Jesus > Religion: A Book Review

 "Jesus > Religion" by Jefferson Bethke

 

Being the book lover that I am, when I saw an application to pre-read and review Jefferson Bethke’s book “Jesus > Religion” available on October 7th, I didn’t think twice about signing up. I figured I wouldn’t get asked…considering I hadn’t blogged since March, and my last post was a recipe… (scrambled eggs, anyone? …yeah, not relevant to books!). So I’m as shocked as you to be given this opportunity. Other than a free PDF I am not being compensated, so rest assured my words are not being paid for.

 If you don’t know who Jefferson Bethke is, he wrote the YouTube script for “Why I hate Religion, but love Jesus,” which had over 12 million views in the span of 12 hours. While Bethke had meant to speak to maybe 100 peers at his college…his video went viral instead. Talk about God having another plan. Click here for a link to Jefferson's videos! 

“The paradox of the Scripture is that it calls us way more sinful than we think we are,
and it calls us way more loved than we think we are.”

-          Jefferson Bethke, Jesus > Religion

 

This book isn’t about Bethke.  

It isn’t about you (as the reader).

This book isn’t about hating religion. (In fact, Bethke spends quite a few pages on defining what he meant by hating religion, for those of you who found this confusing.)  

It IS about a homeless, rumored-to-be-born-illegitimate man who lived in Nazareth 2,000 years ago. A man who raised controversy with the practiced religion of his time, who was brutally killed for no crime committed & who said and did things that no man could accomplish.

    It IS about why his resurrected life means everything to yours and mine and Bethke’s.  

                     This book IS about Jesus, Son of God.

I was humbled by how vulnerable Bethke was in intertwining the grace of the cross with his own story. He grew up in a broken home just above the poverty line, was addicted to pornography for 8 years, admitted to feeling suicidal at the end of a serious relationship, and even shares a personal story of choosing sin after becoming a Christian:

One night during my sophomore year of college, God

decided to show me just how inadequate I was to fight my own

sin and just how powerful his grace was to break that sin. I was

sitting on the couch in my room playing Halo 3, but quickly

became bored. Lustful thoughts started to call my name. I

knew I shouldn’t give in, but there was still a part of me that

thought, Who cares? What’s a little fun? No one will know.

So I texted a girl I had previously had a completely physical

relationship with. She said she wasn’t doing anything and

wanted to hang out, so I drove over to her house with us both

knowing what our intentions were. Even while driving there,

I felt this cosmic battle waging in my soul. Part of me deeply

wanted it, but another part of me knew there was something

better and tried to convince me that sex wouldn’t bring the

satisfaction it promised. Ultimately, I went through with it.

Rather than seeing her as another soul made in the image of

God, I saw her as an object. Rather than trusting that God

actually wanted to bring me deeper joy, I thought I knew better

what would make me happy.

I’ll never forget the feeling when I got home. I felt hollow,

sick, dirty. I was a Christian now. I knew better. I wasn’t

supposed to do that anymore! On top of that, I felt even

more shame because I had planned what I did and had many

opportunities to say no. I’d never had this happen before,

and I’ve never had it happen since. The shame and guilt

were so palpable that I literally became sick. I stayed up until

six o’clock that morning throwing up, feeling so dirty and

worthless and thinking I had completely failed God and that

he must hate me now.

I thought, What’s more evil? Being blind and living in ignorance,

or knowing what is right and still doing what is wrong? I

had known it was wrong, but I did it anyway.

I was just lying there, swimming in my own shame and

guilt, when this still, small voice whispered into the depths of

my soul:

 

I love you.

I desire you.

I delight in you.

I saw you were going to do that before I went to the

cross, and I still went.

 

I had a feeling of utter quiet and peace. I didn’t hear those

words in my ears, but felt them whispered into the depths of

my bones. Immediately, relief and the epiphany that I hadn’t

surprised God rushed over me. I hadn’t caught him off guard.

When Jesus went to the cross, he saw all I’ll ever be, all I’ll

ever do (including that), and all I’ll ever want outside of him;

but he joyfully came and got me (Hebrews 12: 1-2).

He looked down and said, “I want that one.”

I couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it. But he freely loves

me and gave me grace. Not only did I not deserve his love in

that moment, but if anything, I deserved the opposite. But he

chose to let his beauty and splendor pour out of him and into my ugliness.

 

That’s when it hit me: God’s grace isn’t nice and cute.  It’s scandalous.

-Chapter 8 of Jesus > Religion

 

I am grateful for Bethke’s book and the transparency he has with admitting his failures and his need for grace. It takes humility to come to the cross, and it takes humility to stay at its foot. And it took Real Humility, a perfect God dying for imperfect man-- to make each of us a new creation. Isn’t it beautiful?!

Here is one last quote from Bethke’s book that cut straight to my heart:

“All of us have become like one who is unclean,

and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” –Isaiah 64:6

 

“We often miss that our “righteous acts” are “filthy” before God.

Not just our bad days, but our extremely good days too! Praying, reading

the Bible, giving to the poor, and going to church nine times a

week? Filthy rags apart from Jesus and his cross. Tell me that

isn’t just a little bit controversial. And if that God isn’t shocking enough

for you, author Francis Chan shares in his book Crazy Love that the Hebrew

word for “filthy rags” can be interpreted as “menstrual garments.”

In that verse God says our good works are no better

than a bloody tampon. Next time you’re in a public restroom

and you see the waste can, feel free to remind yourself that’s

your righteousness apart from Jesus. (Gross, I know.)”

                        -  Jesus > Religion, Chapter 1

 

Wow. That just put my whole life in perspective.

My good works are bloody tampons. Your good works are….bloody tampons.

 

Are you thinking: EWW GROSS NEW MENTAL IMAGE NOW!?

 

I know I am!! But my heart needs to hear this: the truth of Scripture. Otherwise, I’ll start thinking 22 is a good amount of years to draw out my own wisdom and that living for me is the only thing life is for.

 

I hope that struck you as visually disgusting and prompted your heart to awe-struck appreciation of the beautiful, scandalous grace that is offered freely in Christ.

 

And I hope it makes you curious to hear what Bethke has to say in his book.

Whether you are a believer who speaks Greek and Hebrew with fluency, or simply someone curious about this controversial homeless Jesus dude who Bethke can’t keep his mouth shut about….this book is relevant to you.  

 

I pray you don’t stop reading my blog here and forget that you were interested in hearing more about Jesus (or learning more, if you are a believer!). Read the Scriptures for yourself. Read books like Bethke’s. Pray. Don’t settle for coping with addictions, with depression, with anxiety, or with guilt. Jesus didn’t die for the sake of suffering….he suffered so that you and I may live. And not for ourselves but for HIM.

 

If we’re doing the star system, I’d give Bethke’s book a  4.3 out of 5. There were several times that Scripture was paraphrased, and while Bethke’s interpretation was accurate and worded beautifully…there is something about hearing the direct Word of God that has a more lasting impact.

 

All in all, this is a book very worthy of my time and your time.  Click here to learn more about the book or to pre-order "Jesus > Religion."

 

Praying that you and I have seeking hearts. And reading hearts. ;)

 

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.⁹ –Matthew 7: 7-9

 

 

 

 

~  (Obviously) I'm not the photographer of the book cover! :) Retrieved from Jefferson Bethke.