Philippians 3:10 (CSB)
My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death.
Years ago, there was a story out of New York about how a man jumped out of a monorail and into the tiger enclosure at the Bronx Zoo. According to the NYPD, the 25-year-old was neither drunk nor insane. Police commissioner Ray Kelly told CNN, “Apparently he has some fascination with tigers. He visited the zoo in the last month and a half and focused on that area.” David Villalobos, the ill-fated tiger fanatic, said he jumped into the pen because of “a desire to be one with the tiger.”
It seems that his obsession with tigers drove him to an unhealthy and dangerous fanaticism, which in turn drove him to endanger his life. Tigers are exquisite creators and are studied and admired by many people, but in this instance, we can all agree that Mr. Villalobos’ interest went to an unhealthy level.
As we consider this story of fanaticism, let’s think about spiritual passion in contrast to religious fanaticism. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a fanatic as someone “extremely enthusiastic about and devoted to some interest or activity.” I think we can agree that there is nothing wrong with devotion when it comes to following Jesus. However, there is a variation to this that I would like for us to examine.
We must be careful not to be too quick to slap the “fanatic” label on those who are zealous about their faith in Jesus. We can look at someone who lives out their faith in Jesus in extraordinary ways and think, "Man, that person is too much." But is there such a thing as too much when it comes to living for Jesus?
The problem with fanaticism arises when someone becomes excessively fixated on one aspect of the Christian faith and spends all their time and effort on that one particular component while overlooking other key facets. It might be that they’re obsessed with the return of Jesus but don’t give a rip about living out the commands from Jesus to love their neighbor (Matt. 22:39). Or they might be consumed with Creation Science but lack any humility in serving others as Jesus did.
If you approach the gospel in a balanced manner and don't see Christianity as a buffet where you pick out your favorite items and ignore the rest, being a fanatical follower of Jesus is perfectly acceptable. If you seek to follow Jesus in a balanced way, you’ll engage in every aspect of Kingdom living. Your heart will be transformed into a heart like His that is loving, forgiving, sacrificial, and generous to everyone. You will supernaturally love God and others beyond your natural ability; you will desire devotional time with God in prayer, Bible reading, and reflection.
Now let’s discuss one of the greatest dangers of “fanaticism,” which is when it drives one to become judgmental. We must be careful not to get overly focused on one component of the Christian faith and look down on everyone else who doesn't see it our way. When this happens, we are now experiencing an ugly form of religious self-righteousness that is opposed to the true gospel of Jesus.
It's very easy for a church to get overly fixated on some specific feature that sets them apart from other churches. Then, when the church starts to build programs around their distinctive characteristics, they can become hyper-focused on this one thing and tend to miss out on the transforming power of balanced Kingdom living. There's not anything wrong with the church having programs. There is something deeply wrong when a church is loaded with programs but doesn't see life transformation. A church that doesn't ever have anyone experiencing life transformation is like a car without an engine; it may look good on the outside, but it won't take you anywhere.
So let me ask you a question: Are you balanced in your approach to following Jesus? A good indication is when you're able to hear other people's perspectives that are different from yours without becoming offended and judgmental.
I encourage you today to pray for the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal if you're hyper-focused on only a narrow portion of the gospel while not experiencing a healthy, balanced approach to what it means to follow Jesus. That you will not have a fragmented faith but a whole, vibrant, life-transforming faith that is experiencing the Kingdom of heaven while following Jesus here on earth.