Zeal for God – But Which One?


Romans 10:1-4
1Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
2For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Years ago, in a small group Bible study a woman made a comment that I remember to this day because it was shocking for me. Her new granddaughter was struggling for life because of some serious issues and of course she was distraught. Her shocking comment was “No God of mine would let a baby die.” I didn’t get into a big theological discussion with someone who was in great pain. That would not have been the loving thing to do. But I pondered that statement for days afterward. “No God of mine . . . “ In her pain, she had forgotten that we don’t get to define God. He can handle that all by Himself. We may not like it when God allows a baby to suffer, but that doesn’t negate His position as God. Paul is discussing a similar concept in our reading for today. He notes that while the Jews definitely have zeal for God, that zeal is misplaced. They were defining God and their righteousness by their own standards which were tied to the Law. Jesus did not enter the picture for them and therein lay the problem for the Jews. While righteousness can only be found in Christ they still wanted to rely upon the Law. Interestingly enough, righteousness was never found in keeping the Law. Only God can impart righteousness – even in the Old Testament.

Paul makes a corresponding statement in the book of Galatians where he calls the Law our guardian.

Galatians 3:24-26
24So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
26for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Paul places Christ at the center of our need for righteousness. What we find today is the same as Paul was experiencing. People do seem to have a zeal for God; a god of their own making. We too are guilty of being unwilling to “submit to God’s righteousness.” Instead I want to submit to my own god who behaves the way I want him to. I can come up with some great zeal for that god. But I am acting out of ignorance. Paul takes away the source of that ignorance and shares the truth of Jesus Christ with his readers. You can no longer claim ignorance and zealously worship your own god. Now you are informed and we must submit to God as He defines Himself. So we are no longer even under the Law’s guardianship. Jesus has freed us from any slavery to the Law and we can zealously worship and serve this God who gives us everything.

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