The recent viral youtube video, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” has sparked much discussion.

I am glad this video went viral. I am a big fan of it. I think it was extremely well done in most every aspect. I appreciate the creative energy, talent, and time that went into producing it. Therefore, this increases my saddness to see so much misunderstanding surrounding the video. Due to misunderstanding, I fear items worthy of all of our consideration and reflection are missed while Christians argue about the proper use of the term religion. The purpose of this post is to state how (I think) the poet is intending the word “religion” to be understood in his message. My aim is to bring clarity to the way in which the author/poet uses the word “religion,” so that the focus can properly be put back on the heart of the matter.

We should define the poet’s use of the word “religion” in the context the poet himself provides. We must define words as how the author/poet intends to mean them. If we do not do this important interpretative step, misunderstanding ensues. Therefore we must be aware of the specific technical way in which an author uses and means a word. This is an important foundation for how language/meaning/communication works.

If some dislike or are uncomfortable in moving away from the listed dictionary definition of religion or how it has been used throughout church history, that is a different discussion altogether. I am not here to debate the legitimate semantic range of a word. I won’t debate it, because if I did, then, I too, would be missing the larger point of the video. I am here to simply shed light on how he is using the word “religion” in this piece of poetry.

Tentative definition of religion used in this video (as defined by me, and hopefully faithfully close to the intention of the poet)
Religion: A term that has evolved in contemporary evangelicalism to speak against a misunderstanding of biblical Christianity. It is used by some today in a broad sense as a grab bag term (junk drawer idea) to encompass all negative things wrongfully associated (i.e. legalism, hypocrisy, judgmentalism, works based salvation, etc) with Jesus and the Christian message both now and throughout centuries past.

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2. JESUS SAVES PEOPLE FROM SIN. JESUS RESTORES RELATIONSHIP SEVERED BY SIN. Jesus Christ is humankind’s only hope to become reconciled to a holy God. When people put their faith and trust in Jesus he cleanses them of their sins. This is called atonement. Jesus pays the penalty on the cross by sacrificially substituting his life for ours. A person’s sins are exchanged for the Jesus’s righteousness. Jesus restores the relationship with God sin had severed.

3. PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR LIFESTYLE AND SEEK DAILY RELATIONAL INTIMACY WITH GOD. Numerous lifestyle changes take place when people put their faith and trust in Jesus. If lifestyle transformation is not happening, people should question whether or not they are truly Christians. After all, the faith people state with their mouth, nod their head in intellectual assent, if it is genuine, must take root and grip their heart. The Holy Spirit comes to live/indwell every believer. He is our Helper, He aids us in the spiritual transformation process. Christians live in reliance upon the Holy Spirit. Through cooperation with the Holy Spirit our lives become steady transformed into the image of Christ. Christians practice confession and repentance of sins. Christians seek to live obediently with how God has revealed Himself through the Scriptures, His authoritative Word. People who place their faith and trust in Jesus, and desire to live obedient God honoring lives, will continue their relationship with God for eternity, enjoying God’s presence forever.

Hell is real. How does the existence of hell impact the way you live?

If Christians truly believe in a hell, it will influence the way they live and the conversations they have with others. People who believe in hell are motivated to tell other people about Jesus and the gospel.

I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word
Till soul and body sever,
For, though all things shall pass away,
His Word shall stand forever!”
— Martin Luther

1. Jesus died by crucifixion 2,000 years ago.

2. Jesus was then placed in a tomb.

3. A few days later, the tomb was found empty.

4. Soon after, the Apostles began testifying that Jesus had risen from the dead.

5. The Apostles really believed they had seen Jesus alive again.

6. Even opponents and skeptics of Christianity at the time claimed to have seen Jesus alive again, and their lives were transformed as a consequence.

7. Almost all of the Apostles eventually died for their testimony that they had seen the resurrected Jesus.

8. In the face of brutal persecution, the movement of Christianity grew beyond all reasonable expectation.

9. The belief that Jesus was physically raised from the dead was central and foundational to Christianity from the very beginning.

10. The corpse of Jesus has never been produced.

Dangers lurk in every culture. The more crafty the more sinister the more deadly that poison. Physical persecution is straightforward. The demons in this society are far better hidden. There are a lot of serpents where we live.