Section 3
The Jewish leaders also plotted to put Lazarus to death for the same reason (12:10). This shows how much religion is against the Lord as life. It not only persecuted the Lord, but also tried to destroy those who participated in the Lord as life. Religion always renounces and rejects the Lord as life.
As we study the Gospel of John, we must see the difference between religion and Christ as life. The Lord Jesus came to earth in His incar nation not to be a religious leader but to come into man and to be man's life. From the first case of regeneration in chapter three to the last case of resurrection in chapter eleven, all that the Lord did was to present Himself as life to people out side of the Jewish religion. If we look at religion, including Christianity, from a viewpoint other than that of life, we shall be easily cheated and misled, for religion teaches people how to know God and worship Him. It even teaches the Bible. It seems that there is nothing bad about it. How ever, if the Lord has mercy on us and if His Spirit opens our eyes, we shall see that what God is doing in the universe is not merely to make peo ple worship Him or serve Him. In this age, God's desire and intention is to come into man in the Son, by His Spirit, and through His Word to be