The Persecution Of Religion
THE PERSECUTION OF RELIGION
In verse 30 the Lord said, "I and the Father are one." Here the Lord asserts His deity, that He is God (10:33; 5:18; 1:1; 20:28; 1 John 5:20; Phil. 2:6). The Jews took up stones in order to stone Him, saying, "We are not stoning you for a good work, but for blasphemy; and because you, being a man, are making yourself God" (10:33). The Jews persecuted Christ because of His "blas phemy." It is the same today. Religion claims that we preach heresy. Religion was trying to protect its "belief." Actually, they had no belief. They had unbelief and they were protecting vanity. There fore, they persecuted the Lord Jesus.
LIFE'S DESERTION OF RELIGION
AND LIFE'S NEW STANDING
In 10:40-42 we see life's desertion of religion and life's new standing. Christ deserted Judaism and went to the place where John the Baptist preached the New Testament gospel. This is very meaningful. The Lord deserted Judaism and took a new standing for the New Testament. Today we are here on this new standing. We are follow ing the shepherd, we are on the pasture, and we have a new standing.