It is good to be excited for the things of God. To have an enthusiastic belief and excitement for Jesus Christ! And although God is blessed when his children are excited about His word, many today are zealous without knowledge. And though they may be sincere, sincerity is no guarantee for God’s truth.
I am reminded of a record in the book of Acts chapter 19. There was a big uproar at Ephesus and people were so zealous multitudes gathered together, however most of them didn’t have a clue why they were there.
Acts 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
This is what happens when you have zeal without knowledge. You are excited, believe and act a certain way. However if your beliefs contradict the scriptures you may be believing just a story passed down throughout the ages or worse a lie.
Zeal is a great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective. Your zeal may be sincere but zeal is no guarantee for truth.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
You see only God’s word, all scripture, is profitable for doctrine, for truth not man’s feelings or opinions.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
That means you do not have the right to interpret the scripture to fit with what makes you feel good, or what you believe, think, or feel is right. When you think a certain way or believe a certain way about a subject, you surely want to be on the same page as God and what his word says. And this is where Zeal without knowledge can get you in all kinds of trouble.
You do not want to go through your life believing something you deem true and biblical only to find out you were wrong, or worse yet that you were believing a lie. Just because you are sincere and committed doesn’t mean your worship is accepted or valued by God.
Mark 7:3-9 3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.4And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. 5Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 6He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
The word tradition means tradition learned by instruction, a narrative, an opinion or that which has been delivered to you. This is a road you do not want to go down. You never want to place you beliefs or prejudice before God’s word. If your beliefs and actions are not based on the truth of God’s word, then whose opinion are they based on?
There are only 2 answers to that question. You are basing you beliefs on a man or a spirit. Even Jesus Christ did not base what he taught on himself. If anyone had this right it would have been Jesus, but he based what he taught on what his father told him, the genuine word of God.
John 7:14-17 14Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 15And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?16Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. KJG John 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. John 17:6-8 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 7Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
God wants you to have great zeal, he wants you to have tremendous enthusiastic believing, and commitment. However, zeal without knowledge is not only dangerous it can be devilish.
Philippians 3:4-6 4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Paul had zeal but it was misguided and resulted in persecuting God’s people many who were tortured and killed.
The word zeal here is the Greek word 2205 zh/loj zelos {dzay'-los} An excitement of mind, passion, fervour of spirit 1a) zeal, a passion in embracing, pursuing, defending anything. Paul was convinced, he was sincere, but sincerity is no guarantee for truth.
Galatians 4:16-17 16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? 17They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
Here in Galatia the Jewish leadership wanted to turn the believers away from Paul. So they pretended to be excited over the believers but their zeal was counterfeit. They just wanted to turn them away from the truth to follow them. The New Living captures this.
NLT Galatians 4:17 Those false teachers who are so anxious to win your favor are not doing it for your good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay more attention to them.
Senses faith is the greatest spiritual counterfeit there is. This is where you walk by your senses and believe and trust your senses in place of God‘s word. This kind of Zeal comes from the senses it’s a work of the flesh. It’s not godly and we are warned about this counterfeit.
Galatians 5:16-20 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
See the word emulations? It’s the same Greek word zelos {dzay'-los} only here it’s translated emulation and it’s a work of the flesh right up there with witchcraft, hatred and idolatry.
Colossians 2:7-8 7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. NIV Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Romans 10:1-3 1Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
When you are ignorant of God’s word regarding any subject you will establish you own beliefs.
Do you want to be in agreement with God regarding his word? Are you willing to receive the word of God with meekness?
Then make sure the scripture is your only source for what you believe and be full of godly zeal.