I Love Religion AND Jesus. Yep.

Have you seen this video floating around? You know, the one called "Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus." Please watch it to track with this post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY

So. What's your first impression? Tears? Amens? Bad rhyming? :P lol It's ok. I really appreciate the good things that this guy has to say. His words on the topic of Christ's sacrifice and justification by faith are really spot on and also incredibly moving. But, fundamentally, this dude is flawed. There is an obvious reason and then a not so obvious reason. The obvious reason is that believing in Christ and doing His will IS a religion. It's called Christianity. You can't hate religion and love Christ. One is the natural outcome of the other and they must be taken together. You know one thing that I can't stand? "Christianity is a relationship, not a religion." Now, with every cliche like this, there is a kernel of truth, but the way it is used today is so infuriating, I refuse to defend it any longer. Christianity is a religion. Christ came to earth to free His people by His sacrifice and to establish His church! The Bible says that The Church is the Bride of Christ. James writes that pure religion consists of... and he lists taking care of the poor and staying unstained from the world. Of course, James proceeds to also write an entire book on the subject. He talks about going to church and also about elders. Jesus says that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Jesus does NOT hate religion. If you told me that, I would ask you to go to the Bible and prove it to me.

The slightly less obvious reason is that he is lumping religion and false religion together. In the book of James, James speaks at length about dead faith and false religion. I recommend that this poet read the book of James. Clearly, a religion that is based on works and on dead faith is destructive and wicked. However, Christ has established a true and beautiful religion. Yes, it is composed of sinners, but there is power among us and The Holy Spirit is actively changing us. It's not religion's fault that we are a bunch of immoral fakers. It's our fault. Christ established the Church and we have perverted it. This is a clear truth. I don't deny it. However, just because sinners have corrupted the Church, that doesn't mean that Jesus hates religion or that there isn't a Pure Religion. The Holy Spirit is daily sanctifying us so that we can attain that pure religion that Christ established and actively upholds. To say that Christ hates religion is a blatant falsehood.

Now, I want to clarify. This poet clearly has his heart in the right place. If he truly believes what he's saying about Christ's sacrifice and justification, I know I'll be seeing him in Heaven someday. But, he has been caught up in the modern notion that religion is evil and he is spreading this idea rapidly with the talent that God has given him. I pray that he sees the error of his ways. Until then, I will still count him a brother in Christ.

God Bless,

Stanley

P.S. I really enjoyed this guy's spoken word response. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlhoTOhXm7c&feature=related