Zeal Without Knowledge

“Zeal without knowledge is like fire without a grate to contain it; like a sword without a hilt to wield it by; like a high-bred horse without a bridle to guide him,” wrote Julias Bates in Forbes Magazine.

Bates’ further opines that zeal without knowledge, “speaks without thinking, acts without planning, seeks to accomplish a good end without the adoption of becoming means.”

This is reminiscent of an old saying, “Fire in the fireplace warms the house, but fire on the carpet burns the house down.”

The point is obvious. A fire that is controlled is beneficial. A fire that is uncontrolled is destructive. The same principle applies to zeal.

In Romans 10:1-3, the apostle Paul lamented the spiritual state of Israel, his Jewish blood brethren.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.”

No doubt Paul could relate to this situation. There was a time in his life where he opposed Christianity and persecuted Christians. In his defense before King Agrippa, where he explained his conversion, Paul said, “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.”

In relating his thinking at this time in his early life, Paul wrote to the Galatian brethren, “For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.”

Paul further described himself during this period as a “blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man” whose focus and zeal was misguided because it was done “ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:13).

A couple of thoughts.

#1 It’s possible to be fervently zealous but religiously wrong.

Many today are on fire promoting ideas, propagating practices, and pushing issues that are contrary to the teaching of the Bible.  Some say, it makes no difference what you believe, as long as you’re honest and sincere. Yet, Bible history shows God has always demanded strict adherence to His Word in every age.

Jesus Himself warned “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21).

Sometimes unscriptural methods are justified by saying, “I like the way I’m doing it better than the way you’re not doing it.” In other words, one’s misguided zeal is better than one who’s missing zeal? Both are wrong.

Zeal for a belief, practice, or doctrine doesn’t make it right. In fact, according to Paul it could lead one to being eternally lost.

#2 It’s possible for our zeal to become misplaced by focusing on traditions.

I’ve seen that situation in churches that are seeking to be doctrinally sound, teach the truth, and worship scripturally, yet there was an over emphasis on traditions. Their zeal for “the way we’ve always done it,” discouraged new, improved, and better means to scripturally minister.

Some preachers and pastors and have become too zealous for their personal preferences and and opinions. Times of services. Frequency of meeting. Order of service. Length of service. Use of visuals. Dress codes. Types of literature. Teaching materials. And much more can become the object for one’s intense zeal. However, the zeal of Christians desiring to minister can be squashed by the misguided zeal of those who are majoring on minors.

I’m reminded of Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees who were more concerned about their long standing oral traditions than they were the commandments of God (Matt. 15:1-9; 23:23). They were zealous. But zealous for the wrong things.

Zeal without knowledge is dangerous, It is mistaken, misguided, and misplaced. At the very least it can hinder and hamper the work of the Lord. At the very most it may cause us to be eternally lost.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman