Being Zealous

   I remember when I first became a Christian I would read the Old Testament and be a little shocked.  It was so violent.  There are stories of those punished with their lives for disobeying the law such as Achin who was stoned to death in the Valley of Achor (Joshua 7: 24 and 26) for stealing some of the plunder and hiding it.   

   Many Christians look to these stories as a model for how we should handle sinful behavior.  However, this is only partially true.  The Old Testament is indeed an example for us and a concrete story from which we learn.  The problem is we are learning the wrong story.  We are not looking at a picture of how the church should interact with one another and with unbelievers in regards to behavior.  We are instead seeing an external reaction to the horror of sin.  The reason the Jews acted physically to sin is because they were demonstrating the absolute purity of God to a world who had no clue what purity was.  Because God’s holiness was displayed to the world in the visible image of the tabernacle and temple and the nation of Israel, they guarded this with intense zeal. 

   For us, the situation has changed—what was previously exhibited externally in the form of a nation and temple, we now demonstrate internally.  In other words, we don’t (or shouldn’t) have an outside temple or location or even country to represent God. Why? Because we are the temple.  We, individually and corporately as the body of Christ, are now charged with the responsibility of making visible the invisible image of the Father.

   What does this look like now?  We as the protectors of God’s image still passionately seek out and punish sin.   Yet the sin we are looking to punish is not outside of us—it is not in our world, and really not even in our church (though there is certainly times for discipline)—our main focus MUST be our own sin.  Because we are now the temple of God, because He resides in us personally, because we are His and the world is looking, we have to seek out in our own selves those ideas and actions that contradict Scripture with the same ruthlessness that the Jewish people exhibited towards sin in the camp. 

   Jesus has set the example for us because He is the first to be the image of the invisible (Colossians 1:15-18).  He is our model always.  He also outlines clearly the importance of this pursuit in the Sermon of the Mount.  Consistently in the gospel, Jesus sets forth the common understanding of a law, and then raises the bar.  You have heard it said that adultery is sin….I tell you that even looking at a woman with lust is sin (Matthew 5:27, paraphrase mine).  He even goes on to say that if you right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out (Matthew 5:29, paraphrase mine)!

    Why so strict?  Because what is at stake is everyone.  The whole world.  Every precious soul.  Because if the world looks at you as the image of God and you are hateful, exclusive, and angry then they will reject the God you are displaying.  Because if you are sneaky, deceptive and a liar then they will reject the God you are displaying.  Because if you are selfish, manipulative, and self-serving then they will reject the God you are displaying. 

   No pressure, folks.

   Before you feel scared about the pressure that is on us, remember what God has done.  He has put His very self in you.  The Holy Spirit resides in you leading you (John 16:13), teaching you (John 14:26), and empowering you (Romans 8:11).  You cannot do this alone, but you must do it.  I must do it.  The stakes are too high. 

   That’s why we need Him.  We need Him every hour.  Seriously, we need Him every second.  Let us live every moment in dependence on Him because the whole world depends upon it.