Zeal Without Knowledge

 Zeal without knowledge. 

Ro. 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 

How senseless is it truly to have a great zeal for something that is a lie? When you're passionate about a lie, your deception is truly all but complete. Sometimes when a person gets caught up in a great lie, something with their whole heart they believe is truth, they refuse to listen to the truth when it is presented. When the truth is given to them they cry out that it is the lie, simply because they can't imagine the lie they thought truth could ever have been wrong. 

I think about the Apostle Paul. He was so incredibly zealous in his faith as a Pharisee. Yet he came face to face with the truth of Christ and he had to make a decision in that moment. He could have denied it. He could have denied Christ even after coming face to face with Him. He could have chalked it all up to the devil trying to deceive him with an evil spirit attacking him. A person does not have to believe the truth when it is given to them, they choose.

Paul's zeal was magnificent in his deception and all who knew him in that zeal found it very hard to believe that he'd changed.  He denounced all that he'd been fighting for when faced with the truth and then began fighting just as hard, even harder for the NEW truth he believed.

What passion there is when you can admit you once believed a lie, but now have found the truth!  God help us all to find and live in His truth, even if it means we must give up lies we've been zealous for. 

*******

Excerpt-

Articles on Romans by E. J. Waggoner Chapter 10

--------------------------------------------------

 Let it be remembered that the ninth chapter of Romans sets forth the condition of Israel according to the flesh they who are called Israel. They are "accursed from Christ." They "followed after the law of righteousness," but did not attain to righteousness, because they sought it not by faith, but by works." The Gentiles, therefore,  gained the precedence over them, because they sought righteousness in the right way, namely, by faith.

 

Thus were fulfilled the words of Christ to the self-righteous Jews: "The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you;" and again, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Matt. 21:31, 43.

But the Lord did not cast off his people because they stumbled at the Stone which he had placed for a foundation. He endured with much long-suffering even the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. So the apostle continues:

The Glorious Gospel Romans 10:1-21

1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness,  have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above): 7 or, Who shall descend into the deep (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 that if thou shalt confess with they mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth,  and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold,  and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Zeal without Knowledge. "It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing." Zeal is very necessary to the accomplishment of anything; but zeal without knowledge is like a wild horse without bit or bridle. There is plenty of activity, but it is of no use. Or it is like the man who displays great zeal and earnestness in reaching a certain place, but who is traveling in the wrong direction. No matter how zealous a man may be, he will never reach a place that is north of him by traveling southward. Ignorance nullifies zeal. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6.

Israel's Ignorance. They were "ignorant of God's righteousness." It is a kind of ignorance that did not cease with the generation then living, and which is not confined to any certain people. But that which made it so much worse in this instance was that this ignorance of God's righteousness was coupled with the highest profession of serving him.

God's Righteousness. The righteousness of God is something besides a name. It is something far different from a form of words, or even the mere statement of a law. It is nothing less than the life and character of God. As there can not be sweetness apart from something that is sweet, so there is no such thing as abstract righteousness.  Righteousness must necessarily be connected with some living being. But God alone is righteous. See Mark 10:18. Therefore wherever righteousness is, there God must be active. Righteousness is the essential characteristic of God.