God created humans to be social creatures; we need relationships with others. Friends are God’s gift to his children. But what kind of people are our friends? How do we treat our friends? How do we expect our friends to treat us? Do we apply the principles of the covenant and the antithesis to our friendships?

FRIENDSHIPS

1. Why do we have friends—what purpose do they serve? (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10; Proverbs 27: 17; Genesis 2: 18).
2. What is the basis for our friendships? (Amos 3:3)
3. What kind of persons should be our friends? (Psalm 119:63, Proverbs 13:20, 2Corinthians 6:14-17, 1 John 2:15-17)
4. CAN you share your faith with your friends? DO you? (Proverbs 27:17)
5. Do you encourage your friends to obey God’s law, even rebuking them in love when necessary? When our friends want us to join them in doing things we must not do, how do we react? (Proverbs 27:5, 6)
6. Is it OK to sow wild oats with our friends while young, seeing we are baptized, and will probably settle down someday? (Psalm 26: 1, 5)
7. What is expected from you as a friend? (Matthew 25:14-30, especially 21-23; Joshua 1:7, 9; Proverbs 13:20).
8. What lessons can we learn from the friendship of David and Jonathan? (1 Samuel 20: 17)
9. How do you treat those who appear to have no friends?
10. Discuss how each of these scenarios would affect our friendship:
    1. Both I and my friend are members of a PRC.
    2. I am a member of a PRC. My friend is a godly Christian from another denomination.
    3. I am a member of a PRC. My friend is a professing Christian; however, he/she does not know much about doctrine, and is not so concerned to live a distinctively godly life.

DATING

11. What is the difference between friendship and dating?
12. What is a godly, proper reason for dating? May we date just for fun?
13. Must we be even more concerned with whom we date, than with whom we are friends? Why, or why not?
14. Do you think that you can change the weaknesses you see in the one you are dating?
15. What sad results can and often do follow when a believer marries an unbeliever?
    (Nehemiah 13:23-27)
16. How involved should parents be in our dating—regarding whom we date, and where we go on dates? Are your parents overly concerned about you in this area? How do you receive their warnings?
17. Discuss how each of these scenarios would affect your dating relationship:
    • . Both I and my date are members of a PRC.

1. I am a member of a PRC. My date is a godly Christian from another denomination.
2. I am a member of a PRC. My date is a professing Christian; however, he/she does not know much about doctrine, and is not so concerned to live a distinctively godly life.