with a warning of their future
The Wicked and the Evil Proverbs 4: 14 -19 • The wicked are further described in Proverbs 12: 10, 12; 13: 5; 16: 17; 17: 23; 18: 3; 21: 10 and 29: 7 • Their mouths are described in Proverbs 8: 7; 10: 11, 32; 11: 11; 12: 5, 6; 15: 28; and 19: 28
The Wicked and the Evil Proverbs 4: 14 -19 • Without repentance the wicked have little temporal hope - Prov. 5: 22 -23; 10: 16; 11: 21; 12: 21; 13: 17, etc • The curse of the Lord is upon them and they will be condemned - Prov. 3: 33; 12: 2; 10: 17, 27: 24: 20
The Immoral Woman Proverbs 5, 6 & 7 • Keep your way far from her and do not desire her - Proverbs 5: 8; 6: 23 -25, 7: 4 -5 • Her way leads to destruction and death - Proverbs 7: 25 -27
The Fool Proverbs 14: 7 • This is the person who is dull and obstinate with a proclivity to make wrong choices (Prov. 10: 23; 14: 9) • If a friendship hinders discernment of wisdom, you are on the path of folly & will suffer Prov. 13: 20
Hot tempered man Proverbs 22: 24 -25 • Such a quick temper exalts folly Proverbs 14: 29 • You will be the recipient of their folly and become embroiled in their strife - Prov. 29: 2 • You may learn his ways and be ensnared in folly yourself
Gossips Proverbs 20: 19 • Believing their lies and innuendo can cause separation of intimate friends - Prov. 26: 20, 16: 28 • They are a constant source of strife and cannot be trusted Prov. 26: 20; 11: 13
Conclusions • Be careful about your friendships and particularly with those who are your close and intimate friends. • We desire to reach even kinds of people with the gospel, but we must not let them influence us
Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
- Slides: 23