14. The Cross Instills Christian Zeal
The Cross Instills Christian Zeal
Seventh, the cross becomes the spring of Christian zeal (Titus 2:14), “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” It becomes the spring of Christian zeal. The mark of the crucified life is zeal for good works. I think there is never an idle place in the sphere of the cross-filled and cross-governed life. You will note what Paul says leads up to zeal; first, redemption, then the readjustment of the life of the redeemed. The aim of the death of Christ is to create the Spirit of Christ in service, “The love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). It lays this urge upon us to live henceforth unto Him, zealous of good works. But let me just say this one word of caution, zeal is not hot-headedness, it is hot-heartedness. True zeal always acts intelligently and wisely under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Will you let me say this to you very humbly? In your service aim at depth.
Oh, the weakness of so much of our evangelical work today is its superficiality. We clamor for results, we strain our eyes to catch some sign, and when we get the results we become contented with results, with what we see. The Church judges men today by results, and what we are needing to do is to aim at depth and leave results to God. Oh, let us keep in touch with the cross and hand over our zeal, our natural impulsiveness and our desire to see results, to the cross, in order that we may have only the zeal which is born out of death and is created in us and through us by the Holy Spirit. Zeal is not hotheadedness, it is hot-heartedness.
I think Peter would say to you and to me today, “Add to your zeal knowledge, and to knowledge commonsense, and to commonsense right judgment, and to right judgment patience and consideration for others,” and all that grace creates especially for you and for me (2 Peter 1:5-7). At your leisure read2 Corinthians 6:1-10, and see the character of the worker under the power of the cross.