“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the Gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice” (Philippians 1:15-18).
TV journalists come in all shapes and sizes. They have all sorts of motivations. Some have a spotless reputation and are totally trustworthy. For these men and women, the story is the star. They get out of the way in order to get the message out. Edward R. Murrow is the poster boy. On the other end are those whose motivations are, shall we say, not so pure. They’re out to make a buck. They want to make themselves the star, not the story. But here’s the deal. In the end, the basic message gets out despite the motivation. The folks watching at home don’t know what’s driving the anchors, reporters, videographers, and producers.
Stuck behind bars in Rome, Paul sees the same thing going on. No, he’s not critiquing Scott Pelley and Brian Williams on the network news. He’s watching God use the various messengers tell others about Jesus. Some are greedy. Some are hucksters. Some are conmen. Others broadcast the Good News because it’s the greatest news anyone will ever hear. They make it the lead story because Jesus is the real Hero and His story is truly the star. From his spot in the cellblock, the apostle can see something crazy. As long as the truth about Christ is the central part of the message, the motivation doesn’t matter. He doesn’t care if they have mixed motives. He’s excited because they’re making Jesus famous!
Let’s quickly take a look inside these two news operations. Paul tells his friends back in Philippi, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry” (v15). These preachers are more concerned about beating other preachers. They see other churches and ministers as rivals and the competition. They define winning by having more success than the church down the street. These knuckleheads don’t understand that sharing the message of Jesus is a team sport. They miss the point that we’re all playing for the same squad. This isn’t Duke-Carolina. It’s not Cubs-Cards. Same team. Same Jesus. Same message.
Paul also understands that on one end of the spectrum some “proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict my imprisonment” (v27). They might be telling the world about Jesus but their intentions are, shall we say, less than honorable. They’re selfish. A little bit later, the apostle makes it clear that the followers of Jesus are to “do nothing from selfish ambition” (Phil 2:3). That’s exactly the opposite of the kind of life Christ calls us to live. His amazing grace motivates us to lead a “me third” life. God first. Others second. Me third. When you’re hoping that Jesus’ handpicked apostle stays in jail even longer, you’ve got issues.
The man from Tarsus wants his readers to know that these greedy preachers have a hidden agenda. They preach “in pretense” (v18). The Gospel is just a front for their con. Ultimately, it’s just a scam. But they’re not pulling a fast one on the Sovereign God of the universe. He knows EXACTLY what they’re up to. And He’s using grift to spread the Gospel.
Here’s where Paul’s 2,000-year-old letter gets rather personal. This sort of rivalry and competition still goes on today among churches. We measure our success by our individual size. There’s this crazy idea that megachurches compete against each other in some sort of MMA octagon. The other church is NOT the enemy! We can’t let Satan dupe us into fighting our teammates. We’re playing for the same team! We’re following the same Lord! Stop trying to rustle sheep from the other flock and start sharing the love of Jesus with a lost and dying world. Don’t you think this was a big reason why Christ told His boys that our love for one another will announce to the world that we’re His followers (Jn 13:34-35). We’re not loving each other when we’re trying to defeat each other.
Let’s take a quick look at those who have Paul’s endorsement. They’re broadcasting the Good News “from good will” (v15). They want God’s best for others (note the “God first, others second, me third” priority!). These preachers “do it out of love” (v16). Robertson encourages us to shine the flashlight of 1st Corinthians 13 on this verse for a better idea of what these folks did. They share the Gospel with patience and kindness, without arrogance and pride. Ultimately, these men and women pursue their mission “in truth” (v18). This is in stark contrast to the con of the greedy preachers. These folks are transparent, open, and honest. They’re willing to share their own shortcomings, failures, and sins. That’s because their message is about Jesus, not about how cool and together they are.
What’s my motivation for sharing the Good News? Is it so I can add another notch to my Gospel gun belt? Or do I tell others about our Hero out of “good will” (v15)? Am I inspired “out of love” (v16), my love for Jesus and my love for others? Finally, do broadcast the Gospel to those around me “in truth” (v18)? Am I honest and open about my own struggles and battles? Am I transparent about who I am without Jesus?
In the end, motivations don’t matter to those receiving the message. As long as Jesus is the point of the story, that’s what matters. God will see to that. Twice Paul uses the Greek verb kataggello in this passage (translated proclaim in verses 17-18). It means to announce, declare, make known, or report. It literally describes speaking a message from or about something or someone. In this case, that something is the Gospel and that Someone is Jesus. Dr. Luke uses this word when describing how Paul and his posse announce story of Christ all around the Mediterranean rim. On the island of Cyprus (Acts 13:5). At Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:38). On his second tour (Acts 15:36). In Philippi (Acts 16:17, 21). Over in Thessalonica (Acts 17:3). Down the road in Berea (Acts 17:13). On Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:23). Even before King Agrippa (Acts 26:23).
No matter the motive, God is going to use the message being preached. When folks tell others that Jesus is our Hero and our only means of rescue, that’s what matters the most. Some of these messengers may be motivated by greed, status, or power. Others burn with a deep and passionate desire for everyone to hear the life-changing and life-saving grace of Christ. For the listener, motive doesn’t matter. It’s all about the message.
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