K006. Jesus said, Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you (Joh 15:14 KJV)

He continued - Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you (Joh 15:15 KJV).

Does it make sense? Please think, If you do whatever your friend commands you, do you still think that you are his friend. No, you are the servant and he is your boss or your master!

However, Jesus who is truly our Lord would consider us as 'friends' if we obey and do ALL His commandments ! It means that Jesus treats us as a special people or peculiar people who are like His friends because we keep His commandments. This would never take away the  fact that He is still our Lord and Master.

Our earthly parents can love us so much that they would not treat us like children; but like friends too. However, does it mean that we can just treat them as friends without the need to obey them any more? No. If your boss, your president, your managing director, or your chief, treats you like friends, it does not mean that you can just treat them as friends without obeying any order from them too. We will always remember that we are still the subordinates or servants. Similarly, in God's kingdom, we know where we stand. Who are we to think that we can be compared with God as God's friends (even if we have received the righteousness of God and become like Christ) ?

However, many Christians misinterpret Joh 15:14 deliberately, use it to boast about their status with God (or the status of 'being a friend of God'), and happily conclude that they are no longer required to obey any God's commandments; they think that they are no longer His servants?

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