In about 57 A.D., as we now reckon the calendar, the apostle Paul was concerned about the churches in Galatia. (Galatia was the central region of Asia Minor, in what we would call Turkey today.) These churches were struggling with a number of spiritual crises: there were false teachers among them, leading many astray; division — social and religious — existed between the Christians of Jewish heritage and those who were born Gentiles; some of the disciples exhibited a tendency to fall back into the old ways of thinking and practice that predated their conversion to Christ. With these issues in mind, Paul (probably from Corinth, though some scholars think he was in Ephesus) wrote a letter to be circulated among the Galatian churches — the only letter he wrote generally to a group of congregations rather than to a specific church or individual — to snap them back into the faith of the gospel of Christ.

In writing about some of the troublemakers among the Galatian brethren, Paul said, “They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17-18). Note that Paul makes three references to “zeal.” He first refers to the eagerness with which the false teachers sought to gain disciples to their side (“they zealously court you”). Next, he observes the hope of the false teachers (“that you may be zealous for them”). Lastly, Paul describes the direction into which the Galatians’ enthusiasm ought to be pointed instead (“it is good to be zealous in a good thing always”).

Zeal, like almost all emotional states (including anger), is neither positive or negative by nature. Zeal is simply “eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate). What determines whether zeal is good or bad is its object. Zeal with the proper focus is to be commended; zeal for the wrong thing is itself wrong.

The false teachers in Galatia were zealous, but toward a bad end. They were eager to turn children of God away from the truth. Likewise, those who followed the heretics were zealous, but again to a bad end. They were eager to hear lies rather than truth (Galatians 1:6-7; compare to 2 Timothy 4:3-4). In both cases, zeal was not a quality worthy of encouragement. All of these Galatians were like the devout Jews of whom Paul spoke in Romans 10:2: “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2). Here again were people who were ardently in pursuit of something, but not according to the path they should have pursued.

There is, however, zeal that is commendable. As Paul said, “it is good to be zealous in a good thing always.” Zeal for the cause of the Lord is good (Psalm 69:9; John 2:17). Zeal for good works is good (Titus 2:14). Zeal in repentance and obedience is good (Revelation 3:19). Certainly, zeal for salvation — one’s own (2 Peter 1:10; 3:14) and that of others (Colossians 4:13) — is very good. We must be zealous without faltering (Romans 12:11), but we must be zealous for the right things, for the right reasons.

Notice also the additional element Paul mentions. “It is good to be zealous in a good thing always,” he says, “and not only when I am present with you.” Genuine righteous zeal cannot come and go like the north wind. If we are zealous for good things only when someone is watching, or only when we are in the presence of others who are zealous, then we really are not zealous at all. We can easily become like the Christians in Sardis, who had a reputation for being alive when, in fact, they were spiritually dead (Revelation 3:1). Doubtless many thought the Sardisian disciples were zealous. Perhaps they still thought of themselves that way. But Jesus knew the truth about them, as He does about us all.

Many religious people overflow with zeal for their particular “flavor” of faith, but it is zeal misdirected and therefore ultimately without merit. Many Christians are zealous about all manner of things, except the things they really ought to be zealous about. It is always good to be zealous for the right things, and God will always reward such zeal (Matthew 6:33). It is never any good to be zealous for the wrong thing. May God grant us zeal for His word, that by it we may learn the difference.