Why is "accepting Christ" mentioned in evangelism when it is not in the Bible?

Receive is passive rather than active in force. It implies that instead of exercising his powers, the sinner simply falls into line with God's offer. It is the word Scripture uses.

Now Christ came into a world in which He already had interests. Perhaps we do not sufficiently realize what it must have been to the Lord Jesus to come to His own circle of interests and to be completely refused by His own people! (John 1:11). but at that moment there came into view a new generation, "As many as received Him, to them gave He (the) right to be children of God," (New Trans.). And from that moment we see the attention of Christ focused on that new company. They are called His "own." Entrance into this new sphere was not by intelligence, nor was it by any ecclesiastical ceremony; it was as the result of receiving Christ, having faith in that blessed Person, believing on His Name. Faith, given of God, operating thus towards Christ, gives to each one of us the right to take account of ourselves in the dignity that attaches to this wonderful company that Christ calls "His own."

The first chapter of John's gospel opens with that magnificent reference to the glory of His eternal Person as He, the eternal "Logos," the Creator, comes into this world. He came to His own interests, and His own people received Him not. He was unknown to the world, but He was also refused and rejected by His earthly people. "But," says the Scripture, "as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to be children of God, to those that believe on His name." The word "received" is a word of great import. It does not refer to a mental reception of the truth, important as that may be; the word indicates receiving something to hold, tenaciously and permanently. The very word is used in relation to the Pharisees and Sadducees in Mark 7, where it says "they received to hold the traditions of men." That which proceeds from the minds of men — denigrating the Person and glory of Christ — held tenaciously today, and I am praying as I speak that if there are any in danger of being held by such traditions; receiving them to hold, only to find the end of them to be destruction, that God may turn your hearts and minds to Christ, that you might find in Him the answer to all your difficulties and problems.

A narrow gate, and a narrow way, lead to life. The reception of one Person leads to the blest relationship of sons unto God. Who would have thought that such hopeless conditions as men presented in this world could have been met by so simple a solution? Who would have supposed that such a solution to men's needs should be attended by so stupendous an issue? A blind man does not per-ceive, but he can re-ceive. We don't all have the chance of receiving money, and garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants and maidservants (see 2 Kings 5:26). But to each hearer of the good news of the Saviour, Son of God, comes the opportunity of receiving Christ. The world knew Him not in His lowliness, His own people of Israel received Him not; but some submitted to Him, opened their hearts to Him, welcomed Him within by placing their faith in His name; and so proved themselves to be born of God.

God uses illustrations of men receiving Him. At least four of the senses are employed to represent this. We look to Him and are saved. We hear His voice and live. We touch the hem of His garment, and are made whole. We taste that the Lord is gracious. To receive Him is to trust Him, it is to believe in His Name. It may be compared to eating and drinking, in which we appropriate a commodity outside of ourselves, take it within, and so assimilate it that it becomes life to us.

"He came unto his own [things], and his own [people] received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power [rather, authority, right, or title] to become children of God." (Ver. 11, 12) It was not a question now of Jehovah and His servants. Neither does the Spirit say exactly as the English Bible says — "sons," but children. His glorious person would have none now in relation to God but members of the family. Such was the grace that God was displaying in Him, the true and full expresser of His mind. He gave them title to take the place of children of God, even to those that believe on His name. Sons they might have been in bare title; but these had the right of children.

Verse 12. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God." "Children of God," it should be. First of all, He gives them everything, not merely saves, but He gives them the privilege of being children of God. In Judaism, they were servants, not sons. "Sons" is a title of privilege and honour; "children" is a much deeper thing. Where it is a question of nature and intimacy, there it is "children." How that exclusive, absolute way of putting things runs through this gospel! "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God;" they received Him, and only Him, and they were born of God. Everything else is excluded. A person who was studying the word of God, and desirous of penetrating (or rather, of being penetrated by) the thoughts of the Spirit of God, would pay especial attention to these expressions. Again, the Spirit says, John was not the Light, do not let the thought of John come in, he was not that Light. Then again, "He gave them the privilege." Had not they anything to do with it? Not at all! — "which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

“HE CAME TO HIS OWN” (neuter), and “His own (masc.) received Him not.” But there were those who did, and He Himself gave the right to such to be children of God. They believed on His Name, having received in faith the truth of who and what the world’s Maker and Israel’s King is. They were “born of God” (John 1:13). A new family thus appears. The Lord had brought Israel out of the fierce furnace of Egyptian bondage. But when tested under law, they proved themselves a perverse generation, rebellious children, and when their rightful Ruler came to His own rights, He was refused them. Then He uses His divine and royal prerogative, to grant to those who receive Him in faith, the unquestionable “RIGHT” to take the place of God’s children. Today these have the witness of the Spirit, and the love of the Father assuring them of that relationship, being born of God, yet “the right” granted sovereignly by the Son adds boldness to our divinely assured faith. How vastly important and encouraging is this Word. The MAKER OF THE WORLD, ISRAEL’S KING, JESUS, the Son of God, unknown by the world, and refused His own crown and kingdom by Israel, has given to those who receive Him, the right to take this honoured place of relationship and blessedness,—THE PLACE OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD. How great and glorious is the One who grants this right! How rich is the right granted to those who believe on such an One! What holy confidence is thus imparted! Everlasting praise be His. The world was made through Him! Israel’s throne belongs to Him! God’s children are abidingly blessed by Him.

And how may we receive Him? you ask. He is not here on earth as He was then, and we cannot receive Him in the same way as Zaccheus did. If you want to receive Him, the Word of God tells us the way: "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12). The way we receive Jesus is by believing on His name. If you want to receive Him, He is willing to receive you. You believe on His name, and Christ is yours, and you are Christ's.

Then your real question is, not about accepting Him, but whether God has really presented Him to you, and eternal life in Him. A simple soul would say, "Accept! I am only too thankful to have Him!" but as all are not simple, one word on this also. If you have offended some one grievously, and a friend seeks to offer him satisfaction, who is to accept it?

John 1:12. 'As many as received (nor.) him (by a momentary and definite act), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that are believing (pres.) on his name.'"