The Christian Virtue of Zeal

J.C. Ryle once wrote, “The Bible requires Christians to be zealous people.” If someone were to call you a zealot, how would that make you feel? What does it mean to be zealous? What should Christians be zealous for? Are there some examples of zealous people in the Bible and church history? When you think of the term, “zealous,” who comes to your mind?

David wrote a psalm of imprecation, “I have become estranged from my brothers, and an alien to my mother’s sons. 9 For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me (Ps 69:8–9).” This would later be identified as Messianic prophecy fulfilled by Jesus, follow His cleansing of the Temple at Jerusalem (Jn 2:17). Good news! Jesus was zealous. The bad news: people killed Jesus, and they will not like you for being zealous for Him (Jn 7:7; 15:18–19).

I suppose most people live and die quietly. To compete for center stage in life, one must have a gift or a special talent. To have a gift or special talent means you are already separated from most people. People who desire center stage, without a gift or talent, are terrorists.

The political group known as, “the zealots,” during the time of Jesus, were a thorn in the side of Roman occupation of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. This is partly where the word garners a negative connotation. Jesus was zealous, but He was not a zealot. I would even argue, He took Simon the Zealot, and gave him a better zeal (Mt 10:4).

The point of demarcation in Jesus’ life, to observe His rise in zeal, was His baptism in the River Jordan by the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:9–13). The Holy Spirit was also the catalyst for the rise in zeal for Jesus’ apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). We can deduce from these, the origin of Christian zeal. It is the Holy Spirit who makes the Christian zealous.

Holy Spirit induced zeal does not appear to be fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23; Col 3:12–17), nor does it appear to be a gift of the Spirit (Rom 12; 1 Cor 12; Eph 4). Clearly, Christians operate on a spectrum of zeal, however. Otherwise, we would not employ words like: “lukewarm,” “nominal,” or “charismatic.”

To be zealous, does one need to be a member of a Pentecostal denomination? Well, was any Christian zealous before the Azusa Street Revival of 1906? These questions lead us into the subject for which Christians should be zealous.

Christ gave Himself for His people that we might be zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). Good works were prepared for us by God (Eph 2:10). As doers of the word, in deed and truth, we labor in love, as unto the Lord, to do what pleases Him (2 Cor 5:9). At first, some might be intimidated at the prospect of following in the steps of the perfect sinless God/man. Paul helps us by encouraging us to follow him as He follows Christ. Paul was zealous.

Because Christianity is not an external religion, we do not appear to have much to work with when it comes to doing good religious works. Rites and rituals in Israel were mere types of Christ. Types are no longer needed when the anti-type appears. Christians must not be religionists, but we must be zealous. It is a full-time, life-long, lifestyle of Lent.

Paul did many good works. He preached Christ. He taught the Scriptures. He wrote letters. He raised funds for the poor. He visited people to reinforce their faith. He suffered persecution and imprisonment. He was martyred for His faith and because of His good works.

Christ is our life, and Christ is in our hearts, so Christianity is an internal, heart lifestyle, that manifests in and through us. We are led by the Spirit (Rom 8:14), who indwells us (Rom 8:9). The Spirit is the Lord (2 Cor 3:17), and the zeal of the Lord accomplishes much (Is 9:7; 37:32; Joel 2:18). It is the Lord who is willing and doing His good pleasure (Phil 2:13).

Throughout Christian history, we have names of men and women who were zealous for the Lord. Some had fiery personalities, reminiscent of Peter, the apostle. Others were docile lovers, like John, the apostle.

Zeal is not a personality. All personality types can be zealous. It is the mark of a wholly devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. It sounds like this, “One thing I do… (Phil 3:13–14).” Paul had Christ on his mind. Paul had Christ in his heart. Paul was led by the Spirit. Paul did the good works prepared for him. He was diligent to press on toward the goal. He was resilient to bounce back from every setback. Paul finished the race with zeal.

Who could match George Whitefield’s zeal for preaching? Who could match Richard Baxter’s zeal for writing? The Reformers’ zeal for right doctrine? The Puritans’ zeal for right Christian living? William Carey or Mary Slessor or Hudson Taylor or Lottie Moon’s zeal for missions? Individual and group names tell us about the zeal for good works in God’s people, who labor for the sake of the elect (2 Tim 2:10), and who long for their salvation (1 Cor 9:22).

Sadly, promulgators of false religion and Christian cults are often seen to be more zealous than many Christians. They labor in vain, however, because they have zeal without knowledge (Rom 10:2). Therefore, Christians should be zealous for right doctrines (Gal 2:11), with love for the errant ones (Gal 4:19).

Seeing the error of so many, we should be zealous for holiness. This is not the holiness of the legalists (ie. Holiness movement; Holiness churches; etc.). It is using the means of grace and receiving holiness by grace from God. Therefore, we are zealous to pray, to read our Bibles, to attend worship, to join in the Lord’s supper, and to observe the Lord’s Day in a manner worthy of our calling.

Is it not our zealous brothers and sisters who spur us on to love and good works? Are we not emboldened by their example of humble zeal? Their love and care for the widow and the orphan? Should we not strive to enter the same narrow way of being zealous for the Lord, as Elijah was on Mount Carmel, as Moses was in the face of Pharaoh, as David was in dueling Goliath, as Peter was in preaching on the day of Pentecost, as Stephen was in his testimony against the Jews, as Paul was in all of his reproaches?

Paul encouraged the Corinthians to be zealous for the edification of the church, by using their spiritual gifts (1 Cor 14:12). They were to follow the Macedonians’ lead in zeal for financial giving (2 Cor 9:2). It was the Laodiceans that Jesus reproved for their lukewarm spirit, and His charge was for them to be zealous in repentance of not being zealous (Rev 3:19).

We must not quench the Spirit in others, as it pertains to zeal, because faith can be fragile at times. Those who are zealous may expend themselves, only to be crushed with criticism for being quirky zealous. Speaking the truth in love, we must reprove with Scripture, always in the hope of winning our brethren to better ways. Indeed, we are our brother’s keeper, and he is our teacher.

Zeal for the Lord, and for His house, is accomplished by our zeal for good works, inspired by the Holy Spirit. We share in zeal for doctrine, zeal for true knowledge, zeal for the means of grace, and zeal in love for the brethren and the lost. We should always be zealous because Jesus, and all who have trusted in Him, have given us the mandate and the example to be zealous.

David E. Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

March 6, 2021