Is your zeal for God based on knowledge or something else?
Romans 10:1-4
Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Listen to passage & devotional:
Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 34: The Sacrament of Baptism
We believe and confess that Jesus Christ,
in whom the law is fulfilled,
has by his shed blood
put an end to every other shedding of blood,
which anyone might do or wish to do
in order to atone or satisfy for sins.
Summary
In today’s passage, Paul speaks to his desire for his fellow Israelites to come to faith in Jesus Christ. They had a desire to know God, yet tried to meet him on their terms.
The Israelites of whom Paul is speaking were trusting their own works as a means of establishing their righteousness before God. This type of zeal was not based on knowledge.
Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God to humanity, yet many Israelites chose instead to trust a system of laws and sacrifices rather than trusting in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for their righteousness.
It was Paul’s hope that his fellow Israelites would see the zeal of the Gentiles (the non-Jewish followers of Jesus) and be drawn into faith in Jesus Christ. In Romans 11:11b Paul writes: “Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.”
Not only was this a hope that Paul had for his kinsmen, but he also saw it as part of God's purpose for the fruitfulness of faith amongst Gentile believers.
Dig Deeper
It might seem odd that a section of the Belgic Confession which focuses on baptism would begin by speaking of the law. This introduction stems from the meaning of baptism. Not only is baptism a visible representation of Christ’s invisible work in our lives, but baptism also points us to the resurrection.
In the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the law, the entire system of ceremonial laws and sacrifices, was fulfilled. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice, no other sacrifice or shedding of blood needs to be made for the atonement of sins.
This imagery is present in baptism. Just as water cleanses the body, the blood of Christ at the Cross cleanses the believer of their sins. There is no need to look anywhere else for righteousness before God; the grace of Jesus is enough to cover all your sins.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who calls all people to submit to His righteousness;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your zealousness for God would be based on the knowledge that comes through Christ;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 16
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