Numbers Six: Avoid Lifestyle Distractions and Control the Conversation
Apologists encounter two varieties of distractions that can easily interfere with and even sidetrack our best apologetic efforts. This Week’s blog identifies what they are and how to avoid them.
An unbeliever’s Lifestyle
Unless the unbeliever makes it an issue, don’t get distracted by a person’s lifestyle. Apologetics deals with intellectual obstacles, not moral issues. A man and woman living together out of wedlock should not prevent us from sharing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Nor should we let it interfere with an apologetic discussion.
I was discussing this particular point in class when one of my students raised her hand and said, “I have a relative who is a homosexual. Every time I witness to him, we eventually come to this issue, and I can’t get beyond it. What do I do?”
The answer is to go around it. God will deal with moral issues once a person sees their need to become a Christian. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts people of sin (John 16:8). He will show unbelievers those areas in their lives that need to be changed—and then empower them to make the necessary change (Rom. 6:6-7,14)—once He calls them into the family of Christ.
Sanctification is a process that begins after we’re saved—it’s not a requirement before we’re saved. A life of sin is not an obstacle to faith—a person does not have to “clean up their act” before becoming a Christian. On the other hand, our condemnation and threats of divine punishment can be an obstacle. Jesus came to heal the sick (sinners), not the healthy (Mark 2:17). One would not need Christ if they were not a sinner.
Control the Conversation and Avoid Peripheral Issues
The second distraction to avoid is peripheral issues—issues that are not apologetic in nature or do not further the cause of evangelism. Some unbelievers like to argue just for the sake of arguing and are unwilling to examine the decisive issues: Who is Jesus Christ? Is salvation only through Him? Is the Bible truthful and reliable? These people characteristically interrupt, change the subject, or wander off on rabbit trails.
A favorite tactic is to argue over some inane matter that has nothing to do with whether Christianity is true or not, such as the death penalty. Christians involved in cult evangelism frequently encounter this ploy. To avoid discussing relevant issues, many cultists prefer to argue over soul sleep, blood atonement, or some other irrelevant dogma.
How do we respond to these individuals? By controlling the conversation. Keep them on track by constantly returning to the issue at hand. Try to move the conversation to “who is Jesus Christ.” Point out that you are willing to listen to them, but they, in turn, must give you the same respectful attention—or there is no use continuing the discussion. Insist they don’t interrupt and let you respond to one issue before they raise another. Again, control the conversation.
Next Week’s blog looks at applying evangelistic and missionary techniques in our apologetics for increasing our likelihood of getting a fair hearing with non-Christians.