The world thinks the believer is nuts. Our faith does not make sense to them and our standard of living makes even less sense. Why we cannot engage in some of their most desirable activities is beyond their understanding. So then, why do we try to win or convince them for Christ with our holiness. They don't want holiness and never will. Holy living to them is a prison without bars. I have yet to meet a person who wanted to come to Christ because they saw how consistently and holy a believer lived.
What brings people to Christ is when they recognize that he can meet their deepest needs. Jesus offered the woman at the well a spring of living water flowing from within her soul. Sounds pretty good to me. The Philippian jailor saw the joy of Paul and Silas and most likely wanted the same. I came to Christ partly due to the testimony of guy with whom I smoked cigarettes in the men's room in high school. I was so stunned by him coming to Christ and thought that maybe he found what I was so desperately looking for.
So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. (1 Thessalonians 1:7)
Paul writes to the Philippian believers and praises them for their testimony for Christ and their effectiveness at influencing those around them and regions beyond. How did they affect them? It was by their joy. The Bible tells us that the Philippians received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost (1 Thessalonians 1:6). The believers had joy and the rest of the world wanted it.
Should we live holy? Of course we should, The Lord commanded us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). But we must recognize that in order for us to be an effective light in the world, we must shine of the goodness that God is doing in our lives. Anything less will be a failure.
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