Believers should be zealous of good works, but their zeal must not spring from a position of ignorance. The Bible points to the Jews as a zealous people, but their zeal was not according to knowledge. Nobody worked harder trying to reach a righteous state than did the Jews. However, they failed to realize that true righteousness comes as an unmerited gift from God. Yet, the Jews were “ignorant of God's righteousness,” and went “about to establish their own righteousness” (Romans 10:3). Paul repeatedly testified concerning the futility of trying to earn God's favour through one’s own efforts (Acts 22:3; Philippians 3:6). Before Paul came to know Christ, he thought he should fight against Christ’s followers and zealously persecute the church of God. He even placed many of the new believers into prison and caused their deaths. Yet, he declared that all this was done in ignorance (1 Timothy 1:13). He, like the Jews, had a tremendous zeal, but that zeal was not according to knowledge.
Paul served the Lord in a capacity similar to what missionaries and evangelists do today. He traveled extensively to tell everyone and anyone about Christ’s saving grace. Holding a regular job to earn money would have been impossible due to Paul’s manner of life and recurring travels. However, the Bible tells us that he worked as a tent- maker when the need presented itself (Acts 18:1-3). Most of the time, however, he did not have personal income to provide for himself and the ministry. How would he live during those times? The Bible says that faithful churches provided for his necessities. For example, the church at Philippi served as one such group of believers. Paul refers to a time when he departed from Macedonia. At that time, no church helped him; yet, the believers at Philippi sacrificially provided for his needs. These same believers faithfully helped Paul again in Thessalonica. Paul knew he could depend upon them because they understood the importance of distributing to those who had surrendered to the ministry.
