Over the years, I realized that being with those who reject the Bible, even if they say they are Christians, only tends to silence us to avoid conflict. We do not change the minds of others merely by spending time with them.
We are not called to change the behavior or mindset of others. We are called to speak truth and allow the Holy Spirit to move in their lives as they make their own decision to follow or not follow Christ.
God has clearly shown me to "move on" when someone shows no interest or is aggravated by what I tell them. Remaining with those who will not listen does not cause them to hear better because we hang around. Remaining only dilutes us while empowering them to remain as they are, without hope and without Christ, but confident they are alright just as they are, after all, "the Christian accepts me", so our differences are not a big deal in the mind of the stubborn one.
2 Corinthians 6:17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you".
Ephesians 5:11
"Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."
When we love Christ and we love people, we will share the gospel with the unsaved, and if they reject Christ, we will remove ourselves to carry on with those who want to listen.
Jesus Christ walked away from many people who rejected Him, and embraced and encouraged those who accepted Him. This does not mean we hate those who are unsaved; it means that we can obey by speaking the gospel, but have no power over the choices of others. We do not desire power over anyone!
Manipulation is not one of the tactics Christians use to get people to make choices we want them to make. Intimidation is also not a tactic we use in sharing the gospel to "cause fear" in people to accept Christ. We share out of love for God and people, and we leave all the results to God.
It is important that we protect our walk with Christ through wise choices pertaining to who our constant companions will be. If we walk with dedicated Christ followers, they will edify us and we will edify them, making a strong cord that can resist against false teaching and the intimidation of the world.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 "Though one may be overpowered by another, two can resist him. And a threefold cord is not easily broken".
To edify: "to improve morally or intellectually." Edifying one another is not about praise or flattery; it is about helping one another to keep walking the walk of faith, to keep obeying Christ and His Word.
Flattery builds pride in one's own accomplishments; this does not help, it harms, and praise causes arrogance, the desire to elevate oneself above others! The world loves pride and arrogance, living every day under its spell. But born-again believers love truth and humility. Love and humility are rooted in truth; there can be no authentic love without humility and truth!
1 Corinthians 13:6:
"Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth".
James 4:10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."
Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves".
We must not be so prideful and superior that we force others to do what we think they should do or be what we think they should be; we are only messengers, God is the One Who changes hearts.
