Religion vs. Jesus - False Dichotomy?

The warning comes in 2nd Timothy chapter 3, beginning in verse 1: ...in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 

A form of godliness - some might say religion, others might say religion gone awry or astray.   But, as Jonathan Bethke proposes in his viral video, "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus", which is up to over 15 million hits on YouTube:


Religion might preach grace, but another thing they practice.
Tend to ridicule God’s people, they did it to John The Baptist.
They can’t fix their problems, and so they just mask it.
Not realizing religions like spraying perfume on a casket.
See the problem with religion, is it never gets to the core.
It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores.

I’m just saying quit putting on a fake look, Cause there’s a problem.
If people only know you’re a Christian by your Facebook.
I mean in every other aspect of life, you know that logic’s unworthy.
It’s like saying you play for the Lakers just because you bought a jersey.
You see this was me too, but no one seemed to be on to me.

See I spent my whole life building this facade of neatness.
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness.
Because if grace is water, then the church should be an ocean.
It’s not a museum for good people, it’s a hospital for the broken.
Which means I don’t have to hide my failure, I don’t have to hide my sin.

Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the bible, and yes I believe in sin.
But if Jesus came to your church would they actually let him in.

See because religion says do, Jesus says done.
Religion says slave, Jesus says son.
Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free.
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see.
And that’s why religion and Jesus are two different clans.
Religion is man searching for God, Christianity is God searching for man.
Which is why salvation is freely mine, and forgiveness is my own.
Not based on my merits but Jesus’s obedience alone.
Because he took the crown of thorns, and the blood dripped down his face.
He took what we all deserved, I guess that’s why you call it grace.
And while being murdered he yelled. “Father forgive them they know not what they do.”
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you.
And he absorbed all of your sin, and buried it in the tomb.
Which is why I’m kneeling at the cross, saying come on there’s room.
So for religion, no I hate it, in fact I literally resent it.
Because when Jesus said it is finished, I believe he meant it.

After a rough start, Jonathan really does get to the heart of the gospel.   And, I've heard practically all my life that we are to pursue a relationship with Christ, not religion.   Andrae Crouch, in a memorable monologue in Carnegie Hall, said something like, "Religion is man's search for God, but we're talking about a relationship."  I do think Jonathan generalizes and even demonizes religion, and it's so true, as I was reading in the book of Mark this morning, the religious people of Jesus's day opposed Him for a variety of reasons:  forgiving sins, healing on the Sabbath, and even eating with those they perceived to be sinners, like tax collectors.   But, organized religion is not the problem, but replacing a relationship with Christ with a "form of godliness" is. 

So, while Jonathan's video has generated discussion, there are those who point out that religion and Jesus are not opponents - in fact, in religion's attempt to search for or acknowledge God, it can be a tool God uses to draw people to Himself.   And James said that true religion is to care for widows and orphans.   

Laura Ortberg Turner, writing for Christianity Today, says:

Bethke risks appearing supremely arrogant by claiming to love Jesus and hate religion—an arrogance of which, I must point out, I am as guilty as anyone. To separate Jesus from religion is to create a false dichotomy an untrue juxtaposition of two non-mutually exclusive concepts. Jesus did not come to abolish religion. He did not come to abolish the law. (Matthew 5:19) He came to do what he is still in the business of doing: to redeem all.

We do not get to separate ourselves from the Church, as Christians. We do not get to claim non-religiosity simply to fit in, or to feel better about ourselves. As a friend of mine put it, to say that you love Jesus but hate religion is akin to saying you love your best friend but hate his wife. That relationship will not last. 

According to The Christian Post, pastors Kevin DeYoung and Jared Wilson took issue with some of Jonathan's choice of words, including "religion":

DeYoung pointed out. He was a Jew, went to services at the synagogue, observed Jewish holy days, did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them, founded the church, established church discipline, instituted a ritual meal, told his disciples to baptize people and to teach others to obey everything he commanded, and insisted that people believe in him and believe certain things about him.

“Jesus was not your go-to-guy for hating religion,” he emphasized.

Jesus made it his mission to obey God perfectly, Pastor Wilson also clarified on his blog. “You better hope Jesus was super-religious, in fact, because it’s his perfect religion we rely on for our righteousness.”

Wilson stated that though the word “religious” made sense on the surface level, it brought much opportunity for error, with people able to confuse Bethke’s definition of what he deemed as “religious” – hypocrisy, legalism – with the biblical definition.

But, all in all, substitute some more accurate words, maybe take out a clunky rhyme or two, and Jonathan Bethke does give us plenty to think about - are we merely going through the motions in our religious actions, or do we have a vibrant, growing relationship with the Savior of our souls?    If we're merely following rules or attending church for an outward show, or to gain status in the eyes of people we deem to be important, then we are missing the point, and practicing a form of godliness, but lacking the power!