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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Definitions Part 1: Jesus vs Religion






Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes and musters before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and the loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.
James 1:26,27 MSG

So this video had taken over my Facebook newsfeed the other week. It went viral. Everyone was reposting. And after watching it myself, I reposted it because I understood and agreed with the poet, Jefferson Bethke. Then the next week, the Christian blogosphere went crazy. Suddenly everyone was freaking out over how illogical, condescending, inaccurate, and unchristian this video was. I watched it again with a more critical eye, and I think many of us are missing Bethke’s point.


When I was in high school and people would find out I was a Christian, the conversation would go something like this:

“Oh, so you’re religious?”
I would say something like this, probably rolling my eyes at this point. “NO. It’s more than that just religion. Its more than just something I do.”

I have always hated that term. Always. To me, it meant two things, (1) doing something superstitiously in hopes of saving my own soul and (2) those who showed off their religion like one who flaunted his knowledge to make you feel stupid, one who overly demonstrates his power just to make you feel worthless, or one who shows his opulence to make you feel poor, to put it simply, religious pride. Either way, ‘religion’ seems to always have man at its center.

Looking at history, religion has a terrible track record with the Crusades, the Inquisition, and even the current war of terrorism. Religion has developed many negative connotations to it, despite the actual definition of it (literal definition). Man using ‘religion’ to accomplish his own personal goals. What a perversion of what we are supposed to be? We can’t keep sweeping this under the rug anymore.

In the video Bethke is referring to the modern day Sadducees and Pharisees. Let me make it a bit more personal, more post-modern for you. When I say religion, I think we can expand that to church pride. The men who pride themselves on how good they were at the law, at church, than what the law/church was supposed to be, and condemning those who could not do it as good as they did. The elite, the self-righteous, the hypocrites.

Religion has become focused on how man can save himself. It has become a selfish thing. There is nothing real, no authentic faith or genuine conviction. It was all about how could I make my own name better, how could use this for my own glory. As Bethke, says it’s become this list of chores, a façade, behavior modification. Religion has become a mask to hide behind and to judge others from. And it’s this type of religion is bondage and makes many into slaves.

Religion could be dressed up so close to the truth, that we sometimes don’t even realize how blind we are to the real truth.

 Before we jump to conclusions about how terrible this video is, take one second and think. Are you upset because you are personally offended and sought to defend yourself? Or can you take your eyes off yourself and realize the point of this video, that maybe we’re losing sight of the humbling, Christ-centered truth?

"Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good- above all, that we are better than someone else- I think we maybe sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil." 
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

The title of the video is this: that Jesus is GREATER than a religion man created. Instead of you or I trying (and failing Romans 3:23) to save ourselves by being ‘religious’, Jesus saved us already. He abolished the need for man to save himself. Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law. Up until that point, we had to sacrifice animals and perform rituals of cleansing. But when God sent His son as the Ultimate sacrifice. We no longer ‘needed’ the law for that purpose. The curtain was torn. (Matt 27:51)

The rest of the New Testament is spent trying to explain the idea of grace and works go together, hand in hand. Religion, or works, alone does not work and belief alone doesn’t make sense. Both are natural requirements. (James 2:14-26 and Romans 2:12-29, 3:21-26)

For a God humbled himself to become man, so religion humbled itself to become Christianity.”
 -C.S. Lewis
Letters to Mary Van Deusen
February 5, 1956

So then what is Christianity? What makes someone or something Christian? I would like to know what you think. 

For my thoughts, check out my next post

5 comments:

  1. Honestly I was offended because I viewed the video as a not too subtle attack on Catholicism. I've seen this kind of attack & a lot more vicious attacks still the 1970's.

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  2. It's not that I disagree with you. It's just that the author takes no time to EXPLAIN what he means by religion. Even James acknowledges that there is a TRUE religion out there.

    Here's the problem, somewhere, somehow religion got defined in our heads as negative, bad, and some how something that goes against God. Religion at it's fundamental meaning is the complete opposite. We need to RECLAIM the word religion not throw it away. Sure are there people are who banking on their good works to get them in with God? Sure, but that is called false religion not just religion.

    Also as with your comment with the pharisees and sadducees, before we go about criticizing them and thinking they were complete morons for missing Jesus, we need to understand how they came to be, and the immense respect a lot of them had for the Torah and for God. Granted the generation that was around during Jesus's time (or at least the ones mentioned in the Bible) completely missed God, I'm not sure every pharisee to ever live did.


    Here's the problem, people latch on to catchy slogans and things that make them feel good. The video sounds real pretty, but when you dig for its truth, you come up short because his claims can't stand up to any kind of criticism. Like when he said Jesus came to abolish religion. Actually Jesus said he came to fulfill it (If in his case religion and law are interchangeable). That's just one example that what he said is just not completely accurate.

    I have religion, His name is Jesus, it's the best way to live life ever. It's an amazing relationship that covers every aspect of my life. It's TRUE religion. We must reclaim the word, not bury it.

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  3. I have been a Christian for 32 years and this young man has captured what so many have failed to see. I agree with him totally as being a Christian means having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I strive every day to live my life as Jesus wants to and not what I want to do. Scriptures say we should clothe ourselves with humility, love, patience, kindness and gentleness. It is only then that we stop judging others and hiding behind the law. We were set free through what Jesus did at Calvary.

    I have been involved with churches that have wanted to judge and control the moving of God's spirit by timing the worship time, screening all who speak and stifling the movement of God. I have seen people look at the unlovely in a different way or not have time to show the compassion and love of Christ. Christians sometimes forget that we have been set free yet we enslave ourselves with the law, our past or the stressors of our lives. God has equipped us with what we need to overcome all obstacles and walk in the victory of God.

    When we have a relationship with Christ and drop being religious then and only then can we reach all those whom Christ came and died for on that cross at Calvary. He came to bring salvation to all not a selected few. This is what the poem is about. If you have felt offended then I pray that God will reveal himself to you face to face. I pray that you will have an oppportunity to gaze into the eyes of your beloved Redeemer King and see why He died. Jesus never judged even as He hung on that cross, he offered love and forgiveness not religion and legalism.

    We are asked by God to follow two basic simple commands - 1)Love God with all your heart and 2) Love one another. Try looking at other through the eyes of Jesus. It is then and only then that you will see not what is in front of you but what Jesus can make that person to be in Him.

    It is wonderful to know the word of God. My question to you is : Are you living the word of God? Is it embedded in your heart? Has it changed you? How are you treating others? How are you responding to the attacks of the enemy?

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  4. Part 1
    WOW!!! Kristen

    Thanks for the post about this video.

    So I watched the video and I myself liked it but it does have some problems. Then I watched other videos posted about this video and that has me saying “wow.”

    How did we all get so far off from the message of GOD? One very nicely done (wrong message) video was called Jesus<3 Religions, “what?” Do they even know what they are saying? The symbol < is lesser then, > grater then. Now I understand non-Christian people not knowing who Jesus is. But a Christian should know that Jesus is GOD and is not < lesser to anything.

    Jesus is >( grater then) all and any religions of the world. And Jesus never started a religion, men that came after Jesus started the religions. Each one with it’s own twist and belief, but most calling themselves Christian. The meaning of Christian is “CHRIST like” that’s where the WWJD bracelets came from “What Would Jesus Do?” the problem is that most people did not even know who Jesus was or what HE would do.

    Most Christians today are really Pauline’s followers of Paul.
    Paul gives us the new message of Salvation of grace by Jesus Christ. The Christian religion of today after years tweaking.

    I don’t know if Paul set out to start a religion or if he was just misunderstood. Some of his writing are right on others are not.

    Jesus and/or GOD never started a religion just rules and very simple rules that all could follow. When Jesus came to earth, HE came to show us how to live and follow those rules. He did not change the law or end the law. He just lived the law as a man as one of us to show us it could be done.

    Rules or laws are not a religion they are simply truths. If you don’t eat you will die that would be the rule of eating.

    GOD who created us, gave us freedom to make our own choices, and in the beginning only gave us one rule, don’t eat of the tree in the center of the garden. Once they disobeyed, GOD’s one rule, they knew what sin was and now had many rules.

    Because sin wants to destroy us and will, so we can let sin rule over us or we can rule over sin. Cain is told this by GOD in Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.” (New Hebrew Version) not KJV

    I will say it different in hopes to make it clearer “if you do what is right it will be accepted, if you do what is wrong, sin is going to take over your life because it wants you, but you can rule over it, you have the power.

    Then Cain kills is brother letting sin rule over him. Cain’s choices no one made him do it, he let sin rule.

    The problem I have with the Video is not that he takes a stands against the church and religion that part I really liked. But he keeps the sin and claims forgiveness. This is a misunderstanding of most Christians; I myself believed that no matter what I did GOD would forgive me because Jesus paid the price for my sin. Saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. I did not need to do anything nor could I. It was finished as the video said at the end.

    The problem with this is; The Bible Dose Not Teach This. The rules are still the same and have never changed nor will they.

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  5. Part 2
    I find it funny how we say things that make no scents and yet we don’t see it.

    “Like GOD never changes HE is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
    Then we say,
    “We no longer under the law now we are under grace.”

    What? GOD changed the rules? What was from the beginning is no longer HIS truth. GOD Changed?
    NO HE Has Not.

    Yes, Jesus paid for our sins on the Cross just as GOD promised from the beginning.

    Yes, GOD is full of Grace and Loves us, HE Always has.

    But, forgiveness only comes to you when you repent of your sins and never do them again, You can not be forgiven for something you are still doing.

    From Wikipedia
    Repentance ……..In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law.(GOD’s LAW) It typically includes an admission of guilt, a promise or resolve not to repeat the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong where possible.

    This rule of forgiveness can be found in the books of just about every religions group around the world. Simply put if you follow GOD’s Ways and do what is right. HE will Forgive you of all your pass sins. HE has paid the price for you all you have to do is accept his rules and follow them.

    Note: GOD’s laws are not religious laws. It is not what the Church says is law or what any man says is law.

    God’s laws are again quite simple. The two big ones are these;
    1. ONE GOD and only One GOD and put nothing before HIM.
    2. Love others more then yourself.

    The 2nd rule is big, a lot falls under that. As a Christian we say that we need to kill off the old self and become a new person, and yet I don’t think I have ever found someone that has done this. Yes, they have stopped doing a lot of the things that where sin. But they still hang on to some sin keeping their old self alive and kicking.

    Once self is gone so is selfishness and others become more important then yourself? You want to help people not hurt them, you have love and compassion for them, not hate.

    No matter what they have done to you in the pass, no longer matters. You can forgive them, because now you are following GOD’s laws and HE has forgiven you.

    It is a rule or law that we live, its not a religion, it can not be forced on someone and it is their choice and it is there for all, Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you:

    Take a look at yourself and ask what would I not want someone to do too me and what would I want them to do too me.

    I would not want them to kill me that is for sure. So in return I would not want to kill anyone.
    I wouldn’t want people too Laugh at me, unless I was being funny. Or Call me names.
    Talk bad about me. Or not be friendly to me.
    Hurt me in any way. Or control me.

    If I was hungry, I would like some food, or thirsty a drink.
    If I was cold, or had no place to live, I would want something to help keep me warm or a place to live.

    The list goes on and on all under that one simple rule.

    These are all things we should do for others. Put them before our selves.

    GOD is > all things and loves us and will forgive us for all our sins but only if we are willing to obey HIM.

    If we allow sin to rule over us then we have turned from GOD and HE can not forgive us it is the rule and has been from the beginning. Peace, love and forgiveness comes from living under GOD’s rules not from the laws of religions.

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