Lifestyle evangelism that promotes being close friends with non-believers to influence them is based on humanistic psychology. The thinking that if we can get others to like us they will ask when they see we are different, is not Biblical.
We are not called to get people to like us so they will like Jesus. We are called to preach the gospel, told to walk away if they don't receive it and become close friends with those who love Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:33 " 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
The idea of "lifestyle" evangelism doesn't come from God's word but is being used as an excuse to stay connected to the world. It is a lie that when we become friends with unbelievers they will like us and then like Christ.
Try it sometime, stop just being friendly and begin sharing the truth of the gospel and watch whether or not they remain friends with you. 9 times out of 10 they will despise you, avoid you and mock you. The one that does not do this will tolerate you but never come to Christ.
God did not tell us to become friends to be liked first and then maybe they will like Christ. Just the opposite was conveyed by God, that we will be rejected by most no matter how friendly we were.
Notice that Christ did absolutely nothing wrong ever, he healed, he preached the gospel, he obeyed His Father perfectly and yet the whole world rejected Him, with the exception of a few. They nailed Him to the cross because of their contempt. They didn't know that they were furthering the plan of salvation by this act of hate, but God used their contempt and hatred to shed His blood for the world.
Preach the Gospel is the command from Christ. PREACH!!!!
2 Timothy 4:2 "1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.…"
Matthew 10:22 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
John 15:21 "…20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. 21 But they will treat you like this on account of My name, because they do not know the One who sent Me."
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