6.12.15 Youth Sermon

Zeal without Knowledge

Romans 10:1 Brothers, the desire of my heart and prayer to God on their behalf is for salvation. 2 For I bear witness regarding them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For, not knowing the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own (righteousness), they have not subjected themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law as a means to righteousness for all who believe.

In Chapter 10:2, Paul says that his people are zealous, but this zeal is not consistent with the true knowledge of salvation. They’re passionate about obtaining righteousness, which we need for salvation, but they were trying to obtain righteousness by the wrong rules! In Paul’s words, they had zeal without knowledge. 

The Jewish Christians thought that righteousness could be obtained by keeping their laws. This is what Paul calls “the righteousness of man.” And Paul says this righteousness isn’t enough to save you. Obedience to the law will not save us! Instead, the rule of the game is that only a righteousness that comes from God will lead to salvation.

​9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”