Zeal Just Won't Do

Romans 10:1–3 “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation. I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.”

Key Words Defined

Zeal - intense positive interest in something

Ignorant - to be uninformed about, not to know

Righteousness - the quality, state, or practice of judicial responsibility w. focus on fairness, justice, equitableness, fairness

Observations About The Text

Their zeal was not tied to what they knew about God more specifically his righteousness

Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.”

Because they lacked knowledge of what was right they attempted to establish their own idea of what was righteous instead of learning what God established to be righteous. Everything that we do must be weighed against the word of God. The word of God must be the standard of how we serve at the local church, How we love one another.

We have to remember the pitfalls of establish on our own. The Bible tells us that the heart is more deceitful than anything and is incurable so to try to establish righteousness understand apart from

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?”

Because of this state this is why we will ultimately be stripped of this flesh and be given a new body.

The could not submit to God’s righteousness simply because they did not know it.

Exegesis of Text (Focus: Zeal vs Knowledge)

Key Greek Terms

Zeal (ζῆλος | zēlos):

Denotes intense enthusiasm, passion, or fervent pursuit.

In this context, it reflects Israel’s deep commitment to God through the Law, traditions, and religious identity.

Knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις | epignōsis):

Refers to full, true, experiential knowledge—insight that leads to correct understanding and behavior.

Not just facts, but Spirit-led recognition of God’s revealed righteousness through Christ.

2. Paul’s Meaning in Context

Affirming Their Passion: Paul doesn’t dismiss Israel’s devotion. He “testifies” to their zeal—implying a sincere pursuit of God (see Acts 22:3, Philippians 3:5–6).

Identifying the Deficiency: Their zeal lacked truth. It was not informed by God’s ultimate revelation—Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Tragedy: Misdirected zeal leads not to salvation, but to rejection of it. Passion, when disconnected from the gospel, can harden people in unbelief.

3. Old Testament Roots of Zeal

Phinehas (Numbers 25:10–13): His zeal preserved God’s holiness.

Elijah (1 Kings 19:10): Zeal for the Lord, but misaligned in understanding God’s broader plan.

Psalm 69:9: “Zeal for your house has consumed me”—applied to Jesus in John 2:17.

4. New Testament Warnings

Galatians 1:14: Paul himself had great zeal as a Pharisee—but it led him to persecute the church.

Acts 21:20: Jewish believers were “zealous for the law” but struggled with Gentile inclusion.

Summary: Zeal is morally neutral

—its value depends entirely on what it’s directed toward and how well it aligns with God’s revealed truth.

6. Application for Today

🚩 Danger Signs of Misguided Zeal:

Obsessive rule-keeping without love

Harsh judgment of others not in your group

Religious pride based on tradition or works

Emotional fervor with little biblical grounding

✅ Healthy Zeal Anchored in Knowledge:

Passionate love for Christ, grounded in Scripture

Eagerness to share the gospel with grace and truth

Desire for holiness rooted in God’s righteousness, not self-righteousness

Humble submission to God’s revealed will in Christ

💬 Quote to Reflect On:

“It is not enough to be zealous; we must be zealous in the truth.” — Charles Spurgeon

7. Questions for Reflection or Small Group Discussion

Can you identify times when your passion for God outpaced your understanding?

How can we develop zeal that is both passionate and rooted in the knowledge of Christ?

What does it look like to “submit to God’s righteousness” instead of establishing our own?