Zeal Without Knowledge
“Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” –Philippians 3:6He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
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Remember the stir caused by Promise Keepers a short time ago? Their rallies filled football stadiums. Everywhere you turned, you heard or read about them. One of their leaders stated that they planned to be in every church in the nation whether that church wanted them there or not.
But where are the Promise Keepers now? They disappeared from view almost as quickly as they came in. Other things have already come in to take their place. The enthusiasm of the moment quickly dissipated into dust.
We often equate zeal with holiness and enthusiasm with revival. When people are emotionally stirred, it must be of God. And, although the Christian should be zealous, zeal itself is not holy. Paul warned the Galatians of those who zealously affected them, “but not well” (Galatians 4:17They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
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Paul knew personally of these dangers. He had been so full of zeal in the practice of his religion that he had persecuted the church (Philippians 3:6He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
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Be zealous and enthusiastic in your service to God; or, as the Bible says, be “fervent in spirit” (Romans 12:11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
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