ZEAL

ZEAL

“It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good.”

Galatians 4:18

People are zealous for many things. Right now, we have a political race for president going on and many supporters on both sides are really zealous for their candidates. They are going to rallies and telling others of the virtues of their candidate. Many are even spending a lot of money in order to get their favorite elected.

When you think of the time and effort put into a race for public office or of the time and money spent on sporting events or parties or clothing or saving for retirement, you have to wonder, where is God in all of this? Who is zealous for Him? Are we?

This scripture was written by Paul to the Galatians who had turned away from the grace of God and were again following the law. They put aside the grace of God and went back to following teachers who told them they needed to follow the Judaic law. Apparently, they were very zealous but Paul rebuked them and told them they were wasting their time being zealous for the law when Christ had set them free from the law, by grace. Why go backwards? “These people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.” (Gal. 4:17). “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Gal. 5:1).

We need to be zealous, but for the right thing! “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.” (Prov. 19:2). Our zeal must be directed to the Lord and for the Lord. We must spend ourselves for the furtherance of His kingdom. We must seek Him for the knowledge to accomplish this.

We must be zealous for our God. We must be zealous to see others come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We must be zealous for our eternal life! We must be as Jesus was, “…for zeal for Your house consumes me….” (Psa. 69:9; John 2:17). We must take to heart these words of Paul and be zealous for the right purpose. Only Jesus! “Never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor." (Rom. 12:11). AMEN!