Can we be Friends?

I actively and passionately seek friendship and fellowship with my brothers & sisters in Christ who share the following ideals of friendship.

I am a Born Again Christian, who fears God, loves God, and wants to be fully obedient to God and the Holy Bible.  I seek to live without hypocrisy, living according to God's truth, facts, priorities, urgencies, values, goals, plans, & morals.  

Therefore I love all humans in the same manner as I love myself.  

We are all sinners in this fallen, evil world.  Some sin more than others, or sin differently.  i believe that those who truly love their friends, neighbour, & acquaintences will warn them of dangers (both in this life, and the next), help them, & edify them.

If you are not currently a Born Again, obedient Christian who lives a righteous life without hypocrisy, then I still invite you to be my friend.  However, be aware that I have a duty to preach the Gospel to you, and warn you of the costs and dangers of the path you currently walk; all this done with love, compassion, & friendship.

Christians have a duty to lovingly rebuke their friends & fellow Christians for their obvious sins, transgressions, or unfriendly behaviour.  

Good friends willingly learn from their mistakes, re-examine their questionable behaviour(s), & if necessary, seek additional info from their friends or others.  If they have truly acted in a unfriendly or sinful manner, they will:   1) contritely confess, repent, and seek forgiveness from God;  2)  apologize to their friend(s) that they wronged;  3) offer restitution if warranted;  and 4) ask for their friend's forgiveness.

Good friends quickly & graciously accept heartfelt confessions, repentance, &  apologies; and forgive their friend(s).  Good friends hold neither anger, nor bitterness, nor hard feelings, nor malevolence, nor passive-aggressive feelings, nor vengence against their repentant friend(s); instead, they forgive, move on, and don't look back.

Both Christians and good friends flee from sin, temptation, and evil persons who harm others (purposefully or inadvertently).

Both Christians & good friends practice the Fruits of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis:  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,  righteousness, godliness, and patience.

Both I, and those whom I seek to call my friends choose to mutually treat themselves and all others with dignity, respect, trustworthiness, and the full truth in all conversations.  

Trustworthiness is defined by, created by, protected by,  nurtured by, or destroyed by 4 factors:   1) Benevolent best interest in the other party;  2) Open & honest communication;  3) Competency; and 4) Predictable behaviour.  These I seek to practice so that I am a trustworthy person.  I expect similarly from my friends.

If someone is not willing (or not able) to share the whole truth, then they should keep quiet, or alert the other(s) that they are only sharing the truth on one segment, but not all segments.

Friends support, help, encourage, and celebrate the other friend's activities and victories; and commiserate their troubles.

Friends may (or more often, may not) agree on all opinions, alleged facts, factors to be considered, actions, inactions, tastes, styles, priorities, urgencies, values, and goals.  Provided these occur within the previously stated limits, good friends will welcome, accept, cheerfully tolerate, &/or celebrate these diversities among friends.

I choose to be bound by all the above for my friends, my fellow Christians, and all others; yes, even those who choose to be sinful, &/or my enemy.

If all this sounds like the type of friendship you would like to have with me, and you voluntarily agree to be bound by all the above, then I welcome you as my friend, & look forward to the mutual benefits of our friendship from now on.

Comments on my definitions and ideals on Christian friendship?  Please leave your comment, & suggestions.