Biblical Friendship: Part 3

In this powerful exploration of spiritual friendship from 2 Timothy 4, we discover that even the greatest saints need people—and that our friends will inevitably disappoint us. Paul, writing from prison and facing possible execution, makes an urgent plea: 'Come to me soon.' Here's a man who experienced the third heaven, wrote thirteen books of the New Testament, and endured unimaginable persecution for Christ—yet he needed his friends. Some friends, like Demas, fell in love with the world and deserted the mission. Others, like Crescens and Titus, were sent away for the sake of the gospel. Still others, like John Mark, disappointed Paul deeply but were later restored and became incredibly useful for ministry. The most striking moment comes when Paul faces trial and 'no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me.' Yet Paul's response reveals the heart of Christ-centered friendship: 'May it not be charged against them.' We learn that friendships aren't transactional currencies where we keep score of who did what. Instead, they flow from Christ's love for us. When our friends fail us—and they will—we can turn to the Friend who never fails, who stood by Paul and strengthened him not for comfort, but for faithfulness. Because Jesus forgives us when we disappoint Him, we can extend that same grace to others and pursue long-haul friendships that reflect His character.