From here… Heart of Spurgeon

My commentary on Spurgeon’s call to Zeal…
That must be tempered with *taking care of our own* lest we be *worse than infidels*. 1 Tim 5vs8.
This is because *We are in this fight for the long haul*.
For all this pious retoric about ‘doing our utmost’, we must take care not to forget we live under *Grace*… not the Law… and Paul’s own doctrine shifted from a severe *urgency* (which he called the present distress), to a much more *long term strategy*. This is seen in his attitude towards marriage.
Early on in his ministry… when he was going to *the Jew first* he spoke of Christians *remaining celibate* so that they could focus 100% on the ministry of the gospel rather than have their values divided caring for a wife and children… yet by the end of his ministry he made *having a wife and children* one of the primary requisites for Christian leadership.
We are told we must *work* or not eat.
Etc.
So while I do understand preachers calling Christians to have Zeal… We must not take that out of proportion to *living righteously in this world*… ie… in sowing, harvesting, engineering, and every other pursuit, we are to do *all these things* to the glory of God… ie *well* and with integrity… and in good faith with our fellow man…. *All these things* which some may consider base… or carnal…. they are no such thing… they are exemplary of Christian Ethics…. and a testimony of The Christian faith.
Tim Wikiriwhi.
Christian Libertarian.