Zeal for God is Not Enough

It was the Lord Jesus’ zeal for God that led him to drive out from the temple those who had made his Father’s house a house of trade. Later, in Romans chapter twelve, Paul exhorts Christians who lead to do so "with zeal” and instructs all Christians to “not be slothful in zeal”. Clearly, zeal for God can be good, even necessary. However, in this passage, Paul tells us that zeal is not enough because zeal for God cannot make one righteous before God; only faith in Christ can do that.