Why Christianity is Unpopular
As we know it, the answer is simple that the world really hates the real Jesus Christ. Give them another Jesus they are sure to accept it. Give them a Madison Avenue Jesus, they'll say Amen to that but give them the Jesus you can't ignore, don't expect them to be so loving and accepting. You should expect them to antagonize Jesus because he spoke the offensive truth. I remembered reading the book called "The Jesus You Cannot Ignore" by Pastor John F. Macarthur and for one, it was a very huge expository of Jesus' hard sayings.
When I started reading some of Pastor Macarthur's books, I read both "Truth War" and "The Jesus You Can't Ignore". Truth War was one book that was controversial because it was so laced with unpopular stuff. Even when I listened to his sermon series called "Right Thinking in a World Gone Wrong", I am not surprised. These days, people will only prefer what is good to their ears, what is pleasant to their taste buds never mind their health. The truth they only want to hear is the pleasant truth the unpleasant ones are left out. As I can remember, I remembered how I heard the statement, "A half-truth is just as bad as an obvious lie! It's still bearing false witness."
Let us talk about genuine, true converts vs. false converts. Now here's what we can observe about Christianity:
1.) Christianity stands up to speak up for what is right
Remember Jesus was not afraid to blast the Pharisees! Matthew 23 is the most burning, scathing sermon against the Pharisees renouncing their hypocritical, works-based system. Jesus always mentioned the truth that unless you can keep the whole Law, you can't be saved and because you can't, you can't work for it. Jesus was popular only when He did miracles but when He spoke the truth, they all turned against Him!
The world accepts a salvation by works. The reason behind that is simple. Works salvation easily appeals to the fleshly desires. Man in his ego thinks he can please God. That was what Martin Luther discovered that he could not please God. Just think, he spent time trying to achieve justification by his own merit but he realized his works were never good. Isaiah 64:6 declares that the righteousness of man is but filthy rags. Philippians 3:8 has Paul write that all his righteousness was just dung indeed. I'm not really surprised how may conditional security preachers gain the respect of the world because their doctrine appeals to the pride of man.
Another issue is sin. For the natural man, nothing is wrong with sin. Try to talk to a man who loves sin and worse, thinks it's not even sin. Try to think of the adulterer who goes to Mass, confession, etc. but sinfully lives in with another man's wife while he's also married and thinks he and his lover are justified. Think of the businessman who cheats everyone then gives generous donations to the local parish. Try attacking them about their sin, do not expect to come out alive. Another problem is also Antinomianism that declares saved people out of false converts. Either way, Antinomianism is just as hell-bound as Arminianism. Both of them are in the broad way to Hell.
Also preaching against false religion, don't expect to be popular. Why are false preachers popular? Because they hardly speak against false religion. It has occurred to me that a lot of famous preachers are aligned with the Vatican. Try telling Catholics that they are not Christians and they need to be saved, don't expect to be applauded. People by nature are hypersensitive to the bitter truth sad to say.
2.) Christianity means staying true to your high and heavenly calling
Philippians 1:6 declarse that when Jesus Christ has begun a good work in a believer, it will be certain that this good work that was begun, will be completed until the last day. In short, Christians cannot lose their salvation. 1 John 2:19 warns of professing believers who will one day depart... and Judas Iscariot by his actions was shown not to be among Christians. He seemed he was a Christian but he was not a Christian. He was lost (John 17:12) and all his actions proved he was a false convert.
Now when a person is truly saved, remember he or she may stumble for some time but they cannot remain carnal indefinitely. Remember while Lot, Samson and Solomon didn't give their all in their performance BUT you can see a difference. Samson went back to God as a result of his salvation, Lot was vexed by Sodom and Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as a result of his repentance. You cannot deny that a true Christian will in the long run stay true to his or her high and heavenly calling.
So what happens? Maybe for now the Christian may have backslid, made some worldly friends but remember, they cannot remain carnal indefinitely. When they are asked to go to places not allowed, he or she suddenly shows signs of being saved. He or she is 99.9% to refuse and even if he or she enters once or twice, loses testimony but later, he or she returns back to his or her senses. The reason is because the chastening of God is painful (Hebrews 12:5-6). Backsliding is temporary but he or she cannot completely or totally fall away but will certainly endure to the end.
Staying true to the Heavenly calling happens only in true converts. Ephesians 2:10 and Titus 2:11-134 shows being zealous and equipped unto good works. Hebrews 9:14 has the Christian saved to serve, not to sin, saved from dead works to good works. Good works while not necessary to be saved, however is necessary as a result of salvation. If anybody falls away and returns to the world and never gets convicted, I seriously doubt that person's salvation. He or she may as well not be of us (1 John 2:19).
3.) Christianity is in the perfect will of God, not the world
As I have mentioned earlier, John 15:18-19 warn of Christians not being of the world. Romans 12:1-2 demands Christians not to be conformed by the ways of the world but in Jesus Christ. That means if you are standing up for Jesus, don't expect the world to stand up for you. James 4:4 warns that friendship with the world is to be an enemy of God. Since Christians are long forgiven, long reconciled then at that moment, they have become the enemies of the world.
So what's going on? You cannot deny this, John 15:1-8 talks about the Vine and the branches. As said, the mark of true Christianity and true conversion is continual abiding in Christ. Now what if the believer sins? The Lord Jesus warned about pruning... which is chastising. Now the branches that are thrown are the unsaved ones... they are worthless and the only way to become a fruit bearing branch is to be born again. Tares will be tares and goats will be goats unless they undergo spiritual rebirth. As said, the message has always been to be born again.
Colossians 4:12 has Paul praying for believers in Colosse that they may be in the perfect will of God. How do you know God's will? John 10:27 says that the sheep (the Christian) hears the voice of Jesus. Now there are times that they hear but do not listen. For one, Jesus does not abandon them but picks them up and chastises them. He does not abandon His flock but rather, chastises them and renews them, making them more and more, conformed to His likeness but leaves the unsaved to sin to their destruction. For a Christian to sin goes against the will of God so God provides His grace and power that a Christian may do good works for the greater glory of God.
I must think if I am not getting persecuted because of the sake of Christ, rather I am getting the world's approval in spite of what I do, something must be wrong. In fact, I have to be worried when I'm not suffering for Christ's sake and I'm suffering because of something I did that was not in God's will. But as said, so what if I have to take hold of unpopular doctrine? The world didn't like Jesus, the unbelieving Jews killed the believing Jews, every race tends to kill believers in their own race. But there's only one thing worth saying from the beatitudes to REJOICE and be EXCEEDING GLAD because it's all worth it in Heaven.