Philippians 1:12-18 (ESV Strong's)
The Advance of the Gospel
12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice,
Christ is Preached!!!
Perhaps one of the most hidden sins in the Body of Christ is the envy one church has for another. The under current of judgment about what “their” ministry has and mine does not, flow freely in our churches. In the above passage the Apostle Paul is reporting from prison. He is telling the church at Philippi that his current situation has fallen out to the furtherance of the gospel. Although the Body of Christ should be in harmony and grieving together about this tragedy, some in the church were using Paul’s situation to self promote. They were using Paul’s prison as as stepping stone to their own careers and recognition. What was Paul’s response? Paul just rejoiced that Christ was preached. Paul was so gospel oriented that he did not get into the pettiness of their envy. Paul had one goal in life: Preach Christ ... in every way, in every place, in every manner. Preach Christ and forget what the other church, pastor, believer is doing. Be Christ focused.
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