A Message by Pastor Michael Palmer
Given to
June 14, 2009
The Difference Between Religious
Zeal and
Heartfelt Surrender to Christ
Romans
10:1-13
I.
RELIGIOUS ZEAL WITHOUT GOD’S
TRUTH IS A FUTILE EXERCISE IN SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS
“They have a zeal for
God, but not according to knowledge”
Paul knew exactly
what this was; he had been a perfect example of it (Phil. 3:5-6).
Zeal without
knowledge produces pride and arrogance (1 Cor. 8:1). Godly knowledge produces humility and
holiness.
The Jews:
1.
Did not discern the true character of God
2.
Did not appreciate or understand God’s
complete purity and holiness
3.
Did not understand God’s wrath
4.
Thought they were more holy and righteous
than they were and that any deficit in their
5.
own merit could be met by their own good
works; i.e. their own standard of righteousness and holiness
6.
Looked down on other people
The natural man—the postmodern man
1. Think
God is less holy than He is and they are “more holy” than they are. They measure both God and man by human
standards of right and wrong and are deceived in both regards.
2. Prefer
not to believe in the propositional revelation of God (. . . the bible!)
3. Emphasizes
God’s love and mercy at the expense of His perfect holiness and His righteous
judgment. They do not want to hear that
God (in His perfect righteousness) condemns all unrepentant and unforgiven
people to hell.
4. Sees
man as being intrinsically good—or at the least “not too bad” - a little
education and self-discipline will help him, etc., etc.
5. Does
not submit to God’s righteousness, establishing their own
6. Look
down on other people
7. Resent
Jesus and His gospel
Jesus Christ is the
end of the law
·
He is the perfect fulfillment of the
law-He performed it for us as a representative before God
·
When people repent and trust Him, they
are freed from personal performance and now obey out of a changed heart!
·
His righteousness is imparted to us when
we believe
II.
RELIGIOUS ZEAL WITHOUT GOD’S
TRUTH WILL SEEK TO BRING GOD TO THEIR LEVEL THROUGH PERSONAL PERFORMANCE, RELIGIOUS
RITUAL, AND MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES
III.
THE ONLY ANSWER THAT CAN FREE
MANKIND FROM FUTILE “SELF RELIGION” IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Verses 9, 10, &
13 speak of what is needed in order for a person to be saved:
·
Heartfelt belief (which would include
repentance and proper discernment of Jesus Christ
·
Confession of Christ that issues forth
from a changed heart
The Lord Jesus =
Proper understanding
of:
1.
THE PERSON OF
CHRIST
see 1 Cor. 8:4-6, Luke 2:11, Psalms 110:1, Philippians 2:5-11
2.
THE WORK OF CHRIST—The cross,
atonement, and victory over the forces of evil
3.
THE RULE OF CHRIST OVER
HIS PEOPLE; HIS CHURCH AND EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY
JESUS’ LORDSHIP OVER US INCLUDES EVERYTHING—
HERE ARE SOME AREAS TO THINK ABOUT:
·
OUR
MINDS: Matt.
11:29—we must be men and women of the book
·
OUR
ETHICS: Moral
commands we obey
·
OUR
CAREERS: Time,
ambitions, professions, etc.
Acts
27:10—”what shall I do Lord”
·
OUR
CHURCHES:
1.
secular (non-biblical) thinking from
immature believers affects churches
2.
clericalism—lay people abandon their
duties and/or pastors tyrannize the church without serving God or the people
·
OUR
RELATION TO THE WORLD
·
OUR
LIFE EFFORT FOR GLOBAL EVANGELISM (evangelism and
missions)
IV.
THE GREATEST DANGER IN
TRADITIONAL AMERICAN CHURCH AND THE NEW EMERGENT VILLAGE CHURCHES IS THE
DANGER OF EASY BELIEVISM OR NOMINALISM (belief without surrender to Christ)
V.
WHEN THE MIND AND HEART DISCERNS
WHAT JESUS DID AND HOW UTTERLY SINFUL WE ARE, THE ONLY REASONABLE RESPONSE IS
TO TURN TO JESUS
VI.
HEARTFELT SURRENDER TO JESUS AS
LORD ALWAYS RESULTS IN PUBLIC CONFESSION AS A WAY OF LIFE