Zeal Rooted in Truth and Gifts Accompanied By Fruit
We Can Be Zealous—and Wrong.
Gifted—and Lacking Fruit.
Passion and gifting are not substitutes for truth and maturity.
I could park right here and share countless examples of what I’ve seen or even what I’ve done—but with my focus being to encourage, I digress.
As people who desire to be rooted in God’s Word, we must grow in both our knowledge of His truth and in bearing fruit.
However, some know of God, while others truly know God—or better yet, are known by Him (Galatians 4:9). And where we fall makes all the difference in this matter.
Those Who Know Of God
To oversimplify, for those who only know of God, His Word often becomes subjective. Some parts are embraced, others dismissed. Truth becomes negotiable.
They may be incredibly talented—even charismatic—but their knowledge of God stops at their intellect. It doesn’t reach their heart. And what doesn’t reach the heart won’t renew the mind (Romans 12:2). Their view of God, sin, and obedience remains unchanged. Therefore, the fruit isn’t there—not because they lack knowledge or gifting, but because they refuse to be transformed by the One who gives them.
Those Who Know God
Those who truly know God not only understand the gospel—the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to save sinners—but have repented and believed in it.
Through faith in the Son, they’ve been justified and reconciled to the Father. They’ve been made new, given new hearts, and filled with the Holy Spirit. And by the Spirit, they’re being sanctified to become more like Jesus.
With all of this in mind, let’s consider the conversion of Apollos:
“Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.”
— Acts 18:24–28
Apollos was:
Eloquent
Competent in the Scriptures
Instructed in the way of the Lord
Fervent in spirit
Accurate in teaching what he knew about Jesus (though incomplete)
After being taught “more accurately” about Jesus (in other words, He was taught the Gospel, which completed what He already knew in the Scriptures), Apollos believed it. A sign of the Spirit’s work within him. He became more effective, not just in his gifting but by greatly helping believers, refuting error, and boldly proclaiming Christ. Friends, we need that. The Church needs people who are accurately taught about Jesus, living for Him, and proclaiming His name.
Everything Apollos had was given by God for God, from the newfound faith to the gifts.
Now, your gift(s) may not look like his, but are given by the same Holy Spirit, and are just as powerful.
“All these [gifts] are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills.” — 1 Corinthians 12:11
“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…” — Romans 12:6
“For building up the body of Christ.” — Ephesians 4:12
We won’t all have every gift, but we can earnestly desire and trust the Holy Spirit, who gives exactly what is needed, when it’s needed, for the purpose He has ordained (1 Corinthians 12:29–31).
The Church doesn’t simply need people who are zealous and gifted—it needs more disciples who are taught, rooted, and established in the whole counsel of God.
It needs people who know how to abide in Christ (John 15:1-8) in private before ever stepping onto a public stage or platform.
Only then can our zeal align with truth, and our gifting be accompanied by lasting, God-honoring fruit.
For more study, read:
Gifts
1 Corinthians 12
1 Corinthians 13:1–3
Romans 1:11–12
Romans 12:3–8
Ephesians 4:4–16
1 Peter 4:10–11
Fruit
Matthew 3:7-9
Matthew 7:15-20
John 15:15-17
Galatians 5:13-26
