Maybe you've seen this video:
This video has had a lot of attention (16 million views) from the Christian community and beyond. There have been tons of copycat videos and varying opinions attacking this guy's poem in various ways. Some can be understood, what I think people have trouble with most is clarity on the use of some words in his poem.
Most of all his use of the term religion. Many people have argued that Jesus did not come to abolish religion as he says in the beginning. As I have searched around the internet, it seems that many Catholics have taken offense to this guys usage of religion and it seems more personal to them than most Protestant responses that I have read or seen.
This seems to be the majority of issues with this poem therefore let's look at what he means:
First the term religion can mean:
a set of beliefs,
a body of people who believe a certain set of beliefs and the practice of religious belief.
So we can say there is the Christian religion or Buddhist religion or Hindu religion (they all have a set of beliefs) These are also bodies of people who believe and practice a set of beliefs.
We see each of these definitions within the context of several Scripture passages:
Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.
Acts 26:5--"They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee.
1 Timothy 5:4--"But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
James 1:2--"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
James 1:27--"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.
Here is what I feel some people missed: He defines the religion he is talking about. Read the description here
Did Jesus come to abolish religion? No, he came to redeem his people from the slavery of sin, give them new life so that they would proclaim the good news. (John 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:17 1 Peter 2:9) But Scripture also looks down on pridefully motivated religious activity that masks the idols that we hold so tightly too (even in the name of religion). The Pharisees would kick our butts when it came to "knowing the Scriptures". Paul even says that he was an all-star Pharisee (Phil 3:4-6) but compared to knowing Christ and the gospel he proclaims it was all worthless. (4:7-8)
So here is why I do not have a problem with this video:
1. I love and appreciate this guys passion for the gospel and Jesus. This guys youtube video has created discussion and awakened some people in the Christian community and forced them to think for once about their faith (something most of the NT writers did frequently). Some are just arguing for the sake of argument while others see a need to discuss the damages that religion with no gospel creates. He focuses on the gospel, and what religion doesn't provide along with doing it in a creative way.
2. This is important. This is a poem. Not a theological treatise. As an artist myself, who writes poems and music frequently, I don't usually go over my lyrics with a Systematic Theology book. (Besides its hard to write a poem or song about Revelation knowing that you may offend a Pre-Trib, rapture or non-rapture, Amillennial or Pre- Mill person). I write because I want to illustrate what Christ has done in my life using music.
Seriously, how many times have we read over David Crowder lyrics or Lecrae lyrics to see if they are using "correct" theological terms? The guy lets us know that it is a poem he wrote to highlight my journey to discover this truth, and it involves part of his life, what he has learned and how he feels about it. It is art not a sermon.
3. He speaks about how it is the gospel that will gives us true freedom, and that the gospel is what should motivate us to love, to care, to share the good news, to feed, to serve people out of a love for Christ NOT religion. He displays in his poem that purely religious motivation (again defined as earlier) can cause damaging effects and consequences. Who doesn't believe this? I think the initial shock of Jesus hating religion catches the eye and the ear but don't we all hate the religion he speaks of in ourselves? Was Jesus opposed to the type of religion the Pharisee spouted?
Lastly, I recently read a book that goes in this same general direction called Gospel by J.D. Graeer. Here are 3 things that J.D. Graeer says religion cannot do:
1. Religious activities fail to address the "root" idolatries that drive our sin.
-The gospel roots out our deepest idols while religious activity can mask our deeper rooted sins.
2. When our acceptance is based on our performance we exacerbate two root sins in our heart: pride and fear.
-Easily seen with the Pharisees--when there religion (pride in their actions) was threatened by the gospel preached by Jesus it scared them. Their fear turned to hatred.
3. The insecurity of always wondering if we've done enough to be accepted causes resentment of God, not love for him.
-Religion tells us to do more and through that we get frustrated wondering if we have done enough. Because the motivation for acceptance become about religion and not the gospel, freedom and acceptance is never attained.
Graeer finishes with this and what I feel is what this young man has learned:
"The gospel turns religion upside down. The gospel reawakens us to the beauty of God and overwhelms us with mercy."
Be Blessed
