Many Christians have steadfastly refused to go to "R" rated movies because their gratuitous violence, overt sexual content, and vulgar language. So why have so many looked past the "R" rating and gone to this one? You might find this explanation found, repeatedly on the Internet, a pretty good explanation.

The "R" of course is because of the violence — the gore of the scourging and the cruelty of the Cross.

In movie terms "R" usually stands for RESTRICTED. In The Passion, "R" stands for RELEVANT, for REALISTIC, for it REALLY happened for a REASON because we were REBELIOUS we needed a REDEEMER. Yes, we needed to be RECONCILED and we needed to be RECOVERED. We needed to be REGENERATED. Jesus needed to be REJECTED so that we could have a RELATIONSHIP with God, not just a RELIGION about God.

The "R" is to REMIND us to REMEMBER what Jesus did to REMOVE our sin and to RENDER Satan powerless to our RESCUE from eternity in hell.

The "R" rating is to show that Jesus was RESPONSIBLE for giving you REST. As a RESULT of his death, Jesus RETIRED your debt and RETURNED you to God.

Jesus RETIRED your debt and RETURNED you to God.
The "R" rating means that some will be REPULSED, some will REFUSE to believe, some will be RELUCTANT, and some will think you are RIDICULOUS in believing that a death was REQUIRED.

The "R" rating means that the RESULT of sin has been REVERSED and that now through faith in Christ, you can be REBORN and your REWARD is eternity because you are now RIGHTEOUS before God. You have RECEIVED him as the RULER of your soul and you have been RESTORED in your walk with God. What a REVOLUTIONARY and RADICAL solution to REDEEM humankind!