Religious Zeal

22 May, 2022

As I read the latest mandate by the Taliban for female Afghani news presenters to wear a veil or mask (effective as of May 21, 2022), I thought of an idiom in my native language which translates, ‘hot and cold like the corrugated iron.” I recognize the need for feminine modesty amidst a world that is very explicit and very irreverent; But, in my opinion, if the women are required to cover up in the spirit of modesty and female safety, there should be proportionate measures enforced regarding rape, pedophilia and physical assault against women in Afghanistan. 

Which then brings us to the problems of religious zeal; the Bible highlights in Romans 10:1-3,
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

In the Bible text above are the dynamics of religious zeal: desiring to protest for the righteousness of God, but lacking discernment and a personal practice of these very principles in my own life. Eventually, condemning others in order to satisfy our own zeal and passion for God and his righteousness. Some Bible believers might even establish their zeal on Proverbs 27:5-6, which says, “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”  While this text might seem a worthy mantra to poke condemnation and declare “hell-fire” to the “sinners” of the world, the Bible is a complex manual that must be prayerfully considered in its entirety before drawing conclusions.

Let us consider other passages in the Bible such as John 16:7-8, which reads, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…”  Here we see Jesus declaring that the Comforter, The person of the Holy Spirit will succeed Himself and do three important tasks: Reprove the world of sin, counsel in righteousness, and judgement. This is the way the God of the Bible deals with humanity’s sin problem.

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The Holy Spirit (not any human being) eleng-ko (Strong’s Greek1651) the world of sin, meaning in the Greek, to tell a fault or identify a weakness; then He counsels in righteousness or offers practical solutions and a recovery plan; finally the Holy Spirit outlines an outcome, or a reward package that awaits our decision on whether to ignore His reproof and regress, or comply and grow as an individual (judgement).

The fragility and discretion of God’s approach when dealing with humanity’s sin is exemplified in Jesus Christ’s handling of the case of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11).

The Pharisees, with a mixture of religious zeal and deceitful intentions towards Jesus, drags a young woman from the bed of her lover to the temple courts where Jesus is teaching his earnest listeners. The Pharisees, in the midst of a mumbling crowd and Jesus, lay out the charges against her and condemn her to stoning. Then they deceitfully ask Jesus what is His opinion of the matter, in order to build up evidence against Jesus. Jesus ignores the tense unfolding of events and crouches down to write with His finger in the dust of the ground. The Pharisees then grow impatient and press Jesus again for a reply to their pleading. Jesus then arises and says, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” And then He stoops down again to continue His writing in the dust of the ground.

The Bible then describes, in John 8:9, “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”  
I would like to highlight here the clashing frontiers of CONDEMNATION  and CONVICTION.

The Holy Spirit convicts our conscience, which then brings us to a point of mental awareness. On the contrary, hurtful people and religious zealots stone us to stubbornness and hard-heartedness with condemnation and a holier than thou attitude.  And please note, when you read the story of the woman caught in adultery, the woman’s name is never mentioned. This is a hint to how discreet the God of heaven is towards every individual’s profile. He is not in the line of public shaming.

The Bible commentator and inspired writer Ellen G. White, in her book The Desire of Ages, concerning the woman caught in adultery, wrote, “In His act of pardoning this woman and ENCOURAGING HER TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE, the character of Jesus shines forth in the beauty of perfect righteousness. While He does not palliate sin (ignore it’s severity or seriousness), nor lessen the sense of guilt, He seeks not to condemn, but to save. The world had for this erring woman only contempt and scorn; but Jesus speaks words of comfort and hope…Those who are forward in accusing others, and zealous in bringing them to justice, are often in their own lives more guilty than they. Men hate the sinner, while they love the sin. Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner.”
(Source: E.G. White, The Desire of Ages, Pacific Press Publishing Association: Mountain View, CA(1898), p. 462)

Finally, addressing Proverbs 27:5-6 and religious zealots, open rebuke is not equal to public shaming. In the light of John 8 and Scriptures such as Matthew 18:15 and Galatians 6:1-3, we should definitely see the importance of raising awareness of sin, in the spirit of love; but also exercise privacy, discretion, consciousness of our own personal flaws, and also offer practical solutions. And most importantly, invest our own time in assisting these individuals with reform and ENCOURAGING THEM TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17)

Check out my video about the difference between Condemnation and Conviction