How to be a Christian When it’s not Popular

When Sierra started taking her faith seriously she didn’t expect her friends to stop texting or her boyfriend to break up with her. She didn’t anticipate the strange looks and whispering behind her back.

People counselled her to stop taking her religion so seriously, that science had disproven the Bible, and that she was very closed minded to say Jesus was the only way to heaven.

Suddenly, Sierra had lost the social status she had worked so hard to maintain. She was no longer popular and didn’t even fit in with her peers.

 

While our grandparents grew up in a generation of church goers and Bible believers, today’s young people are growing up in a generation of church despisers and Bible haters. The relatively new reality in North America is that Christians are a ridiculed minority group.

Even though this is a new phenomenon in North America, it’s not a new reality. We need to remember that throughout history, Christianity has never been popular. Even 50 years ago when our grandparents were sitting in pews singing hymns, Christians on the other side of the world were being persecuted for their faith.

And Jesus told us this would happen.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:19-20

Nevertheless, because our parents and grandparents grew up with little resistance to the gospel, it’s hard to find living examples of how to stay strong and be bold in a world that hates us. Many of our pastors, elders and mentors are themselves trying to come to terms with the new culture and grappling with the same hard questions as us young people.

So how are we supposed to figure out how to thrive in a world where being a Christian isn’t popular?

Look to the examples in scripture and church history. 

A great place to start is Hebrews chapter 11. I find myself returning to this chapter again and again for examples of how to live a victorious, christian life amidst an ungodly society. These men and women “were … destitute, afflicted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy”

Their faith was not the popular, easy choice. It was hard. But “all these obtained a good testimony through faith.” (Hebrews 11:37-39)

How did they do it? How did these Christians hold fast to what was ridiculed and obtain a good testimony before God?

They did not count this world as their home and they believed God had something better for them than the world could offer.

This World is Not Our Home

“By faith [Abraham] dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob … for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. … These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:9-10, 13)

We are in this world but we are not of it. This world is not our eternal home. Our home is with Christ. (John 14:2-3)

When you feel like you don’t fit in, remember like Abraham, you aren’t supposed to. You aren’t made for this world, but for a better one.

Look for Something Better

Second, the Christians of Hebrews 11 “declare plainly that they seek a homeland … they desire a better, that is a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:14, 16)  They “know that [they] have a better and an enduring possession for [themselves] in heaven.” (Hebrews 10:34)

Did you catch that? There is a better country, a better possession in heaven.

Everything in this world is worthless compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. That includes popularity, friends, movies, money, parties. Sometimes we get so caught up in wanting the world’s approval that we forget God’s is far better.

And that isn’t just a concept. That is practical, real Christianity. Friendship with God actually will give us deeper, lasting pleasure, right now on earth than any other human friendship.

Paul declared “What things we gain to me these I have counted loss. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for Whom I suffer the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may know Christ.” (Philippians 2;?)

When people mock you for your faith, remember that you have a treasure of far greater worth than anything they are holding onto. Don’t let go of your treasure.

You Must Endure Suffering

The Bible clearly says, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) That persecution will come in different forms for every believer. But if you want to live a godly life, you will suffer.

However, if you remember that this earth is not your home and that there is something far better than the pleasures of it, you will find great strength to endure the suffering.

Look to the example of Moses.

“By faith, Moses … refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.”  (Hebrews 11:24-27, emphasis added)

Stop Trying to Fit in

Rather than trying to fit into this ungodly culture, recognize that you can’t, God never meant you to.

The reality is that a Christian can’t be popular. We won’t fit in.

So instead of clinging tightly to this world and it’s applause, look to eternity, believing that Christ is better than anything this world holds out to you.

 

 

What are some examples you have found of Christians who were not ashamed of the gospel? (Someone you know, or a character in a book or the Bible)

Can you relate to the struggle of “fitting in” or being different for the sake of Christ?