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!





 

May I Speak Freely?

The 10th Commandment, found in Exodus 20: 
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's." 

And James chapter 4 warns against what the Bible calls covetousness - defined as:  to wish for earnestly,

to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably, or to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another.  

 

1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

We're seeing a lot of initials today on the Internet - mainly SOPA and PIPA.   There are some 7000 websites that are, in essence, "blacked out", or not operating today in order to protest these bills...so what's that all about?

They're nearly-identical bills - SOPA stands for Stop Online Piracy Act, and it's the House version; PIPA is the "Protect IP Act", and that's the Senate bill.  According to the website Digital Trends, the bills aim "to curb the illegal distribution of copyrighted material by foreign websites, which by definition operate outside the jurisdiction of US law. These bills provide the power and the framework to restrict access to these types of sites."   Opponents believe that, because the wording is ambiguous, "they hold the power to usher in unprecedented censorship online, stifle online innovation, and even “break the Internet” by allowing (or requiring) Internet service providers to tamper with the domain name system (DNS), the underlying architecture of the Internet. Supporters of these bills say all of these concerns are completely unfounded."

Some of the most well known sites participating in the blackout include Wikipedia, Reddit, all 64 Cheezburger Network blogs, Boing Boing, Destructoid, Mozilla, TwitPic, Imgur, MoveOn,org, MineCraft, FreakOutNation and I Heart Chaos, among many others.   Google has a black rectangle covering its name on its site, with a link to an information page about the proposed bills.   Its site says that:

1. SOPA and PIPA would censor the Web

2. SOPA and PIPA would be job-killers because they would create a new era of uncertainty for American business

3. SOPA and PIPA wouldn’t stop piracy

The Internet has become an engine of commerce and a marketplace of ideas - but there does seem to be a desire for control of content - from the FCC's attempt to enact so-called "net neutrality", which was identified on this program as a possible form of government censorship, at least content control, to those that want to tax transactions on the Internet, this has become somewhat of a "holy grail" for some in authority who would like to gain quite a bit more power.   But, as we see in today's blackout, liberals and conservatives alike enjoy the free flow of ideas through the Internet, and as we understand the proper, Biblical role of government, we can see that while we do desire for activities that are morally objectionable, such as pornography and gambling, should be restricted, the broad range of activities do not need government oversight.

But, I believe there are those that covet such regulatory power.   And, that gets down to our spiritual application - what do we covet in our lives?   Are there things that we cannot or should not have, yet in our desire for power, control, or wealth, we become excessively fixated on those matters - even at the expense of our walk with God?   Any tangible or intangible item in our lives upon which we place a higher priority than our relationship with Christ is termed an "idol", and our pursuit becomes a detriment to us. 

Not of This World

In John 17, Jesus is praying for those whom He would call His own...14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

The will of God is not that all believers would be suddenly taken out of this world.   And, we have to recognize that while He does desire that we refrain from participating in sinful activities, we don't completely isolate from this world - instead, He calls us to integrate, recognizing that we are in this world but not of it.


A good example of this just laid down one crown, but she is living her life for eternal crowns.   That would be Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011, who just transferred the title to Miss Wisconsin this past Saturday night.   Teresa is from Nebraska, a devoted believer, who will be attending Patrick Henry College.   Her platform was to educate people about eating disorders and to help young girls not succomb to the pressures that would bring that behavior about.  


Teresa's story reminds us that we can communicate God's truth through not only what we say, but how we live.   The Lord gave her a tremendous platform, which she has used, and I believe will continue to use for His glory.  She's just released a musical album, called, "Dueling Pianos", with Calvin Jones, who composed the tune, "White Water Chopped Sticks", that she used in the pageant's talent competition...through that, perhaps more people will learn about the story of God expressed in her life.   She chose to integrate, rather than isolate, to be in the world, but not of it - and that's the call placed on all our lives. 

Agents of Change

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

And later in that letter, Galatians 6:
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world...17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

On Friday's program, I offered these 4 steps regarding embracing a cause with passion -

1 - Identify a cause about which you're passionate (Perhaps a crisis has provided a catalyst for wanting to bring change.)

2 - Pray about how God would have you fulfill that passion

3 - Develop a plan or strategy for addressing the cause

4 - Ask God how best to communicate the passion with others

I appreciate Martin Luther King Day because it challenges me to explore some of the events taking place in and close to our area, think about what life was like back in the days of the civil rights movement, and maybe even make some application to our own lives.   Today on TMH, we will be hearing about some of the characteristics of change agents - and often, a passion for change is birthed in a crisis.   Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did not allow the resistance he faced to deter him from his desire to be a strong advocate for justice.   In March of 1963, Dr. King, Fred Shuttlesworth, and Ralph Abernathy turned their attention to Birmingham for the sake of the cause of bringing an end to some of the vestiges of segregation there.   Daily demonstrations took place, and finally, an Alabama court issued an injunction for them to stop.   Dr. King was among those placed in jail, where he stayed for 8 days, including Easter Sunday - during that stay, he wrote what was regarded as a unifying narrative for the civil rights movement, in response to white pastors in Birmingham that said they supported the cause, but felt that the time to address it had not come and that a different method should be utilized.  Dr. King wrote:

Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.

After quoting a number of religious and political leaders, King asks:

So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.

So, we can be challenged ourselves to be change agents, ordinary people who allow God to do extraordinary things through them - people who develop a passion, speak and do the truth, and rely on the power of God.

Just 'Cause

Galatians chapter 6 says this:
 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Have you heard?   There are 2 ladies who are attempting to get toymaker Mattel to manufacture what they call a "Beautiful and Bald Barbie" doll.  In fact, Facebook page was started a few days before Christmas. By Wednesday afternoon, the page had more than 16,000 fans.   Their motivation - to raise awareness for children with cancer.   There is now apparently a companion move to move Hasbro to manufacture a bald GI Joe toy!

Here are some ladies who are pursuing what I have to admit is a creative way to communicate a cause.   There's a young lady from California who passed away recently, who had established a national campaign to help children with cancer - her name was Jessica Joy Rees, and her "Joy Jars" have become quite popular - she has over 116,000 followers on Facebook, and her jars have been used across the country.   Her father, pastor Erik Rees said:

“For the last seven months, Jessie and I would make Joy Jars every Monday in the Joy Factory, aka, our garage, for the courageous kids around the country fighting cancer...I’d read the information we received from each child and she would make the jar just the way she felt fit.”

“Her wish was that she would send one to every kid fighting cancer, which is over 50,000 children today in hospitals. We ended last year with over 3,000 jars stuffed. I will miss making Joy Jars with Jessie, but I will make sure every kid gets their jar. I promise you sweat pea.”

Jessie's funeral drew an overflow crowd at Saddleback Church.

These are examples of people with passion. And I believe God has placed certain passions, desires in our hearts, to fulfill His call and to make the lives of others better.   That passion may be to fight cancer, like area basketball teams will be doing this weekend.   It may be to help inner city young people have hope in the midst of difficult times - there's a nice piece in the Wall Street Journal today tracing the life and ministry of Danny Wuerffel, who has made a dramatic impact through Desire Street Ministries and played a role in establishing Common Ground Montgomery.    The point of the article is that Danny is regarded as a role model to someone whose name is on the lips of millions of Americans these days - Tim Tebow.   Here's a guy with passion - to play football well and bring glory to God, and to use his platform to share Christ, and his physical resources to build a hospital in the Philippines.

Many will be embracing service-related causes this weekend and Monday - in fact, Martin Luther King Day is regarded as a huge day of service - a "day on", not a "day off".  

So what are you passionate about?   And can God use that desire to bring honor to Him and hope to others? I thought about 4 helpful steps to embracing a cause with passion:

1 - Identify a cause about which you're passionate (Perhaps a crisis has provided a catalyst for wanting to bring change.)

 

2 - Pray about how God would have you fulfill that passion

 

3 - Develop a plan or strategy for addressing the cause

 

4 - Ask God how best to communicate the passion with others

 

Someone can't do everything, but everyone can do something.

When we think and act in accordance to our relationship with Christ, good things are bound to happen!

Answering the Call

2nd Corinthians 4:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

One of the great stories, I believe, about the National Championship season for Alabama is the response that the team had to a very tragic situation that took place in Tuscaloosa in April.   That was the day that a potent F4 tornado came within yards of the University campus, damaging homes, displacing students, and resulting in the sudden end to the school year.   It's been a rebuilding year for Tuscaloosa - physically, and emotionally, and the University of Alabama players played a key role.  

Nick Saban really desired for his team to be part of the healing - for the city and the state - and for one of its own.  You see, Crimson Tide long snapper Carson Tinker's girlfriend perished...in his arms...after being carried from the house where they were huddled.   Bruce Feldman of CBS Sports wrote this:

The camaraderie that can build within these teams is truly one of the best things about sports. Not just about what it can mean to these 18- and 19-year-olds, but also the faith and trust they can feel from those around them who invest so much energy and passion into supporting them.

This year's Crimson Tide developed a unique sense of community and support for one another - I believe that is why Coach Saban said it was a special team, and why there are those who think he enjoyed this one more than before.

The adversity the team faced and their response provides some valuable lessons for us.   Another football story I discovered this summer was the amazing journey of Brenda Warner, wife of NFL great Kurt Warner.    In her book, One Call Away, Brenda shares her challenges:  such as an accident that left her son blind and brain damaged, a tornado that killed both her parents, her relationship with Kurt, and the pressures that his sudden success brought to their family.  Through all of those challenges, she discovered a source of strength, giving her the power to answer the call, when that "one call" comes - offering hope when the circumstances would seem hopeless.   When we face trials, we can trust the hand of God, leaning on Him, and leaning on others, and learning that He is our only source of hope.   When challenges - or opportunities - call...how will we answer?

Spiraling Toward Doomsday

From 1st Thessalonians 4:
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

No doubt, there's plenty of interest about what we might call "the end of the world".   With this whole 2012-Mayan calendar thing and the antics of Harold Camping last year, that actually made some top 10 lists from last year, but not mine, there is a fascination with what we might call a doomsday scenario.   Interestingly enough, 1st Thessalonians 5 says that reflecting on the end of days or coming of Christ should bring comfort.

Here's an interesting piece from Fox News:

In a sign of pessimism about humanity's future, scientists today set the hands of the infamous "Doomsday Clock" forward one minute from two years ago.

"It is now five minutes to midnight," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) director Kennette Benedict announced today (Jan. 10) at a press conference in Washington, D.C.

That represents a symbolic step closer to doomsday, a change from the clock's previous mark of six minutes to midnight, set in January 2010.

The clock is a symbol of the threat of humanity's imminent destruction from nuclear or biological weapons, climate change and other human-caused disasters...The Doomsday Clock came into being in 1947 as a way for atomic scientists to warn the world of the dangers of nuclear weapons. That year, the Bulletin set the time at seven minutes to midnight, with midnight symbolizing humanity's destruction. By 1949, it was at three minutes to midnight as the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union deteriorated. In 1953, after the first test of the hydrogen bomb, the doomsday clock ticked to two minutes until midnight.

The Bulletin — and the clock ­— were at their most optimistic in 1991, when the Cold War thawed and the United States and Russia began cutting their arsenals. That year, the Bulletin set the clock at 17 minutes to midnight.

I don't know where we are on God's timetable - the standard that matters - but I think we CAN read the signs of the times; remember what Jesus told His disciples about the fig tree and recognizing its future by its fruit.   The question is: are you ready?   And, are you bringing others along with you?