HE KNEW HIS NEW KING (2).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*HE KNEW HIS NEW KING (2).*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Gal 1:13-14

*For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:*

*And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Zeal/passion can be misguiding.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Zealousness for God without knowledge of God was one of the reasons why Saul of Tarsus persecuted the Church of God.

Zeal is passion and Solomon wrote in

Prov 19:2 *Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.

He was so passionate for God that he thought he was serving God killing and wasting God’s people.

He said concerning himself that he was *"....more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.* Gal 1:14b.

(Acts 22:3). The "traditions of his fathers" were strict manner of the law of his fathers.

He studied law under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) and this results in his knowledge of legalism, just like the Pharisees (ref Acts 23:6) and he became self-righteous, and became harmful in his actions.

He wrote that he *"......profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation......"*

He sought to seek to establish his own standards instead of submitting to the Gospel. 

As good as passion for something can be good it can be misguiding.

How could someone say He is serving God by killing, destroying and wasting away His people?

How could someone claim he is serving God yet destroying His works, fighting Him and is an enemy of the same God he claims he serves?

Jesus summarizes Saul's act as kicking

*".....against the pricks.*, Acts 9:5 (another word for kicking or slamming on thorns!).

He was fervently devoted to gods of legalism, self-righteousness: personal rules, works, or rituals to achieve righteousness and a heart directed by its impulse after works against God's purposes.

Before conversion, Saul was heading for hell.

Zeal, alone can not, guarantee commitment and dedication.

Zeal alone, even with good intentions, cannot justify disobedience to divine commands. It kills, 2 Sam 6.

When zeal is with knowledge, it perfects true and acceptable ground for service that pleases and submits to God's righteousness.

Zeal alone, means 'human' help. You can not help God.

God demands obedience over human "help" or convenience. 

Zeal may be described as sincere passion for God only if it is grounded in the knowledge of God's Word or else it can lead to dangerous and unauthorized actions against the God you are hoping to be zealous for.

Paul, after conversion, discovered the importance of zeal with knowledge.

In Rom 10:1-4, he wrote *Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.*

*For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.*

*For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.*

*For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.*

Zeal/passion is not enough but knowing that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.

How often we are misguided that the God we think we know is not who we think He is. He is not past or old (as extinct or non relevant or obscure) but is old as new.

When he was converted, he found out that the Jesus he thought he knew is new everyday afterall!

*Remorse corner.*

Saul ran very hard, with good intentions, but in the wrong direction. His master/ king then was legalism.

*Call to Word action.*

His conversion brought him to a King he thought he knew but did not know at all.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

He was incomplete, mistaken, and self-centered. Do not be zealous without knowledge of the word of God.

*Prayer.*

Lord help me to be prayerfully zealous with knowledge in Jesus name.

Good morning and be blessed as you go today.

God bless you.

Shalom.