If you do not do whatsoever Jesus commanded you to do in the Scriptures, then you are not a friend of Christ.
Many would like to debate these words, they like to believe that all they must do is love Him, that no other action is required, but the Word of God is clear, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:14) That word “If” is not the favorite word of those who call Jesus Lord, it infers that an action must be performed by them, that they are responsible to prove that their love for the Lord is real, that it is more than just a positive feeling. Many have I met that think this way, that believe, although they will either not admit it to themselves or cannot form the proper words to express it, that love is all they need, they consider not that they are to obey Christ in totality. For the most part this love is shown only within the moral guidelines of the world, kind, polite, congenial, rarely do they reprove or correct in that love, deciding instead to only emulate certain parts of Christ, the attributes that do not infringe on the rights or thoughts of others in any negative way.
These are not the friends of Christ for they will not step out in love to all they meet. The lost for the most part are left to fend for themselves, the prodigal son is left in the city, the lost sheep are to find their own way home. Some might contend that the members of Christ are many, “And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.” (1 Cor. 12:21) But these would reply in this manner would be placing themselves in a “Spiritual box,” as it were, they will contend that this is what they have been called to be, and that is all they ever will be. In fact, it is only fear that holds them back from being the friend of Christ, they refuse to be “All things to all men.”
Not all need to hear of the love of Christ and only that love, they must be informed of the consequences that await them if they reject the Lord, would a friend do any less than warn another about the dangers that await them if they continue on the path they are on? Would a friend do any less than speak the entirety of the truth to those he meets? What good does it do to tell a man who is walking directly towards a large hole in the ground that Jesus loves him, are some not to be “saved with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (Jude 1:23) If Jesus pulled you from the path of the wrath of God, will you not do the same for your neighbor, if you have been convicted of your sins, will you not assist your brother by pointing out to him the sins in his own life, to show him the truth of Numbers 32:23, “be sure your sin will find you out.”
It is not the way of many Christians today, we will tell them of the love of Christ, but not warn them of the fires of hell, we are loving them right into hell my friends. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17) No man can claim to be the friend of Christ who does not speak the entire truth to another, if you will not tell them of what awaits those who do not accept the Son of God as Lord, you do not love them, if you will not reprove and correct the brother in Christ who is living a life of sin and open rebellion against God, you do not love him, and those who would be the friend of Jesus must love even when that love is difficult, when it means speaking the truth in love.
Fear is what keeps us from expressing this type of love, fear of what others may think of us, fear of how we may be perceived in the eyes of others. I can tell you from personal experience exactly what will happen after you have diligently sought the face of God for what to say to the lost individual, how to approach that brother who is in willful, blatant sin against our Holy God, you will be mocked, ridiculed both to your face and behind your back, you will be labeled contentious, too adamant, overly conservative, your own past faults will be brought up, you will be compared to the Pharisee at the wall, (Luke 18:11) and finally you will be ostracized, no longer sought out, you will be hated, and you will be the friend of Jesus.
By continuing to live a “Christian” life that portrays nothing but the attribute of love, we deny our love for others, we deny the truth to them, and one day we will realize we have been deceived. I will not say this is going to happen, but if it helps you to see the truth of the matter, then I will speak it. Imagine someone you have known for a very long time, screaming and pointing to you from the depths of hell, “Why didn’t you tell me!” Imagine the brother or sister in Christ, enduring the chastisement of Christ for sins of his own making, sins you knew about but would not confront him with. Where is love now my friends, where is the action, the deed, the following of the commandments that shows that you have the honor and privilege to be called by Jesus His friend. Love is not just a feeling, a warm, fuzzy good you experience inside, it is an action, and action means you have to do something.
I will repeat myself again, there are no rewards in heaven for good intentions. No man is a friend of others until he is willing to warn them of the dangers ahead, no man is going to be called a friend by our Lord who does not follow His commandments, if you fear what they may think of you, then you are not a fearing God enough.
“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:14)
