The Importance of Unpopularity in Christian Witness
Christian witness often entails unpopularity, a concept rooted in biblical teachings and affirmed by various theological traditions. Jesus himself warned that those who are ashamed of him and his words will face similar rejection [1]. This sentiment is echoed in the New Testament, where Paul states, "If I wished to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ" [7]. This suggests a fundamental tension between seeking human approval and serving Christ.
The early Church recognized this dynamic. Origen, responding to criticisms from Celsus, addressed the idea that God might desire to make himself known out of "excessive but very mortal ambition" [2]. This highlights the perception that Christian claims could be seen as arrogant or undesirable by outsiders. Similarly, Tertullian noted that critics like Celsus reproached Christians for their reliance on prophets who foretold Christ's life, indicating that the very foundations of Christian belief were contentious [8].
The Reformed tradition, particularly through figures like John Calvin, emphasizes that true faith often involves enduring hardship and unpopularity. Calvin notes that believers are supported by God's hand, enabling them to "endure patiently" [6]. This patience in the face of adversity confirms their faith and demonstrates God's faithfulness. He also observed that not all who profess faith are genuine, and some may have the "appearance and honorary title of piety" but lack the reality [3]. This distinction implies that genuine Christian witness might not always align with popular religious sentiment.
Augustine, in his anti-Manichaean writings, also touched upon the idea of popular renown being "slighted and scorned in the New Testament" [7]. He further observed that the widespread belief in Christ, despite its unpopularity in some circles, is a testament to the power of the scriptures [4]. The act of public confession, as Charles Hodge explains, is not what makes one a Christian, but rather an "avowal that he is a Christian," a duty and privilege that cannot be repressed, even if it leads to social disapproval [5]. This consistent theme across different eras and traditions underscores that unpopularity is not merely an incidental outcome but often an inherent aspect of faithful Christian witness.
Sources
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 9:26: ashamed of me, and of my words--The sense of shame is one of the strongest in our nature, one of the social affections founded on our love of reputation, which causes instinctive aversion to what is fitted to lower it, and was given us as a preservative from all that is properly shameful. When one is, in this sense of it, lost to shame, he is nearly past hope (Zac 3:5; Jer 6:15; Jer 3:3). But when Christ and "His words"--Christianity, especially in its more spiritual and uncompromising features--are unpopular, the same instinctive desire to stand well wi”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. VI: But if you will have us to meet the most ridiculous among the charges of Celsus, listen to him when he says: "Now God, being unknown amongst men, and deeming himself on that account to have less than his due, (6) would desire to make himself known, and to make trial both of those who believe upon him and of those who do not, like those of mankind who have recently come into the possession of riches, and who make a display of their wealth; and thus they testify to an excessive but very mortal ambition on the part of God." (”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 80.3: say this as to strangers; but Paul simply says that all that make a profession of faith are not such in reality. Should you take in all Jews, they appeared to have nearness to Christ, for they ought to have recognized him by means of the law and the prophets. Paul, there can be no question specially marks out those with whom he would have to do. Now, it is probable that they were those who, while they had the appearance and honorary title of piety, were nevertheless very far from the reality. From this came the con”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XVI. (part 19): and to be followed with implicit reliance. Thus the facts of Christian history would prove the truth of the prophecy, and the prophecy would prove the claims of Christ. Call this fancy, if it is not actually the case that men all over the world have been led, and are now led, to believe in Christ by reading these books. 21. In view of the multitudes from all nations who have become zealous believers in these books, it is laughably absurd to tell us that it is impossible to persuade a Gentile to learn the Christian f”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 65: the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Confession does not make a man a Christian. It is the public avowal that he is a Christian; that he is a believer in Christ, in his divinity, in his incarnation, and in his being and doing all that He claimed to be, and that the Scriptures declare He did for us and our salvation. Such confession is a duty, a privilege, and a dictate of gratitude and loyalty, which cannot be repressed. His people will g”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 63: promise; while supported by his hand, they endure patiently. This they could never do by their own strength. Patience, therefore, gives the saints an experimental proof that God in reality furnishes the aid which he has promised whenever there is need. Hence also their faith is confirmed, for it were very ungrateful not to expect that in future the truth of God will be, as they have already found it, firm and constant. We now see how many advantages are at once produced by the cross. Overturning the overweening opinion we form of o”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 21.--POPULAR RENOWN AND INQUISITIVENESS ARE CONDEMNED IN THE SACRED SCRIPTURES. (part 1): 38. Popular renown is thus slighted and scorned in the New Testament: "If I wished," says St. Paul, "to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (4) Again, there is another production of the soul formed by imaginations derived from material things, and called the knowledge of things. In reference to this we are fitly warned against inquisitiveness to correct which is the great function of temperance. Thus it is said, "Take heed lest”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XXVIII.: And since this Jew of Celsus makes it a subject of reproach that Christians should make use of the prophets, who predicted the events of Christ's life, we have to say, in addition to what we have already advanced upon this head, that it became him to spare individuals, as he says, and to expound the prophecies themselves, and after admitting the probability of the Christian interpretation of them, to show how the use which they make of them may be overturned.[1] For in this way he would not appear hastily to assume so”