Posted at Reformation Scotland : Zeal is not cool in our culture. Most people picture a wild-eyed fanatic when they think about religious zeal. In a world that pursues the shallow and values self-satisfied composure, zeal is odd. The world is at best cool towards it. When being pragmatic and popular are of greatest value, the Church too is less comfortable with zeal. Of course, there is a false religious zeal: being zealous in the wrong way or about the wrong things. The Bible speaks about that, yet most often it emphasises that zeal is vital. Zeal is essential in spiritual things. It is being single-minded towards the glory of God – to see God glorified in every possible way. It is a burning desire to please God and that His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven. Had Luther and the other Reformers lacked zeal, they would not have pursued Reformation. Christ Himself had an all-consuming zeal (John 2:17) and we often read of the zeal of the Lord in Scripture. Do we have the s
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