Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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There is a zeal that is not good, a zeal that is fired by a wrong idea about God instead of by the sweet Spirit of Christ. Jesus prophesied of some people who, driven by misguided zeal for God, would kill God's own servants (Jn. 16:1-3). It did not take long for Jesus' words to be fulfilled. Paul, as a zealous young man, participated in the unjust execution of godly Stephen. Later, when God opened Paul's eyes to the truth, he described the fervent zeal that he and other Jews had for God as being "not according to knowledge" (Rom. 10:2).
Jesus condemned the zeal of the leaders of Israel for making converts. "You cross land and sea to make one convert", he said, "and when he is made, he is twice as much the child of hell as you are" (Mt. 23:15). The Pharisees spent a lot of money traveling to seek for converts. They had great zeal for God; they were willing to sacrifice time and money for their enterprise; they studied hard and suffered discomforts and dangers in foreign lands for their religion. But what did God get out of their converting the heathen to their faith, other than another enemy to His righteousness and someone else who would hate the prophets whom He sent to His people?
Without the love of the true and living God as our motivation, and without knowledge of God, all religious zeal is wasted. Paul wrote, "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not the love of God, it profits me nothing" (1Cor 13:3). Feeding the poor is something men can see with their natural eyes. Surrendering your body to flames for your faith is something else that men can see. Such self-sacrifices impress men and can gain for the sufferer the admiration of men. But God is not impressed with anything but obedient faith in Jesus, His Son. There have been many "martyrs" for various religions of the world, people who were burned alive for their faith, but who at their last breath merely transferred from the flames of earth to the flames of hell. Their self-sacrifice profited them nothing because the love of the true God and His Son Jesus was not in them.
Listen to this description of certain of ancient Jerusalem's population: ". . . they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinances of justice, they take delight in approaching to God" (Isa. 58:2). How impressive were these people with their zeal to worship God, and yet how evil they were in God's eyes! Their religious zeal made Him sick because their hearts were far from Him. He despised the multitude of their sacrifices; He hated the sound of their footsteps as they approached his temple to worship Him again; He cringed at the sight of their oblations; His Spirit was worn out with their meticulous observation of the Sabbath and other religious holy days that He Himself had ordained; and when they lifted up their hands to praise Him, it made Him so sick that He turned His head because He couldn't bear to watch (Isa. 1:11-15). Their lovely songs of praise irritated Him! They were zealous to worship God, but it did them no good at all because they did not love God and keep His commandments.
The trap is pride. When we become zealous for God without knowing Him and without being motivated by His love, we begin to despise those who are not as zealous as we are. Our judgment becomes twisted. Sin becomes the lack of abundant religious effort, and righteousness becomes the performance of a multitude of religious works. We become great in our own sight and judge others as unrighteous because they do not do all that we do. When that became the spiritual condition of God's Old Testament people, the very prayers they offered to God became sin.
Stay humble. Regardless of what we do, and regardless of how right it may be to do it, it is still an honor if God will accept our deeds. God owes us nothing. If we do what is right, it is only that we have been blessed to be able to do it. Jesus lived a perfect life from the time he was born again at John's baptism until he left this world; still, he ascended into heaven to offer himself humbly to God for our sins. He did not ascend to boast of his accomplishments and demand our forgiveness. When Jesus ascended and came before the Father, he bowed low at God's feet and asked with all humility and fear that God would pardon us for his sake. How wonderful it is that God loved Jesus so much that He was willing to forgive us because Jesus prayed for our forgiveness!
God doesn't owe us anything. Remember that. Jesus said that after you have done everything that God requires of you, flee from pride and consider yourself an "unprofitable servant". By obeying your heavenly Master, you have only done that which is your duty to do (Lk. 17:10). Obedience to God does not win you any special privileges. It is an honor to be given a commandment from Him so that we can obey it.
Let us be wise, as Jesus was wise. God didn't owe him anything either, and he knew it. He served the Lord with fear. And when we offer our praise to God, let us humbly add a sincere prayer that the praise we offer will be acceptable to Him. No matter how good we are or how well we do, God still owes us nothing. And if He accepts anything we offer Him, He has shown us great mercy and kindness.