Zeal and Knowledge

By

Shelby G. Floyd

June 9, 2006

 

 

 

 

After Paul turned from Judaism and became an ap­ostle he warned his own people against rejecting Christ, and pointed out to them they would be lost without the gospel. Lest some should think that he was an enemy of his people he let them know that he was still in­terested in their salvation for he said,

 

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to know­ledge.” (Romans 10: 1-2.)

 

Zeal Without Knowledge is Misspent Energy

 

The Jewish people were very zealous in serving God according to their opinions and their traditions, but their zeal was not always motivated by the proper knowledge of God’s will. The noun zeal comes from a word which literally means to boil with heat. Meta­phorically, the word means zeal, fervency of spirit or ardor in pursuing and defending anything that we think to be right. Zeal however without knowledge is just so much energy that is misspent. It could be likened to a giant airplane without a pilot.

 

Therefore, every person should be filled with zeal, but it should be tempered with the truth. The Jews were ignorant of the truth, for had they really understood the teachings of the prophets they would have been prepared to accept Jesus Christ. They were also ignorant of the gospel plan of salvation, even though they were filled with zeal.

 

Paul Was Zealous Without Knowledge

 

Paul could sympathize with his people, because before his conversion to Christ he also was filled with a persecuting zeal against the church of God. To the Galatians he said,

 

“For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.” (Galatians 1: 13-14.)

 

Concerning zeal, Paul persecuted the church. (Phil. 3: 6.) Paul was more zealous for the Law of Moses than were the Jews to whom he was preaching the gospel. He was so zealous that he per­secuted the way of Christianity unto death, and bound men and women and put them into prisons. (Acts 22:3-4; 26: 8-11.)

 

Apollos Was Zealous Without Knowledge

 

Another example of a person being filled with zeal without the proper knowledge is the eloquent speaker Apollos. He was a Jew who had been born at Alexandria. He was mighty in the scriptures and fervent in the spirit; but he taught the things of the Lord knowing only the baptism of John. His zeal was good, but his knowledge was faulty. Therefore, Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and. taught him the way of the Lord more perfectly. (Acts 18: 24-26.)

 

Be Zealous For the Good

 

A person can either be zealous for something that is good or for something that is bad. The Jews were very zealous in trying to destroy the work of Paul. Paul warned the Galatians of false teachers who would try to lead them back into the Law of Moses, and he told them, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you0” (Gal. 4: 16-18.)

 

Everyone who seeks to serve God should be zealous in opposing anything that is wrong. In the days of Moses, many of God’s people went into idolatry, and committed immorality with the nations round about them. There was one man that was very zealous in opposing that which was wrong. The Lord commended Phinehas, the son of Aaron the priest, “...because he was zeal­ous for his God.” (Numbers 25: 10-11, 13.) And our Lord was zealous to cleanse the temple of God of the money-changers, and those who sold oxen, sheep and doves. After he had done this, his disciples remembered that it was written in the Old Testament, “…The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” (John. 2: 17; Psalms 69:9.) Therefore, God’s people should be filled with zeal in opposing every evil way. David once said, “My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.” (Ps, 119: 139.)

 

Knowledge Without Zeal is Also Useless

 

Just as it is possible for a person to have zeal without knowledge; it likewise is possible to have knowledge without zeal. Jesus knows the conditions of all the churches. To the church at Laodicea, he said,

 

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then   because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth,” (Revelation 3: 15-16.)

 

The Laodiceans were indifferent. God cannot stand lukewarm ness in the church, and he said that he would vomit them out of his mouth. He would rather that they were either cold or hot, instead of being lukewarm. This means that they should be filled with zeal and en­thusiasm for the work of the Lord. Therefore, Jesus said to the Laodiceans, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Revelation 3: 19.)

 

Let Us be Zealous of Good Works

 

Christ has redeemed his people in order that “they maybe zealous of good works.” (Titus 2: 14.) Let every member be zealous to repent of sin and indifference, (2 Corinthians 7: 11) Let us be zealous to support the poor by our liberality. (2 Corinthians 9: 2.) Let us be zealous to excel in edifying the church, by the study of God’s word. (1 Corinthians 14: 12.) Let us not be slothful, but fervent in spirit in serving the Lord. (Romans 12: 11.) Let every member of the church have a mind to work in building the spiritual walls of Zion. (Nehemiah 4: 6.) Let us be filled with a burning zeal, and whatever we find to do, do it with all our might. (Ecclesiastes 9: 10.)  Copyright © 2006 All Rights Reserved