Jesus & Religion: Can they Co-Exist?

As Christians, we've all heard it said, and probably at times have been the one saying it, that "I don't have a religion, I have a relationship." I remember back a little over a decade ago that this was one of the hottest selling Christian T-Shirt expressions out there. I never took time to think about the implications of that saying until a little over a year ago when a Spoken Word by Jefferson Bethke entitled "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus" started getting millions of hits on youtube. His poem then inspired a book, which I'm going to be honest, I've only read the first chapter of.

I have, however, seen the youtube video several times. And from the first time I saw the video until when I watched it this morning for a refresher before setting out to write this blog, it has always bothered me. Let's take a look at some of the quotes from Bethke's poem that just don't sit right with me. "What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion?" I would tell you that you're a liar. Jesus came to redeem God's people. Jesus came to fulfill the law. Jesus came to redirect religion. "Jesus hated religion, and for it he called them fools. Don’t you see it’s so much better than just following some rules?" Jesus hates sin. Jesus hates hypocrisy. Jesus hates false religion. 

Before you accuse me of not understanding what Bethke means, let me assure you I most definitely do. Jefferson Bethke, as well as most young Christians, hate what religion has become. I couldn't agree more. But the problem isn't religion. The problem is that people have taken religion and made it what it should have never become. For many, religion has become all about walking, talking, and acting like someone who is holy, as opposed to being someone holy. That isn't religion, that is an empty ritual.

James 1:27 says this, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." I agree with a lot of Bethke's ideas, however the thing I'd have to disagree with most is that Jesus does not hate religion. In fact I'd go as far as to say Jesus LOVES religion. Jesus loves it when his followers meet the needs of the least of these, and live lives that are unstained by the world. Nothing brings Him more joy than us being truly religious. The problem isn't religion, the problem is that people don't understand what religion truly is.