How can we ensure our zeal aligns with God's truth, unlike Paul's past actions? Zeal Gone Wrong “Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.” (Acts 26:11) Paul’s own testimony shows that zeal, untethered from God’s revealed truth, can fuel cruelty, pride, and spiritual blindness. Anchoring Zeal to God’s Truth •Stay saturated in Scripture • “All Scripture is God-breathed … so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) • Zeal must rise from what God has spoken, not from personal preferences or traditions. •Submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ • Paul’s turning point was a direct encounter with the risen Lord (Acts 26:14-18). • Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Any passion that sidelines His authority drifts into error. •Pursue knowledge with zeal • “I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.” (Romans 10:2) • Zeal and knowledge are companions, never rivals. •Worship in Spirit and truth • “The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24) • The Spirit ignites zeal; truth directs it. Character Marks of Aligned Zeal •Humility—Paul counted all former accomplishments “loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ” (Philippians 3:8). •Love—“If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2). •Peaceable wisdom—“The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason” (James 3:17). •Spirit-produced fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness… (Galatians 5:22-23). Genuine zeal will never contradict this fruit. Practical Checkpoints 1.Regularly test motives before God (Psalm 139:23-24). 2.Invite correction from mature, Bible-anchored believers (Proverbs 27:17). 3.Evaluate fruit—does my zeal build up the body and draw the lost? 4.Measure every passion by the gospel—grace received must become grace expressed (Ephesians 2:8-10). 5.Guard against anger cloaked as righteousness (James 1:19-20). Encouragement to Press On Paul’s story proves that zeal can be redeemed. When surrendered to Scripture, empowered by the Spirit, and centered on Christ, our passion becomes a bright testimony—never the raging fury of Acts 26:11, but the steadfast fire that lights the way for others to glorify God. |
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