The Danger of Popular Theology

Naming Popular Theology for What It Is

Scott Uselman began by sharing the importance of truth, even when it is unpopular. Drawing from personal experiences of being seen as the "party pooper" when teaching difficult scriptural passages, he called out what he labeled 'popular theology.' He described it as a theology that is easy to accept, does not offend, and allows people to live by their own will rather than God's.

"Popular theology is a theology that most people are not offended by. In fact, it is theology most find acceptable and pleasing. Somehow, it would incorporate people doing human will and not God's will."

Scott Uselman reflected on occasions where someone contradicted clear biblical teaching to offer easy assurance, saying, for example, that since Jesus died for all our sins, we don't need to worry about sinning. He clarified that such teaching is not faithful to the message of the Scriptures. Quoting from his experience:

"That is not what that text says. And so, I would classify that as being under my category of popular theology, because then that means that there is no accountability for me, that somehow I can do as I see fit in my own eyes, which the Bible repeatedly teaches us not to do."

The summary from the text: popular theology is dangerous because it is not from the Lord, it ignores the Lord's will, and it actually incites rebellion among God's people.

A Story of Jeremiah, Hananiah, and False Assurance

Scott Uselman led the congregation to Jeremiah 28, unfolding the story of two prophets, Jeremiah, speaking hard truth from God, and Hananiah, offering comforting but false promises. In this time of threat and defeat, Hananiah prophesied that within two years, God would free the exiles and return the temple treasures. The people were eager to hear this reassurance.

Uselman read aloud from Jeremiah 28, making space for Scripture itself to speak:

"Then the prophet Jeremiah replied... 'Amen. May the Lord do so. May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied... Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people... The prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.'"

He explained that Jeremiah, though unpopular, continued to deliver God's true word: the exile would be long, not short. The people, desperate for hope, were ready to trust Hananiah, even as he broke the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck as a symbol of liberation.

Scott Uselman emphasized how God often used visual symbols through His prophets to teach lessons, even when those lessons were unwelcome.

"God is using his prophet as a visual teaching aid. Jeremiah, an older man, is walking around Jerusalem with a collar, a yoke, around his neck... when Hananiah snaps it off, he’s not just disrespecting Jeremiah. He’s disrespecting the Lord."

Why Popular Theology Isn’t from the Lord

Scott Uselman then addressed directly the first danger: popular theology is not truly from God. He observed that, throughout history, false teachers have spoken with religious authority, saying what people want to hear in times of distress. He traced it to a test described in Deuteronomy: God sometimes allows false prophets in order to reveal who truly loves Him. The challenge is not for outsiders, but for the people of God themselves.

"False prophets rise among God's people. Moses gives the answer: they're going to rise among you because the Lord your God is going to test you to see if you love Him with all of your heart and soul."

The true message, like Jeremiah’s, may be hard to receive and deeply unpopular. Uselman reminded the church that the American church today faces these same temptations: to soften God’s word, to embrace teachings that fit the spirit of the age, or to seek agreement with other religions rather than distinct loyalty to Christ.

Popular Theology Ignores the Lord’s Will

The second danger Scott Uselman named: popular theology ignores the Lord’s will. He returned to the story, noting the symbolism of the yoke. God had told Jeremiah to wear a leather yoke as a sign that Judah must submit to Babylon because of their ongoing disobedience. When Hananiah broke the yoke, it was an attempt to overrule God’s discipline, as if human will could bend God’s plan. In response, God told Jeremiah to make an iron yoke instead, signifying an even heavier burden.

Scott Uselman stressed the lesson:

"Haniah, you're trying to have your way, trying to have human will over God’s will. You think that snapping that little leather yoke off Jeremiah is going to change God's mind? No, instead you get a yoke of iron."

He asked the congregation to search their own motives in times of suffering and loss. Do we bend God’s truth to seek relief and affirmation, or do we surrender, trusting God’s will even when it’s painful?

"There are times in each one of our lives when the thing to do is simply stop trying to have our way with God and let Him have His way with us. The Lord is the Lord. You're not."

Popular Theology Teaches Us to Rebel

The third danger was the most sobering. Popular theology, by making sin harmless and God’s word bendable, does more than comfort; it incites God’s people to rebel.

"When religious leaders tell people what they want to hear, they are depriving the people of an opportunity to repent... Popular theology deprives God's people from an opportunity to repent."

Scott Uselman pressed that rebellion isn’t always loud or dramatic, it begins when believers refuse what they know to be right. He drew from Ezekiel to make the point that every one of us is responsible to warn others, and, above all, to listen ourselves.

He offered a pastoral challenge: to commit to reading Deuteronomy and one of the Gospels, without commentary, so that the voice of God can shape our vision of faith, rather than the shifting ideas of popular culture or even his own teaching.

"If I can't trace it to what I read in scripture, I don't buy it. You shouldn't either. Commit to reading. Read from chapter one to the end, just like God wrote it to you. Throw aside everything you've heard anybody say. You listen to Jesus."

Living It Out: Returning to God’s Word

Scott Uselman finished by challenging the congregation to earnestly seek God’s will by reading Scripture directly and praying for discernment. He reminded us that grace, forgiveness, and transformation are available to all who truly turn, but the path begins with honest repentance, not soft assurances. He pointed the church back to the Source, God’s living word, and the humility to abide in it, even when that means standing against what is popular.

Discussion Questions

1. Where have you encountered "popular theology" in your own life, and how did it measure up to what you found in Scripture?
2. What does it look like for us to lay down our own will and genuinely seek God’s will, especially when it conflicts with what we want?
3. How can we encourage one another to be honest about sin and repentance in a way that is loving and not judgmental, following Scott Uselman's challenge to read and listen together?