You Are Now My Friends

MY FRIEND: Bros, why is the Bible contradicting itself?

ME: What do you mean?

MY FRIEND: In John 15:15, Jesus tells His disciples that He no longer calls them slaves, but rather friends. Meanwhile, in the Epistles, the apostles call themselves “slaves” of Christ (see Romans 1:1; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Galatians 1:10; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 4:12; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1). They even urge others to think of themselves in this way too (Ephesians 6:6; 1 Peter 2:16). Besides, why did Jesus make the disciples slaves at first?

ME: Wawu, so many questions

MY FRIEND: Start with the conflict part.

ME: OK, Are you familiar with ranks in the army?

MY FRIEND: yes, my Granpa used to be a military man.

ME: Good! Changing from slave to friend is like the change from the status of being a “Private” in the army to a “pal” of the sergeant.

When recruits are sent to boot camp, it is to train them to be “slaves.” That is, it is to train these men to obey orders, instantly, and without question.

If the sergeant orders a private to dig a hole four feet square, the private is to do it. If the sergeant then orders the private to fill the hole back in again, he is to obey without hesitation. The “private” is virtually the “sergeant’s” slave. The private would never think of expecting the sergeant to explain his reasons for giving any order.

MY FRIEND: So, how does this explains the case of the disciples?

ME: Well, a “friend” is one with whom you share your thinking, your goals, your motivations, your reasons for doing things. The disciples were simply not able to understand any of these things, even though Jesus communicated many of them to His disciples.

Throughout the Gospels, we are told that the disciples did not know or did not understand much of what Jesus was here to do. They misunderstood and misapplied much of what He did tell them. But after His death and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit, things became clear to the disciples.

And since the apostles wrote the New Testament Gospels and Epistles under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have passed on to us what they learned. And so from the time of Pentecost onward, any saint can be an informed “friend” of our Lord, knowing what He is doing, and why, through His Word.

MY FRIEND: Meaning, they were not slaves because Christ made them one but because they do not have the capacity to be more than that right?

ME: Yes, but today, the capacity to be God’s friend is available, the more of him we know the more intimate we can get with him in friendship. The bible is the tool for that knowledge and the Holy Spirit works through it.

MY FRIENDS: So, in summary. To be a friend of Jesus i need first be a friend of my bible? Thanks bros