“And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 22:7)
In order to find purpose and meaning for their lives, many people latch onto a larger cause which they can dedicate themselves to. They find common ground with others who have banded together to “fight the good fight.” These groups may have nothing to do with religion, but the adherents can have a “religious zeal.” They are “all in.”
Jesus was familiar with the zealotry of His day. There were political zealots who sought to overthrow the oppressive rule of Rome. Then there were the various religious sects who were zealous for their interpretation of the Jewish faith. But Jesus was not a part of some thing. He was aligned with Someone. He found His life calling in simple, daily obedience to the Father.
Likewise, Paul was not living for Christianity, for him to live was Christ. He refused to replace one religious cause with another. His one consuming desire was to know Christ and make Him known to all.
It is easy to slip into zealotry. We can become addicted to a cause. But we can also become like Saul of Tarsus, and persecute Christ while doing so. Serve Christ alone. He is the only Cause worth living and dying for.