A while ago I was talking to a zealous young convert,
a good keen man with an unusual understanding of “things” godly. As I listened
to him expounding how much God had changed his life, I was left wondering why
my spirit was so disquieted. The more I probed his “Christian” knowledge, the
more I realized that there was something seriously wrong. After a lot of
friendly debate, I finally worked out what was amiss. This young man was what I
call a “Virtual Christian”. His faith was based upon the “wow” factor that is
evident in many western churches today. He had been “entertained into the
Kingdom”.
His view of God was typical of many of the
shallow fun-seekers that fill our pews today. He said that he found God while
watching the first Matrix movie, and the second movie had served to reinforce
his understanding of the God of the universe. I have seen all three of the
Matrix movies, and while they were spectacularly entertaining, I would not want
to base my hope of eternal life upon the very mixed and confusing world-view of
the Wachowskis.
Sadly my young friend wanted to know
nothing of repentance, nor did he care much for talk of sin, or even the
suffering in this world that is the lot of many, if not most, Christians. His
zeal for the “Things of God” was completely misplaced; he was trusting in his
own abilities, much like the Jews that Paul wrote about in Romans 10:2, “zeal without
knowledge not knowing about God’s righteousness.”
Now, I know that it is difficult to think of
zeal as being anything other than a most admirable and worthy trait. There are
several examples of “misplaced” zeal in scripture; probably the most notable is
that of King David, who filled with great zealousness for God attempted to
accomplish the extremely noble and virtuous goal of retrieving the Ark of the
Covenant and returning it to its rightful
place. David’s bold action caused one
of his most loyal and beloved servants, Uzza, to be struck down dead by God
Himself, in an outburst of holy wrath, all because David violated certain specifics
of God's established ordinance regarding the method for transportation of the Ark.
David was full of zeal, and his zeal was
not for some worldly or self-aggrandizing achievement, but for the things of God! Nevertheless, David’s misdirected
zeal got a beloved friend killed. He also managed to invoke the wrath of God,
despite all the pageantry, pomp and circumstance, as David, together with all
of Israel
were praising and “celebrating before God with all their might,
even with songs and with lyres, harps tambourines, cymbals, and
with trumpets.” 1 Chronicles 13:8
The Apostle Paul, in his rigorous pursuit
of the early believers, is another who confused human zeal with genuine godliness.
“For you heard my manner of life when I
was in Judaism, that I persecuted the church of God
with surpassing zeal, and ravaged it. Galatians 1:13
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| Worship The Golden Calf |
Many people have been lured into a
second-rate Christianity that is almost the real thing, but lacks any actual
substance and power. Real, life-changing faith has been replaced by a modern
form of idolatry composed of part truth, part falsehood, flashy entertainment, pseudo
miracles and presumptive personal “mine is the kingdom” theology.
The problem with this “new idolatry” and
indeed every kind of idolatry is that it replaces God’s methodology for attaining
a right relationship with Him. God’s method is clearly revealed in His Word,
not found within the confines of the human mind. The misplaced zeal of those
searching for and wanting to attain God-likeness is indeed akin to genuine
zeal, but it’s based on one’s own terms, without whole surrender and submission
to God Himself and the Way He has established for attainment of that
relationship.
Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where
You go, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the
Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. If you had known Me,
you would have known My Father also. And from now on you know Him and have seen
Him. John 14:5-7
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