ZEAL IS NOT ENOUGH

Trevor S Ferguson

December 27, 2011

Romans 10:1-3 (KJV)
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, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

INTRODUCTION

We are living in an age where people are often moved by hype and less so by substance. Action and results are often valued more than attitude and motive. In the church some persons are extremely zealous towards God and would desire to be involved and in charge of various activities but sometimes this is not backed up by an understanding of the word of God or principles of righteousness.

Today, as we reflect on the passage from Romans 10, I want to highlight three important principles: 1) Being zealous towards God is not enough to ensure salvation; 2) Ignorance can cost us our salvation; and 3) Knowledge of God and His word is vital for Christian development and the preservation of our salvation

EXPOSITION

1) Being zealous towards God is not enough to ensure salvation

Paul describes Israel as having the zeal of God. They were fervent believers in the existence of God; they observed the laws and statutes as outlined in the Old Testament; they passionately defended their beliefs. 

Paul himself was the best example of zeal without knowledge. He persecuted the Christians because he believed they had erred from the Jewish faith. However, it was not until he came face to face with Jesus on the Damascus road, and subsequently received instructions from Ananias the prophet, that he was able to fulfill the requirements of salvation.

There are many today who profess to serve Jesus, but until they come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and receive salvation as outlines in the book of Acts, they are in danger of dying in their sins. 

Let us, like Paul, pray that God will reveal the word of salvation to all, that they too can be saved.

2) Ignorance can cost us our salvation

Verse three of Romans 10 illustrates the danger of ignorance. Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, Israel went ahead and established their own righteousness! This was exemplified  in the practices of the Pharisees. Because of their failure to understand the principles contained in God’s law, they set up a system requiring persons to follow the letter of the law and in so doing drifted further and further from God.  Look at what Jesus said of them in Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Their ignorant zeal had led them to a place where when they thought they were working for God, they were instead carving out places in hell!

Let’s beware of thee error of the Pharisees

3) Knowledge of God is vital for Christian Development and the preservation of our salvation

The scriptures below illustrate this very well.

John 5:39

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Acts 17:10-11

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

2 Peter 1:5-7

 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

2^nd Peter 3:17-18

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

2^nd Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

CONCLUSION

Let us resolve today to commit ourselves to studying the word of God and to glean from it the knowledge of God, lest like Israel and the Pharisees we fall into error and miss out on our salvation