You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:14-17
Just as Abraham was called the “friend of God” (2 Chronicles 20:7, James 2:23) because he enjoyed extraordinary access to the thoughts of God through God’s revelation to him which Abraham believed and was accredited to him as righteousness. So too, are those who follow Christ today, are privileged with extraordinary revelation of Jesus, the Messiah, and Son of God, and believing, become “friends” of God also as it is revealed in the written Word of John’s gospel. It was for His “friends” that the Lord laid down His life for (Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.) John 15:13
It is interesting, though Jesus declared this new relationship as no longer bondslaves, but rather as now friends, that each of the writers of the New Testament took the phrase bondslave to describe their relationship to Him. “Paul, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, by the will of Christ….” “Jude, a bondslave…” “Peter, a bondslave…” “James, a bondslave…” And though the Lord said, “I’m calling you friends,” yet there was that awareness and consciousness that true life is only discovered when I submitted totally to Him, and to serve Him only as Lord.
If you love Me, keep My commandments—You will find when reading this chapter, Jesus promises believers comfort from 5 supernatural blessings that the world does not enjoy: 1) a supernatural Helper (vv. 15-17) 2.) a supernatural life (vv. 18-19); 3) a supernatural union (vv. 20-25), 4) a supernatural Teacher (v.26) 5) a supernatural peace (vv.27-31). The key to all of this is v. 15 which relates that these supernatural promises are for those who love Jesus Christ, whose love is evidenced by obedience.
You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you—Men choose a religion, but a Christian is chosen by Jesus Christ for a relationship. To be a Christian means to belong to Christ. “Jesus asked me to renounce even my life, to follow Him faithfully, not to fear the world even if my body must perish. I prefer to know that God the Almighty is with me, even if it means that the whole world is against me.” Those are the words of a pastor in Iran, one of many church leaders in Iran who risk everything daily to declare the truth of God’s Word and Jesus’ love to Muslim people. Ultimately, this cost this pastor his life, but his four children remain believers in Christ to this day as a generational legacy of lives forever changed by God, and His Word. So in any case of any pretense might exist among the disciples in terms of spiritual pride because of the privileges they enjoyed, Jesus made it clear that such privilege rested not in their own merit, but on His sovereign choice of them. God’s choices: He chose Israel (Isaiah 45:4; Amos 3:2), but not for any merit (Deuteronomy 6:6-8). God elected angels to be forever holy (1 Timothy 5:21); He elected believers to salvation apart from any merit: For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:29-31). Paul closes his teaching about the believer’s security in Christ with a crescendo of questions and answers for the concerns his readers might still have. The result is an almost poetic of praise for God’s grace in bringing salvation for all who are chosen by Him and believe—a hymn of security if you will.
And appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain—The second part of God choosing us, is that we lead fruitful lives as we abide in Him, the True Vine, we are the branches that are to bear the fruit of righteousness to our world. This spiritual fruit is described as godly attitudes. And we are not to just bring forth fruit, but lasting fruit. I can’t beg and plead for people to be saved. Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a repentant sinner. But I can lead a life of service to Christ, that represents Him to others all around me, so that they will see the lasting fruit in my life. We read in the Book of Galatians, Paul wrote: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (vv.22-23). When a Christian walks by the Spirit and manifests His fruit, he needs no external law to produce the attitudes and behavior that please God, and indicate true Christianity. And so you see, God is at work in my life, and in your life today, perfecting our lives more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. Bearing fruit that lasts, is done over a lifetime of service to the One, who gave His all for us, to ransom us to the Father. By simply believing in the Lord, and receiving His love for me through His Word, I can have a sweet and lasting relationship with God, and He calls me His friend, because I keep His commandments to love one another. But even that is a work of His Holy Spirit producing in me His fruit of the Spirit which is love.
Beloved friend, God cares greatly for you, and your families. He would love to use you today to reach out to them by working in you/me, His life of love and joy, and peace. This is evidence by what our world is so desperately seeking to fulfill their lives with. Yet, apart from Christ, they will never find it. Will you join me in letting our light shine brightly for His kingdom and righteousness, and inviting them to trust in the completed work of Jesus Christ, on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead. He will give anyone who thirsts, living water that will bring eternal life in Him.
May the Lord bless your walk with Him today!
