Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of being "friendly" in the Bible is closely associated with the virtues of kindness, love, and hospitality. The Scriptures provide numerous examples and teachings that highlight the importance of friendliness as a reflection of God's love and as a means of fostering community and fellowship among believers.
Biblical Examples and Teachings1.
Friendship and Love: The Bible often links friendliness with love, emphasizing that true friendship is rooted in love and selflessness.
Proverbs 17:17 states, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." This verse underscores the steadfast nature of a true friend, who remains loyal and supportive through all circumstances.
2.
Hospitality: The New Testament encourages believers to practice hospitality, which is a tangible expression of friendliness. In
Romans 12:13, Paul exhorts the church to "share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality." This call to hospitality reflects the early Christian community's commitment to caring for one another and welcoming strangers.
3.
The Example of Jesus: Jesus Christ exemplified perfect friendliness through His interactions with others. He was known for His approachability and compassion, often reaching out to those marginalized by society. In
John 15:15, Jesus tells His disciples, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you." Here, Jesus elevates His followers to the status of friends, indicating a deep, personal relationship.
4.
Wisdom in Friendships: The Bible also provides guidance on choosing friends wisely.
Proverbs 13:20 advises, "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." This verse highlights the influence that friends can have on one's character and the importance of surrounding oneself with those who exhibit godly wisdom.
5.
Encouragement and Support: Friendly relationships are characterized by mutual encouragement and support.
Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages believers to "consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." This passage emphasizes the role of community and friendship in spiritual growth and perseverance.
Practical ApplicationIn practical terms, friendliness involves showing kindness, being approachable, and offering support to others. It requires a willingness to listen, empathize, and extend grace. Christians are called to reflect the love of Christ in their interactions, fostering an environment where others feel valued and accepted.
ConclusionWhile the Bible does not explicitly use the term "friendly," the principles and examples found within its pages provide a comprehensive understanding of what it means to be friendly in a biblical sense. Through love, hospitality, wise companionship, and encouragement, believers are called to embody the spirit of friendliness as a testament to their faith and as a means of building up the body of Christ.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
a.) Having the temper and disposition of a friend; disposed to promote the good of another; kind; favorable.
2. (a.) Appropriate to, or implying, friendship; befitting friends; amicable.
3. (a.) Not hostile; as, a friendly power or state.
4. (a.) Promoting the good of any person; favorable; propitious; serviceable; as, a friendly breeze or gale.
5. (adv.) In the manner of friends; amicably; like friends.
Greek
5384. philos -- beloved, dear,friendly... beloved, dear,
friendly. Part of Speech: Adjective; Indeclinable Numeral (Adjective)
Transliteration: philos Phonetic Spelling: (fee'-los) Short Definition
...5391. philophron -- courteous.
... Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: philophron Phonetic Spelling:
(fil-of'-rone) Short Definition:friendly, kindly Definition:friendly, kindly...
529. apantesis -- a meeting
... Word Origin from apantao Definition a meeting NASB Word Usage meet (3). meeting,
friendly encounter. From apantao; a (friendly) encounter -- meet....
5364. philanthropos -- humanely, kindly
... Cognate: 5364 (an adverb) -- properly,friendly; describing the kindness shown by
(literally) "a (5384 ) of (444 )." That is, treating others with courteous...
2853. kollao -- to glue, unite
... glue); hence: mid. and pass: I join myself closely, cleave, adhere (to),
I keep company (with), offriendly intercourse. 2853 (from...
5371. Philemon -- "kindly," Philemon, a Christian
... Philemon. From phileo;friendly; Philemon, a Christian -- Philemon. see GREEK phileo.
(philemoni) -- 1 Occurrence. 5370, 5371. Philemon. 5372 ....
1999. episustasis -- conspiracy
... conspiracy From the middle voice of a compound of epi and sunistao; a conspiracy,
ie Concourse (riotous orfriendly) -- that which cometh upon, + raising up....
4375. prosphiles -- pleasing, agreeable
... lovely. From a presumed compound of pros and phileo;friendly towards, ie Acceptable --
lovely. see GREEK pros. see GREEK phileo. (prosphile) -- 1 Occurrence....
2007. epitithemi -- to lay upon, to place upon
... From epi and tithemi; to impose (in afriendly or hostile sense) -- add unto, lade,
lay upon, put (up) on, set on (up), + surname, X wound. see GREEK epi....
2186. ephistemi -- to set upon, set up, to stand upon, be present
... From epi and histemi; to stand upon, ie Be present (in various applications,friendly
or otherwise, usually literal); --assault, come (in, to, unto, upon), be...
Strong's Hebrew
7965. shalom -- completeness, soundness, welfare, peace... Word Origin from shalem Definition completeness, soundness, welfare, peace NASB
Word Usage close (2), ease (1), favorable (1), friend* (1),
friendly terms (1
...8003. shalem -- complete, safe, at peace
... from shalem Definition complete, safe, at peace NASB Word Usage blameless (1), complete
(1), completed (1), completely (1), entire (2),friendly (1), full (4...
3820. leb -- inner man, mind, will, heart
... 2), yourself (1), yourselves (1). care for, comfortably, consent, considered,
courageous,friendly, broken, hard,. A form of lebab...
53. Abishalom -- "my father is peace," two Israelites
... Or (shortened) babshalowm {ab-shaw- lome'}; from 'ab and shalowm; father of peace
(ieFriendly); Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later...
7125. qirah -- against he come, help, meet, seek, to, in the way
... From qara'; an encountering, accidental,friendly or hostile (also adverbially,
opposite) -- X against (he come), help, meet, seek, X to, X in the way....
3803. kathar -- to surround
... A primitive root; to enclose; hence (in afriendly sense) to crown, (in a hostile
one) to besiege; also to wait (as restraining oneself) -- beset round...
7999. shalam -- to be complete or sound
... A primitive root; to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be
(causatively, make) completed; by implication, to befriendly; by extension, to...
7489. ra'a' -- to be evil, bad
... associate selves (by mistake for ra'ah), break (down, in pieces), + displease,
(be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat, man), show selffriendly (by mistake for ra...
6485. paqad -- to attend to, visit, muster, appoint
... A primitive root; to visit (withfriendly or hostile intent); by analogy,
to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc....
Library
For a FemaleFriendly Society.
... ORIGINAL HYMNS HYMN CCLXXXV. For a FemaleFriendly Society. 8.8.8.8 James Montgomery.
For a FemaleFriendly Society. Our soul shall magnify the Lord,....
AFriendly Conference.
... Book VIII. Chapter III."AFriendly Conference. But Peter, walking along leisurely
while conversing, was looking out for a suitable place for a conference....
RB Unto theFriendly Reader Wisheth Salvation.
... RB Unto theFriendly Reader wisheth Salvation. FORASMUCH as that, which
above all things I propose to myself, is to declare and...
Ep. Xci. A Letter of no Great Importance, Except as Shewing the...
... Division III. Miscellaneous Letters. Ep. XCI. A letter of no great importance,
except as shewing thefriendly feelings which Gregory continued?...
I Shall Now Only Add thisFriendly Hint to the Doctor...
... Address 74: I shall now only add thisfriendly hint to the doctor? I shall
now only add thisfriendly hint to the doctor, that...
The Wicked Heart Set to do Evil.
... `O,' says that fond mother, `I think my daughter isfriendly to religion.
Do you think she is converted?' O no, not converted, but...
Europeans in India.
... The intercourse is generally courteous, in not a few casesfriendly, and they
talk freely with each other on a great variety of subjects....
General Conference of 1824
... had last visited us, in 1804, no personal intercourse had been kept up between the
European and American connections, thoughfriendly epistolary salutations...
Of Silent Acquiescence in Heathen Formularies.
... through our ears? At all events, whoever the adjurer is, he binds you to
himself either infriendly or unfriendly conjunction. If in...
The First Day his Father Resumed his Work, Diamond Went with Him...
... Nanny. He found him at home. His servant had grownfriendly by this time,
and showed him in without any cross-questioning. Mr. Raymond...
Thesaurus
Friendly (17 Occurrences)... 2. (a.) Appropriate to, or implying, friendship; befitting friends; amicable. 3.
(a.) Not hostile; as, a
friendly power or state.
...Friendly (17 Occurrences).
...Propitiation (4 Occurrences)
... reference for its comprehension, for the idea was general in religious thought,
that some place and means had to be provided for securingfriendly meeting with...
Alliance (12 Occurrences)
...Friendly relations ensued between Israel and Judah, during the reign of Jehoshaphat,
which continued to the close of the dynasty of Omri (1 Kings 22:2-4, 50 2...
Kiss (39 Occurrences)
... In the New Testament we have phileo, "to kiss," "to befriendly," and kataphileo,
"to kiss thoroughly," "to be veryfriendly"-the first in Matthew 26:48 Mark 14...
Onias
... xx.29). This Onias was the recipient of afriendly letter from Areus of Sparta
(1 Maccabees 12:7; see manuscripts readings here, and 12:20)....
Friend (139 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) One not inimical or hostile; one not a foe or enemy; also, one of the same
nation, party, kin, etc., whosefriendly feelings may be assumed....
Friendliness (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The condition or quality of beingfriendly.
Multi-Version Concordance Friendliness (1 Occurrence)....
Rei (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible DictionaryFriendly, one who maintained true allegiance to king David
(1 Kings 1:8) when Adonijah rebelled. Noah Webster's Dictionary....
Admonition (8 Occurrences)
... (n.) Gentle orfriendly reproof; counseling against a fault or error; expression
of authoritative advice;friendly caution or warning....
Sparrow (4 Occurrences)
... Sparrows are small brown and gray birds offriendly habit that swarm over the northern
part of Palestine, and West of the Sea of Galilee, where the hills...
Resources
Should churches be seeker-friendly? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is an attractional church? | GotQuestions.orgWho were the Kenites? | GotQuestions.orgFriendly: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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