Close Friend

Jesus: The Friend Who Sticks Closer Than a Brother (The Finished Work of Intimacy)

There is a friend that sticks by you closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

How close is that? And is this even possible? Who is this?

This is Jesus!

Closer than a brother? Proverbs 18:24 says: "There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." This ancient wisdom points to a profound truth that finds its ultimate fulfilment in Christ, His finished work and His abiding Spirit.

"Friendship" inherently speaks of intimacy and deep relationship. It declares:

• I'll be your friend through good and bad. (Romans 8:38-39: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.")

• I'll be your friend in spite of the wrongs you may or may not do. (Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This is the core of the finished work – His love and sacrifice are prior to our worthiness.)

• I'll care for you and you do not have to buy my friendship. (Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.")

• I'd like to be ever so close to you and spend time with you, do things, speak things, decide things, and go with you.

• ... just be with you. (Matthew 28:20: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.")

How is Friendship Forged? The Finished Work of Righteousness

Friendship comes about through intimate relationship, getting to know each other and having mutual trust and faith in one another... much like Abraham and God. The finished work of Christ and His abiding Spirit has now made this level of intimacy available to all believers.

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God." (James 2:23, cross-referencing Genesis 15:6).

The Hebrew word for "friend" here in the context of God's relationship with Abraham is 'âhab (or אָהַב, pronounced aw-hab'). This is a primitive root word meaning "to have affection for, to love or be loved, to like or be liked, friend." It expresses a deep, abiding love and affinity, forming the very foundation of friendship. (Not to be confused with King Ahab or אֲחאָב, Achab, meaning "brother of my father," which has a different root and connotation).

And get this! The Hebrew word-picture or pictograph for 'âhab (אָהַב) "that sticketh closer than a brother" depicts the power entered is fenced. This ancient pictograph subtly reveals the very essence of God's plan of redemption through His Son.

So, there's a picture here with a story? Absolutely!

Remember that Jesus is Grace personified (John 1:14, 17: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth... For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.").

"Power fenced" refers to the dominion and authority that was usurped by the enemy when Adam sinned. This is the Babylon power, symbolic of human systems and spiritual forces that seek to restrict, limit, and enslave. It represents power without freedom, power without the liberating force of Grace. Thus, the original dominion (power to have dominion) given to man was indeed fenced by the enemy when Adam gave it away through disobedience (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12). And even today, this "fencing" can occur in our lives through unbelief or by believing a lie about ourselves, thereby yielding ground to the enemy's false claims.

...Enters the Restorer: The Finished Work of Intimacy

And then something truly wonderful, something beyond our natural thinking and comprehension, something of absolute, unfathomable love happened when Abba Father sent His only begotten Son to break down ALL fences and re-fence His grace within us!

In Jesus, He openly demonstrated His ahabah Fatherly love (אֲהָבָה, ahavah - the noun form of 'âhab, meaning "love") for us (see this post). He died on a cross, willingly taking our sins upon Himself (1 Peter 2:24: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."). This was the pivotal act of His finished work—the ultimate sacrifice that cancelled all sin, past, present, and future (Hebrews 9:26: "But now he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.").

And He was raised again because of our righteousness (Romans 4:25: "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."). His resurrection proved that the fully accomplished work was enough to satisfy God completely, and to bring about our justification (being declared righteous) perfectly. He didn't just deal with our past sins; He established our new identity in righteousness.

Then, as part of this glorious finished work, He breathed His Spirit right into us (John 20:22: "And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'"). He anointed us (2 Corinthians 1:21-22: "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.") and lives inside and through us right now! (Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.").

How close can you get? This is not mere proximity; it's a profound, indwelling union!

Jesus promised it, saying: "I will never leave you nor forsake you!" (Hebrews 13:5, quoting Deuteronomy 31:6). This is a covenant promise, secured by His finished work.

Jesus says He no longer calls us servants, but friends (John 15:15: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."). The Greek word for "friends" here is φίλος (philos), indicating a beloved friend, a dear one with whom there is mutual affection and intimacy – far beyond the master-servant relationship. This new designation is a direct result of His finished work, granting us access to the Father's heart.

He sticks to us... closer than a brother. This intimacy is revealed by the very Word of God residing within us: Romans 10:8 says: "But what saith it? The word [Jesus] is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach." The proximity described here is a spiritual reality, made possible by the indwelling Holy Spirit, who connects us to Christ and His finished work.

He is our Faith. (Hebrews 12:2: "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.") He is our Friend! ... closer than a brother!

HalleluYAH! (הַלְלוּיָהּ, hallelu-Yah - "Praise the Lord!")