Popery should not be confused with potpourri. We are quick to declare sola scriptura and proclaim that we defy the Roman Catholic Pope and all his false doctrines- “The Pope has no dominion here!” This would be a great doormat! But we are often blind to all kinds of “Evangelical Popes that can come in and sweep us away from living underneath Scripture as our ultimate authority. Here are eight popes to beware of:
A. Rationalism- Elevating reason above Scripture and divorcing it from faith. This can come in the sophisticated form of elevating the philosophy of men over Scripture. Scripture is conformed to a philosophical cast and interpreted by the assumption of that philosophy. But it can also come in a common form. This is the more dangerous one. We can elevate our own reasoning and logic in a way that uses Scripture to justify our own ends. We interpret Scripture with our minds and the use of reason, but reason must always be tethered to faith and subjected to the Scriptures. The rationalist may logically apprehend what the Scriptures say, but they fail to apprehend it spiritually which is evident by their lack of submission to the Word and living out the Word.
B. Emotionalism- Elevating emotion over Scripture. How we feel and what we feel triumphs over what Scripture says. When our emotions drive us, we are like a ship in a sea without a rudder. We are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. Each emotional high or low dictates our thoughts, convictions, and actions. But true godly emotions are informed and driven by the truth of God’s Word.
C. Experientialism – Elevating and pursuing an experience of God that is divorced from or substituted for the truth of Scripture. This is often seen in modern worship services. There is an experience of God that is marketed and sold. Come here to experience God. Christians want a supernatural experience from God to validate their Christianity. Peter had an experience like this on the Mount of Transfiguration, yet he points us to the more sure Word (2 Pt. 1:16-21). True experiential Christianity is tethered to the truth.
D. Pragmatism- Elevating the end goal above the means used to get there. Pragmatism justifies unbiblical and unwise means in the name of the goal.
E. Traditionalism/ Hyper Confessionalism- Elevating the traditions of men or historical confessions above the Scripture. This can be true of a church on the corporate level or of a Christian at the individual level. Nothing more quickly diminishes Scripture’s authority than either teaching the traditions of men as commands of God or elevating the authority of man to the same level as God.
F. Celebrity Pastors- Cult of Personality- Elevating men above the Scriptures. This is self-evident and needs no further explanation.
G. Hobby Horse- Elevating personal or important doctrinal or social issues to a level of prominence that distorts the central doctrines of Scripture. This is the single-issue Christian who uses a tertiary doctrine and makes it a litmus test for Christian faithfulness.
H. Convenience- Elevating personal comfort and preference above the Scriptures. How often are we tempted to undermine Scripture because taking what the Word says seriously would disrupt our comfort?
You will notice that many of these Popes have elements of truth in them. We want to worship the Lord with our minds. We want to have godly affections and a life that grows in our experience of God, etc. But when these things are distorted or deformed in such a way that undermines the authority of Scripture, then they have become “Evangelical Popes.” At the end of the day, all of these things are idols and stem from a heart of pride. Beware of them, and banish all Roman Popes and Evangelical Popes from your heart, your home, and the church.