Paul will admit that the legalists zealously court the Galatians; and legalism often comes wrapped in a cloak of “love.” But the end result is for no good. Many cults use a technique informally known as “love bombing.” They overwhelm a prospective member with attention, support, and affection. Yet it isn’t really a sincere love for the prospect; it is really just a technique to gain another member. Christians can use the same technique in some way or another.
Paul’s legalistic opponents wanted to draw the Galatian Christians away into their own divisive group. They actually wanted to exclude the Galatians from other Christians and to bring them into the “super-spiritual” group of the legalists. The zeal cultivated by legalism is often more a zeal for the group itself than for Jesus Christ. Though they name the name of Jesus, in practice the group itself is exalted as the main focus, and usually exalted as the last refuge of the true “super-Christians.”
Paul certainly wasn’t against zeal. He wanted Christians to be zealous in a good thing always. But it is important to make sure that our zeal is in a good thing because zeal in a bad thing is dangerous. So where does your zeal lie? This is the definition of zeal: Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal. What gets you enthusiastic? What kind of goals do you have?
Our zeal shows us our heart. Sometimes our heart will lead us in the wrong direction as Paul was saying the Galatians hearts led them astray. With the new covid restrictions in place, now is a great time to ask what you get excited about. Are you excited to be working from home? Are you excited to spend more time with your family? What about eating at home more? Passions are diverse. Zeal is as well, but God wants you to know that zeal in him is all you need. So do you have zeal for God today?
Amen