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Enthusiasm in the Bible | Are We Enthusiastic For Christ?

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The poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said about enthusiasm: “Every great and commanding movement in the annals of the world is due to the triumph of enthusiasm. Nothing great was ever achieved without it.”

Charles Schwab once made this statement: “A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.” What is true of business, is also true of the church. In fact, enthusiasm is what separates the active Christian from the indifferent Christian. Having enthusiasm for Christ is the great need of our time.

Webster defines enthusiasm as “an eager and intense interest; an ardent zeal or fervor.” Thus, by definition, we can plainly see the great value of enthusiasm in the service of Christ. In Isaiah 2:2-3, we see that enthusiasm was prophesied to be one of the characteristics of the church:

“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.“

The prophet said the day was coming when God’s kingdom would be established. He said that people all over the world would be filled with enthusiasm to learn about the Lord and to walk in His ways. Today, that glorious kingdom has been established (Acts 2). But what about the enthusiasm? Can it be said that we are enthusiastic for Christ?

Let’s consider the following thoughts regarding enthusiasm:

1) Enthusiasm must have proper motivation — Jesus demands great things of His people (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). He does not want us to be motivated out of a sense of fear or duty, but out of love and gratitude directed toward Him. Let’s ask ourselves, “What motivates us to serve Christ?”

2) Enthusiasm must have proper guidance — It is possible for our enthusiasm to be excessive and unreasonable. Paul, in speaking of the Jews, said: “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2). The zeal of some Jews was actually working against the Lord. They had enthusiasm, but it was not properly guided. Someone has well said that “religious zeal without knowledge is like speed to a man in the dark.” Enthusiasm without proper guidance can be a very dangerous thing.

Faith provides the motivation and the guidance for the right kind of enthusiasm. Our enthusiasm for Christ must be grounded and settled in the knowledge of God’s Word (Colossians 1:3-11). Saul of Tarsus is an excellent example of the wrong kind of enthusiasm turning into the right kind of enthusiasm through faith in Christ (Gal. 1:13-14).

Conclusion:

We need the wonderful spirit of enthusiasm in the church. Not a bubbly, showy, or emotional kind of enthusiasm, but a sustained and rational enthusiasm. This kind of enthusiasm lives in truth (John 17:17; cf. Colossians 4:12-13). We need this enthusiasm in all areas of life, i.e., our worship, our family, our workplace relationships. And yes, especially in the area of evangelism.

Let us realize that enthusiasm is a choice. Is Christ worthy of our zeal and interest? If He is, let’s demonstrate some enthusiasm in our service to the Lord! (Titus 2:11-14).

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