The Pharisees desperately wanted to be popular during Jesus’ time on earth. They were fond of the nice seats in the synagogues. They loved the wealth that their students gave them. They enjoyed making a show of their prayers. They delighted in binding their man-made traditions on those whom they could get to follow them (Matt. 23). Oh, how they loved to be popular! When Jesus appeared on the scene, their popularity was threatened. They wanted so badly to look good that they killed the Son of God in order to retain their status and fame.

More and more, it seems, religious groups are exhibiting a desire to be popular like the Pharisees. It seems as though every week I hear of a different religion receiving “revelations,” finding a hidden passage, or blatantly changing doctrine so that they can fit into popular culture. I can see how this would be possible since many are man-made religions. But those that profess to be Christian are destroying the teachings that Christ and the apostles stood for in their quest to be popular. Just like the Pharisees, they will do whatever they can to gain a following. Jesus rightly quoted Isaiah in Mark 7:6-7 when He said “…This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. ⁷ And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

On the other hand, some eccentric churches establish terrible traditions to ensure that they are hated. They think that the more people dislike them, the better they are serving Christ in seeming correlation to John 15:19. Sadly these people are confused as well.

We as followers of Christ should not be concerned with popular opinion. We should be concerned about Christ’s truth! We should seek to please Him, not men. When others had been delivering a perverted and changed gospel, Paul explained why he taught the true gospel: “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. ¹¹ But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man” (Gal. 1:10-11). The gospel given to him was from Christ (v. 12)!

The world thinks that we should change Christ’s doctrine for the sake of people and popularity. Whatever happened to changing our lives to match Christ’s doctrine (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 2:20)?

Brethren – in all things we need to do what’s right! Not what will tickle people’s ears. – DMF