First, I will say I don't completely disagree with what this guy says and I don't completely agree either. I will also say that that is the case with most an Christan videos I watch or books or blogs I read. The reason for that is that we are all human, therefore we are not infallible. The only things I believe to be infallible are God (which includes Jesus & the Holy Spirit) and the Bible (which is God's Word). I will go ahead and admit that this blog will have fallacies because as much as I'd like to believe I'm perfect sometimes, I'm not.
I think some people are getting a little too crazy in bashing this guy and his video. Based on some comments I read before watching the video I expected it to be completely off and not gospel centered at all. He is not the first person to use the whole religion vs relationship concept. Many people, including myself, have made this distinction. It is clear to me in watching the video that when he says "religion" he is referring to the institutionalized system of self-righteous pharisees. I will note that these "self-righteous pharisees" still exist today. Visit any local church and you will probably run into them. At the same time, you will hopefully run into genuine follower's of Christ. I really think the issue with this video is wording.
People have different understandings and definitions for various words. Especially words related to "religion".
Here's some definitions of religion I found via the 3rd infallible thing in the universe "google". (Obviously I'm joking about google being infallible.)
"the service and worship of God or the supernatural"
"commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance"
Here's some definitions from an even more credible source, urbandictionary.com (obviously again, I'm joking)...
"The biggest lie in human history."
"cults and a form of brainwashing"
Ok, the point in all those definitions was to point out that words are defined differently by different people. Words are also defined differently throughout various cultures and generations. Context plays a big part in definition. That's why I think it is crucial for Christians (which I will define for you as follower's of Christ, not just people who go to church or live moral lives) to use the Bible to define not only their lives, but their words too.
James 1:27 defines religion this way, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Jesus himself explains that he did not come to abolish the law (which is what some think of as religion), but to fulfill it.
So do I think Jesus hates religion or that religion is bad? No way when that religion is defined by the Bible and is centered in the gospel. I do believe that Jesus hates the religion that is defined and described in this video, religion based in self-righteousness. Religion that says I can be good enough and I can do enough to get to God. For the most part, if you insert the word self-righteousness for religion, I like this video. And to be honest, if you look at most "religious" people in America, self-righteousness is what you will see.
I think this video is good for the audience it's trying to speak to. An audience that when they hear the word religion they probably get a mental image of that judgmental, self-righteous person at their church growing up that made them not want to go to church anymore. I also think there is a need for people to understand that religion does not have to be this way.
I think there is a strong need for the words religion, church, and Christian to be redefined according to the Bible and centered on the gospel. The religion of the gospel says. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Another favorite passage of my is, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4)
Maybe believers, Christians, followers of Christ, disciples of Christ, or whatever else you want to call us need to work at defining our own words according the Bible & not based on the culture. I think we tend to view life in general through the lenses of the culture vs. the lenses of the Bible. To me, that is the biggest problem with this video. It approaches defining the Gospel through the lenses of the culture vs. the lenses of the Bible.
I guess the bottom line I'm getting at with all of this rambling, is that for me, all of this has caused me to examine myself and what lenses I'm viewing & defining life through.
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