Do You Want To Be Popular?

"When the desire for popularity with men, or for success in human terms, tempts us to water down the gospel, to make it palatable, then only if we love God will we stand fast by his truth and ways." So says Mark Dever in Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. This is hard for us as fallen people in a fallen world.

We have fallen so deeply and passionately in love with God that we want everyone that we know to realize how truly awesome He is. We know, however; that there are those who will not like that the God we love so overwhelmingly calls them sinners or allows evil to rule on earth or requires that they live differently. In our desire to get these people "on board" with the whole Christianity thing, we gloss over the hard parts or choose to ignore pieces of the Bible or just give them the day to day living stuff that will help them be better parents, workers, or citizens.

Following God isn't easy. The Bible is full of hard truths. God chooses to love some and not others and we can do nothing to change that. People are sinners and as a result of our sin bad things happen in this world. Christians loose their jobs, their savings, their health, and their lives just like the non-Christians. Yet, in the midst of all the sin and destruction of this world, God has a plan for His people. He has called out a people to worship Him and enjoy Him forever. This gives us a future and a hope. Let us share that message with the world. Give them the whole truth and let the chips fall where they may. Let them count the cost and listen to God's voice if He is calling them. If He isn't, no amount of watering down or culturizing the scripture is going to make them a Christian.

Popularity with the world is not our goal. Glorifying God is. Christians in the West today need to make sure that they are focused on the right goal before moving forward. Even being a little off course today is going to make you miss the mark by a lot down the road. Make sure that you and your church are about pleasing God and not man.