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friendship built on virtue

"It is virtue, virtue, which both creates and preserves friendship. On it depends harmony of interest, permanence, fidelity."  (Cicero)

"A man is known by the company he shuns as well as by the company he keeps."  (C. H. Spurgeon)


"The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant."  (Psalm 25:14)

"Actually, the word friendship in this verse (Psalm 25:14) can also be translated secret or intimate. This interesting word in the Hebrew refers to the confidential counsel  that you would get from a close friend. So, the secret, intimate, confidential counsel that comes from the friendship of the Lord 'is for those who fear Him.' God shares His best stuff with the people who fear Him. This is the closeness of trusting God."  (James MacDonald)

"[Christians] are accepted and received into friendship with a holy God, — a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, — who hates every unclean thing. And is it not necessary that they should be holy who are admitted into his presence, walk in his sight, — yea, lie in his bosom?  Should they not with all diligence cleanse themselves from all pollution of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord?"  (John Owen, Communion with the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, p 220).

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