“For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:2–3
Passion, or “zeal,” is a powerful force. It can drive people to endure hardship, sacrifice comfort, and even lay down their lives for a cause. I played sports with passion. I tried cases with passion. Did any of it matter?
We all know that passion can be highly destructive or eternally productive. Scripture contrasts two such examples: the historically parallel stories of the apostle Paul and the zealous Jewish leaders of Jerusalem in the decades leading up to its destruction. Both were passionate, but only one was passionate about what really matters.
When Paul visited Jerusalem fourteen years after his conversion (Galatians 2:1–10; Acts 15), the church was at a crossroads. The gospel had begun spreading among Gentiles, and a critical question loomed: Must Gentile believers be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved? Many Jewish believers, proud of their heritage and steeped in tradition, insisted that the old covenant regulations still applied. But Paul knew that requiring such things undermined the very heart of the gospel. Christ had fulfilled the Law. Salvation was by grace through faith in Him alone. Nothing could be added to it.
Paul’s passion was laser-focused on defending the truth of the gospel. He, who had once hated the Gentiles, stood before the leaders of the church and contended for their liberty as believers. Paul’s passion for the gospel outweighed his pride in heritage. Where once he boasted of being a “Jew of Jews,” he came to “count all of it as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.” (Philippians 3:5–8) His passion bore fruit not only in his generation but in every generation since, as the church embraced the truth that the gospel transcends ethnic, cultural, and national boundaries.
Now consider what was happening at the same time among the broader Jewish nation. Jerusalem was under Roman occupation, and resentment ran deep. Heavy taxation, corrupt governors, and pagan influence stirred anger. Pride in their heritage and traditions made many Jews resistant to the message that Jesus was the Messiah, Who had fulfilled the very prophecies of the Old Testament they revered. And not just a handful of prophecies—but over 300 specific Messianic prophecies, from His birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), to His betrayal for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12–13), to His crucifixion and resurrection (Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53). The staggering weight of fulfilled prophecy should have opened their eyes, but instead, their zeal kept them blind.
Yet passion grew. But it was a passion “not according to knowledge.” Groups like the Zealots claimed to be fighting for God, but in reality, their passion was political and earthly. They longed for a kingdom of power, not the kingdom of heaven. By AD 66, this misdirected passion erupted into open revolt against Rome. Four years later, in AD 70, Jerusalem was reduced to rubble, the Temple was burned, and its people were slaughtered or scattered. Their passion, which they thought would preserve their nation, instead brought destruction.
The contrast between the Zealots and Paul could not be clearer.
Paul’s passion for Christ, grounded in humility and truth, produced eternal fruit. His writings, his missionary journeys, and his martyrdom under Nero’s reign continue to shape the church to this very day. His passion outlived the Roman Empire, outlasted the destruction of Jerusalem, and carries eternal weight. The passion of Jerusalem’s leaders, though equally intense, left nothing but ashes and exile.
One passion advanced the kingdom of God; the other was an utter waste.
This is a sobering lesson for us. It is possible to be passionately wrong. It is possible to pour ourselves into traditions, culture, or even religion, and miss Christ altogether. Pride in heritage, success, or moral performance can blind us to the truth that salvation is only in Him. That was Paul’s diagnosis of his fellow Jews: “They have a zeal [passion] for God, but not according to knowledge.” (Romans 10:2) They loved the law, but they missed the Lawgiver. They revered the Scriptures, but they rejected the One to whom the Scriptures pointed.
By contrast, Paul’s life reminds us that useful passion flows from intimacy with Christ and submission to His will. Once he encountered the risen Lord, his entire focus shifted. His passion was no longer for building his own reputation or defending tradition. It was for making Christ known. From prison, he wrote to the Philippians, “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) That kind of passion is indestructible, because it is anchored in our eternal purpose—glorifying God.
My friend, passion for politics, nationalism, family, or heritage may stir crowds and inspire movements, but it cannot save, and it cannot last. Passion for Christ, however, bears fruit that remains forever.
Daily Challenge
Take stock of your passions. Write down the top three things you are most passionate about. Then ask yourself honestly: Do these passions advance God’s eternal glory and the spread of the gospel, or do they merely serve my pride, my culture, or my comfort? Surrender any misplaced passion to God today and ask Him to redirect it to live for the eternal purpose He has planned for you.
Prayer
Lord, teach me to be careful what I am passionate about. Keep me from the blindness of pride that clings to heritage, tradition, success, career, or even my children and relationships. Redirect my passion toward Your eternal glory and the spread of the gospel. May my life, like Paul’s, carry weight not just in this world but in eternity. Let my passion build Your kingdom, for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
