The document discusses the motivations behind preaching Christ, highlighting two groups: those who preach out of goodwill and love, and those driven by envy or selfish ambition. Despite differing motives, the apostle Paul rejoices that Christ is preached, emphasizing the importance of Christ's message over the intent of the preachers. It underscores the value of Christian tolerance and the need to celebrate the spread of the gospel, regardless of the motives behind it.

1. JESUS WAS PREACHED FROM FALSE MOTIVES
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Philippians1:15-1815
It is true that some preach Christ
out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16
The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put
here for the defense of the gospel. 17
The former preach
Christout of selfishambition, not sincerely, supposing
that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in
chains. 18
But what does it matter? The important
thing is that in every way, whether from false motives
or true, Christis preached. And becauseof this I
rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
VERSE 15 BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
A Significant Difference Among The Apostle's Brethren
Philippians 1:15-18
T. Croskery They were all actively engaged in preaching the gospel, but they were not actuated
by the same motives.
I. THE DIFFERENT SPIRIT OF THE TWO CLASSES OF PREACHERS. "Some indeed
preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will." The one class were actuated
by a genuine good will to Christ and his apostle. The other class were actuated by envy and
discord. They envied the popularity of the apostle among the Gentile Churches, and showed a
disagreeably quarrelsome temper. They were evidently Judaists who could little brook the
overthrow of the Mosaic institute and Jewish commonwealth which seemed to be involved in the
triumph of the apostle's gospel. Yet they preached Christ.

2. II. THE MOTIVES OF THE TWO CLASSES. "The one do it of love, knowing that I am set for
the defense of the gospel; but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise
up affliction for me in my bonds." Notice:
1. The pure motive of one class - love - which ought to be the spring of all gospel action. Love to
Christ, love to the truth, love to the souls of men, ought to be the abiding motive of all preachers.
These brethren had special regard for the apostle on account of his destined place in the
evangelization of the world.
2. The impure motive of the other class - a base partisanship designed to make the apostle's
bonds more galling. There are allusions to this fierce party spirit among the Judaists in most of
the apostle's writings, aggravated as it often was by intense bitterness to the apostle.
3. Yet both classes preached Christ. The language of the apostle is applied to both classes. It is
sad to think of men preaching Christ from bad motives, especially where Erich motives may
imply a tinge of doctrinal imperfection in the method of preaching him. Yet the Lord accepts the
services of weak, imperfect, sinful men in his vineyard.
III. THE JOY OF THE APOSTLE AT THIS WIDESPREAD ACTIVITY OF THE TWO
CLASSES.
1. It might appear more natural for him to denounce these Judaists with words of sharp rebuke.
Perhaps his own enforced inactivity as a preacher may have led him to rejoice in the Christian
labors of men who knew Christ "only after the flesh."
2. His joy shows a large and forgiving nature. "What then? only that in every way, whether with
masked design or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." The
conduct of the apostle teaches us:
(1) That the preaching of Christ is higher truth than the secondary questions of polity and
worship which often cause dissension among Christians.
(2) That Christians ought to rejoice in the successes of other Christians who follow different
methods of doctrine or polity.
(3) That it is right to condemn the base motives or unworthy insincerities that sometimes mingle
with good work.
(4) That we ought to show special consideration to those who preach Christ of good will, and
eschew all sorts of by-ends and manoeuvres. - T.C.
Biblical Illustrator
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife
Philippians 1:15

3. Observe
J. Lyth, D. D.I.A GOOD ACT MAY BE PROMPTED BY A BAD MOTIVE.
II.THE GOOD REMAINS THOUGH THE OBJECT FAILS.
(J. Lyth, D. D.)
Motives
J. Lyth, D. D., J. Parker, D. D.I.VARY WIDELY.
II.DO NOT AFFECT THE NATURE BUT THE MORAL QUALITY OF AN ACTION.
III.DETERMINE NOT THE RESULT BUT THE REWARD.
(J. Lyth, D. D.)The text suggests —
I. DIVERSE DEVELOPEMENT OF HUMAN DISPOSITION.
II. THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING A GOOD DEED THROUGH A BAD MOTIVE.
III. THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF ENTIRELY CONCEALING MOTIVES.
IV. THE ACTION OF SELF-SEEKERS TURNED INTO THE GOOD MAN'S SOURCE OF
JOY.
V. MAN IS NEVER SO DIABOLIZED AS WHEN MAKING A GOOD CAUSE THE MEANS
OF GRIEVING AND TORMENTING THE CHURCH.
VI. THE MERE FACT THAT A MAN PREACHES CHRIST IS NOT A PROOF OF HIS
PERSONAL SALVATION: and if this can be affirmed of preaching, how much more may it be
affirmed of learning.
(J. Parker, D. D.)
Two voices on the same subject
J. Parker, D. D.I.The voice of SELFISHNESS.
II.The voice of LOVE.
(J. Parker, D. D.)
The real and counterfeit in the Christian ministry
G. G. Ballard.I. WHERE THEY CORRESPOND.
1. Both adopt the Christian name.
2. Both utter the same shibboleth.
3. Both are active in preaching Christ.
II. WHERE THEY DIFFER.
1. In heart. "Contention" moves the one; "love" reigns in the other.
2. In spirit. "Envy and strife" move the one; "goodwill" actuates the other.
3. In source of strength. Love of party animates the one; confidence in the Lord emboldens the
other.
4. In aim. That of the one is to advance, it may be, a lifeless Church; that of the other to propel
the gospel of Christ.

4. 5. The depth and accuracy of conviction. The one "supposing to rid," etc. (ver. 16); the other
"knowing that," etc. (ver. 17).
(G. G. Ballard.)
A spurious ministry
G. G. Ballard.I. THE ELEMENTS FORMATIVE OF IT.
1. An imperfect apprehension of Christ's mission.
2. A total absence of Christ's Spirit.
3. Thought and sympathy, narrowed by early prejudice and preconceived ideas.
4. Christ made subservient to the doctrines, ritual, and history of a system.
II. THE RESULTS INSEPARABLE FROM IT.
1. The cross degraded into a rallying point for party strife.
2. The basest spirit indulged under the pretence of fulfilling a sacred office.
(1)"Envy" — displeasure at another's good.
(2)"Strife" — selfish rivalry which seeks to gain the good belonging to another. Christ preached
merely to advance a party.
4. Zeal for propagating a creed, greater than to save a lost world.
III. THE GERM OF IT.
1. May exist in those who zealously preach Christ.
2. Consists in a moral contradiction between the heart of the preacher and the theme of his
discourse — contentiousness and Christ.
3. Produces impurity of motive in Christian work — "not sincerely."
4. Biases the judgment to expect results which are never realized — "supposing."
5. Inspires aims which are unchristian — "to add affliction."
(G. G. Ballard.)
The preaching of Christ
J. Lyth, D. D., W. B. Collyer, D. D.I. THE THEME. His person and work — His grace and
power — His gifts and promises — His example and requirements.
II. THE MOTIVE. Sometimes impure; as sectarian, mercenary, ambitious — sometimes sincere;
from love to God and man.
III. THE RESULT. Some good every way — Christ is exalted — the faithful rejoice,
(J. Lyth, D. D.)
I. THE PREACHING OF CHRIST. No preaching can bear this designation which does not
constitute Him the grand object of it. From the first the holy men who spoke as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit pointed to Him. All the Scriptures lead, remotely, perhaps, but certainly, to the
Cross of Christ. He is to be preached as the only object of faith, and the sole source of salvation.
Opposition must not hinder, nor heresy divert this.
II. THE SCALE ON WHICH CHRIST IS TO BE PREACHED.

5. 1. To all peoples — Philippians and Romans, Europeans and Africans.
2. By men of all views and denominations, Jewish and Gentile Christians; Roman Catholics and
Protestants; Anglicans and Dissenters, etc.
III. THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THIS SHOULD BE RECEIVED. There are two classes interested.
1. Ministers should rejoice when they see the gospel spreading on all sides and among all
denominations. Let it not be said of them, "Ye know not what spirit ye are off." No jealous or
envious feeling at others' successes should be cherished by them.
2. Congregations while loyal to their own Church should put a generous construction on the
work of others.
IV. THE GLORIOUS RESULTS ARISING OUT OF THIS.
1. In time.
2. In eternity.
(W. B. Collyer, D. D.)
Toleration
H. W. Beecher.I. We see here the TRUE GROUND OF CHRISTIAN TOLERATION.
1. Negatively.(1) Toleration is not an enforced forbearance with men who teach error. Some
keep their hands off errorists because they cannot touch them; like boys who will not pluck ripe
fruit because there is a high wall in the way.(2) Nor is it a recognition of the right of men to
freedom of thought and experience, which is only part of it.(3) Still less is it indifference to error.
There are men who do not care whether you teach God or Jupiter, heathen mythology or
Christian theology.
2. Positively. It is a generous confidence in the vitality of truth and its ultimate victory, born of
hope, nursed by courage, adopted by love.
II. IF PAUL'S SPIRIT BE RIGHT THEN WE NEED TO AMEND OUR VIEW OF SOCIAL
AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY. He saw bad men taking his place yet he let them go on,
rejoiced in their work, though not in the motive of it. Had he lived in our day he would have been
told, "You cannot afford to sit in a Church where these men teach or you will be responsible for
their teaching." He would have replied, "Who made you a judge; to their own master they stand
or fall." Every man is responsible for bin own conduct and belief to God. If I please to work with
men who are heretical on some points of theology, but who are right in the point in which I work
with them (Unitarian temperance reformers, e.g.), I am not responsible for their wrong beliefs,
but only for that part which I take. Paul was grieved at the amount of error that was in these men,
but the small amount of truth he saw pleased him more.
III. THIS CHRISTIAN TOLERATION FOUNDED IN FAITH AND LOVE, LEADS TO THE
REAL AND ONLY REAL UNION POSSIBLE TO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. External
formulas are not unimportant, but there never will be Christian union in this world until men feel
that the invisible, spiritual elements of truth, the interior experience of soul, are transcendently
more important than the idea forms, or the government forms, or the worship forms of the
Church. Humanity is our common bond outside; why should not Christianity be within? "Let
every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
(H. W. Beecher.)

6. Love of Christ and the brethren the essential qualification for preaching Christ
G. G. Ballard.I. IT GIVES IMPULSE TO ALL TRUE MOTIVE POWER. From this sprung
their "goodwill."
II. IT IS KEEN IN PERCEIVING, EVEN IN CHAINS, THE WILL OF GOD. "Knowing that I
am set."
III. IT IS QUICK IN COOPERATING TO ACCOMPLISH THE WILL OF GOD WHEN
KNOWN.
IV. IT BINDS THE HEART IN SYMPATHY TO ALL WHO SUFFER IN THE DEFENCE OF
THE GOSPEL.
V. IT IS THE MIGHTIEST FORCE THAT MEN CAN WIELD FOR THE GOSPEL'S
TRIUMPH.
(G. G. Ballard.)
The preaching of Christ a reason for joy and holy exultation
Isaac Mann, M. A.I. Let us inquire WHAT THE APOSTLE INTENDED BY THE
PREACHING OF CHRIST.
1. The exhibition of Jesus as the Messiah sent to save a guilty world."(1) Such a messenger had
been set forth by prophecy and types from the beginning.(2) He was exhibited as truly human,
sinless, Divine.
2. The publication of His great work, and ultimate design in visiting this world.
(1)To atone for sin.
(2)To confer eternal life.
3. The assertion of His claims on all mankind.
(1)To their love.
(2)To their obedience.
II. GLORIOUS AS THIS THEME IS, YET MANY PREACH IT FROM CORRUPT
MOTIVES.
1. Some for gain — money, position, influence.
2. Some for victory in a controversial battle.
3. Yet if Christ is really preached, whatever may be the condemnation of the preacher, Christ's
end will he secured.
III. THE REASONS WHY THE PREACHING OF CHRIST, UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES, IS A JUST OCCASION FOR HOLY JOY.
1. By this means the enemies of Christ are made to bear unequivocal testimony to His dignity
and glory, and to promote the interests of truth without intending it: as the heathen writers quoted
by Paul, and the devils' confession of Christ.
2. As the world can only be renovated by the preaching of Christ, so even His enemies who
preach Him contribute to this event. Think of the heathen world; the acceptance of Christ in any
sense and from any hands cannot but better it.

7. 3. We may be assured that God will certainly overrule the preaching of Christ, even by wicked
men, to accomplish His purpose of mercy. In much inferior matters God controls the movements
of bad men for His own glory. He did so in the case of Judas. Is it not then correct to argue that if
God sub ordinates the malignity, ambition, and haughtiness of men to the accomplishment of His
providential purposes, He will also overrule them to serve His designs of mercy? Witness the
Reformation under Henry VIII.Application:
1. Our cause for rejoicing is exceedingly great. Notwithstanding there are many parts where the
gospel is imperfectly preached, yet there are thousands of holy men who preach Christ from the
purest motives.
2. Let us manifest our gratitude to Him who is preached by a more lively zeal in His cause.
3. Let us who love Christ draw into closer union with one another. If we allow bickering and
strife while Christ's cause may prosper we shall be ruined.
4. Let the despondent be encouraged — anyhow Christ is preached. The gospel is advancing in
spite of our fears.
(Isaac Mann, M. A.)
Allowable contention
Lord Bacon.God grant that we may contend with other Churches as the vine with the olive —
which of us shall bear the best fruit; but not as the briar with the thistle, which of us will be the
most unprofitable.
(Lord Bacon.)
An imprisoned preacher's thoughts
H. W. Beecher.Paul was imprisoned for preaching the gospel, and was persecuted by them who
but for him would not have had a gospel to preach.
1. The apostle had, by nature, a temper that could not bear very much being abused. He was
naturally sensitive and aggressive. In prison and helpless no doubt there were slight heavings of
the old volcano at the conduct of his opponents. Moreover his conscience was an inspired one,
and he must have felt, "Who is a judge of orthodoxy if I am not?" Did he then rouse the alarm
and denounce these preachers of envy and strife? No, he rejoiced where few could have rejoiced,
viz., in prison, and at what few could have rejoiced, viz., that his enemies were doing good.
2. Paul might have felt that his life was thrown away, that God had need of him. Many feel that
everything must be done, and that there is none to do it hut themselves. Paul had a right to feel so
if any man had. But the thought never seems to have occurred to him. No doubt he felt the
cowardliness and the cruelty of these men, but the feeling was swallowed up in the reflection that
they were doing his work when he could not do it himself.
3. Paul held that so precious is this truth of Jesus that no man can present even a particle of it that
is not worth presenting. You cannot preach Christ so that it is not worth while to have preached
Him thus. It is better that He should be preached by bad men for bad purposes than not preached
at all.
4. It would have been enough in Paul to have said less than he did, such as "I trust all will be for
the best. I hope it will do some good, but I fear it will do much harm. Of course I cannot
associate with them." On the contrary he exults over the certain good of the issue. The hounds of

8. love are better than the hounds of theology to hunt heretics with. How painful not to know the
difference between conscience and combativeness.
5. Consider in a few deductions the temptations to which men who are working for religious
ends are liable.
I. THE DANGER OF SUBSTITUTING ACTIVITY FOR THE LOVING GRACES. The bee
that goes buzzing about the flowers in the spring is very useful; but, after all, I think the flowers,
that never stir or buzz, are full as interesting and far more important. The buzzing bee gets a
good deal of honey, but he would not get a particle if it were not for the silent flowers which
contain it all. There is a great peril of an external rattling activity leaving the heart cold,
mechanical, and even malevolent.
II. THE DANGER OF ARROGANCE.
1. There are a great many people who say that all Churches must be constituted, work, and
believe as their own.
2. Many of us have got beyond that, but how many of us can rejoice in the Church whose
services has swallowed up ours. But all that Paul wanted was that work should be done, whoever
did it; and even rejoiced that others would have the credit for the work he did. Conclusion: From
the beginning until today the power of preaching has been and henceforth mill be, not in ideas
but in disposition.
(H. W. Beecher.)
The motives of Paul's enemies
J. Daille.I. It may be that THE ENEMIES OF THE APOSTLE HOPED THAT THEIR
PREACHING WOULD IRRITATE NERO and his officers against Christianity, and that,
offended at this new increase which this doctrine had received, they would quickly discharge
their anger upon a prisoner, who was the principal support of this growing religion, either by
putting him to death suddenly or by condemning him to some more grievous trouble than his
present prison.
II. It may be that envy had inspired them with the thought, that BY LABOURING IN
PREACHING THE GOSPEL THEY SHOULD OBTAIN A PART OF THE APOSTLE'S
GLORY, and that by making good use of the time of his imprisonment, to establish themselves
in the minds of the disciples, they should by degrees take away the credit and authority which he
possessed; and judging of him by themselves, they imagined that it would be an immense
increase to his affliction to see them thus enriched and decorated with his spoils. Such or such
like were the thoughts of these wretched men. Judge by this what is the nature of vice, and how
horrible its impudence in daring thus to profane the most sacred things, and to abuse them so
vilely for, its own ungodly purpose. Thus Satan sometimes clothes himself as an angel of light to
further the works of darkness. From which you see that it is not enough that Our actions be good
and praiseworthy, if our intentions are not pure and upright. It is to profane the good to do it with
a bad end in view.
2. See how the thoughts of vice are not only impudent, but even foolish and vain. These
deceivers, judging of St. Paul by themselves, believed that their preaching would vex him. Poor
creatures! how little you knew of this high-minded man, to imagine that so small a thing could
trouble him!

9. (J. Daille.)
Christ preached by love
Boree.I once asked a distinguished artist what place he gave to labour in art. "Labour," he said, in
effect, "is the beginning, the middle, and the end of art." Turning then to another — "And you," I
inquired, "what do you consider the great force in art:" "Love," he replied. In their two answers I
found but one truth.
(Boree.)
Evangelical congratulation
W. Brock, D. D.How Paul would have rejoiced had he been living now. The ministry at Rome
must have been on a comparatively insignificant scale. But for every man who preached the
gospel then thousands are preaching it now. Why should there have been such rejoicing in
connection with the preaching of Christ crucified.
I. Because thereby THE RENOVATION OF FALLEN MAN IS INTELLIGENTLY
PROPOSED.
1. High time, by common consent, something was done in that direction, and many are the
projects suggested for it.
(1)Give the people a sound secular education.
(2)Give them remunerative employment.
(3)Confer upon them honourable enfranchisement.
(4)Take care to raise them into better and more civilized habits by better dwellings, food, etc.
(5)Educate their tastes, open museums and art galleries.
2. Can you look at these laudable secondary considerations without marking their fatal defect?
They deal with man externally and say not a word about his internal renovation. If you leave a
man's heart untouched there is that there which will laugh all your culture to scorn. If his heart be
right all will be right, but not otherwise.
3. The gospel aims at making the heart right, and succeeds wherever it is accepted.
II. Because thereby THE RENOVATION IS GRACIOUSLY GUARANTEED.
1. With the preaching of Christ God has formally connected the exertion of His power. "With
God all things are possible." The preacher is a fellow worker with God.
2. With this preaching God has been pleased to associate the accomplishment of His purposes.
3. He has identified with preaching the manifestation of His sympathies.
(W. Brock, D. D.)
Goodwill
Goodwill the spirit common to the brotherhood of the Christian ministry
G. G. Ballard.I. IT IS GOD-LIKE.
1. The spirit characteristic of all God's will towards men.
2. The spirit manifested by His Son.

10. 3. The spirit of the gospel message.
II. IT IS YIELDED TO AN HONOURED BROTHER.
1. To him as a man — his character, aims, and life.
2. To his labours in the cause of Christ.
3. To his future success.
(G. G. Ballard.)
The defence of the gospel
J. Lyth, D. D.I. IS NECESSARY. It has many powerful, malignant enemies.
II. IS IMPERATIVE upon its professors, whether ministers or people.
III. MUST BE MAINTAINED IN LOVE to the truth, its advocates, and even its opponents.
(J. Lyth, D. D.)
Observe
J. Lyth, D. D.I.THE CAUSE TO BE DEFENDED.
II.THE OPPOSITION TO WHICH IT IS EXPOSED.
III.THE MEANS OF ITS DEFENCE.
IV.THE PERSONS WHO OUGHT TO DEFEND IT.
(J. Lyth, D. D.)
The opponents of St. Paul
Professor Eadie.In the Corinthian Church there was a party that said, "I am of Cephas" —
followers of the apostle of the circumcision, and hostile to those who named themselves from
Paul. It is very probable that this Petrine party held high views about the law; but there is no hint
in the Epistle to the Corinthians that they either held or taught such mischievous errors as were
propagated in Galatia. Minor matters of ceremonial seem rather to have occupied them (1
Corinthians 8:10). But there is no question that the apostle's authority was impugned in Corinth,
and in all likelihood by the Petrine party, because he had not been personally called by Jesus as
Simon had been; and by the same party his right to pecuniary support from the Churches seems
to have been denied or disputed. While therefore there was comparative purity in the section that
took Peter for its head and watchword; there was also keen and resolute opposition to the person
and prerogative of the Apostle to the Gentiles. To meet all the requirements of the case before us
we have only to suppose that such a party was formed at Rome, and Romans 14. seems to
indicate their existence. If there was a company of believing Jews, who held the essential
doctrines of the gospel, but was combative on points of inferior value, and in connection with the
social institutions of their people, and who at the same time were bitter and unscrupulous
antagonists of the apostle, from such an impression of his opinions as is indicated by James in
Acts 21:20-21, then such a party might preach Christ, and yet cherish towards St. Paul all those
feelings of envy and ill will he ascribes to them. touches the truth when he says they were jealous
of the apostle. Calvin writes feelingly, "Paul says nothing here which I myself have not
experienced. For there are men living now who have preached the gospel with no other design
than to gratify the rage of the wicked by persecuting pious pastors."
(Professor Eadie.)

11. Paul's joy in the preaching of his enemies
H. W. Beecher.Paul's example is a rebuke to the excessive ecclesiastical spirit. He saw
something good in the worst men who preached. Modern precisionists see the worst in the best
men. Paul looked on the good side. Modern orthodoxy is disposed always to look on the bad
side. If a vase was cracked, Paul turned it round and looked upon the side where it was not
cracked. If a vase is cracked, we are disposed to turn it round and look on the side where the
crack comes. Paul would certainly rather have men preach Christ that loved Christ; but rather
than that Christ should not be preached he was willing that those who did not love Him should
preach.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Christ really though inadequately preached
H. W. Beecher.The rising sun in the morning brings ten thousand noxious insects to life, brings
miasma from the morass, and sets disease flying through the land; nevertheless, in spite of
malaria, and in spite of all venemous insects that then begin to move, and in spite of all mischiefs
which waking men begin to perform, it is infinitely better that the sun should rise, and that these
evils should take place, than that it should be everlastingly dark. It was better to have Christ
preached by bad men than not at all. It was better to have the gospel imperfectly delivered than
not to have it made known in any way, or only to a limited extent. The truth preached with
manifold and manifest error is a thousand times better than none at all. While the full and
symmetrical truth as it is in Jesus will do far more good, and good of a far higher type, than any
fragmentary views, yet such is the vitality and power of Christian truth, that its very fragments
are potent for good. One may stand before an ample glass, long and broad, which reflects the
whole figure, and the whole room, giving every part in proportion and in relation. Break that
mirror into a thousand fragments, and each one of these pieces will give back to you your face;
and though the amplitude of view and the relations of objects are gone, yet the smallest fragment,
in its nature and uses, is a mirror still, and you can see your face withal. A full Christ reflects
men, time, and immortality; but let error shatter the celestial glass, and its fragments, reduced in
value, do in part some of that work which the whole did; and they are precious.
(H. W. Beecher.)
The preaching of Christ by whatever lips a source of satisfaction to Christians
Oliver Cromwell."You (Scotch commissioners and Presbyterian clergy after Dunbar) say that
you have just cause to regret that men of civil employments should usurp the calling of the
ministry to the scandal of the Reformed Kirks. Are you troubled that Christ is preached? Is
preaching so exclusively your function? I thought the covenant and those professors of it could
have been willing that any should speak good of the name of Christ; if not it is no covenant of
God's approving."
(Oliver Cromwell.)
Power of the Bible even in faulty versions
Anstera.A railway man asked for a genuine Catholic Bible, as he was not allowed to read a
heretical version like Luther's. "Here is the book you want," said the colporteur, handing him a
Van Ess copy. "Yes; that is the book," said the man, after looking at it well. That happened a few
weeks ago, and now Jesus is his All, and he finds the same grand truths about Him, whether he
takes Luther's translation or Van Ess's. God's Word shall not return void to Him.

12. (Anstera.)
Power of Christ preached
William Arnot.The surest way of turning a person from one pleasure is to give him a greater
pleasure on the opposite side. A weeping willow planted by a pond in a pleasure garden turns all
to one side in its growth, and that the side on which the water lies. No dealing with its roots or
with its branches will avail to change its attitude; but place a larger expanse of water on the
opposite side, and the tree will turn spontaneously and hang the other way. So must man's heart
be won.
(William Arnot.)
The influence of the gospel
Bp. Ryle.This is the weapon that has won victories over hearts of every kind, in every quarter of
the globe. Greenlanders, Africans, South Sea Islanders, Hindoos, and Chinese, have all alike felt
its power. Just as that huge iron tube, which crosses the Menai Straits, is more affected and bent
by half an hour's sunshine than by all the dead weight that can be placed in it, so in like manner
the hearts of savages have melted before the Cross when every other argument seemed to move
them no more than if they had been stones.
(Bp. Ryle.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15) Of envy and strife.—Explained below as of
“contention,” or, more properly (as in Philippians 2:3, and in Romans 2:8; 2Corinthians 12:20;
Galatians 5:20), of factiousness, or “party spirit.” It seems impossible to doubt that this refers to
the Judaising party, St. Paul’s old antagonists. The whole tenor of the Epistle to the Romans
shows how strong a Judaic element there was in Roman Christianity. Even in approaching Rome,
we may gather from Acts 28:15, that the Apostle had felt doubtful of his reception there by the
Church. His formal renunciation of the obstinate Jews, and proclamation that the Gentiles would
hear what they had rejected, might excite against him not only the unbelieving Jews, but the
Jewish and still more the Judaising Christians. The party “of Cephas” and the party “of Paul”
might be placed in strong antagonism more easily than even at Corinth.
Benson CommentaryHYPERLINK "/context/philippians/1-15.htm"Php 1:15-17. Some indeed
preach Christ even of envy — Envying my success, or envying me that esteem and reputation
which I have in the church, and seeking to gain it to themselves; and strife — Striving to draw
people off from approving me to applaud themselves, and being desirous to maintain in the
church a party that shall oppose me, and willing to add as many abetters to it as they possibly
can. It is probable, as Whitby and many others have observed, that “these were the Judaizing
Christians, who, with the gospel, taught the necessity of circumcision, and of the observation of
the ceremonial law; for from these arose εριδες και διχοστασιαι, strife and dissensions, 1
Corinthians 1:11; and 1 Corinthians 3:2; zeal, animosities, and contentions, 2 Corinthians 12:20;
and that on the account of this apostle, whom they would scarce own as an apostle of Christ, 2
Corinthians 7:2, but rather looked upon as one that walked according to the flesh, chap. 2

13. Corinthians 10:2, and would have excluded him from the churches, Galatians 4:16-17. And yet,
at their preaching Christ, though not sincerely, the apostle may be supposed to have rejoiced,
because he knew the time was near when the hay and stubble which they built on the foundation
should be revealed, and the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem, would sufficiently
confute their vain additions to the faith.” Some also out of good-will — Faithfully intending to
promote the glory of God, the success of the true gospel, and the salvation of mankind, and
thereby to give me comfort. The one preach Christ of contention — Or, they who are of
contention, as οι εξ εριθειας may be rendered, preach Christ not sincerely — With a holy design
of advancing his cause, and of glorifying God; but supposing (though they were disappointed)
thereby to add affliction to my bonds — To increase the calamity of my imprisonment, by
grieving my mind through their adulterations of, or additions to, the gospel, or their exciting my
persecutors to greater virulence against me. But the other of love — To Christ, his gospel, and
me; knowing, not barely supposing, that I am set — Placed here at Rome, the metropolis of the
empire, a place of the greatest resort, and from whence intelligence of whatever is transacted of
importance is soon communicated to the most distant provinces: or, κειμαι, I lie, namely in
bonds, for the defence of the gospel — For the confirmation of it by my sufferings. They who
preached Christ with a pure intention, knew certainly that the apostle was sent to Rome to defend
the gospel by suffering for it. For by voluntarily persisting to preach the gospel, although he was,
and knew he still should be, exposed to various and great sufferings for preaching it, he gave full
proof of his knowledge of its truth and great importance to the salvation of mankind.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary1:12-20 The apostle was a prisoner at Rome; and to take
off the offence of the cross, he shows the wisdom and goodness of God in his sufferings. These
things made him known, where he would never have otherwise been known; and led some to
inquire after the gospel. He suffered from false friends, as well as from enemies. How wretched
the temper of those who preached Christ out of envy and contention, and to add affliction to the
bonds that oppressed this best of men! The apostle was easy in the midst of all. Since our
troubles may tend to the good of many, we ought to rejoice. Whatever turns to our salvation, is
by the Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of seeking for it. Our earnest
expectation and hope should not be to be honoured of men, or to escape the cross, but to be
upheld amidst temptation, contempt, and affliction. Let us leave it to Christ, which way he will
make us serviceable to his glory, whether by labour or suffering, by diligence or patience, by
living to his honour in working for him, or dying to his honour in suffering for him.
Barnes' Notes on the BibleSome indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife - What was the
ground of this "envy and strife" the apostle does not mention. It would seem, however, that even
in Rome there was a party which was jealous of the influence of Paul, and which supposed that
this was a good opportunity to diminish his influence, and to strengthen their own cause. He was
not now at large so as to be able: to meet and confute them. They had access to the mass of the
people. It was easy, under plausible pretences, to insinuate hints about the ambitious aims, or
improper influence of Paul, or to take strong ground against him and in favor of their own views,
and they availed themselves of this opportunity. It would seem most probable, though this is not
mentioned, that these persons were Judaizing teachers, professing Christianity, and who
supposed that Paul's views were derogatory to the honor of Moses and the Law.
And some also of good will - From pure motives, having no party aims to accomplish, and not
intending in any way to give me trouble.

14. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary15. "Some indeed are preaching Christ even for
envy, that is, to carry out the envy which they felt towards Paul, on account of the success of the
Gospel in the capital of the world, owing to his steadfastness in his imprisonment; they wished
through envy to transfer the credit of its progress from him to themselves. Probably Judaizing
teachers (Ro 14:1-23; 1Co 3:10-15; 9:1, &c.; 2Co 11:1-4).
some also of—rather, "for"
good will—answering to "the brethren" (Php 1:14); some being well disposed to him.
Matthew Poole's Commentary He doth here tacitly answer an exception which might be made; It
were better some of them were silent, than preach so boldly as to procure him hatred, and lessen
his reputation;
1. By granting there was somewhat in the allegation, yet it did not conclude against this, that his
suffering was advantageous to promote the gospel.
2. By distinguishing of those who were hollow-hearted and false, from an envious principle,
designing to disparage this excellent person, who having done much in the lesser Asia and
Greece, did now, in the head city of the world, when in prison, also gain proselytes, courtiers and
others, for the receiving of Christ; and those were sincere and true-hearted brethren, joining with
him in the cause of Christ, and assisting him from true love to Christ, and him his apostle, to get
the truth of Christianity entertained in the love of it. The former were evil works, both as to their
principle and end, Philippians 3:2; the latter acted sincerely in both respects, 2 Corinthians 2:17.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSome, indeed, preach Christ,.... That is, some of them, as the
Arabic version reads; some of the brethren, that were only so in profession; wherefore these
could not be the unbelieving Jews, who preached the Messiah in general, but did not believe
Jesus of Nazareth to be he, and opened the prophecies of the Old Testament relating to him, to
the Gentiles; at which the apostle is by some thought to rejoice; inasmuch as this might be a
means of giving light to them that were without any knowledge of the Messiah, and of leading
them into an inquiry concerning him, whereby they might come to know the true Messiah, and
believe in him: for these men were brethren, were members of the church, and whom the apostle
owned as brethren in the ministry; neither of which could have been admitted had they been
unbelievers to Jesus being the Messiah; nor would the apostle have rejoiced in their ministry; and
besides, they preached the same Christ as other Gospel ministers, only on different principles and
with different views; they preached the pure Gospel of Christ, they did not preach themselves, or
any doctrines of their own, but Christ, nor the doctrines of other men; nor did they read lectures
of mere morality, as the Gentiles did; nor were they legalists, as the Jews; they did not insist on
the doctrine of works, or preach up justification and salvation by the works of the law, a doctrine
the apostle always militated against, nor would he ever express any pleasure and satisfaction in
it; nor did they preach a mixed Gospel, partly of grace and partly of works; they were not such as
joined Moses and Christ, the law and Gospel, works and grace, together in men's salvation; nor
did they corrupt and adulterate the word of God, or blend it with their own, or other men's
inventions, but they preached Christ clearly and fully; he was the sum and substance of their
ministry; they preached up his person as the true God, the Son of God equal with the Father, and
possessed of all divine perfections; as truly man, having assumed a true body and a reasonable
soul, and as God and man in one person; they preached him in all his offices, as prophet, priest,
and King; justification by his righteousness alone, pardon through his blood, atonement and

15. satisfaction by his sacrifice and salvation alone by him; they directed souls to him for all grace,
and every supply of it; and assured them that though he died, he rose again from the dead, is
ascended on high, is set down at the right hand of God, is an advocate with the Father, and ever
lives to make intercession for his people; and when he has gathered them all in, he will come a
second time to judge the world in righteousness, and take then, to himself, that they may be ever
with him: and yet all this they did,
even of envy and strife; not of "envy" to Christ, whom they preached, but of envy to the apostle;
they envied his gifts, his usefulness and success in the ministry; and he being now in bonds, they
thought it a proper opportunity to exert themselves, and set up preaching Christ as he had done,
in the clearest manner; hoping they should meet with the same success, and gain great honour
and applause in the church, and even be able to transfer to themselves that glory which belonged
to the apostle: as for their "strife" and "contention", of which they also preached Christ; it was
not with other faithful ministers of the word, about the doctrines of the Gospel; for in these they
were agreed with them, at least, in appearance and profession, and in their ministry ever did they
raise strifes and contentions about words, from which comes envying among the brethren; for
this would not have answered their ends, which were vain glory and popular applause; but they
strove and contended one with another, who should preach Christ best and clearest, or with the
apostle to get his glory and honour from him; they strove to out vie one another, and particularly
him in preaching Christ: but there were others of the brethren who were truly such, who
preached Christ as well as they, and upon better principles, and with better views,
and some also of good will; or "willingly" and "freely", as the Arabic version renders it; without
any selfish end or sinister view of vain glory; not moved unto it by envy or ambition; not doing it
in a contentious manner, and with an ill design; but of pure "good will" to the Gospel, having a
real liking of it, an hearty love for it, a sincere desire to spread it, and promote the interest of a
Redeemer, and the good of souls by it; having in a spiritual and experimental manner felt the
power, and tasted the sweetness of it themselves: and so were inwardly affected and truly
disposed to preach it, clear of all external motives and ambitious views; and as having a good
will to the apostle himself, whose heart they knew was in the Gospel, though he was now
hindered from the ministry of it; and therefore to the best of their abilities were desirous of
supplying his place without the least injury to his character.
Geneva Study BibleSome indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good
will:
EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT CommentaryHYPERLINK "/philippians/1-15.htm"Php 1:15. This is not indeed the
case with all, that they ἐν κυρίῳ πεποιθότες τοῖς δεσμ. μου περισσοτ. τολμ. κ.τ.λ. No, some in
Rome preach with an improper feeling and design; but some also with a good intention. (Both
parties are described in further detail in Php 1:16-17.) In either case
Christ is preached, wherein I rejoice and will rejoice (Php 1:18).
τινὲς μὲν καὶ διὰ φθόνον κ. ἔριν] These do not form a part of those described in Php 1:14
(Ambrosiaster, Erasmus, Calvin, and others, also Weiss, Hofmann, and Hinsch), for these latter
are characterized by ἐν κυρίῳ πεποιθ. τοῖς δεσμ. μου quite otherwise, and indeed in a way which
excludes the idea of envy and contention (comp. also Huther, l.c.), and appear as the majority to
which these τινές stand in contrast as exceptions; but they are the anti-Pauline party, Judaizing

16. preachers, who must have pursued their practices in Rome, as in Asia and Greece, and exercised
an immoral, hostile opposition to the apostle and his gospel.[65] We have no details on the
subject, but from Romans 14 we see that there was a fruitful field on which this tendency might
find a footing and extend its influence in Rome. The idea that it refers to certain members of the
Pauline school, who nevertheless hated the apostle personally (Wiesinger, comp. Flatt), or were
envious of his high reputation, and impugned his mode of action (Weiss), is at variance with the
previous ἐν κυρίῳ, assumes a state of things which is in itself improbable, and is not required by
the utterance of Php 1:18 (see the remark after Php 1:18). See also Schneckenburger, p. 301 f.
ΚΑΊ] indicates that, whilst the majority were actuated by a good disposition (Php 1:14), an evil
motive also existed in several,—expresses, therefore, the accession of something else in other
subjects, but certainly not the accession of a subordinate co-operating motive in a portion of the
same persons designated in Php 1:14 (Hofmann).
διὰ φθόνον κ. ἔριν] on account of envy and strife, that is, for the sake of satisfying the strivings
of their jealousy in respect to my influence, and of their contentious disposition towards me.
Comp. Php 1:17. On διὰ φθόνον, comp. Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10; Plat. Rep. p. 586 D: φθόνῳ
διὰ φιλοτιμίαν.
ΤΙΝῈς ΔῈ ΚΑΊ] But some also; there also are not wanting such as, etc. Observe that the δὲ καί
joins itself with ΤΙΝΈς, whereas in ΜῈΝ ΚΑΊ previously the ΚΑΊ is attached to the following
ΔΙᾺ ΦΘΌΝΟΝ. The ΤΙΝΈς here are they who in Php 1:14 were described as ΠΛΕΊΟΝΕς, but
are now brought forward as, in contrast to the ΤΙΝῈς ΜΈΝ, the other portion of the preachers,
without any renewed reference to their preponderance in numbers, which had been already
intimated.[66]
διʼ εὐδοκίαν] on account of goodwill, that is, because they entertain a feeling of goodwill
towards me. This interpretation is demanded by the context, both in the antithesis διὰ φθόνον κ.
ἔριν, and also in Php 1:16 : ἘΞ ἈΓΆΠΗς. As to the linguistic use of ΕὐΔΟΚΊΑ in this sense
(Php 2:13), see Fritzsche, ad Rom. II. p. 372. Comp. on Romans 10:1. Others take it, contrary to
the context, as: “ex benevolentia, qua desiderant hominum salutem” (Estius, comp. already
Pelagius); or, “quod ipsi id probarent,” from conviction (Grotius, Heinrichs, and others), from
taking delight in the matter generally (Huther), or in the cause of the apostle (de Wette), or in his
preaching (Weiss).
[65] For the person to whom individually their φθόνος and ἔρις (as likewise the subsequent
εὐδοκία) had reference was self-evident to the readers, and Paul, moreover, announces it to them
in ver. 16 f. Without due reason Hinsch finds in this the mark of a later period, when the
guarding of the apostle’s personal position alone was concerned. See against this, Hilgenfeld in
his Zeitschr. 1873, p. 180 f.
[66] Van Hengel has not taken this into account, when he assumes that in τινὲς δὲ καί Paul had in
view only a portion of those designated in ver. 14. It is an objection to this idea, that what is said
subsequently in ver. 16 of the τινὲς δὲ καί completely harmonizes with that, whereby the
πλείονες generally, and not merely a portion of them, were characterized in ver. 14 (ἐν κυρ. πεπ.
τ. δεσμ.). This applies also in opposition to Hofmann, according to whom the two τινές, ver. 15

17. f., belong to the πλείονες of ver. 14, whom they divide into two classes. Hofmann’s objection to
our view, viz. that the apostle does not say that the one party preach solely out of envy and strife,
and the other solely out of goodwill, is irrelevant. He could not, indeed, have desired to say this,
and does not say it; but he could describe in general, as he has done, the ethical antitheses which
characterized the two parties. Moreover, ἔρις means everywhere in the N. T., and especially here
in its conjunction with φθόνος (comp. Romans 1:29; 1 Timothy 6:4), not rivalry—the weaker
sense assigned to it here, without a shadow of justification from the context, by Hofmann (“they
wish to outdo him”)—but strife, contention. Just as little is ἐριθεία to be reduced to the general
notion of egotism, as is done by Hofmann; see on ver. 17.
Expositor's Greek TestamentHYPERLINK "/context/philippians/1-15.htm"Php 1:15-18. THE
RESULT OF HIS MORE FAVOURABLE CIRCUMSTANCES: CHRIST PREACHED,
WHETHER OF SPITE OR GOODWILL.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. Some indeed] Here he refers to members of that
Judaistic party, or school, within the Church, which followed him with persistent opposition,
especially since the crisis (Acts 15) when a decisive victory over their main principle was
obtained by St Paul in the Church-council at Jerusalem. Their distinctive idea was that while the
Gospel was the goal of the Mosaic institutions, those institutions were to be permanently, and for
each individual convert, the fence or hedge of the Gospel. Only through personal entrance into
the covenant of circumcision could the man attain the blessings of the covenant of baptism. Such
a tenet would not necessarily preclude, in its teacher, a true belief in and proclamation of the
Person and the central Work of the true Christ, however much it might (as it did, in the course of
history) tend to a lowered and distorted view even of His Person (see further, Appendix D.). St
Paul was thus able to rejoice in the work of these preachers, so far as it was a true conveyance to
Pagan hearers at Rome of the primary Fact of the Gospel—Jesus Christ. The same Apostle who
warns the Galatian and Philippian (Php 3:2) Christians against the distinctive teaching of this
school, as a teaching pregnant with spiritual disaster, can here without inconsistency rejoice in
the thought of their undistinctive teaching among non-Christians at Rome.
For allusions to the same class of opponents see Acts 15:1-31; Acts 20:30 (perhaps), Acts 21:20-
25; and particularly the Ep. to the Galatians at large. The passages in which St Paul asserts his
authority with special emphasis, as against an implied opposition, or again asserts his
truthfulness as against implied personal charges, very probably point in the same direction.
Not that the Judaizer of the Pharisaic type was his only adversary within the Church. He had
also, very probably, to face an opposition of a “libertine” type, a distortion of his own doctrine of
free grace (Romans 6:1, &c., and below, Php 3:18-19); and again an opposition of the mystic, or
gnostic, type, in which Jewish elements of observance were blent with an alien theosophy and
angelology (see the Ep. to the Colossians). But ch. Php 3:1-9 fixes the reference here to
Christians of the type of Acts 15:1.
even of envy] A mournful paradox, but abundantly verifiable.—Render (or paraphrase) here,
some actually for envy and strife, while others as truly for goodwill.
good will] The Greek word, eudokia, in N.T. usually means “good pleasure,” in the sense of
choice of what is “good” in the chooser’s eyes. See Matthew 11:26; Luke 10:21; Ephesians 1:5;
Ephesians 1:9; below, Php 2:13. But in the few remaining passages the idea of benevolence

18. appears; Luke 2:14; Romans 10:1; and perhaps 2 Thessalonians 1:11. Both meanings appear in
the use of the word in the LXX, and in Ecclesiasticus. There it often denotes the favour of God;
Heb. râtsôn. The idea here is strictly cognate; what in a lord is the goodwill of favour is in a
servant the goodwill of loyalty.
D. EBIONITE CHRISTOLOGY. (Ch. Php 1:15)
The allusion in our note to “lowered and distorted views” of the Person of our Lord on the part of
later Judaizers more or less Christian, has regard mainly to Ebionism, a heresy first named by
Irenæus (cent. 2) but which seems to have been the direct descendant of the school which
specially opposed St Paul. It lingered on till cent. 5.
It appears to have had two phases; the Pharisaic and the Essene. As regards the doctrine of
Christ’s Person, the Pharisaic Ebionites held that Jesus was born in the ordinary course of nature,
but that at His Baptism He was “anointed by election, and became Christ” (Justin Martyr, Dial.,
c. xlix.); receiving power to fulfil His mission as Messiah, but still remaining man. He had
neither pre-existence nor Divinity. The Essene Ebionites, who were in fact Gnostics, held (at
least in many instances) that Christ was a super-angelic created Spirit, incarnate at many
successive periods in various men (for instance, in Adam), and finally in Jesus. At what point in
the existence of Jesus the Christ entered into union with Him was not defined.
See Smith’s Dict. of Christian Biography, &c., art. Ebionism.
Bengel's GnomenHYPERLINK "/philippians/1-15.htm"Php 1:15. [8] ΤΙΝῈς ΜῈΝ—ΤΙΝῈς
ΔῈ, some indeed—and some) A separation [Sejugatio; see Append.]: for two clauses are laid
down, which are afterwards more fully treated.—διʼ εὐδοκίαν) of good-will: εὐδοκία often
corresponds to the Hebrew word ‫.ןוצר‬
[8] Τὸν λόγον, the word) which, he says, I preach.—V. g.
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 15. - Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife. The Judaizing
party, whom St. Paul censures in Philippians 3:2, preached Christ, but not from pure motives.
Like the writers of the pseudo-Clementines, they envied St. Paul, and in the wicked madness of
the odium theologicum, they wished to distress St. Paul, to depreciate his preaching, and to exalt
their own. And some also of good will. The word generally means God's good pleasure, as in
Philippians 2:13, but here simply good will, benevolence towards St. Paul.
Vincent's Word StudiesEven of envy
Strange as it may seem that envy should be associated with the preaching of Christ. They are
jealous of Paul's influence.
Strife (ἔριν)
Factious partisanship.
Good will
Toward Paul.

19. PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
Philippians 1:15-17 Commentary
Philippians 1 Resources
Updated: Sat, 05/13/2017 - 17:12 By admin
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Philippians 1:15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ evenfrom envy and strife, but
some also from good will (NASB: Lockman)
Greek: TineHYPERLINK "http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5100"s
men kai dia phthonon kai erin, tineHYPERLINK
"http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5100"s de kai di' eudokian ton
Christon kerussousin (3PPAI)
Amplified: Some, it is true, [actually] preach Christ (the Messiah) [for no better reason
than] out of envy and rivalry (party spirit), but others are doing so out of a loyal spirit and
goodwill. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
ESV Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.
KJV: Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
NET Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from
goodwill.
NLT: Some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ
with pure motives.
NLT (Revised) It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others
preach about Christ with pure motives.
CSB Some, to be sure, preach Christ out of envy and strife, but others out of good will.
NIV It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
NJB It is true that some of them are preaching Christ out of malice and rivalry; but there
are many as well whose intentions are good;
Wuest: In fact, certain ones even because of envy and rivalry, but also others because of
good will are proclaiming Christ;
Young's Literal: Certain, indeed, even through envy and contention, and certain also
through good-will, do preach the Christ;
SOME TO BE SURE ARE PREACHING CHRIST EVEN FROM ENVY AND STRIFE:
Tines men kai...ton Christon kerussousin (3PPAI) kai dia phthonon kai erin :
• Php 1:16;18 Acts 5:42; 8:5 8:35; 9:20; 10:36; 11:20; 1Co 1:23; 2Co 1:19; 4:5; 1Ti 3:16
• Php 2:3; Mt 23:5; Ro 16:17; 16:18; 1 Co 3:3; 3:4; 13:3; 2Co 12:20; Gal 2:4; Jas 4:5; 6

20. • Php 1:17; 1Pe 5:2, 3, 4
PREACHING CHRIST WITH
MIXED MOTIVES
The clear application from this text for all of us in ministry (and every saint is in ministry) is to
check your motives. Why do you do what you do in ministry? Check them now for they will be
checked later!
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes
who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of
men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. (1 Cor 4:5)
Stephen Olford - These were not heretics, like those in Corinth whom Paul severely denounced;
nor were they Judaizers, like those of Galatia who preached another gospel. These were third-
rate preachers who, out of sheer jealousy and enmity, took advantage of Paul’s imprisonment to
draw attention to themselves. (Expository Preaching Outlines - Volume 2)
Ron Daniel summarizes Phil 1:15-18 - People were preaching the Gospel as a result of Paul's
imprisonment. But those people fell into two different categories. The first group were sharing
Christ with others out of good will and love. But the second group were doing it out of envy,
strife, selfish ambition, and impure motives. These people were in it for what they could get:
things like fame and notoriety, respect and honor, authority and control, money and favors. They
envied Paul's popularity, the apostle's ministry. They wanted to prove that they were just as - or
even more - effective a minister than he. The amazing thing to me is that Paul rejoiced at both
situations. Why? Because although he knew that God would judge their motives, he knew that
the Gospel was being proclaimed. I know people that have been saved through the ministries of
men that were later exposed to be false. But their impurity and insincerity did not invalidate the
true message of the gospel. It did not negate the conversion that many people experienced when
they heard of the grace of God and believed it for salvation. That's because...Heb. 4:12 "the word
of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the
division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and
intentions of the heart." The Word is alive, and when it is quoted, it accomplishes its work - to
bring faith to the hearer. Rom. 10:17 So faith {comes} from hearing, and hearing by the word of
Christ.There are evangelists who are dead or in jail from sin, those who have walked away from
the faith, but when they preached Christ, people believed. There is at least one Christian
comedian who was exposed as a fraud, but I know several who were saved because he preached
the gospel. I have seen that ministry becoming contagious among the believers in this church as
well. There has been such a neat work happening in so many people over the last year. Folks
who were once shy and timid are stepping out and witnessing to their friends, their neighbors,
their coworkers. Others are getting bold enough to invite unsaved people to church. And what is
happening is that these people are getting saved. And that breeds the excitement to share with
even more people. And just like what was happening in the early church, Acts 2:47 "the Lord
was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." (Sermon)
Some - This reflects back to Php 1:14--the brethren. "After telling the Philippians that one
result of his imprisonment was to increase the number of gospel witnesses, he speaks of the two
groups into which they were divided, and the different motives that impelled them to break their
silence, which motives were governed by their different attitudes toward Paul."

21. To be sure - This phrase emphasizes that the detractors Paul is referring to did indeed preach the
genuine gospel & were not heretics, Judaizers, Gnostics, idol worshipers, or devotees of Greek
mythology.
Are preaching (proclaiming) (2784)(kerusso from kerux/keryx = a herald - one who acts as the
medium of the authority of one who proclamation he makes; kerugma = the thing preached or
the message) means to proclaim (publicly) or to herald or act as a public crier - the town official
who would make a proclamation in a public gathering. Kerusso was used of the official whose
duty it was to proclaim loudly and extensively the coming of an earthly king, even as our gospel
is to clearly announce the coming of the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16-
note)!
The Imperial Herald would enter a town in behalf of the Emperor, and make a public
proclamation of the message which his Sovereign ordered him to give, doing so with such
formality, gravity, and authority as to emphasize that the message must be heeded! (Think about
this in regard to the Gospel of God instead of the decree of a man! cf 1Th 2:13-note). He gave
the people exactly what the Emperor bade him give, nothing more, nothing less. He did not dare
add to the message or take away from it. Should this not be the example and pattern every
preacher and teacher of the holy gospel of God seeks and strives to emulate, yea, even doing so
with fear and trembling! ("not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts" see 1Th 2:4-
note)
Christ (5547) (Christos from chrio = to anoint, rub with oil, consecrate to an office) is the
Anointed One, the Messiah, Christos being the Greek equivalent of the transliterated Hebrew
word Messiah. S
They were preaching (present tense = continually) Christ (literally "the Christ" or "the
Messiah") and not "another gospel" (Gal 1:8-note) or "another Jesus" (2Co 11:4)
In Acts we see the early church "kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as (the) Christ"
(the Messiah)." (Acts 5:42) Philip "went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming
(the) Christ (the Messiah) to them" and to the Ethiopian eunuch "Philip opened his mouth, and
beginning from this Scripture (Isa 53:7) he preached Jesus to him." (Acts 8:5, 35) Wasting no
time after his Damascus Road encounter with the Resurrected Messiah, Paul
"immediately...began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." (Acts
9:20) Paul continued to emphasize that "we preach Christ (Messiah) crucified, to Jews a
stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness," and that they did "not preach (themselves) but
Christ Jesus as Lord." (1Co 1:23; 2Co 4:5) (Click here for 15 references re "preaching Christ")
Who is my life "preaching"?
These detractors valued success, sadly not as a triumph over paganism, but as a triumph over
Paul. It would make them feel good if they could make his sufferings in prison more acute by
reason of jealousy which might arise in his heart. But their evil motives did not steal his joy, for
as long as Jesus was being proclaimed as the Messiah, Paul was content. Once again we see a
clue to the secret of Paul's joy (which the petty preachers sought to steal) and it was his steadfast
focus on Christ and the Gospel. When your eyes are fixed vertically (on Christ), the things of the
earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace!
Moule on "even from envy" - A mournful paradox, but abundantly verifiable. (Cambridge Bible
for Schools and Colleges)

22. J Vernon McGee - When I first began to study the Bible, it was unbelievable to me that the
preaching of the gospel of Christ could be done in envy and strife. But now that I've been in the
ministry for a long time -- I was ordained in 1933 -- I know that one of the things that hurts the
preaching of the gospel probably more than any other single thing is the envy and the strife. Paul
will mention envy and strife several times in this epistle. There must have been quite a few who
were preaching the gospel in that way, envious of the apostle Paul, jealous because they didn't
have the results that Paul had.One of the solutions to this problem of envy is for every Christian
to recognize that he has a gift. We do not all have the same gift. The body could not function if
we did. The problem is that some men who have one gift are envious of a man who has a
different gift. You will remember that Paul told the Corinthians that the gifts are to be exercised
in love. Every gift is to be exercised in love. My friend, if you will exercise your gift in love, you
will not envy someone else. "...Love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up"
(1Cor. 13:4). Envy says, "I don't think much of you," and pride says, "What do you think of
me?" That is the difference between envy and pride, and the believer is warned against both of
them. Paul put it very bluntly when he wrote, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and
what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if
thou hadst not received it?" (1Cor. 4:7). (Thru The Bible - Philippians 1 Commentary - Mp3's -
Thru the Bible)
Envy (5355) (phthonos) describes pain felt and malignity conceived at the sight of excellence or
happiness. It means not just wanting what another person has, but also resenting that person for
having it. It is an attitude of ill-will that leads to division and strife and even murder. When we
envy, we cannot bear to see the prosperity of others, because we ourselves feel continually
wretched.
Phthonos - 9x in 9v - Matt 27:18; Mark 15:10; Rom 1:29; Gal 5:21; Phil 1:15; 1 Tim 6:4; Titus
3:3; Jas 4:5; 1 Pet 2:1.
The English word envy is interesting as it is derived from the Latin in = against and video = to
look, “to look with ill-will,” etc., toward another, and obviously is an evil strongly condemned in
both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
To envy is to feel a grudging discontent aroused by the possessions, achievements, or qualities of
another along with the desire to have for oneself something possessed by another. To envy
another is to show spiteful malice and resentment over another’s advantage. To envy is to
possess a discontented feeling that arises in one's selfish heart in view of the superiority of
another, and being nearly tantamount to the expression of jealousy. The one who envies
possesses a malignant passion that sees in another qualities that it covets, and can even
degenerate into hatred for their possessor. When we feel envy towards others our basic desire is
to degrade them, not so much because we aspires after elevation as because we delight in
obscuring those who are more deserving. It follows that envying while seemingly just an
"innocent" sin is in fact one of the most odious and detestable of all vices.
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary on Envy -Sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements
of others, especially the spiritual enjoyment and advance of the kingdom of Christ freely and
graciously bestowed upon the people of God. Old Testament examples of the sin of jealousy
include the rivalry of Joseph's brothers over the favor that Joseph received at the hand of God
(Genesis 37:12-36; Acts 7:9 ), and Saul's animosity toward David for his physical and spiritual
prowess (1 Samuel 18 ). Envy inevitably leads to personal harm and debilitation, affecting one's
physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being (Job 5:2; Proverbs 14:30 ). Unchecked, it gradually

23. leads to a destructive and remorseful way of life (Proverbs 27:4 ), and ultimately, to
estrangement from God (Romans 1:28-32 ). Envy manifests the insidiousness of sin and human
depravity apart from the intervention of God's redeeming grace. As a sin of the flesh, envy
characterizes the lives of the unregenerate. Envy is one of the traits of the Christian's former way
of life (Romans 13:8-14; Titus 3:3 ). Those who practice envy and strife are barred from the
kingdom of heaven (Galatians 5:19-26 ). Indeed, the unregenerate nature ever tends toward envy,
manifesting the unbeliever's rejection of God, his truth, and his will for human conduct (James
3:14,16 ). (Envy - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology)
Jealousy and envy are close in meaning, but nevertheless are expressive of distinct attitudes, for
jealousy makes us fear to lose what we possess, while envy creates sorrow that others have what
we do not have. In other words, we are jealous of our own possessions, but we are envious of
another man’s possessions. Jealousy fears to lose what it has, while envy is pained at seeing
another have it!
Vine says that "envy differs from jealousy in that the former desires merely to deprive another
of what he has, whereas the latter desires as well to have the same, or a similar, thing for itself."
On this account envy is said to be “as the rottenness of the bones (Pr 14:30).
Thus Trench calls envy “the meaner sin” of the two.
Although Paul is characterizing those without Christ, believers are not immune to this sin which
especially sad in the body of Christ, where the envying party is resentful of the spiritual
accomplishments freely and graciously bestowed upon another brother or sister in Christ. Instead
we should rejoice with them, but ultimately we can only do this when we are walking by the
Spirit.
Spurgeon observes "How often, if one Christian brother does a little more than his fellow-
workers, they begin to find fault with him; and if one is blessed with greater success than others
are, how frequently that success is disparaged and spoken of slightingly! This spirit of envy is,
more or less, in us all and though, perhaps we are not exhibiting it just now, it only needs a
suitable opportunity for its display, and it would be manifested. No man here has any idea of
how bad he really is. You do not know how good the grace of God can make you, nor how bad
you are by nature, nor how bad you might become if that nature were left to itself.
Strife (2054) (eris) means contention, wrangling, quarrels. It refers to engagement in rivalry,
especially with reference to positions taken in a matter, such a belief in the meaning of a
genealogy! strife, a general term that carries the ideas of all kinds of self-centered rivalry and
contentiousness about the truth. Strife is an expression of enmity with bitter sometimes violent
conflict or dissension. It refers to persistent contention, bickering, petty disagreement, and
enmity. It reflects a spirit of antagonistic competitiveness that fights to have its own way,
regardless of cost to itself or of harm to others. It is produced by a deep desire to prevail over
others, to gain the highest prestige, prominence, and recognition possible. Strife is characterized
by self-indulgence and egoism. It has no place even for simple tolerance, much less for humility
or love.
Barclay writes that strife (eris) "is the contention which is born of envy, ambition, the desire for
prestige, and place and prominence. It comes from the heart in which there is jealousy. If a man
is cleansed of jealousy, he has gone far to being cleansed of all that arouses contention and strife.
It is God-given gift to be able to take as much pleasure in the successes of others as in one’s
own...Eris is the spirit that is born of unbridled and unholy competition. It comes from the desire

24. for place and power and prestige and the hatred of being surpassed. It is essentially the sin which
places self in the foreground and is the entire negation of Christian love...(Eris) is a word of
battles. It denotes rivalry and competition, discord about place and prestige. It is the
characteristic of the man who has forgotten that only he who humbles himself can be exalted.
(Daily Study Bible)
Eris is found 9 times in the (Ro 1:29 - note; Ro 13:13 - note; 1Cor 1:11; 3:3; 2Co 12:20; Gal
5:20; Php 1:15 - note; 1Ti 6:4; Titus 3:9) and not in the Septuagint (LXX).
Eris describes the discord, contention, rivalry, and/or conflict which resulted when Paul’s critics
began discrediting him. Paul was simply following the example of his Master Jesus (1Pe 2:21)
Who even Pilate "knew that because of envy ...had (been) handed ...over." (Mt 27:18) It is a sad
that this kind of contention is rampant in the church today. Because people are jealous, they
focus their whole lives on trying to discredit people who occupy places of blessing, such as
evangelists, writers, pastors, teachers, and leaders of various ministries. Like Paul's detractors,
they compete with others by using slander, accusation, and criticism--anything to tear another
down.
Some preached Christ but had personal ambition whereas others had personal hostility toward
Paul.
Paul had scolded the Corinthians for persistence in similar sins writing that
"for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife (Gk = eris, wrangling,
quarreling) among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?"
(1Cor 3:3)
Puritan Thomas Manton gives some good advice when you find yourself in a situation of being
misrepresented like Paul was. He writes
"God is the most powerful asserter of our innocence. He has the hearts and tongues of
men in His own hands, and can either prevent the slanderer from uttering reproach, or the
hearer from the entertainment of the reproach. He that hath such power over the
consciences of men can clear up our innocence; therefore it is best to deal with God about
it; and prayer many times proves a better vindication than" to attempt to defend
ourselves.
How did Paul handle the false accusations? (Php 1:18-note)
Bob Deffinbaugh has some interesting thoughts on envy and strife (rivalry) in the ministry -
many Christians err in assuming that those who are in “full-time Christian ministry” cease to
have fleshly desires and motivations. I believe that those to whom Paul referred were Christian
leaders who were once threatened by Paul’s popularity and influence from a distance, but who
are now intimidated by his presence. Many Christians seem to think that this is not possible. As
one who has been involved in full-time Christian ministry for a number of years, I am here to tell
you that Christians who are “in the ministry” are just as selfish, just as jealous, and just as
manipulative as Christians who are not paid for their ministry. Indeed, some Christians in the
ministry are more jealous and power hungry than some unbelievers I know.Over the years, I
have watched young people in search of a “significant ministry.” Very often these folks look for
employment in churches, in Christian educational institutions, and in parachurch ministries. And
more often than I would wish to admit, these folks are badly disillusioned by their experience
with such ministries. Until they saw it with their own eyes, they would never have believed that

25. Christian leaders could be so jealous of others in ministry, so threatened by the success of others,
and so manipulative and vindictive. Two nationally known speakers at a Bible conference may
find it almost impossible to get along with each other, because of rivalry and competition. One
speaker may lose his credibility, not because of his speaking, but because he can’t lose on the
tennis courts or the golf course. Those of you who are in Christian ministry know that I am not
exaggerating, and that what I am saying is true. Some of the most disillusioned people I know
are those who were badly “burned” by Christian ministry, or by those in Christian ministry. Let
me be painfully blunt by using a very specific illustration. In the recent past, it became known
that Chuck Swindoll had consented to serve as the next president of Dallas Theological
Seminary. It was obvious that in order to maintain his excellent radio ministry he would have to
continue preaching on a regular basis. Finally, it was announced that Chuck Swindoll would
plant a church in the Dallas area. (To his credit, I believe that he did everything possible to avoid
sheep-stealing and doing damage to existing churches and their ministries. He chose to start a
church as far removed as possible from existing Bible churches, and in a rapidly growing suburb
as far to the north of Dallas as possible.) We would be nave to think that every pastor in the
Dallas area responded like this: “Praise God! A wonderfully gifted preacher is coming to Dallas.
What a blessing it will be to our city. How grateful to God I am that he is coming! I’m going to
pray for Chuck, for his health, for physical strength, and for many new converts through his
ministry.” I am sure that there are many noble-minded pastors in Dallas who responded this way,
but I am just as convinced that a disturbing number did not. If one is jealous of or threatened by
Chuck Swindoll’s success, it will almost never be couched in honest terms like this: “I’m jealous
of Chuck Swindoll and his success, and I regret his decision to come to Dallas. Indeed, I’m going
to do all I can to discredit him and his ministry.” Instead, it will be “pietized,” so that our jealous
criticism is camouflaged as “concern for pure doctrine,” or “contending for the faith.” We will
look for failures in his personal life, in his ministry, or in his methods. We will listen for rumors,
and accept them as true. And when we hear of anything negative, we will be sure to let others
know, “for their edification,” or as “a matter for prayer,” of course. I have to say that as I look
back over my own ministry, I wonder how much of my criticism of other men and of other
ministries was motivated (at least in part) by my own jealousy and ambition. I wonder how many
church splits and how many doctrinal battles were really a matter of men’s egos, rather than of a
love for the truth. It’s a sobering thought, but if we believe that the heart of man “is deceitful
above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9), it should not surprise us.....Surely
some of those who had established themselves as leaders in the church at Rome were threatened
by Paul’s announcement that he was planning on coming to Rome. If these men were those who
first preached the gospel in Rome, and also the ones who founded the church in Rome, then they
would have been tempted to feel that they “owned” this church. They would have been tempted
to look on Paul as an intruder. They knew that when he came, many of the Roman saints would
seek his counsel and would ask his opinion on matters of importance. These were some of the
very ones who used to rely heavily on the advice and counsel of the church’s founding fathers. It
would take great humility for them to welcome Paul and to be willing to step aside from their
dominant role, at least for the time that Paul was in Rome. And now, to add insult to injury, Paul
was a “jail bird.” .... He could not attend their church services nor fellowship with them in their
homes. Can’t you see how those who were jealous of Paul and threatened by him could put a
“spin” on Paul’s circumstances to make Paul look bad and to make themselves look good?
“Well,” they might say with a pained expression, “I wanted to believe the best about Paul, but
now that it has come out that he is a trouble-maker, I think it is probably best for the church here

26. to keep its distance from him. We don’t want our testimony to be tainted by such a fellow.”
(Paul's Perspective on Pain and Pettiness - Phil 1:12-18)
Charles Simeon (click to read biographical sketch of Simeon if you want to see an almost
unbelievable example of standing firm in the face of fierce opposition) wrote,
"Let a pious minister arise in the Established Church (of England), and what labors (those
filled with envy & strife will use) to draw away his people: preachings, prayer-meetings,
societies, will all be formed for this very end & persons of popular talent will be brought
from a distance to further the base design"
Alexander MacLaren speaks of tolerance of the message as long as it is the Gospel Message
- It comes, then, to be a testing question for each of us, have we learned from Paul this lesson of
tolerance, which is not the result of cold indifference, but the outcome of fiery enthusiasm and of
a clear recognition of the one thing needful? Granted that there is preaching from unworthy
motives and modes of work which offend our tastes and prejudices, and that there are types of
evangelistic earnestness which have errors mixed up with them, are we inclined to say
'Nevertheless Christ is proclaimed, and therein I rejoice, Yea, and will rejoice'? Much chaff may
be blended with the seeds sown; the chaff will lie inert and the seed will grow. Such tolerance is
the very opposite of the carelessness which comes from languid indifference. The one does not
mind what a man preaches because it has no belief in any of the things preached, and to it one
thing is as good as another, and none are of any real consequence. The other proceeds from a
passionate belief that the one thing which sinful men need to hear is the great message that Christ
has lived and died for them, and therefore, it puts all else on one side and cares nothing for
jangling notes that may come in, if only above them the music of His name sounds out clear and
full. (Philippians 1:12-20 A Prisoner's Triumph)
BUT SOME ALSO FROM GOOD WILL: tines de kai di' eudokian:
but some are preaching him in good faith (Phillips)
but there are many as well whose intentions are good (NJB)
Good will (2107) (eudokía) refers to good pleasure, good intent, benevolence, a gracious
purpose. This group was kindly disposed to Paul & was composed of Gentile converts, friends of
Paul, who were encouraged to preach by the thought that it would give joy to the great apostle
whose liberty was restricted. They were sympathetic towards Paul and grateful for his ministry.
There are also people like that today--what a blessing, encouragement, and source of joy they
are! If these "Barnabas" type folks are in your life then you should give praise and thanks to God
for their lives.
Eudokia - 9x in 9v - desire(2), good pleasure(1), good will(1), kind intention(2), pleased(1),
well-pleasing(2).
Matt 11:26; Luke 2:14; 10:21; Rom 10:1; Eph 1:5, 9; Phil 1:15; 2:13; 2 Thess 1:11.
As an aside note that in these Php 1:15-18 Paul is contrasting fleshly preaching versus Spirit
filled preaching. Why do I say that? Because “envy and strife” are in the list of rotten fruit of
the flesh in Gal 5:20-21 whereas “love” (Php 1:16) is the supernatural fruit of the Spirit in Gal
5:22. So if you are experiencing envy and strife, what’s the secret of eradicating that rotten fruit
from your life and replacing it with love? Confess it as a sin and then yield to and “Walk by the
Spirit and you will not gratify the (evil) desire of the flesh.” (Gal 5:16) Notice how envy and
strife focus inward, on me, whereas love focuses outward, on others (cf Php 2:3-4).

27. Our Daily Bread: When the famous sculptor Michelangelo and the painter Raphael were
creating works of art to beautify the Vatican, a bitter spirit of rivalry rose up between them.
Whenever they met, they refused to speak to each other. Yet each was supposedly doing his
work for the glory of God. Jealousy often parades behind the facade of religious zeal. Miriam
and Aaron criticized their brother Moses for marrying an Ethiopian. But God's anger revealed
that it was actually jealousy that prompted their criticism. Out of jealousy, Saul sought to kill
David, whom God had chosen to succeed Saul as king. And when the apostle Paul was in prison,
some people were so jealous of the way God was using him that they preached Christ in order to
add to the apostle's distress.
We can overcome this harmful attitude, but first we must identify it. Jealousy believes that
someone else is getting what we deserve—whether money, popularity, wisdom, skill, or spiritual
maturity. Sec-ond, we must confess it. Call it what it is—sin. And third, we must give thanks.
The moment we see someone enjoying any advantage, we must accept it with gratitude. We can
keep jealousy in check by refusing to compare ourselves with others. As we learn to find our
satisfaction in God, His grace enables us to rejoice with those who rejoice. When we do that, we
have little room for envy. —D J De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand
Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
When we turn green with jealousy,
We are ripe for trouble.
Philippians 1:16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of
the gospel (NASB: Lockman)
Greek: oi men ex agapes, eidoteHYPERLINK
"http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1492"s (RAPMPN) hoti
eiHYPERLINK "http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1519"s apologian
tou euaggeliou keimai, (1SPMI)
Amplified: The latter [proclaim Christ] out of love, because they recognize and know
that I am [providentially] put here for the defense of the good news (the Gospel).
(Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to
my bonds:
NLT: They preach because they love me, for they know the Lord brought me here to
defend the Good News.
Phillips: These latter are preaching out of their love for me. For they know that God has
set me here in prison to defend our right to preach the Gospel
Wuest: some indeed out of a spirit of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense
of the gospel;
Young's Literal: the one, indeed, of rivalry the Christ do proclaim, not purely, supposing
to add affliction to my bonds,
THE LATTER DO IT OUT OF LOVE KNOWING THAT I AM APPOINTED FOR THE
DEFENSE OF THE GOSPEL: oi men ex agapes, eidotes (RAPMPN) hoti eis apologian tou
euaggeliou keimai, (1SPMI):

28. • Php 1:7; Ro 1:13, 14, 15, 16, 17; 1Co 9:16 17; Gal 2:7;2:8 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11, 12; 4:6, 7;
Lk 21:14; Acts 22:1; 26:1, 24; 2Ti 4:16
PAUL'S DIVINE APPOINTMENT
GOSPEL DEFENDER
Those who supported Paul did so "out of love". Those who preached Christ out of envy and
strife certainly weren't characterized by love. An essential element of any effective ministry is
love as Paul emphasized to the Corinthian church -
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a
noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries
and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have
love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender
my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing." (1Cor 13:1-3)
Out of love (ex agapes) - The motivation of these saints was a supernatural, selfless, giving love
(enabled by the Spirit) in direct contrast with the selfish motives of the petty, fleshly preachers.
The former loved Paul, while the latter were envious and sought to cause Paul distress.
Love (26)(agape) is unconditional, sacrificial love and Biblically refers to a love that God is (1
Jn 4:8,16), that God shows (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9) and that God enables in His children (see note on
fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22-note). is the love of choice, the love of serving with humility, the
highest kind of love, the noblest kind of devotion, the love of the will (intentional, a conscious
choice) and not motivated by superficial appearance, emotional attraction, or sentimental
relationship. Agape is not based on pleasant emotions or good feelings that might result from a
physical attraction or a familial bond. Agape chooses as an act of self-sacrifice to serve the
recipient. From all of the descriptions of agape love, it is clear that true agape love is a sure
mark of salvation.
Agape is Love (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9) that God enables in His children (see note on fruit of the Spirit
- Gal 5:22-note).
Guy King - posted as a sentry, is the Moffatt Commentary's interpretation of "appointed."
A lesser man would have questioned God’s way’s. - But Paul saw his chains “Divinely
Planned!”
Appointed (destined) (2749)(keimai) means literally to be in a recumbent position, to lie down,
to be laid down. The root meaning refers to lying down or reclining and came to be used of an
official appointment and sometimes of destiny. In the military keimai was used of a special
assignment, such as guard duty or defense of a strategic position - the soldier was placed (set) on
duty.
Keimai expresses the divine purpose of Paul's imprisonment. The sovereign God had brought
this about, placing Paul on duty to defend the Gospel. In his last letter Paul gives all saints a
similar charge to "suffer (command to suffer) hardship...as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Ti
2:3, 4-note).
Paul was in prison because he was destined to be there by God’s will, so as to be in a strategic
position to proclaim the Gospel.
Wiersbe comments that keimai can also mean “to canvass for office, to get people to support
you. Paul’s aim was to glorify Christ and get people to follow Him; his critics’ aim was to

29. promote themselves and win a following of their own. Instead of asking, “Have you trusted
Christ?” they asked, “Whose side are you on—ours or Paul’s?” Unfortunately, this kind of
“religious politics” is still seen today. And the people who practice it need to realize that they are
only hurting themselves."
Paul fully understood his "appointment" and that as a "good soldier of Christ Jesus" he was
"under compulsion (compelled, a necessity having been laid upon him)," going on to explain
that "woe is me if I do not preach the gospel for... I have a stewardship entrusted to me. (or as
NLT paraphrases it - 'God has chosen me and given me this sacred trust, and I have no choice'."
(1Co 9:16, 17)
Defense (627)(apologia from apo = from + logos = speech; English = apologetic) literally
means, “to talk one’s self off from". Apologia was a technical word used in the Greek law courts
and was used of an attorney who talked his client off from a charge preferred against him. In
short it refers to a speech given in defense.
Apologia - Acts 22:1; 25:16; 1 Cor 9:3; 2 Cor 7:11; Phil 1:7, 16; 2 Tim 4:16; 1 Pet 3:15. NAS =
defense(7), vindication(1).
Paul had used this same word earlier also referring to his defense of the Gospel...
For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart,
since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all
are partakers of grace with me. (Phil 1:7)
Peter uses apologia in a similar sense as used here in Philippians 1:7, 16
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to
everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness
and reverence (1 Peter 3:15)
The English word apologetics describes the branch of theology devoted to the defense of the
divine origin and authority of Christianity. Paul was a defender of the gospel and had been
sovereignly, providentially placed by God in a strategic position to make his stand -- before the
imperial government of the Roman Empire. How could he defend the gospel before the great and
fearsome emperor of Rome? First, he had to understand that he was not defending himself but
the gospel and secondly that he could not do it in his own strength.
As Jesus instructed His disciples
make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves for I will give you
utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. (Lk
21:14, 15)
If God is for us, who is against us" for "in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer
through Him who loved us. (Ro 8:31-note, Ro 8:37-note)
Philippians 1:17 (but) the former proclaim Christ out of selfishambition rather than from
pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. (NASB: Lockman)
Greek: hoi de ex eritheias ton ChHYPERLINK
"http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5547"riston kataggellousin,
(3PPAI) ouHYPERLINK "http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=3756"ch
hagnos oiomenoi (PMPMPN) thlipsin egeirein (PAN) toiHYPERLINK

30. "http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=3588"s desmoiHYPERLINK
"http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1199"s mou.
Amplified: But the former preach Christ out of a party spirit, insincerely [out of no pure
motive, but thinking to annoy me], supposing they are making my bondage more bitter
and my chains more galling. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
ASV: but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction
for me in my bonds. (This translation corresponds to the Greek text above)
KJV: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
NIV: The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they
can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
NLT: Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach
with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me.
(NLT - Tyndale House)
Wuest: but others out of a partisan self-seeking spirit are announcing Christ, not with
pure unmixed motives, but insincerely, thinking to make my chain gall me
Young's Literal: and the other out of love, having known that for defence of the good
news I am set: (This & the KJV translations are from the Greek Textus Receptus
accounting for the differences)
THE FORMER PROCLAIM CHRIST OUT OF SELFISH AMBITION RATHER THAN
FROM PURE MOTIVES: hoi de ex eritheias ton Christon kataggellousin, (3PPAI) ouch
hagnos :
• 2 Co 2:17
"but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely" (ASV),
"But those are preaching Christ in a spirit of competition" (BBE)
"but those out of contention, announce the Christ, not purely" (Darby)
"There are others who are proclaiming Christ out of jealousy, not in sincerity" (NJB)
"the former proclaim Christ out of partisanship, not sincerely" (RSV),
"But others preach about Christ because they are selfish. Their reason for preaching is
wrong." (ICB)
"The motive of the former is questionable - they preach in a partisan spirit" (Phillips)
The former - The petty, fleshy preachers.
Proclaim (2605) (kataggello) was used in secular Greek in honor of the emperors as the
proclamation of imperial rule & meaning especially to announce or declare publicly, as in 1Co
11:26, where partaking of the Lord’s Supper is spoken of as a proclamation of His death until He
comes again. Paul later wrote that the faith of the Roman saints was being openly & publicly
declared (Ro 1:8 same verb kataggello cf uses in 1Co 2:1,1 Co 9:14, Col 1:28)
Christ (5547)(Christos from chrio = to rub or anoint, consecrate to an office) means one who
has been anointed, symbolizing appointment to a task. The majority of the NT uses refer to Jesus
(exceptions = "false Christs" - Mt 24:24, Mk 13:22).

31. Out of selfish ambition (ex eritheias) - Direct contrast with "out of love." (Php 1:16). Selfish
versus selfless! Fleshly versus Spirit enabled!
Deffinbaugh - Redeemed men, even those who powerfully preach the gospel, are never
completely free from fleshly and impure motivations. No one really wants to admit that when a
classmate from seminary publishes a book that is widely acclaimed and becomes a best seller, he
feels envious of his brother’s success. He should rejoice in his brother’s victory as his own,
because both are members of Christ’s body, the church. But instead, there is—at least for a
fraction of a moment—a jealous thought. (Paul's Perspective on Pain and Pettiness - Phil 1:12-
18)
Selfish ambition (2052) (eritheia) originally meant to work for hire but came to be applied in a
negative sense toward those who sought solely to benefit themselves--to advance themselves by
acquiring wealth and prestige. It was often used of those who promote themselves in the course
of running for government office. It was also used of the ruthlessly ambitious--those who sought
to elevate themselves at all costs. Paul's imprisonment provided the perfect opportunity for such
types to enhance their personal prestige and lessen his (or so they thought). Paul’s detractors
used his incarceration as an opportunity to promote their own prestige possibly by accusing Paul
of being so sinful the Lord had chastened or disciplined him by this imprisonment. In contrast to
the love that characterized Paul's supporters, his detractors were motivated by selfish ambition--
the most wicked of all motives. They were far removed from the principles of Php 2:3:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one
another as more important than yourselves
The Philippians were not to behave like Paul's detractors in Rome. While the message of Paul's
detractors was right, their motive was wrong. Selfishness comes in many forms. Peter warned
against seeking after sordid gain (1Pe 5:2) and dominating others (1Pe 5:3). The apostle John
spoke against seeking to be first (3Jn 1:9). Selfishness can show itself in any of those ways.
Rather than pure motives - "from mixed motives." What they said was doctrinally "pure" but
the heart from which their message came was "impure" in regard to why they proclaimed Christ.
Their motives were not free from admixture of evil.
Pure motives (53) (hagnos) means means freedom from defilements or impurities. So not with
pure motives means their motives were mixed and impure, with duplicity. This group
proclaimed Christ with but had underlying selfish motives. The preached with "dissimulation"
which means they hid their motives under a false appearance. Do we everdo this among the
brethren?
The clear application from this text for all of us in ministry (and every saint is in ministry) is to
Check your motives. Here's a short "checklist" you might pray through:
• Why do you do what you do in ministry?
• Am I constantly comparing myself with others in ministry?
• Do I rejoice when my friends succeed or do I grow jealous and competitive?
• Do I resent it when others in ministry are praised?
• Does it disturb me when others are praised, promoted, and more recognized then I am?
• What is my response to those who try to tear me down in order to build themselves up?

32. Notice in that list, the questions deal with "will I respond enabled by a fleshly mindset" (Gal
5:19-20, especially "enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions") or "will I respond enabled by the Spirit" like Paul (Gal 5:22-23)? Paul shows us that
the way to overcome your spirit of envy and rivalry and even desire to afflict another person in
ministry is by practicing the "J.O.Y." (Jesus first...) RULE like Paul - He focused on Jesus, His
Gospel and His glory. We need to practice the words of that great old Hymn - Turn your eyes
upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In
the light of His glory and grace. Amen? Amen!
THINKING TO CAUSE ME DISTRESS IN MY IMPRISONMENT: hoiomenoi
(PMPMPN) thlipsin egeirein (PAN) tois desmois mou:.
To make my chains gall me (Lightfoot)
supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. (NIV)
thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds (ASV)
but with the purpose of giving me pain in my prison (BBE)
supposing to arouse tribulation for my bonds (Darby)
meaning to add to the weight of my chains (NJB)
intending to make my chains more painful to me. (NLT)
hoping to make my chains even more galling than they would otherwise be (Phillips)
intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. (NRSV)
They want to make trouble for me in prison. (ICB)
thinking to make my chain gall me (Wuest)
in order to stir up trouble for me while I'm in prison. (GWT)
supposing they are making my bondage more bitter and my chains more galling (Amp)
Thinking (Hoiomai) according to BDAG means "to consider something to be true but with a
component of tentativeness." The present tense emphasizes that these pesky preachers were
continually intending to make Paul's situation more distressing. The NLT paraphrase is vivid -
"to make my chains more painful to me!"
Cause (1453)(egeiro) means to "raise up" and is a vivid metaphor of the detractors thinking they
could "raise up affliction" with their desired goal being "to annoy the apostle by seeking to
achieve success in gospel work in a spirit of rivalry against him, glorying in the fact that he was
in chains." (Vine) Vincent says egeiro in this verse conveys the sense of "to waken or stir up
affliction." He was under affliction in handcuffs and they sought in some way to make his
"bonds press more heavily and gall him."
John MacArthur address how he is caused distress by others with impure motives declaring
that the aspect of ministry that "most distresses (him) is being falsely accused by fellow
preachers of the Gospel. For whatever reason, there are men who seem to desire to discredit the
ministry of others. As a result they falsely accuse other ministers, not because those they attack
are unbelievers, but simply to discredit them....The pain runs deep when preachers of the Gospel
slander, malign, misrepresent, criticize, accuse, oppose, or belittle your ministry."

33. StevenCole has a similar comment - I have found over the years that the most stinging criticism
comes from fellow believers, not from the world. You expect the world to be hostile, but you
also expect Christians to be on your side. Yet I have encountered the most hostility from those in
the church, not from those outside. The Greek word translated “selfish ambition” was used of
politicians building a personal following. Many in the church play politics to build a following.
But it’s not the way of self-denial and living for Christ. (Sermon)
Distress (2347) (thlipsis) means tribulation (distress or suffering resulting from oppression or
persecution), trouble, affliction and is derived from thlíbo which means to crush, press,
compress, squeeze, which in turn is from thláo meaning to break. It is interesting to note the
etymology of our English "tribulation" derives from the Latin tribulum which was the drag
used in threshing grain, separating the wheat and the chaff. Is that not the eternal purpose of
trials God allows in to our life? (Jas 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5) When Paul was "crushed" or "pressed",
what came out of him was what continually filled him, the fruit of the Spirit of Christ, especially
JOY in this letter! This begs the question "What comes out of me when I am squeezed out of my
comfort zone?"
Thus we see the vivid picture of what Paul's detractors desired to do to him! And surely the
malicious behavior of these envious detractors added to the physical chaffing of the shackles. Far
from exalting Christ, protecting the church, evangelizing the lost, or defending the Word of God,
their goal was to irritate Paul. Paul's words serve as a warning to us and we should not to be
surprised by similar impious malicious behavior in the church today. If it happened to Paul, it
will happen to all who "retain the standard of sound words" (2 Ti 1:13).
Many times the NT warns against envy, strife, selfish ambition, and impure motives (Php 2:3;1
Co 3:3 3:4; 13:3; 2Co 12:20; Gal 2:4; Jas 4:5 4:6) which are to be assiduously avoided now as
much as they ought to have been then.
Tony Merida give us an excellent, practical summary of this section - The envious evangelists
are filled with “envy and strife.” The empathetic evangelists preach out of “good will.” The
former preach Christ out of “rivalry,” while the latter preach out of “love.” The envious
evangelists look at Paul’s imprisonment as an occasion to tear him down, to stir up trouble, and
to elevate their ministries over Paul’s. The empathetic evangelists care about Paul. They
understand that Paul is in prison by God’s sovereign will and not as a result of any disobedience
or unfaithfulness. They serve out of goodwill toward Paul. They seek to continue his mission. So
we have two groups of ministers with different motives. These ministers with bad motives seem
to be believers, and so we shouldn’t think that we can’t fall into these same sins ourselves. Let’s
consider four applications for our ministries here. Beware of jealousy and envy in ministry.
While every Christian will be tempted with these sins (Ro 1:29; Gal 5:20-21), they are
particularly active in the passions of ministers. Be alert to the presence of such temptations. Ask
yourself, Am I constantly comparing myself with others in ministry? Do I rejoice when my
friends succeed, or do I grow jealous? Do I resent it when others are praised? Paul was uniquely
gifted and used by God. Instead of rejoicing in Paul’s ministry, the envious evangelists resented
him and couldn’t rejoice in the Savior’s work through him. Sadly, that sounds very familiar to
our day. If Satan can’t corrupt your heart with a love of money or with sexual sin, he may try this
tactic: envy and rivalry. Consider a story from the fourth century on the sin of envy. Some
inexperienced demons were finding it difficult to afflict a godly hermit. They lured him with
various temptations, but the man kept denying their allurements. The demons reported their
problem to Satan. The evil one told them that they had been far too hard on the man. He

34. suggested a more effective strategy: “Send him a message that his brother has just been made
bishop of Antioch. Bring him good news.” The demons used the Devil’s scheme, reporting “the
wonderful news” to the pious hermit. On hearing this message, the godly hermit fell into deep,
wicked jealousy (Kent and Barbara Hughes, Liberating Ministry, 100).
Does it bother you when others are praised, promoted, and more recognized then you? What
about if they try to tear you down in order to build themselves up? Despite the fact that wrongly
motivated preachers were using Paul’s imprisonment as a means of tearing him down, Paul
humbly said, “Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice” (Php 1:18). The way you overcome
your wicked jealousy is by caring more for Jesus’ glory than your own. Let the glory of Christ be
your chief concern.
Beware of the temptation to promote yourself in ministry. Paul says that some were guilty of
“rivalry” (Php 1:17) or “selfish ambition” (ESV, NASB). They wanted to be recognized and
made much of by others. Serving Jesus out of rivalry is warped motivation. Yet, it’s sadly
present today. Hanson notes, “Readers of Paul will observe that envy and rivalry are too often
characteristics of preachers of Christ in our competitive churches” (Letter, 72). How sad it is to
compete with others who are actually on the same team! How sad it is when we serve with
selfish ambition while the heart of our message is about a Savior who emptied Himself for
sinners. Avoid the sin of rivalry by caring for the glory of Jesus more than your own. Make it
your ambition to make Christ known, not yourself (2 Cor 4:5).
Don’t be surprised if others envy you. While you will never be the mighty apostle Paul, the Lord
may grant you unexpected influence. That influence would inevitably serve as an occasion for
others to grow jealous of you. Because of their jealousy, they might do a number of things. They
might criticize you unfairly. They might disassociate with you. They might speak against you.
They might disrespect you. You may think this will never happen to you, but you should think
again. What should you do then? You should follow Paul. He doesn’t try to defend himself. He
doesn’t really get wrapped up in it all. He knows God will ultimately judge the hearts and
ministries of people. So he simply stays focused on proclaiming Christ, and he puts the gospel
first. You can’t control what others think of you; all you can do is finish your race with
faithfulness.
Pray for God to give you the grace to minister out of love for Him and others. Paul recognizes
that the message is more important than the motives, but he is clearly in favor of serving with
good motives. Serve out of love and goodwill. The book of Philippians is filled with exhortations
to loving, humble service that puts the needs of others ahead of our own. Why do you serve
Jesus? Is it because you love Him and others? I don’t want to be an envious evangelist; I want to
be a goodwill gospel proclaimer. This will happen as we care more about Jesus’ glory than our
own, which Paul highlights in the next verse. (Christ-Centered Exposition – Exalting Jesus in
Philippians)
THE FURTHERANCE
OF THE GOSPEL
Phil. 1:12-18
F B Meyer
Man's Purpose and God's Power.
In Psalm 75, breathing courage and confidence, which exalts the mighty Sovereign of all and
magnifies His mighty power, the Psalmist tells us that the wrath of man shall be made to praise

35. God. The wicked may plot against God, seeking to injure His servants and obstruct the progress
of His truth, and within certain limits they may appear to succeed; but when they expect to reap
the harvest of their evil machinations, they suddenly find themselves put to the worse, and God
takes all that they had meant for the suppression of the Gospel, to promote its progress and
triumph. There are few instances establishing this fact more striking than the story of the
Apostle, for the misfortunes which befell his human life, and the difficulties over which he was
compelled to make progress, were used by God to promote the highest interests of that very
Gospel which was so dear to his heart, and for which he suffered so much.
St. Paul's yearning for Rome.
How eagerly he set his heart upon reaching Rome! In the Epistle to the Roman Christians, he
tells them that he hopes presently that he may see Rome, not only that he may comfort them and
be comforted by them, but because Rome was the metropolis of the world. From the golden
mile-stone that stood in the Forum the mighty roads emanated to the far East and West. What
Jerusalem was during the one week of the Passover, Rome was always. The statesmen who filled
her Senate would be commissioned to all parts of the known world as consuls and praetors; the
soldiers who gathered in her barracks might be despatched to the far Euphrates on the one hand,
or the white cliffs of Britain on the other. To reach Rome seemed like standing in some
telephonic centre, from which a whisper would reverberate to the ends of the world.
The Apostle Paul was a great strategist.
He knew the value of cities; they were the head of waters, into which if seed were dropped the
current would carry it everywhere. Therefore, as he had spoken in Jerusalem, the heart of
Palestine; at Antioch, the heart of Syria; at Ephesus, the heart of Asia Minor; and at Athens, the
heart of Greece, he was desirous of preaching at Rome also, the heart of the empire of the world.
No doubt he expected to get there as to other places, paying his own passage, going freely, and
being welcomed by the little Churches of the saints, which were beginning to shed their light
amid the surrounding gloom. But it was not thus that Paul accomplished his life-purpose. He
came to Rome a prisoner, his passage paid as a convict by the Roman Government; and the
hatred of his enemies was the breath of the Almighty that wafted him to his chosen destination.
Thus, constantly, God allows men to rage madly against His Gospel up to a certain point, which
may cause annoyance, inconvenience, and pain, but there is always a "thus far and no further,"
and the Gospel proceeds upon the very lines which God from all eternity had determined.
This wonderful truth, which is capable of almost endless application, meets with three very
remarkable illustrations in this paragraph.
Paul's Imprisonment in its Effect upon the Soldiers.
"My bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest"
(Phil. 1:13). It would be better translated--to the whole circle of the imperial lifeguards. We are
all familiar with the fact that the Apostle was chained to a Roman soldier during the entire term
of his two years' imprisonment, the soldier being changed every six hours. What an exquisite
torture this must have been to a sensitive nature like his! Bad enough never to be alone, but still
worse to have to spend the long hours always in company with a man chosen from the Roman
guard.
In the Epistles of Ignatius, the good bishop of Antioch, who was entrusted to such guards to
bring him from his see at Antioch to be thrown to the wild beasts, describes himself as fighting

36. day and night with ten leopards, who, the more kindness was shown them, waxed worse and
worse. Though we may well imagine that some of the soldiers chained to the Apostle may have
been quiet and wistful men, eager to know the truth, yet, quite as likely, others would fill the
room with ribald songs and jokes, and turn into blasphemous ridicule the words they heard the
Apostle speak to those who came to visit him.
At times the hired room would be thronged with people, to whom the Apostle spoke words of
life; and after they withdrew the sentry would sit beside him, filled with many questionings as to
the meaning of the words which this strange prisoner spoke. At other times, when all had gone,
and especially at night, when the moonlight shone on the distant slopes of Soracte, soldier and
Apostle would be left to talk, and in those dark, lonely hours the Apostle would tell soldier after
soldier the story of his own proud career in early life, of his opposition to Christ, and his ultimate
conversion, and would make it clear that he was there as a prisoner, not for any crime, not
because he had raised rebellion or revolt, but because he believed that He whom the Roman
soldiers had crucified, under Pilate, was the Son of God and the Saviour of men. As these tidings
spread, and the soldiers talked them over with one another, the whole guard would become
influenced in sympathy with the meek and gentle Apostle, who always showed himself so kindly
to the men as they shared, however involuntarily, his imprisonment.
The Witness of the Consistent Life.
How absolutely consistent the Apostle must have been! If there had been the least divergence,
day or night, from the high standard which he upheld, his soldier-companion would have caught
at it, and passed it on to others. The fact that so many became earnest Christians, and that the
Word of Jesus was known far and wide throughout the praetorian guard, indicates how
absolutely consistent the Apostle's life was. Do you not see how this applies to your own life?
You may be bound to unsympathetic companions, as the Apostle to his soldier, as Ignatius to his
ten leopards, or as Nicholas Ridley, afterwards Bishop and martyr, to the bigoted Roman
Catholic Mayor of Oxford; but by your meek consistency and purity of life you may win these
for God, and what might therefore have appeared an obstacle to your growth in grace, and to the
progress of the Gospel, may turn out just the opposite. See to it that you so live and speak that it
may be so.
The Imprisonment: its Effect upon the Brethren.
"Most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold
to speak the word of God without fear" (Phil. 1:14). That is, courage was supplied them by the
striking example of this noble man. Many who realised that, notwithstanding his chains and
bonds, he was as enthusiastic in spreading the Gospel as he had been when his life was at his
own disposal, and that, in spite of every difficulty and obstacle, he was still doing so much for
the Gospel he loved, were rebuked for their lack of zeal and said: "If the Apostle is so strong and
brave and energetic, when there is every reason for him to slacken and mitigate his energy, how
much more reason there is for us, who have unrestrained liberty of action, to be unceasing in our
endeavours for that Gospel for which he suffers."
The man who works for Christ when everything is against him stirs those up who have no such
difficulties; just as he who makes confession for truth and righteousness, when there are many
reasons for him to hush his voice, incites others to break forth in confession of Jesus Christ. They
who dare to speak for God, even to death, are the means of stirring others to heroic defence of
the Gospel. Think, for instance, of one of the greatest men that ever lived in England--a man

37. whose name is almost forgotten now, but who is immortally associated with the cadence and
splendid diction of the Bible--William Tyndale. It was his avowed purpose that every plough-
boy in England should be able to know as much of the Bible as the priests. To accomplish this he
appealed to the Bishop of London, but received no sympathy, and sorrowfully discovered that
England could not hold the translator of the Bible. He was compelled to flee from England to
Hamburg, from Hamburg to Cologne, from Cologne to Worms, and finally to Antwerp, where he
was executed as a martyr; but not before he had put his imprimatur upon the magnificent English
of the Bible, and had invested the Scriptures with priceless interest for the minds and hearts of
those who had watched his noble life, his beneficent career, and his bloody death, so that out of
his ashes there sprang a hundred, nay, a thousand men, to scatter the Bible for which he died.
A Call to You.
This may also be the case with you who are called to suffer for the Gospel. It may seem as if
your voice were being hushed in blood and tears; but others are being made bold. Many a young
man in that worldly society or godless counting-house is saying "If he dares to stand for God, I
too will be a hero"; so that the very effect of your example is to stimulate weaker ones to become
confessors and martyrs for Jesus Christ. Has not this been the result of the wholesale martyrdoms
of Chinese missionaries and converts?
The Imprisonment: its Effect upon the Opponents of Evangelical Truth.
"Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife, and some also of goodwill." "What then?
Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein I
rejoice, yea, and will rejoice" (Phil. 1:1-18). There were two parties in Rome. The one loved Paul
enthusiastically, and accepted his teaching; the other, though professedly Christian, held by the
Temple, the Pharisees, and the old restrictions of Judaism. They avowed Christ, but often looked
backward to the Old Covenant and tried to weave the two together. Paul's coming aroused these
to more earnestness in promoting their own views of Christianity, but he said: "It does not
matter, if Christ is preached; they do not love me, they do not come to me for help, they are
doing all they can to make my life difficult; but nevertheless, if my Lord Jesus Christ is being
preached, I am more than thankful." Perhaps that explains why God has permitted the various
denominations to divide England between them. Perhaps it is better that it should be so, because
one stirs up the other. It may be that the efforts of the Nonconformists stir to more activity the
members of the Church of England, and vice versa. In any case the various doctrines of
Christianity are more likely to be strongly enforced and maintained, when they underlie the very
existence of a body of Christians, than if they were held in common by all.
All through the history of the world God has taken what seemed to be a hindrance and obstacle,
and, if only His servants were patient and true to Him, has converted it into a pulpit from which
they could better promulgate the truth. Remember how Nebuchadnezzar harried the Jews. It
seemed as if the holy city was never again to wield an influence for good over the world; but the
chosen people were scattered with their Scriptures throughout the world, and the world of God
was magnified much more than it could have been by their concentration in their own city. The
devil stirred up the Jews to murder Christ, but the grain of wheat which fell into the ground to
die, no more abode alone, but has covered the world with the harvests of rich grain. The
Emperors persecuted the early Church, but only drove the disciples everywhere preaching the
Word. King Charles chased the Puritans out of England, but they landed on Plymouth Rock, and
founded the great Christian commonwealth across the Atlantic. Out of the awful Civil War the

38. conditions arose that made it possible for Abraham Lincoln to free the slave, and again the wrath
of man turned out to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Careless seems the great Avenger,
History's pages but record
One death-grapple, in the darkness,
'Twixt old systems and the Word.
Truth for ever on the scaffold,
Wrong for ever on the throne;
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
Keeping watch upon His own."
So it May be with us. So it will be in our life. Let us begin to rejoice at difficulties, to rejoice
when Satan rages. The power which is used against us, God will convert for our good; only let us
always cherish the eager expectation and hope that Christ may be magnified in our body,
whether by life or by death, whether by joy or by shame, whether by good fortune or by
misfortune, whether by success or by failure. Christ, Christ, Christ, the Blessed Christ--not the
Bible alone, not the creed alone, not doctrine alone, but Christ, Christ, Christ, always Christ
manifested in our body, whether it be by life or by death.
Is Christ dear to you? Do you live for Him? Is the one passion and aim and purpose of your
nature to glorify Him? Can you say: To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain? Oh, let us
from today begin to live for this!
And if you are discouraged and disheartened, be of good cheer. When you are devoted to Christ,
your very bonds will become electric chains through which the pulsation's of energy shall go to
others, and your very troubles will be pulpits from which you shall preach the unsearchable
riches of Christ.
Storms cannot shipwreck the Gospel; they waft it forward. Its foes contrive ingenious devices to
obstruct it, but they awake to discover that all they had done to hinder is used to help. The lines
of rail and the rolling stock which the enemy elaborated for incursions of hostile intent, are found
to be simply invaluable to bear forward the precious message of the Gospel they would
overthrow. It will be found, doubtless, at the end of all things, that the beneficent purposes of
God have not been hindered one whit, but promoted and fostered, by all that has been done to
frustrate them. This is the mystery of God's providence---that, so far from being set aside by evil,
evil helps by furnishing the material on which the fire of the Gospel feeds, and flames to the
furthest limits of God's universe. (F. B. Meyer. The Epistle to the Philippians)
Charles Simeon Philippians 1:17 Decision of Character Recommended
BARCLAY

39. THE ALL-IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION (Philippians 1:15-18)
1:15-18 Some in their preaching of Christ are actuated by envy and strife; some by goodwill.
The one preach from love, because they know that I am lying here for the defence of the gospel;
the other proclaim Christ for their own partisan purposes, not with pure motives, but thinking to
make my bonds gall me all the more. What then? The only result is that in every way, whether as
a cloak for other purposes, or whether in truth, Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice--yes,
and I will rejoice.
Here indeed the great heart of Paul is speaking. His imprisonment has been an incentive to
preaching. That incentive worked in two ways. There were those who loved him; and, when they
saw him lying in prison, they redoubled their efforts to spread the gospel, so that it would lose
nothing because of Paul's imprisonment. They knew that the best way to delight his heart was to
see that the work did not suffer because of his unavoidable absence. But others were moved by
what Paul calls eritheia (Greek #2052) and preached for their own partisan motives. Eritheia
(Greek #2052) is an interesting word. Originally it simply meant working for pay. But the man
who works solely for pay works from a low motive. He is out solely to benefit himself. The
word, therefore, came to describe a careerist, out for office to magnify himself; and so it came to
be connected with politics and to mean canvassing for office. It came to describe self-seeking
and selfish ambition, which was out to advance itself and did not care to what methods it stooped
to attain its ends. So there were those who preached the harder now that Paul was in prison, for
his imprisonment seemed to present them with a heaven-sent opportunity to advance their own
influence and prestige and lessen his.
There is a lesson for us here. Paul knew nothing of personal jealousy or of personal resentment.
So long as Jesus Christ was preached, he did not care who received the credit and the prestige.
He did not care what other preachers said about him, or how unfriendly they were to him, or how
contemptuous they were of him, or how they tried to steal a march upon him. All that mattered
was that Christ was preached. All too often we resent it when someone else gains a prominence
or a credit which we do not. All too often we regard a man as an enemy because he has
expressed some criticism of us or of our methods. All too often we think a man can do no good
because he does not do things in our way. All too often the intellectuals have no truck with the
evangelicals, and the evangelicals impugn the faith of the intellectuals. All too often those who
believe in the evangelism of education have no use for the evangelism of decision, and those
who practise the evangelism of decision have no use for those who feel that some other approach
will have more lasting effects. Paul is the great example. He lifted the matter beyond all
personalities; all that mattered was that Christ was preached.
CommittedtoPromoting the Gospel Philippians 1:12-18

40. As one reads the opening verses of this letter, it is not immediately evidentthat
Paul was bound in prison. His joy and positive attitude conceal the difficultieshe
faced daily. Althoughhe was not free tomove about withinsociety, Paul
determinedtocontinue serving the Lord. He knewthat physical limitations did
not prevent himfrom being effective inministry. Evenwhile inbonds, he
determinedtoadvance the Gospel by every means available. He refusedto
accept defeat.
While we are not physically boundtoday, we oftenallow circumstances to
hinder our service andwitness for the Lord. It is easy to get discouragedandfeel
as if we are no longer effective insharing the Gospel. We tendtodevelopa
mindset that dictates our areaof service, andif that particular areais no longer
available, we assume we can no longer be effective inservice. The churchneeds
those withthe desire andcommitment of Paul, those who will seek tobe used
of the Lord regardless of present circumstances. There is always anopportunity
to be used of the Lord, regardless of our present environment or situation.
As we discuss the affirmations of Paul withinthe text, I want to consider the
challenging thought:CommittedtoPromoting the Gospel.
I. The PerspectiveinSuffering (12-13) –Paul encouragedthe Philippianbelievers
to always maintain a proper perspectivewhile serving the Lord. Things were not
always as they appeared. Consider:
A. The Recognition(12a) – But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the
things whichhappened untome have fallenout rather untothe furtherance of

41. the gospel. Apparently some inPhilippi had questionedGod’s faithfulness to
Paul and were having a hard time understanding why he was forcedtosuffer
being imprisoned. He wantedto explainhis situationandhelpthem understand
the work of God that was taking place eventhough he was imprisoned. While it
seemeddesperateonthe surface, Godwas using Paul’s bonds to advance the
Gospel. He wantedthem tolive by faith insteadof allowing doubt and fear to
direct their lives. Paul was actively living out the truths he taught in Romans
8:28.
B. The Results (12b) –But I would ye shouldunderstand, brethren, that the
things whichhappened untome have fallenout rather untothe furtherance of
the gospel. While it appearedthat Paul had beenremovedfrom active service
and was no longer effectiveinglobal ministry, just the opposite was true. The
bonds Paul sufferedhadactually “turnedout” to further the Gospel.
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 We only have the ability tosee our current situation. We oftenjudge our
circumstances onpersonal feelingsor immediate results. We lack the ability to
see the big picture, fully comprehending what God is doing and how He is
working in the midst of our situation. While things look desperate andgloomy
from our perspective, Godcan, and does, take our situations andwork themout
for our good and His glory. The trial youface today is not enjoyable, but God is
sovereignly working inyour life according toHis divine plan. Your perseverance
in this trial may actually leadto the salvationor renewal of others!

42. C. The Reach(13) – So that my bonds in Christ are manifest inall the palace, and
in all other places. Paul’s bonds had become an effective means of
communicating the Gospel withinCaesar’s palace inRome, and they had
resultedinthe Gospel being sharedthroughout the world. He was reaching
those withinthe palace of the most powerful man on earthand God was using
the bonds of Paul to take the Gospel to the world. His imprisonment had
advanced the Gospel, rather thanhindering it.
 Again, we have no way of knowing where or how God will use our current
situationtoadvance the Gospel. If we will remainfaithful, regardless of
circumstances, Godwill use our lives for His glory and the advancement of the
Kingdom.
II. The ProgressionthroughSuffering (14-18a) –Here Paul shares withthe
church how his bonds had actually causedthe Gospel tospread. He speaks of:
A. The Boldness Encouraged(14) – Andmany of the brethreninthe Lord,
waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without
fear. The believers still livedina worldthat rejectedthe Gospel. Persecution
and adversity remainedprevalent, but Paul’s courage and faithfulness tothe
Lord had encouragedothers toboldly proclaim the Gospel. His faithhad
impactedthe lives of others who felt compelledtoshare their faith, eveninthe
face of persecution.

43.  Clearly we needthose who are willing toshare their faithwithinour society.
Our environment closely resembles that of the early church, and our boldness in
the faith can have an impact on other believers. As they see us actively living
out our faithwithina hostile culture, othersare encouragedtotake a standfor
the Lord. Your faithfulness tothe Lordwill exceedany words you communicate.
As we standfor Christ, others see our faithlivedout, and they can be
encouragedtodo the same. I am sure we have beenencouragedby others who
boldly stood for Christ.
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B. The Behavior Examined(15-16) –Some indeedpreachChrist evenof envy and
strife;andsome alsoof good will: [16]The one preach Christ of contention, not
sincerely, supposing toadd afflictiontomy bonds. The bonds of Paul had
encouragedothers topreachChrist, but their motives proveddifferent thanthe
faithful. While most would viewthis negatively, Paul was pleasedthe Gospel
was being shared, regardless of motivation. As they consideredhis bonds, some
preachedout of envy – ill will, jealousy, or spite. Otherspreachedout of strife –
contention, debate, or quarrelling. Viewing Paul’s bonds, some sought topreach
out of good will. Paul reveals that those whopreachedout of contentionwere
not sincere intheir work. They literally sought toaddto Paul’s afflictionby
preaching the Gospel. Their desire was not to winsouls, but add to Paul’s
suffering.

44.  These same motivations are prevalent today as well. There are those who are
genuinely sincere intheir faithandseek toserve the Lordout of good will in an
effort toadvance the Kingdom. Some merely work among the churchout of
jealousy or spite. Others dosoin hopes of creating divisionanddisputes.
Everyone who attends the house of God and portrays a witness for the Lord
does not have pure motives. These behaviors have existedsince the churchwas
born, and they will continue until the Lord returns. We cannot allowthe faulty
motives of others hinder our faith and commitment to the Lord.
C. The Benevolence Expressed(17) –But the other of love, knowing that I am
set for the defence of the gospel. While the motives of some were lacking, Paul
knew many others preachedand servedthe Lordout of love for him and for
Christ. They were supportive of Paul and rememberedhis bonds as they prayed
for him. He knew many lovedthe Lord and genuinely caredfor him. I am
convincedPaul chose tofocus on these, rather thanthose withfaulty motives.
 It is easy to lose our focus and concentrate onthose who seemtowork against
us. We oftendevote more time to addressing andcalming the contentious than
we do fellowshipping withthose whogenuinely love us. I am well aware that
everyone is not happy withmy ministry, but I have decidedtofocus on those
who love me and are supportive of my efforts. I don’t have the time or desire to
allow the contentious todictate my life and service tothe Lord.
D. The Benefit Explained(18a) –What then? Notwithstanding, every way,
whether inpretence, or intruth, Christ is preached. Paul sums this up witha

45. great perspective. He haddeterminednot toworry about particular
motivations. Some preachedout of pretence, literally anoutwardshow that
desiredtohide their true motivations. Others preachedout of truth. Paul
declares –either way, Christ is preached. Either way the Gospel is presented. He
knew his bonds were muchgreater thanhis physical displeasure. Godwas at
work in the hearts of men. Paul didn’t care what a man’s motivations were, as
long as the Gospel was truthfully sharedwiththose whoneededtohear. He
rejoicedthat Christ was being preached, period!
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 That is the perspective we needas well. We will not agree withthe approach,
or eventhe motives of some. It may be apparent that they are doing what they
do out of pure spite, jealousy, or contention. While these motivations are not
pleasing toGod, if Christ is being shared, whoare we to judge? God can use
those whose motives are not right to advance the Gospel if He chooses. I
thought of the response Josephgave to his brothers regarding their betrayal of
him – “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”
III. The Peace withinSuffering (18b) – What then? Notwithstanding, every way,
whether inpretence, or intruth, Christ is preached;andI thereindorejoice,
yea, and will rejoice. Eveninthe midst of great adversity while inbonds, Paul
rejoicedthat Christ was being preached. His circumstancesleft muchtobe
desiredandyet Paul enjoyedpeace in the Lord. He was not able to move about
and proclaim the Gospel, but the Lord has usedhis bonds to further the Gospel.

46. Paul countedhis suffering a small price topay in order toadvance the good
news of Jesus Christ. He wouldgladly suffer if Christ was preachedand exalted.
 In our day of mega-ministriesandcelebrity pastors, we needthe attitude Paul
possessed. While our churchis not known around the world, we too can rejoice
that Christ is being preached. Eventhough we may not agree withthe approach
or methods of others, we can rejoice that the Gospel is being preachedand
people are being exposedtothe grace of God that leads to salvation. The
Kingdom work isn’t about us or our personal efforts, but about proclaiming
Christ as the crucifiedand risenLordwho atoned for our sin and grants eternal
life. We can rejoice inthe preaching of Christ Jesus, regardless of whois
heralding the good news!
Conclusion:This passage is certainly relevant for our day. The challenges we
face are increasing witheachpassing day, and yet there is reasonfor rejoicing.
The Gospel is being sharedin more places around the world than ever before.
The struggles we face give avoice to the Gospel whenthey are brought to the
attentionof society. We may have toendure difficulties, but if Jesus is being
shared, the difficultieswe face are well worthit. I pray we will maintain a
proper perspective, eveninthe midst of trials.
If you are struggling, I encourage youto bring your needs untothe Lord. Seek
Him for the helpyou need, whatever the circumstance. If youare unsaved, I
pray you will respondto the call of salvationthroughrepentance andfaith. The
Lord stands ready to save if you will respond.

47. BRIAN BILL
Making the Most of Opportunities
Philippians 1:12-18
Rev. Brian Bill
I’d like to begin with an informal survey. What do you think are the most pressing challenges
facing the local church today? Go ahead and just shout out what you think. In a recent survey of
over 1300 ministry leaders from Europe, North America and elsewhere, ten top issues emerged
(for a full report, see www.lifeway.com/top10).
10. Abortion
9. Homosexuality
8. Relevance
7. Marriage
6. Apathy
5. Doctrine/Worldview
4. Evangelism
3. Leadership
2. Discipleship
1. Prayer
In the recent issue of Leadership Journal (Spring 2005, page 9), a columnist points out that every
church has a culture, or ethos, that is not always clearly stated but is firmly felt. She writes that
the ethos at her first church was, “Don’t rock the boat.” Other common ones include:
back, if they really want to.
By the way, one of the reasons I’m so completely committed to the hiring of an Executive Pastor
is so we can do a better job living out the Great Commandment and fulfilling the Great
Commission. As we continue in our Philippians series today, it strikes me that this letter
explicitly addresses at least five of these top ten issues. Last week we looked at prayer, the
number one need of the church today. We learned that when we pray we should boldly ask for:
• Limitless Love
• Deep Discernment
• Sweet Sincerity
• Filling with Fruitfulness
• God’s Glory
Two weeks ago, we described the process of discipleship, the number two issue, pointing out that
Christians are under construction and that we will be completed on the day of Christ. This
morning, we’re going to focus on another top need: evangelism.

48. Please turn in your Bibles to Philippians 1:12-18 where we will get a sense of Paul’s ethos. By
way of background, remember that Paul is writing this letter from a prison in Rome. He wants
the Philippians to focus on four truths as they journey towards joy.
1. God’s purposes are often accomplished through our problems (12).
The believers in Philippi are eager to hear how Paul is doing. Perhaps they even skimmed
quickly through the first section of this letter just to get to the part about his personal news. It’s
striking to me that Paul does not focus on his problems; instead, he holds up God’s purposes.
Look at verse 12: “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really
served to advance the gospel.” What he really wants them to know is not his personal news but
how the gospel is spreading; he doesn’t want to talk about how he’s doing but rather how the
gospel is doing. Paul introduces what he’s going to say with some pretty strong words because
he doesn’t want them to miss the truth that God’s purposes are accomplished through our
problems. He then refers to them as “brothers,” which is a term of endearment, but even more
than that, it is a reference and reminder that believers are part of the same spiritual family. Paul
uses this term four times in this brief letter.
Paul is really good at understating his difficulties. Instead of listing all his woes, as most of us
are apt to do, he simply summarizes all that he has been through with this phrase: “that what has
happened to me.” The Philippians were well aware of his trials so Paul didn’t need to enumerate
them, but we may need a refresher course. Here’s a Reader’s Digest version of the final chapters
of the Book of Acts, beginning in chapter 21. Some people started some rumors that Paul had
taken a Gentile into the holy part of the Temple, and Jerusalem was up in arms, causing Paul to
be beaten and almost killed. The authorities stepped in and arrested Paul, thus saving his life.
Paul was then taken to Caesarea, where he was held in prison for two years, awaiting trial. He
appeared before Governors Felix and Festus, and eventually before King Agrippa, giving
gripping testimony about his faith in Christ. Because Paul appealed his case to Caesar, he was
then sent to Italy by ship. After a terrible shipwreck, he was finally brought in chains to Rome
where he was kept under house arrest for two years, as he waited for his trial before Caesar.
As Paul thinks about all that has happened to him, he quickly concludes that everything “…has
really served to advance the gospel.” The word “advance” is a military term that means “to strike
forward” and was used to refer to an army of wood cutters that went ahead of the regular army to
cut a road through a forest. These pioneers paved the way. In a similar sense, our problems can
prepare the way for God’s purposes to be accomplished. We don’t usually think this way. For
many of us, we see our trials and difficulties as impediments. Not so with Paul. His
imprisonment, and everything else that has happened to him, is actually an avenue for the gospel
to be presented in previously impenetrable areas. The NIV Application Commentary brings it
home for each of us: “When difficult, even life-threatening circumstances face us, we should
take Paul as our example and look for how God might be working in such circumstances to
advance the gospel either in our lives or in the lives of others” (Philippians, page 64).
A classic illustration of how problems and even persecution can be used to bring about God’s
purposes is found in Acts 8:1. The church had very clear marching orders to take the gospel
outside Jerusalem in Acts 1:8, but it wasn’t until believers were forced to scatter that this
command was actually fulfilled: “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at
Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” Acts 8:4
adds, “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” If you read
through the New Testament, you’ll find that Paul was passionate about preaching the gospel in

49. Rome. Romans 1:15 says it this way: “That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you
who are at Rome.” But Paul’s plans were not God’s plans – he eventually got to Rome, but not in
the way he had planned.
Friend, nothing ever just “happens” without a reason. God wants us to see everything in light of
his purposes by looking at life through the glasses of the gospel. We could call this the fortune of
misfortune. And in Paul’s mind, the ultimate purpose is the “advance of the gospel.” He was able
to interpret everything in light of being the light of the world. It may be helpful for us to ask this
question: “How will this trial or difficulty that I’m going through right now position me to
present the gospel to someone?” That’s a pretty radical thought, isn’t it? This is really the
doctrine of God’s providence. God orders all things, the good and the bad, for our ultimate good
and for His untarnished glory. Instead of focusing on your problems, lock into God’s purposes.
2. The sharing of the gospel should always be our goal (13).
Our ultimate purpose is to give out the gospel to those around us, no matter what situation we are
in. Paul judged everything by Kingdom Priorities and found his purpose at the other end of his
chain: “As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else
that I am in chains for Christ.” According to Acts 28:30-31, while Paul was chained to a guard at
all times, he did make the most of his opportunities to share the gospel: “For two whole years
Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and
without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” His
goal was to present the gospel. This is very clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 9:16: “…I am
compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”
The “palace guard” was made up of elite, hand-chosen highly-trained soldiers. They were like a
cross between Caesar’s Secret Service and the Army Special Forces. They received double what
other soldiers were paid and only had to serve from 12 to 16 years before they could retire. With
time they became a powerful political force in Rome, with some serving in the Roman Senate. If
you think about it, how else could Paul reach this group of people? Paul was chained to a guard
24 hours a day. Since they changed guards every six hours, Paul would be able to share with a
different soldier four times a day, 28 times a week, and reach almost 3000 of these guys in two
years. Imagine yourself as one of those soldiers as you watched Paul pray “without ceasing,”
meet with people, write letters, and speak to you about Christ. That’s why Paul could say that it
had “become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains
for Christ.”
And, according to Philippians 4:22, a number of these men got saved.
Let me ask a few questions. To what or whom do you feel chained to right now? Is it your job?
You can chafe under the conditions or you can be a change agent for Christ and make it your
goal to share the gospel with everyone you come in contact with. Maybe you feel chained to your
spouse and you can’t wait to break free. Instead of running to freedom, find the freedom that
comes from forgiveness and servanthood. Maybe you feel chained to your children and instead
of complaining it’s time to communicate God’s love to them. Live before your kids in such a
way that you make the gospel believable. Perhaps you feel chained to your past as you replay all
the bad things you’ve done. It’s time to allow God to use those experiences to help someone else.
Or, maybe you feel chained to this church and find yourself complaining that things aren’t better
or wonder why things aren’t different.

50. In his book called RealLivePreacher.com, Gordon Atkinson writes: “I keep getting emails from
people who say, ‘Your church sounds nice. I wish I could find one like that.’ Listen to how he
responds: “Let me guess. You’re looking for a cool church, filled with authentic Christians who
aren’t judgmental but also have convictions, hip and classic in just the right mixture. A church
where people forgive each other, love children and worship in meaningful ways…A church
where the hunger for truth is honored and people can disagree but still love each other and share
a plate of tacos. Where people are committed to ‘The Christ Life’ – and it shows in the fabulous
and creative ways they love the world.” He continues: “That what you’re looking for? I got ya. I
understand. Here are some tips to help you in your search: You won’t find that church…Go
ahead and grieve. You’ll have to make do with a silly bunch of dreamers and children, prone to
mistakes, blunders and misjudgments” (Quoted by Marshall Shelley, Leadership Spring 2005,
page 3).
After a short time, it became very clear that Paul wasn’t chained to the guards; they were chained
to him. His incarceration gave him opportunities for bold evangelism. One pastor referred to this
as a “chain reaction” that spread like wildfire through this elite group of men. Paul was in chains
but according to 2 Timothy 2:9, “…God’s word is not chained.”
3. Take courage from the examples of other Christians (14).
It’s tough to find someone who is really courageous today. That reminds me of the woman and
her husband who had to interrupt their vacation to go to a dentist. The wife was in a hurry and
said to the dentist: “I want a tooth pulled, and I don’t want Novocain because I’m in a big hurry.
Just extract the tooth as quickly as possible, and we’ll be on our way.” The dentist was very
impressed and said, “You’re certainly a courageous woman. Which tooth is it?” The woman
turned to her husband and said, “Show him your tooth, dear.” It’s easy to expect others to be
courageous, as long as we don’t have to be.
Instead of singing “Onward Christian Soldiers,” some of us should change the words to
something like this: “Backward Christian soldiers, fleeing from the fight; with the cross of Jesus,
nearly out of sight. Christ our rightful master, stands against the foe; onward into battle, we seem
afraid to go.”
When the believers in Rome heard how Paul viewed his problems as part of God’s purpose and
how he made the sharing of the gospel his goal, they became more courageous: “Because of my
chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more
courageously and fearlessly.” Discouragement spreads with deadly swiftness but courage is also
contagious, isn’t it? By giving the gospel to the guards, fellow Christians gained courage. If Paul
could do it, why couldn’t they?
I’m greatly encouraged and emboldened when I see our five-day club missionaries give out the
gospel message. I marvel at the courageous commitment of our summer missionaries as they
prepare to go overseas. On top of that, I know that Cassie Hitch, Kathy Marley and Sue Shavers
are still in need of significant financial support. It takes courage for them to keep moving
forward. As I think about the sacrifice that our missionaries are making, and the opportunities
they take to give out the gospel, I wonder why I hesitate to speak to my friends. And when I
think about those who are persecuted for their faith around the world, how dare I keep silent.
Their faith helps me not be so fearful. Courage can be caught.
The word “speak” here is not the word for “preach.” Pastor Jeff put a scare into the student
ministry this past Sunday night when he passed out tracts to everyone and told them that they

51. were all going to go to the Wal-Mart parking lot to share their faith. The fear in the room was
palpable. Some were getting ready to go but most were looking for a place to hide. After scaring
them, he then told them how to share their faith naturally with those they already know.
Paul uses the word that means ordinary, regular everyday conversation, where we just converse
naturally about what Christ has done on the cross and what He has done in our lives. All we have
to do is tell His story and our story. I like how the Living Bible paraphrases 1 Corinthians 9:22:
“Yes, whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell
him about Christ and let Christ save him.” Because Paul took advantage of the opportunities he
had, the gospel penetrated the palace guard and it also was proclaimed to ordinary people
throughout Rome by emboldened Christians.
4. The message of Christ is all that matters (15-18).
Paul had the ability to see everything in light of that which is most important. He could look at
his problems as part of God’s purpose for him to share the gospel and encourage other believers.
In this final point, we see that Paul was even able to look past someone’s motives, as long as the
message of Christ was getting out. Look with me at verses 15-18: “It is true that some preach
Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.” Some believers were jealous of Paul
and unbelievably were in competition with him. Even Pilate knew that envy was one of the
motives of the religious leaders when they wanted Jesus killed: “For he knew it was out of envy
that they had handed Jesus over to him” (Matthew 27:18). Paul continues: “The latter do so in
love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.” Other believers were motivated
by love and knew that Paul was proclaiming the good news.
“The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up
trouble for me while I am in chains.” This phrase “selfish ambition” was used of those who work
for hire.
I love Paul’s summary in verse 18: “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every
way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”
Paul’s joy is tied to the gospel being preached, not what team is doing it. This verse had special
application for me recently when a player who wears orange and blue took every opportunity this
year to share the gospel with reporters, fans and teammates. He did so verbally and with
Scripture references on his high tops. Roger Powell, Jr. was wearing the wrong colors but was
sharing the right message.
Some of us really struggle when someone on the “wrong team” is used by God to present the
gospel. We’re tempted to write them off, to disparage their character and question everything
they do. I read a blog this week by a denominational pastor who took Pastor Rick Warren from
Saddleback Church to task, because he reported that 4,000 people committed their lives to Christ
on Easter Sunday. This sure sounds like envy and jealousy to me. Paul would say that ultimately
what is most important is whether or not the gospel message is being preached. You might
disagree with someone, or even question their motives, but if Jesus is being preached and people
are getting saved, then we need to rejoice not reprimand.
Pastor Chris Seay tells what happened to him when he started a church that grew very quickly,
from 0 to 600 in a matter of months. A local pastor wrote a scathing article in his church
newsletter defaming this church and Pastor Seay. Assuming there was a misunderstanding, the
pastor of the new church called the other pastor to clear the air. This veteran pastor blasted away
with these words: “Son, we are in a different class. You don’t amount to !*%! and you never

52. will. Maybe you will make me eat my words. But I doubt it.” Pastor Seay was humiliated and
angry, and over time, started blasting away at pastors and ministries he didn’t like (“A Casualty
of My Own War,” Chris Seay, Leadership, Spring 2205).
Paul’s attitude is refreshing, isn’t it? We need to keep the main thing the main thing, and the
main thing is the message of the cross. Let it be said that these four truths make up the ethos of
PBC:
1. God’s purposes are often accomplished through our problems.
2. The sharing of the gospel should always be our goal.
3. Take courage from the examples of other Christians.
4. The message of Christ is all that matters.
We’re going to conclude today by hearing how the Gospel message has impacted a new couple
in our church. Don and Lydia Bauer are in our current membership class and would like to share
their stories with you.
CALVIN
Verse 15
15Some indeed. Here is another fruit of Paul’s bonds, that not only were the brethren stirred up
to confidence by his example — some by maintaining their position, others by becoming more
eager to teach — but even those who wished him evil were on another account stirred up to
publish the gospel.
Verse 16
16Some, I say, from contention. Here we have a lengthened detail, in which he explains more
fully the foregoing statement; for he repeats that there are two classes of men that are stirred up
by his bonds to preach Christ — the one influenced by contention, that is, by depraved affection
— the other by pious zeal, as being desirous to maintain along with him the defense of the
gospel. The former, he says, do not preach Christ purely, because it was not a right zeal. (68) For
the term does not apply to doctrine, because it is possible that the man who teaches most purely,
may, nevertheless, not be of a sincere mind. (69) Now, that this impurity was in the mind, and
did not shew itself in doctrine, may be inferred from the context. Paul assuredly would have felt
no pleasure in seeing the gospel corrupted; yet he declares that he rejoices in the preaching of
those persons, while it was not simple or sincere.
It is asked, however, how such preaching could be injurious to him? I answer, that many
occasions are unknown to us, inasmuch as we are not acquainted with the circumstances of the
times. It is asked farther, “Since the gospel cannot be preached but by those that understand it,
what motive induced those persons to persecute the doctrine of which they approved?” I answer,
that ambition is blind, nay, it is a furious beast. Hence it is not to be wondered if false brethren
snatch a weapon from the gospel for harassing good and pious pastors. (70) Paul, assuredly, says
nothing here (71) of which I have not myself had experience. For there are living at this very day

53. those who have preached the gospel with no other design, than that they might gratify the rage of
the wicked by persecuting pious pastors. As to Paul’s enemies, it is of importance to observe, if
they were Jews, how mad their hatred was, so as even to forget on what account they hated him.
For while they made it their aim to destroy him, they exerted themselves to promote the gospel,
on account of which they were hostile to him; but they imagined, no doubt, that the cause of
Christ would stand or fall (72) in the person of one individual. If, however, there were envious
persons, (73) who were thus hurried away by ambition, we ought to acknowledge the wonderful
goodness of God, who, notwithstanding, gave such a prosperous issue to their depraved
affections.
Verse 17
17That for the defense. Those who truly loved Christ reckoned that it would be a disgrace to
them if they did not associate themselves with Paul as his companions, when maintaining the
cause of the gospel; and we must act in such a manner, as to give a helping hand, as far as
possible, to the servants of Christ when in difficulty. (74) Observe, again, this expression — for
the defense of the gospel For since Christ confers upon us so great an honor, what excuse shall
we have, if we shall be traitors to his cause, (75) or what may we expect, if we betray it by our
silence, but that he shall in return desert our cause, who is our sole Advocate, or Patron, with the
Father? (76) (1 John 2:1.)
Verse 18
18But in every way. As the wicked disposition of those of whom he has spoken might detract
from the acceptableness of the doctrine, (77) he says that this ought to be reckoned of great
importance, that they nevertheless promoted the cause of the gospel, whatever their disposition
might be. For God sometimes accomplishes an admirable work by means of wicked and
depraved instruments. Accordingly, he says that he rejoices in a happy result of this nature;
because this one thing contented him — if he saw the kingdom of Christ increasing — just as
we, on hearing that that impure dog Carolus (78) was scattering the seeds of pure doctrine at
Avignon and elsewhere, we gave thanks to God because he had made use of that most profligate
and worthless villain for his glory: and at this day we rejoice that the progress of the gospel is
advanced by many who, nevertheless, had another design in view. But though Paul rejoiced in
the advancement of the gospel, yet, had the matter been in his hand, he would never have
ordained such persons as ministers. We ought, therefore, to rejoice if God accomplishes anything
that is good by means of wicked persons; but they ought not on that account to be either placed
by us in the ministry, or looked upon as Christ’s lawful ministers.
RICH CATHERS
Philippians 1:12-20
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
September 25, 2002

54. Introduction
Paul is writing to a church that was establishedin difficult times. Paul himself
is in the middle of a hugely difficult time.
And oddly enough, the theme of this little letter is “joy”.
:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the
things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto
the furtherance of the gospel;
understand – ginosko – to learn to know, come to know, geta knowledge of
perceive, feel
I would – boulomai – to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded; of
willing as an affection, to desire
rather – mallon – much, by far; rather, sooner;more willingly, more readily,
sooner
the furtherance – prokope – progress, advancement;from prokopto, to beat
forward; to lengthen out by hammering (as a smith forges metals); metaph. to
promote, forward, further; to go forward, advance, proceed;to cut or strike
forward as when an army was marching through a field, cutting the brush
aside.
Paul sees his circumstances being used to make the gospel go further.
the gospel – euaggelion
– a rewardfor goodtidings; goodtidings; the glad tidings of the kingdom of
God soonto be set up, and subsequently also of Jesus the Messiah, the founder
of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the term comprises also the
preaching of (concerning)Jesus Christ as having suffered death on the cross
to procure eternal salvationfor the men in the kingdom of God, but as
restoredto life and exaltedto the right hand of God in heaven, thence to
return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God; the glad tidings of
salvationthrough Christ; the proclamationof the grace ofGod manifest and
pledged in Christ; the gospel
have fallen out –
erchomai– to come;metaph. to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself,
find place or influence; be established, become known, to come (fall) into or
unto
(Phil 1:12 NASB) Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances
have turned out for the greaterprogress ofthe gospel,

55. What were Paul’s current circumstances (the things which happened unto
me)?
Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 21), and then was transferred for safety’s sake
to Caesarea (Acts 23). When he saw that there was to be no justice for him there, he used
his Roman citizenship to appeal to Caesar and was taken to Rome (Acts 25:10). In Rome,
he apparently was allowed to keephis own apartment (Acts. 28:30), but in being a
prisoner, he was chained to a Roman guard twenty-four hours a day.
To many of us, this would seemas if Paul’s life as a missionary was over. But Paul didn’t
see it that way.
:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace,
and in all other places;
bonds – desmon – a band or bond
are manifest –
phaneros – apparent, manifest, evident, known;manifest i.e to be plainly
recognisedorknown
the palace – praitorion
– this word could be used to describe the “head-quarters” in a Romancamp,
the place where the soldiers would be quartered. It also could be used for the
group of soldiers knownas the “PraetorianGuard”.
(Phil 1:13 NASB) so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known
throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,
praetorian guard - originally a special group of ten thousand soldiers picked by Tiberius,
located in Rome. They had double pay and special privileges and became so powerful that
emperors had to court their favor. Paul had contact with one after another of these
soldiers, being chained to them as they guarded him. In Rome, these would have been the
soldiers assigned to guard the emperor’s palace. Later in the letter, Paul writes,
(Phil 4:22 KJV) All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household.
Even though Paul had become a prisoner, God was usingthatsituation for Paul to witness tothese men and fora numberof them to
come tothe Lord.
Lesson
God can work through your tough times to reach others for Jesus
Some of us have been praying for a Gospel for Asia missionary named Manja. Manja works in Nepal, and
earlier this year Manja was accused of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. This came from GFA’s
website:
Manja leads fellow prisoner to the Lord—July 25, 2002
Greetings from the staffof Gospel forAsia. I have somegreat news about Manja,our GFA native missionaryimprisonedin Nepal.
Although he still faces 18 more years in prison apart from his wife andtwo youngchildren, Manjahas not lost sightof the Lord’s calling
on his life—toreach Nepal with the Gospel ofJesus Christ. Since his arresttwo years ago, Manja has been sharinga single cell with three
non-Christians. Through Manja’s testimony offaith and joy, oneof these men has received Christas his Savior! Whata blessingitis to
hear this, especiallyin lightof the fact that less than twopercent of Nepal’s 24million people are known tobe Christians.

57. :14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident
by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without
fear.
many – pleion – greaterin quantity; the more part, very many; greaterin
quality, superior, more excellent
waxing confident –
peitho – persuade; be persuaded; to trust, have confidence, be confident;
perfect participle
bonds – desmon – a band or bond
much more – perissoteros – more abundantly; more in a greaterdegree;more
earnestly, more exceedingly;especially, above others
bold – tolmao – not to dread or shun through fear; to bear, endure; to bring
one’s self to; to be bold; bear one’s self boldly, deal boldly
without fear –
aphobos – without fear, boldly
the word – logos – of speech;a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a
conceptionor idea; what someone has said; discourse;doctrine, teaching; its
use as respectto the MIND alone
to speak – laleo – to utter a voice or emit a sound; to speak;to use the tongue
or the faculty of speech;to talk; to use words in order to declare one’s mind
and disclose one’s thoughts
Lesson
God can use your tough times to encourage others
Sometimes I tend to think that my life would only be an encouragement to others if I won the Lottery, became
President of the United States, or discovered a universal cure for the common cold.
Yet Paul’s circumstances were resulting in a strange effect.
People were set on fire toshare the gospel because ofhis circumstances.
I think the key is in our own attitude and our own response to our difficult times.
If I respond to mydifficulttimes by running awayor getting drunk, I don’tthink mycircumstances will help anyone.
If I respond by runningto Jesus, learningto hold on toHim (even if itseems like I’m onlybarelyholdingon),and continue to serve
Jesus, itcan encourage others to do the same.
:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and
some also of good will:
some – tis – a certain, a certainone; some, some time, a while
of …of – dia

58. – through; of means; by; by the means of; through; the ground or reason by which
something is or is not done
envy – phthonos
– envy; for envy, i.e. prompted by envy
strife – eris
– contention, strife, wrangling
goodwill – eudokia – will, choice; good will, kindly intent, benevolence; delight,
pleasure, satisfaction; desire; for delight in any absent thing easily produces
longing for it
preach – kerusso – to be a herald, to officiate as a herald; to proclaim after the
manner of a herald; always with the suggestionofformality, gravity and an
authority which must be listened to and obeyed; to publish, proclaim openly:
something which has been done; used of the public proclamation of the gospel
and matters pertaining to it, made by John the Baptist, by Jesus, by the
apostles and other Christian teachers
Paul is going to describe two types or preachers who are responding to Paul’s
imprisonment.
:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
of – ek
– out of, from, by, awayfrom
contention – eritheia – electioneering or intriguing for office; apparently, in the
NT a courting distinction, a desire to put one’s self forward, a partisan and
fractious spirit which does not disdain low arts; partisanship, fractiousness; This
word is found before NT times only in Aristotle where it denotes a self-seeking
pursuit of political office by unfair means.
From
eritheuo, to spin wool, and that from erithos, a hireling. Originally it meant to work for
pay. It then went on to apply in politics to the man canvassing for office, a personally
ambitious, competitive spirit which was out to advance itself.
These people Paul is talking about aren’t heretics, but self-seeking ministers who wanted to
advance themselves in the church now that Paul was on the sidelines.
preach – kataggello
– to announce, declare, promulgate, make known; to proclaim publicly,
publish

59. sincerely– hagnos – chaste, clean, pure, with sincerity
This is not the word translated “sincere” back in 1:10 –
heilikrines – pure, sincere, unsullied; found pure when unfolded and examined by the sun’s
light
supposing – oiomai– to suppose, think
affliction – thlipsis – a pressing, pressing together, pressure; metaph. oppression,
affliction, tribulation, distress, straits
to add – epiphero – to bring upon, bring forward; to lay upon, to inflict; to
bring upon, i.e. in addition, to add, increase;to put upon, cast upon, impose
bonds – desmon – a band or bond
Why would a personbe preaching the gospelfor the reasonof envy and strife,
preaching out of contention?
“It is petty and personal jealousy of Paul’s power and prowess by the Judaizers in Rome
whom Paul has routed in the east, but who now exult at the opportunity of annoying their
great antagonist by their interpretation of Christ. Jealousy is always against those of one’s
own class or profession as preachers with preachers, doctors with doctors.” (Robertson)
:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the
defence of the gospel.
of – ek – out of, from, by, awayfrom
love – agape – brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence; love feasts
knowing – eido – to see; to know; the force and meaning of something which has
definite meaning
the defence – apologia – verbal defence, speechin defence; a reasoned statement
or argument
the gospel – euaggelion– a reward for goodtidings; goodtidings; the glad
tidings of the kingdom of God soonto be set up, and subsequently also of
Jesus the Messiah, the founder of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the
term comprises also the preaching of (concerning)Jesus Christ as having
suffered death on the cross to procure eternalsalvationfor the men in the
kingdom of God, but as restoredto life and exaltedto the right hand of God in
heaven, thence to return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God; the
glad tidings of salvationthrough Christ; the proclamation of the grace ofGod
manifest and pledged in Christ; the gospel
I am set– keimai – to lie; of things put or setin any place, in ref. to which we
often use "to stand"; metaph. to be (by God’s intent) set, i.e. destined,
appointed; of laws, to be made, laid down

60. It seems that these others are preaching out of a love for Paul, seeing that he is
in prison, and wanting to continue his ministry.
Lesson
Motivation for ministry
Not everyone has proper motives when it comes to ministry.
NOTE: It seems that the motivation Paul is talking about is not the person’s motives in relationship to serving Jesus,
but their motivation in relation to their relationship with Paul.
Envy, strife,or goodwill are all in relation tohow Paul would be affected.
Those that preach from envy or strife do so because they want to cause Paul distress.
Those who preach from good will are doing it out of love for Paul, as a way of standing with him
in his ministry.
I think we can even find ourselves getting involved with doing “ministry” for the right reasons, and if we’re
not careful, we can fall into the trap of losing the right motivation.
Can we always know a person’s motivation for ministry?
I don’t think so. I think we can have general ideas about a person’s motives. Paul seems tobe quite aware of certain individuals who
don’t like him.
I think we can’t even always be sure ofour own motivation.
Am I really praying for this person because I’m serving Jesus or because I want them to like me?
Sometimes we can over analyze these things to death.

61. :18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in
pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do
rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
notwithstanding –
plen – moreover, besides, but, nevertheless;besides, except, but
every – pas – individually; each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all
things, everything; collectively;some of all types
way – tropos – a manner, way, fashion
in pretence – prophasis (“before” + “to shine”) – a pretext (allegedreason,
pretended cause);show; under coloras though they would do something; in
pretence, ostensibly; making a big show up front that is untrue
To put on a show to cover something up. Jesus uses this word to describe some of the
Pharisees:
Mr 12:40 (NAS) who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive
greater condemnation."
To pretend to be something to get something from a person.
1Th 2:5 (NLT) Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you very well know. And God is our witness
that we were not just pretending to be your friends so you would give us money!
in truth – aletheia
– objectively; what is true in any matter under consideration;truly, in truth,
according to truth; of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly; subjectively; truth
as a personalexcellence;
that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation,
falsehood, deceit
is preached– kataggello– to announce, declare, promulgate, make known; to
proclaim publicly, publish; to denounce, report, betray
rejoice – chairo – to rejoice, be glad; to rejoice exceedingly;to be well, thrive
The first occurrence is present indicative. The second occurrence is future indicative.
Paul says, “I am currently rejoicing and I will continue to keeprejoicing in the future”
Lesson
Dealing with motives
First, this doesn’t seem to be applying to people who would fall under the title of “cult”.
Paul didn’trejoice about false teachers.
(Gal 1:6-9 KJV) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel: {7} Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and
would pervert the gospel of Christ. {8} But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any

62. other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. {9} As
we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye
have received, let him be accursed.
He declared that false teachers were cursed.
Second, I don’t think this means that Paul ignored people’s motives when it came to working with people in
ministry.
Paul was concerned forthe Philippians,buthe didn’tjustwantany oldperson to go:
(Phil 2:19-23 KJV) But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also
may be of good comfort, when I know your state. {20} For I have no man likeminded, who will
naturally care for your state. {21} For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
{22} But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the
gospel. {23} Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with
me.
Paul knew Timothy’s heart. Timothy would be his representative.

63. Lesson
You can choose your reaction
Paul could have chosen to be extremely bummed out.
Instead, he chose to rejoice.
He felt that it was better that thegospel was beingpreached,even ifitwas being preachedwith the wrongmotives.
Choose joy.
:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through
your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
I know – eido – to see; to know; the force and meaning of something which has
definite meaning
shall turn – apobaino
– to come down from, i.e. a ship; to turn out, result, to be the outcome
Future indicative, he definitely knows that it’s going to happen.
salvation– soteria – deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation; deliverance from
the molestation of enemies; in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls
safety or salvation; of Messianic salvation; salvation as the present possessionof
all true Christians; future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the
Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of
Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.
Paul is talking about his deliverance from prison, not his eternal salvation.
prayer – deesis – need, indigence, want, privation, penury; a seeking, asking,
entreating, entreaty to God or to man
the supply – epichoregia
– a supplying, supply; from choregeo
– to be a chorus leader, lead a chorus; to furnish the chorus at one’s own expense;
to procure and supply all things necessary to fit out a chorus; to supply, furnish
abundantly
:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that
in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as
always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body,
whether it be by life, or by death.
earnestexpectation–
apokaradokia(“from” + “the head” + “watching”) – anxious and persistent
expectation

64. hope – elpis – expectationof evil, fear; expectationof good, hope; in the
Christian sense;joyful and confident expectationof eternal salvation; on
hope, in hope, having hope
I shall be ashamed –
aischuno – to disfigure; to dishonour; to suffuse with shame, make ashamed,
be ashamed
boldness – parrhesia – freedom in speaking, unreservednessin speech;openly,
frankly, i.e without concealment;without ambiguity or circumlocution;
without the use of figures and comparisons;free and fearless confidence,
cheerful courage, boldness, assurance
shall be magnified –
megaluno – to make great, magnify; metaph. to make conspicuous;to deem or
declare great;to esteemhighly, to extol, laud, celebrate;to get glory and
praise
life – zoe – life
death – thanatos – the death of the body
Paul’s idea of deliverance isn’t necessarilyrestrictedto being set free from
prison alive.
We will see that for him, dying was a form of deliverance.
But Paul was confident that one way or another, he would be delivered, and
his deliverance would come from two things:
Lesson
Deliverance through prayer
I don’t think we can get enough prayer when we’re going through times of difficulty.
I know that when I’m in difficulttimes, prayer is one of thethings that bring relief.
It is important that I pray. It is also important that I get others to pray.
Illustration
King Jehoshaphat was facingthe armies ofthe Ammonites,Moabites, and Edomites. It looked desperate.
(2 Chr 20:3-4 KJV) And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed
a fast throughout all Judah. {4} And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the
LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
Jehoshaphat led the people in prayer, and thenGod began towork:
(2 Chr 20:14-15 KJV) Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of
Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the
midst of the congregation; {15} And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor
dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

65. (2 Chr 20:17 KJV) Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see
the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to
morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
The next morning,the people wentout,with the worship leaders in the front, and as theybegan to praise God for His promise of
deliverance, God had the enemyarmies all turn on themselves, and the nation was delivered.
It started with prayer.
I wonder if we shouldn’t proclaim a fast for our church? I wonder what would happen if a few of
us started skipping even one meal a week and praying for the church, what would happen?
Lesson
Deliverance through the Spirit’s help
Did you notice how the Spirit of God had a part in Jehoshaphat’s deliverance?
He worked through a prophetto speak words of encouragement.
The Holy Spirit wants to help you through your difficult time.
God wants tocomfortus in everydifficult time:
(2 Cor 1:3-5 KJV) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all comfort; {4} Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may
be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God. {5} For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also
aboundeth by Christ.
The HolySpiritis the “Comforter”
(John 14:16-17 KJV) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that
he may abide with you for ever; {17} Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and
shall be in you.
He comes tohelp us, teach us,and give us peace through the fire:
(John 14:26-27 KJV) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you. {27} Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Ask Him for help.
STEVEN COLE
Philippians 1:12-20
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
September 25, 2002

66. Introduction
Paul is writing to a church that was establishedin difficult times. Paul himself
is in the middle of a hugely difficult time.
And oddly enough, the theme of this little letter is “joy”.
:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the
things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto
the furtherance of the gospel;
understand – ginosko – to learn to know, come to know, geta knowledge of
perceive, feel
I would – boulomai – to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded; of
willing as an affection, to desire
rather – mallon – much, by far; rather, sooner;more willingly, more readily,
sooner
the furtherance – prokope – progress, advancement;from prokopto, to beat
forward; to lengthen out by hammering (as a smith forges metals); metaph. to
promote, forward, further; to go forward, advance, proceed;to cut or strike
forward as when an army was marching through a field, cutting the brush
aside.
Paul sees his circumstances being used to make the gospel go further.
the gospel – euaggelion
– a rewardfor goodtidings; goodtidings; the glad tidings of the kingdom of
God soonto be set up, and subsequently also of Jesus the Messiah, the founder
of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the term comprises also the
preaching of (concerning)Jesus Christ as having suffered death on the cross
to procure eternal salvationfor the men in the kingdom of God, but as
restoredto life and exaltedto the right hand of God in heaven, thence to
return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God; the glad tidings of
salvationthrough Christ; the proclamationof the grace ofGod manifest and
pledged in Christ; the gospel
have fallen out –
erchomai– to come;metaph. to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself,
find place or influence; be established, become known, to come (fall) into or
unto
(Phil 1:12 NASB) Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances
have turned out for the greaterprogress ofthe gospel,

67. What were Paul’s current circumstances (the things which happened unto
me)?
Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 21), and then was transferred for safety’s sake
to Caesarea (Acts 23). When he saw that there was to be no justice for him there, he used
his Roman citizenship to appeal to Caesar and was taken to Rome (Acts 25:10). In Rome,
he apparently was allowed to keephis own apartment (Acts. 28:30), but in being a
prisoner, he was chained to a Roman guard twenty-four hours a day.
To many of us, this would seemas if Paul’s life as a missionary was over. But Paul didn’t
see it that way.
:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace,
and in all other places;
bonds – desmon – a band or bond
are manifest –
phaneros – apparent, manifest, evident, known;manifest i.e to be plainly
recognisedorknown
the palace – praitorion
– this word could be used to describe the “head-quarters” in a Romancamp,
the place where the soldiers would be quartered. It also could be used for the
group of soldiers knownas the “PraetorianGuard”.
(Phil 1:13 NASB) so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known
throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,
praetorian guard - originally a special group of ten thousand soldiers picked by Tiberius,
located in Rome. They had double pay and special privileges and became so powerful that
emperors had to court their favor. Paul had contact with one after another of these
soldiers, being chained to them as they guarded him. In Rome, these would have been the
soldiers assigned to guard the emperor’s palace. Later in the letter, Paul writes,
(Phil 4:22 KJV) All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household.
Even though Paul had become a prisoner, God was usingthatsituation for Paul to witness tothese men and fora numberof them to
come tothe Lord.
Lesson
God can work through your tough times to reach others for Jesus
Some of us have been praying for a Gospel for Asia missionary named Manja. Manja works in Nepal, and
earlier this year Manja was accused of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. This came from GFA’s
website:
Manja leads fellow prisoner to the Lord—July 25, 2002
Greetings from the staffof Gospel forAsia. I have somegreat news about Manja,our GFA native missionaryimprisonedin Nepal.
Although he still faces 18 more years in prison apart from his wife andtwo youngchildren, Manjahas not lost sightof the Lord’s calling
on his life—toreach Nepal with the Gospel ofJesus Christ. Since his arresttwo years ago, Manja has been sharinga single cell with three
non-Christians. Through Manja’s testimony offaith and joy, oneof these men has received Christas his Savior! Whata blessingitis to
hear this, especiallyin lightof the fact that less than twopercent of Nepal’s 24million people are known tobe Christians.

69. :14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident
by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without
fear.
many – pleion – greaterin quantity; the more part, very many; greaterin
quality, superior, more excellent
waxing confident –
peitho – persuade; be persuaded; to trust, have confidence, be confident;
perfect participle
bonds – desmon – a band or bond
much more – perissoteros – more abundantly; more in a greaterdegree;more
earnestly, more exceedingly;especially, above others
bold – tolmao – not to dread or shun through fear; to bear, endure; to bring
one’s self to; to be bold; bear one’s self boldly, deal boldly
without fear –
aphobos – without fear, boldly
the word – logos – of speech;a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a
conceptionor idea; what someone has said; discourse;doctrine, teaching; its
use as respectto the MIND alone
to speak – laleo – to utter a voice or emit a sound; to speak;to use the tongue
or the faculty of speech;to talk; to use words in order to declare one’s mind
and disclose one’s thoughts
Lesson
God can use your tough times to encourage others
Sometimes I tend to think that my life would only be an encouragement to others if I won the Lottery, became
President of the United States, or discovered a universal cure for the common cold.
Yet Paul’s circumstances were resulting in a strange effect.
People were set on fire toshare the gospel because ofhis circumstances.
I think the key is in our own attitude and our own response to our difficult times.
If I respond to mydifficulttimes by running awayor getting drunk, I don’tthink mycircumstances will help anyone.
If I respond by runningto Jesus, learningto hold on toHim (even if itseems like I’m onlybarelyholdingon),and continue to serve
Jesus, itcan encourage others to do the same.
:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and
some also of good will:
some – tis – a certain, a certainone; some, some time, a while
of …of – dia

70. – through; of means; by; by the means of; through; the ground or reason by which
something is or is not done
envy – phthonos
– envy; for envy, i.e. prompted by envy
strife – eris
– contention, strife, wrangling
goodwill – eudokia – will, choice; good will, kindly intent, benevolence; delight,
pleasure, satisfaction; desire; for delight in any absent thing easily produces
longing for it
preach – kerusso – to be a herald, to officiate as a herald; to proclaim after the
manner of a herald; always with the suggestionofformality, gravity and an
authority which must be listened to and obeyed; to publish, proclaim openly:
something which has been done; used of the public proclamation of the gospel
and matters pertaining to it, made by John the Baptist, by Jesus, by the
apostles and other Christian teachers
Paul is going to describe two types or preachers who are responding to Paul’s
imprisonment.
:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
of – ek
– out of, from, by, awayfrom
contention – eritheia – electioneering or intriguing for office; apparently, in the
NT a courting distinction, a desire to put one’s self forward, a partisan and
fractious spirit which does not disdain low arts; partisanship, fractiousness; This
word is found before NT times only in Aristotle where it denotes a self-seeking
pursuit of political office by unfair means.
From
eritheuo, to spin wool, and that from erithos, a hireling. Originally it meant to work for
pay. It then went on to apply in politics to the man canvassing for office, a personally
ambitious, competitive spirit which was out to advance itself.
These people Paul is talking about aren’t heretics, but self-seeking ministers who wanted to
advance themselves in the church now that Paul was on the sidelines.
preach – kataggello
– to announce, declare, promulgate, make known; to proclaim publicly,
publish

71. sincerely– hagnos – chaste, clean, pure, with sincerity
This is not the word translated “sincere” back in 1:10 –
heilikrines – pure, sincere, unsullied; found pure when unfolded and examined by the sun’s
light
supposing – oiomai– to suppose, think
affliction – thlipsis – a pressing, pressing together, pressure; metaph. oppression,
affliction, tribulation, distress, straits
to add – epiphero – to bring upon, bring forward; to lay upon, to inflict; to
bring upon, i.e. in addition, to add, increase;to put upon, cast upon, impose
bonds – desmon – a band or bond
Why would a personbe preaching the gospelfor the reasonof envy and strife,
preaching out of contention?
“It is petty and personal jealousy of Paul’s power and prowess by the Judaizers in Rome
whom Paul has routed in the east, but who now exult at the opportunity of annoying their
great antagonist by their interpretation of Christ. Jealousy is always against those of one’s
own class or profession as preachers with preachers, doctors with doctors.” (Robertson)
:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the
defence of the gospel.
of – ek – out of, from, by, awayfrom
love – agape – brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence; love feasts
knowing – eido – to see; to know; the force and meaning of something which has
definite meaning
the defence – apologia – verbal defence, speechin defence; a reasoned statement
or argument
the gospel – euaggelion– a reward for goodtidings; goodtidings; the glad
tidings of the kingdom of God soonto be set up, and subsequently also of
Jesus the Messiah, the founder of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the
term comprises also the preaching of (concerning)Jesus Christ as having
suffered death on the cross to procure eternalsalvationfor the men in the
kingdom of God, but as restoredto life and exaltedto the right hand of God in
heaven, thence to return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God; the
glad tidings of salvationthrough Christ; the proclamation of the grace ofGod
manifest and pledged in Christ; the gospel
I am set– keimai – to lie; of things put or setin any place, in ref. to which we
often use "to stand"; metaph. to be (by God’s intent) set, i.e. destined,
appointed; of laws, to be made, laid down

72. It seems that these others are preaching out of a love for Paul, seeing that he is
in prison, and wanting to continue his ministry.
Lesson
Motivation for ministry
Not everyone has proper motives when it comes to ministry.
NOTE: It seems that the motivation Paul is talking about is not the person’s motives in relationship to serving Jesus,
but their motivation in relation to their relationship with Paul.
Envy, strife,or goodwill are all in relation tohow Paul would be affected.
Those that preach from envy or strife do so because they want to cause Paul distress.
Those who preach from good will are doing it out of love for Paul, as a way of standing with him
in his ministry.
I think we can even find ourselves getting involved with doing “ministry” for the right reasons, and if we’re
not careful, we can fall into the trap of losing the right motivation.
Can we always know a person’s motivation for ministry?
I don’t think so. I think we can have general ideas about a person’s motives. Paul seems tobe quite aware of certain individuals who
don’t like him.
I think we can’t even always be sure ofour own motivation.
Am I really praying for this person because I’m serving Jesus or because I want them to like me?
Sometimes we can over analyze these things to death.

73. :18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in
pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do
rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
notwithstanding –
plen – moreover, besides, but, nevertheless;besides, except, but
every – pas – individually; each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all
things, everything; collectively;some of all types
way – tropos – a manner, way, fashion
in pretence – prophasis (“before” + “to shine”) – a pretext (allegedreason,
pretended cause);show; under coloras though they would do something; in
pretence, ostensibly; making a big show up front that is untrue
To put on a show to cover something up. Jesus uses this word to describe some of the
Pharisees:
Mr 12:40 (NAS) who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive
greater condemnation."
To pretend to be something to get something from a person.
1Th 2:5 (NLT) Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you very well know. And God is our witness
that we were not just pretending to be your friends so you would give us money!
in truth – aletheia
– objectively; what is true in any matter under consideration;truly, in truth,
according to truth; of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly; subjectively; truth
as a personalexcellence;
that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation,
falsehood, deceit
is preached– kataggello– to announce, declare, promulgate, make known; to
proclaim publicly, publish; to denounce, report, betray
rejoice – chairo – to rejoice, be glad; to rejoice exceedingly;to be well, thrive
The first occurrence is present indicative. The second occurrence is future indicative.
Paul says, “I am currently rejoicing and I will continue to keeprejoicing in the future”
Lesson
Dealing with motives
First, this doesn’t seem to be applying to people who would fall under the title of “cult”.
Paul didn’trejoice about false teachers.
(Gal 1:6-9 KJV) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel: {7} Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and
would pervert the gospel of Christ. {8} But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any

74. other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. {9} As
we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye
have received, let him be accursed.
He declared that false teachers were cursed.
Second, I don’t think this means that Paul ignored people’s motives when it came to working with people in
ministry.
Paul was concerned forthe Philippians,buthe didn’tjustwantany oldperson to go:
(Phil 2:19-23 KJV) But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also
may be of good comfort, when I know your state. {20} For I have no man likeminded, who will
naturally care for your state. {21} For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
{22} But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the
gospel. {23} Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with
me.
Paul knew Timothy’s heart. Timothy would be his representative.

75. Lesson
You can choose your reaction
Paul could have chosen to be extremely bummed out.
Instead, he chose to rejoice.
He felt that it was better that thegospel was beingpreached,even ifitwas being preachedwith the wrongmotives.
Choose joy.
:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through
your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
I know – eido – to see; to know; the force and meaning of something which has
definite meaning
shall turn – apobaino
– to come down from, i.e. a ship; to turn out, result, to be the outcome
Future indicative, he definitely knows that it’s going to happen.
salvation– soteria – deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation; deliverance from
the molestation of enemies; in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls
safety or salvation; of Messianic salvation; salvation as the present possessionof
all true Christians; future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the
Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of
Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.
Paul is talking about his deliverance from prison, not his eternal salvation.
prayer – deesis – need, indigence, want, privation, penury; a seeking, asking,
entreating, entreaty to God or to man
the supply – epichoregia
– a supplying, supply; from choregeo
– to be a chorus leader, lead a chorus; to furnish the chorus at one’s own expense;
to procure and supply all things necessary to fit out a chorus; to supply, furnish
abundantly
:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that
in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as
always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body,
whether it be by life, or by death.
earnestexpectation–
apokaradokia(“from” + “the head” + “watching”) – anxious and persistent
expectation

76. hope – elpis – expectationof evil, fear; expectationof good, hope; in the
Christian sense;joyful and confident expectationof eternal salvation; on
hope, in hope, having hope
I shall be ashamed –
aischuno – to disfigure; to dishonour; to suffuse with shame, make ashamed,
be ashamed
boldness – parrhesia – freedom in speaking, unreservednessin speech;openly,
frankly, i.e without concealment;without ambiguity or circumlocution;
without the use of figures and comparisons;free and fearless confidence,
cheerful courage, boldness, assurance
shall be magnified –
megaluno – to make great, magnify; metaph. to make conspicuous;to deem or
declare great;to esteemhighly, to extol, laud, celebrate;to get glory and
praise
life – zoe – life
death – thanatos – the death of the body
Paul’s idea of deliverance isn’t necessarilyrestrictedto being set free from
prison alive.
We will see that for him, dying was a form of deliverance.
But Paul was confident that one way or another, he would be delivered, and
his deliverance would come from two things:
Lesson
Deliverance through prayer
I don’t think we can get enough prayer when we’re going through times of difficulty.
I know that when I’m in difficulttimes, prayer is one of thethings that bring relief.
It is important that I pray. It is also important that I get others to pray.
Illustration
King Jehoshaphat was facingthe armies ofthe Ammonites,Moabites, and Edomites. It looked desperate.
(2 Chr 20:3-4 KJV) And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed
a fast throughout all Judah. {4} And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the
LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
Jehoshaphat led the people in prayer, and thenGod began towork:
(2 Chr 20:14-15 KJV) Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of
Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the
midst of the congregation; {15} And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor
dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

77. (2 Chr 20:17 KJV) Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see
the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to
morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
The next morning,the people wentout,with the worship leaders in the front, and as theybegan to praise God for His promise of
deliverance, God had the enemyarmies all turn on themselves, and the nation was delivered.
It started with prayer.
I wonder if we shouldn’t proclaim a fast for our church? I wonder what would happen if a few of
us started skipping even one meal a week and praying for the church, what would happen?
Lesson
Deliverance through the Spirit’s help
Did you notice how the Spirit of God had a part in Jehoshaphat’s deliverance?
He worked through a prophetto speak words of encouragement.
The Holy Spirit wants to help you through your difficult time.
God wants tocomfortus in everydifficult time:
(2 Cor 1:3-5 KJV) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all comfort; {4} Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may
be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God. {5} For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also
aboundeth by Christ.
The HolySpiritis the “Comforter”
(John 14:16-17 KJV) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that
he may abide with you for ever; {17} Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and
shall be in you.
He comes tohelp us, teach us,and give us peace through the fire:
(John 14:26-27 KJV) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you. {27} Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Ask Him for help.
BOB DEFFINBAUGH

78. Paul’s Perspective on Pain and Pettiness
(Phil. 1:12-18)
Introduction
This week we will be moving from our old church building of 20 years to a newer building, just
a few blocks away. We have been planning on this move for more than a year, but in spite of all
of our good intentions and preparations, some of our plans are going to change. This past week, I
received a moving plan which was titled, “The Final Plan.” There was a note attached which
indicated that these plans were now fixed and would not change. The announcement ended with
the statement, “God is sovereign.” I had to snicker to myself because I thought, “That’s exactly
the point. God is sovereign, and that probably means that He will be sure to remind us of this fact
by changing our final plans at least once.”
Even the Apostle Paul’s plans changed. I believe that part of Paul’s reason for writing this letter
to the Philippians was to explain to them how God had changed his plans for His glory, and the
advancement of the gospel. Let’s briefly review Paul’s original plans, and then take note of how
God changed them. We will do so by looking at his Epistle to the Romans (chapters 1 and 15)
and the Book of Acts.17
Paul’s Original Plan
(Romans 1:8-15; 15:14-33)
8 First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is
proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of
his Son, is my witness that I continuously remember you 10 and I always ask in my prayers, if
perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you in the will of God. 11 For I long to see you, so
that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, that we may be mutually
comforted by one another’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware,
brothers and sisters, that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I
may have even some fruit among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I
am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus
I am eager also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome (Romans 1:8-15).
14 But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are
full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15 But I have
written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me
by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve the gospel of God like a priest,
so that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 So I
boast in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of
anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience
of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the
Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of
Christ. 20 And in this way I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, so as not to build
on another person’s foundation, 21 but as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will
see, and those who have not heard will understand.” 22 This is the reason I was often hindered
from coming to you. 23 But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have
for many years desired to come to you 24 when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass

79. through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a
while. 25 But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia are
pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were
pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. For if the Gentiles have
shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things. 28
Therefore after I have completed this and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set out
for Spain by way of you, 29 and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of
Christ’s blessing. 30 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and
through the love of the Spirit, to join fervently with me in prayer to God on my behalf. 31 Pray
that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea and that my ministry in Jerusalem
may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be
refreshed in your company. 33 Now may the God of peace be with all of you. Amen (Romans
15:14-33).
When Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans, he wrote to saints who lived in a place Paul had
never yet visited, and thus where he had never preached. He wrote with apostolic authority to a
church that he did not establish. From the final chapter of Romans, it is clear, however, that Paul
was well acquainted with a number of people who lived there at the time of its writing. These
were people for whom Paul prayed individually and frequently, in addition to his prayers for the
church corporately. Paul informed these folks that he greatly rejoiced over their salvation and
subsequent growth in the faith. He told them that he had wanted to come visit them for some
time, but had not yet been able to do so.
Paul had a plan in mind, a plan that God was soon to revise. His plan, as stated in Romans 15,
was to proceed to Jerusalem, where he would present the contribution from the Gentile churches
to the (Jewish) leaders of the church in Jerusalem. He then intended to make his way to Rome,
where he would spend some time with them, before being sent on his way by them to Spain. He
asked the saints in Rome to pray that his ministry to those in Jerusalem might be well received,
that he might be delivered from those who opposed him and the gospel, and that he might come
to them to be refreshed by them.
Paul’s travel plans remind me of the vacation plans my family had when I was in my teens. We
were going to take a trip to Montana, where we would camp in Glacier National Park using a tent
and equipment borrowed from my aunt. From Glacier Park, we planned to proceed to visit some
of our relatives in Montana. I still have the picture of our family, posing in front of our tent,
joyful and optimistic, ready for our first night of camping. A few hours later, it became a very
different scene. A mountain storm blew in, with lightning and rain. No one had told us about
facing our tent in the right direction, or about pitching it on high ground. And so when the rains
poured down, they came in the tent door, and as the water gathered, we found ourselves in an
inch or more of water. Our sleeping bags were soaking wet, and we were all wet and muddy. My
brother sang Jesus Loves Me at the top of his lungs, and although this gave us comfort, it did not
make us warm or dry. Hurriedly, we wadded up the tent and our sleeping bags and stuffed them
into the trunk of our car. We made our way to a motel, where we cleaned up and spent the
remainder of the night. When we arrived at our relatives’ home, it was not the way we had
expected. We were a mess!
That’s rather the way it was with Paul’s trip to Rome. He had hoped for a warm welcome in
Jerusalem and then a leisurely trip to Rome. He looked forward to a time of fellowship and
refreshment there in Rome, before he set out for Spain. He was eager to preach the gospel in

80. Rome, as well as to minister to the saints who were there. He anticipated being refreshed as they
ministered to him as well. Paul did get to Rome, but in a very different way. His trip to Rome
was anything but peaceful and enjoyable.
All of this did not come as a complete surprise. When Paul was converted on the road to
Damascus, it was revealed to him through Ananias that he would preach to many, including
kings, but this would involve considerable suffering for him as well. “15 But the Lord said to
him, ‘Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings
and the people of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my
name’” (Acts 9:15-16).
During Paul’s stay at Ephesus, he determined to press on to Jerusalem, and from there to make
his way toward Rome: “Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to
Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, ‘After I have been there, I must also
see Rome’” (Acts 19:21). It was not long, however, before the Holy Spirit began to reveal to
Paul and to others what this trip to Jerusalem would entail:
22 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem without knowing what will
happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit warns me in town after town that
imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. 24 But I do not consider my life worth
anything to myself, so that I may finish my task and the ministry that I received from the Lord
Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace (Acts 20:22-24).
10 While we remained there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from
Judea. 11 He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it, and said, “The
Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this
is, and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, both we and the local people
begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and
breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the
name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Because he could not be persuaded, we said no more except, “The
Lord’s will be done” (Acts 21:10-14; see also verse 4).
When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, the leaders of the church in Jerusalem welcomed him. Paul
reported to them how God had brought many Gentiles to faith in Jesus. They reminded Paul
about the multitude of Jews who had come to faith, and that these believers were still committed
to keeping the law. These Jewish brethren had been told that Paul was teaching the Jews who
lived among the Gentiles to forsake the law. In order to preserve peace and unity, the elders of
the church in Jerusalem proposed a plan of action, which would show those who were skeptical
that he had not forsaken his Jewish roots. They counseled Paul to take four of the Jewish young
men who were under a vow, and to purify himself and offer sacrifices, along with them, paying
their expenses as well as his own. This way, they reasoned, all would see that Paul was still a
“practicing Jew,” while at the same time knowing that Gentiles were not obliged to do so (see
Acts 17:21-25).
It was not a bad idea. In theory, it would accomplish what they hoped for—it would put to rest
the fears that Paul was completely forsaking his Jewish roots. But God had other plans. When
Paul accompanied these men to the temple, some Asian Jews who had come there to worship
saw Paul and recognized him. Apparently these men had come to know Paul while he, and they,
were in Asia. I am assuming that these folks were unbelievers, who were opposed to Paul and to
the gospel he preached. When they saw Paul in the temple, they hastily jumped to a false

81. conclusion. Having seen Trophimus the Ephesian (a Gentile) with Paul in the city of Jerusalem,
they assumed that he was also with Paul in the temple. From the false assumption that Paul had
taken Trophimus with him into the temple, they went on to announce to their Jewish brethren
that Paul was seeking to turn Jews from Judaism. Ironically, the false charges they made against
Paul were very similar to those made against our Lord (Luke 23:2-5) and against Stephen (Acts
6:12-14).
The Jews were convinced that Paul had desecrated the temple and began to beat him, fully
intending to kill him. Had someone not summoned the Roman soldiers, Paul would have been
killed. When the Roman troops brought the crowds under control, Paul asked the commander if
he could address the mob that had gathered. When he shared the testimony of his conversion, the
people listened intently until he spoke these words:
21 Then he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” 22 The crowd
was listening to him until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Away with
this man from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” (Acts 22:21-22).
The Roman commander decided to let the Jewish religious leaders handle this situation, and so
Paul was brought before the Sanhedrin. It did not take Paul very long to determine that he would
receive no justice from this body, and so he cried out that he was a Pharisee who believed in the
resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6). This divided the Sanhedrin, which was made up of
Pharisees, who also believed in the resurrection of the dead, and Sadducees, who did not (23:7-
9). A great debate brought this distinguished body to blows, so that the commander had to rescue
Paul from their grasp and place him in the barracks for safekeeping.
That night Paul was visited by the Lord in a vision: “The following night the Lord stood near
Paul and said, ‘Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must
also testify in Rome’” (Acts 23:11).
Surely this was a divine assurance that Paul’s life would not be taken in Jerusalem, and that he
would surely journey on to Rome, where he would testify to the saving grace of God in the
person of Jesus Christ. I take it also from the “just as” of this assurance that Paul is being
informed that his ministry in Rome will be resisted, just as he was opposed in Jerusalem. He will
testify of Jesus Christ in Rome, but accompanied by suffering.
Providentially, Paul’s nephew learned of a plot to kill his uncle. This plot was reported to the
Roman commanding officer who, acting promptly and decisively, sent Paul under heavy guard
by night to Caesarea. Here, Paul was to remain two years before he was finally sent on to Rome.
It is possible that Paul’s correspondence with the Philippians was actually penned during this
time, but I am still more inclined to think that it was from Rome that Paul wrote Philippians.
Here in Caesarea, Paul had the opportunity to proclaim the gospel to Felix, and to Festus, his
successor. Both men sought to avoid pronouncing a verdict, wishing to appease the Jewish
leaders, and in the case of Felix, hoping to receive a bribe from Paul (Acts 24:26). When Festus
sought to persuade Paul to return to Jerusalem, to stand trial there, Paul felt he was forced to
appeal to Caesar. He knew all too well that the Jews in Jerusalem intended to kill him on his way
back to Jerusalem.
Festus had no choice but to grant Paul’s appeal. He had one very serious problem, however—he
had no formal charge against Paul. How could he possibly send Paul to stand trial before Caesar
without specifying any charge against him? Festus was greatly relieved when King (Herod)
Agrippa and his wife Bernice arrived in Caesarea. They knew more about Jewish law and

82. culture; surely they could help him arrive at some kind of charge. It was yet another opportunity
for Paul to give his testimony and to proclaim the gospel.
Finally, Paul was sent to Rome, but this journey was not without its difficulties. Paul was taken
aboard a ship that was carrying a number of other prisoners. The centurion in charge was named
Junius, and over time, he came to respect Paul’s judgment. The storm season was approaching as
they came to a place called Fair Havens. Paul urged the captain of the ship and the centurion to
winter there and not to attempt sailing any farther. He warned that pressing on might very well
bring about great loss and perhaps even the loss of life. The ship’s captain wanted to go on a
little farther, to a port better suited for wintering, and he managed to persuade the centurion to
press on to the next port. As there was a moderate wind at the moment, going on did not seem
that dangerous, and so they put out to sea, hugging the shore of Crete.
A great storm rushed down on the ship, and they were completely powerless. They simply
allowed the storm to blow them where it would, casting cargo and even hardware overboard to
lighten the ship and keep it afloat. Everyone but Paul had lost hope of surviving this storm. Paul
informed his shipmates that God had assured him that he would stand before Caesar, and so
everyone on board would be saved, though the ship would be lost. Paul urged everyone to eat to
gain strength for what was ahead. Then, the ship ran aground, but in the end all were saved. Not
only was Paul the hero of the day for his courage and leadership at this time of danger, he also
survived a deadly snake bite and healed many on the island of Malta where they had run
aground. By the time Paul reached Rome, he was both a prisoner and a hero. His plans to visit
Rome had been realized, but in a way that he would never have imagined.
For some (in Rome, and elsewhere), this change in plans might have raised questions about Paul
and about his qualifications for ministry. Were some embarrassed by the fact that Paul was a
prisoner, waiting to stand trial before Caesar? Were some tempted to keep a low profile so far as
proclaiming the gospel was concerned? Did some conclude that Paul’s imprisonment was a
serious blow to the advance of the gospel? Our text in Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians lays such
fears to rest. Indeed, his circumstances did not hinder the gospel at all; his circumstances served
to advance the cause of Christ. In the early verses of Philippians, Paul tells us how this came
about.
Paul’s Joy at the Advance of the Gospel
(1:12)
I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my situation has actually turned out to advance the
gospel.
We must admit that being arrested does not usually enhance the status of a person, and
particularly a preacher. His situation in Rome might have shaken the faith of some who had
become believers in Christ through Paul’s preaching, or who had been taught by the apostle. His
enemies and the enemies of the gospel would surely use this to oppose Paul and the gospel he
declared and defended. Even some who were jealous of Paul might have used his incarceration to
discredit him and to enhance their own status. Verses 12-18 set the record straight. They inform
us how Paul’s situation actually enhanced the cause of the gospel. They also inform us of Paul’s
response to adversity and abuse, even when it came from fellow believers.

83. Paul’s Circumstances and His PrisonGuards
(1:13)
The results of this are that the whole imperial guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison
for the sake of Christ.
I can tell you from a number of years of experience in prison ministry that there is no one more
cynical about a prisoner’s innocence than a prison guard. In their experience, almost no one on
the inside thinks they deserve to be there. They also watch inmates “using” religion for self-
serving reasons. They “meet Jesus at the gate,” and they leave Him there “at the gate” when they
leave. And even during their time in prison, many “talk the talk” in chapel, and fail to “walk the
walk” in their cell. I’ve watched a prison guard explode, shaking his finger in an inmate’s face,
telling him what a hypocrite he is.18
Paul tells the Philippians that even the most cynical and hardened group—the imperial guard and
many others19—has come to realize that Paul is no “hardened criminal” or “revolutionary,” as he
was charged by the Jewish religious leaders. Surely word of Paul’s conduct—in Jerusalem, in
Caesarea, and on board the ill-fated ship—had circulated widely among the imperial guard. They
must have taken note of Paul’s prayer life in prison and of those who came to visit him. If his
confinement was anything like prison life today, all of his correspondence would have been read.
From Paul’s words here, we know that most of the guards realized the charges against him were
trumped up and that the issue was really a religious one. From Paul’s later words, we also know
that some of those who had contact with Paul in prison came to faith in Christ: “Give greetings to
all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers with me here send greetings. 22 All the saints greet
you, especially those from the emperor’s household” (Philippians 4:21-22).
Certainly Paul’s “good reputation” among the imperial guard and by those who dealt with him
enhanced his stature, and thus enhanced the gospel that he proclaimed. Paul’s imprisonment had
not damaged his testimony among those who did not believe in Christ; Paul’s imprisonment
enhanced his standing in the eyes of unbelievers, and paved the way for the proclamation of the
gospel to them.
Paul’s Circumstances Encouraged
Christians to Evangelize
(1:14)
And that most of the brothers, having confidence in the Lord because of my imprisonment,20
now more than ever dare to speak the word without fear.
After I graduated from college, I was a schoolteacher. The way I responded to one student had a
great impact on the rest. If a student failed to give a good answer to a question, I could have
responded with some very critical and harsh words of rebuke. But if I did, I can tell you that very
few hands would have been raised when I asked additional questions. On the other hand, if I
responded to a student’s remarks in a very encouraging manner, the other members of the class
would be encouraged to attempt to answer my next question.
It is very easy to see how Paul’s incarceration could have silenced some saints. And even those
who persisted in speaking openly of their faith might have been tempted to choose their words
more carefully, so as not to be as direct in their declaration of the gospel. Paul’s courage in the
midst of his suffering for Christ and the gospel encouraged other saints to be bold in their faith as
well.

84. Paul’s Attitude TowardSelf-Serving Saints
(1:15-18)
15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. 16
The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel.
17 The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can
cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. 18 What is the result? Only that in every way, whether
in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
Paul has given us a very general picture of the outcome of his incarceration: (1) the unbelievers
with whom he has come in contact have discerned that Paul is not a criminal, and that the issues
are religious, not legal; and, (2) that by and large the believers who have been affected by his
incarceration have been encouraged to proclaim the gospel more boldly. When one gets into the
details of this second outcome, the picture is not quite as pretty as we might wish. Paul divides
the second category of true believers into two further categories: (a) those who preach Christ out
of love and goodwill toward Paul; and, (b) those who preach the gospel but are motivated by
envy and rivalry toward Paul.
Those in the first group genuinely love and appreciate Paul. A number of them may have come
to faith in Christ through Paul’s ministry to them. If this were so, they, like many of those at
Philippi, would proudly embrace and endorse Paul, not “in spite of his status” but because he
was a “prisoner for Christ.” They understood that the charges against Paul came from
unbelieving Jews who hated the gospel and Paul, and that the real issue here was Paul’s freedom
as a Roman citizen to proclaim the gospel.
Paul’s actions in his day would be something like appealing his case to the Supreme Court in our
own times. Suppose, for example, that enemies of the gospel were able to pass a law that forbade
preaching the gospel in any public meeting (this would include preaching the gospel in church on
a Sunday morning). Paul would undoubtedly have preached the gospel in a very public way, and
then would have been arrested for breaking this law. Paul would have appealed his case all the
way to the Supreme Court, not just for his own sake, but for the sake of the gospel. In this way,
the law forbidding the preaching of the gospel would be tested by the high court, and hopefully it
would be declared unconstitutional.
We should remember that when Paul was illegally beaten and thrown into prison in Philippi, the
Philippian jailor and his family came to faith, perhaps along with others. But when the
authorities sent word the next morning that Paul and Silas were to be released, Paul refused to
leave prison without the authorities coming to the prison in person, acknowledging that they had
broken the law by the way they had dealt with Paul and Silas. This was not a petty matter of
pride on Paul’s part; it was his way of protecting the freedom of others to preach the gospel in
Philippi.
Paul’s appeal to Caesar was rightly understood by many of the saints as Paul’s way of defending
the gospel. In my opinion, he was not defending the purity of the gospel (as he was in his Epistle
to the Galatians, for example), but rather he was defending the freedom to proclaim the gospel.
Those who loved Paul were encouraged by his boldness and courage, and prompted to proclaim
Christ with greater boldness.
There were others, however, who were not so noble minded. It is primarily these folks whom
Paul has in mind in verses 15-18. I believe it is this group of folks who are most misunderstood
by Christians today. We need to carefully define this group and to distinguish them from others,

85. with whom they might be confused. Let me begin by pointing out what these folks are not: (a)
They are not unbelievers. Unbelievers were dealt with in verse 13. These are “brothers” (verse
14). (b) They are not those who are accused of twisting or perverting the gospel. These are not
said to be Judaisers or those who are diluting the gospel. They are said to “proclaim Christ”
(verse 17).
These are folks who “preach Christ,” but from impure motivation. They are hostile toward Paul,
and they seek to add to his grief while in prison. They hope to gain at his expense, by accusing
him of wrongdoing, adding to the number of those who follow them. I fear that they are seeking
to regain some of their authority and prominence at Paul’s expense.
I think I have misunderstood this text for a long time, and I’m just now beginning to understand
why. Let me suggest two ways that the meaning of this text can be missed.
First, we will err if we assume that the only motivation of these “preachers” is their “envy and
rivalry” toward Paul. It has taken me a good while to see this, but I’m convinced that although
Paul chooses to focus only on the sinful attitudes of these folks, they have other motivations that
are much more noble. It may be easier to make this point by calling your attention first to those
who preach Christ from a pure motivation. These folks, Paul has written, preach “from
goodwill” (verse 15), “because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the
gospel” (verse 16). Paul speaks only of the attitudes of these “godly preachers” toward Paul.
Surely we would agree that in addition to their goodwill toward Paul, these folks preached Christ
because of their love for Christ, and their love for the lost.
I am trying to say that very few of us act on the basis of a single motive. When we do most
anything, we do it for a mixture of motives. For example, I am inclined to believe that Ananias
and Sapphira were believers, and that they wanted to obey Christ by giving to the poor. They just
did not want to give all of the proceeds of the sale of their land to the Lord. Thus, they were
motivated, perhaps, by love for God and for man, but also by greed. Elsewhere Paul writes that
the one who gives must do so “with sincerity” (Romans 12:8). The KJV renders these words,
“with simplicity.” A number of the translations emphasize generosity, and I think that is part of
what Paul is saying. But I also think that the apostle is encouraging saints to act with a simplicity
of motivation and not to act with mixed motives. How easy it is to give out of a genuine concern
for the poor and a love for God, and the desire to be seen and recognized by others as generous.
My point in all this is that I believe those who are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry are
also preaching Christ because they love God and desire to see the lost saved. I am willing to
believe that they wanted to be obedient to the Great Commission. In other words, their “envy
and rivalry” was definitely a part of their motivation—the bad part!—but it was not their only
motivation. It would be very difficult for me to think of anything I have ever done that was
“purely” out of love for Christ, or out of a desire to obey His Word. Acting, no doubt, with a
certain measure of godly motivation, these “preachers” have also acted out of ungodly motives.
We might say that they have preached Christ “in the flesh.”
Second, many Christians err in assuming that those who are in “full-time Christian ministry”
cease to have fleshly desires and motivations. I believe that those to whom Paul referred were
Christian leaders who were once threatened by Paul’s popularity and influence from a distance,
but who are now intimidated by his presence. Many Christians seem to think that this is not
possible. As one who has been involved in full-time Christian ministry for a number of years, I
am here to tell you that Christians who are “in the ministry” are just as selfish, just as jealous,

86. and just as manipulative as Christians who are not paid for their ministry. Indeed, some
Christians in the ministry are more jealous and power hungry than some unbelievers I know.
Over the years, I have watched young people in search of a “significant ministry.” Very often
these folks look for employment in churches, in Christian educational institutions, and in
parachurch ministries. And more often than I would wish to admit, these folks are badly
disillusioned by their experience with such ministries. Until they saw it with their own eyes, they
would never have believed that Christian leaders could be so jealous of others in ministry, so
threatened by the success of others, and so manipulative and vindictive. Two nationally known
speakers at a Bible conference may find it almost impossible to get along with each other,
because of rivalry and competition. One speaker may lose his credibility, not because of his
speaking, but because he can’t lose on the tennis courts or the golf course. Those of you who are
in Christian ministry know that I am not exaggerating, and that what I am saying is true. Some of
the most disillusioned people I know are those who were badly “burned” by Christian ministry,
or by those in Christian ministry.
Let me be painfully blunt by using a very specific illustration. In the recent past, it became
known that Chuck Swindoll had consented to serve as the next president of Dallas Theological
Seminary. It was obvious that in order to maintain his excellent radio ministry he would have to
continue preaching on a regular basis. Finally, it was announced that Chuck Swindoll would
plant a church in the Dallas area. (To his credit, I believe that he did everything possible to avoid
sheep-stealing and doing damage to existing churches and their ministries. He chose to start a
church as far removed as possible from existing Bible churches, and in a rapidly growing suburb
as far to the north of Dallas as possible.) We would be nave to think that every pastor in the
Dallas area responded like this:
“Praise God! A wonderfully gifted preacher is coming to Dallas. What a blessing it will be to our
city. How grateful to God I am that he is coming! I’m going to pray for Chuck, for his health, for
physical strength, and for many new converts through his ministry.”
I am sure that there are many noble-minded pastors in Dallas who responded this way, but I am
just as convinced that a disturbing number did not. If one is jealous of or threatened by Chuck
Swindoll’s success, it will almost never be couched in honest terms like this: “I’m jealous of
Chuck Swindoll and his success, and I regret his decision to come to Dallas. Indeed, I’m going to
do all I can to discredit him and his ministry.” Instead, it will be “pietized,” so that our jealous
criticism is camouflaged as “concern for pure doctrine,” or “contending for the faith.” We will
look for failures in his personal life, in his ministry, or in his methods. We will listen for rumors,
and accept them as true. And when we hear of anything negative, we will be sure to let others
know, “for their edification,” or as “a matter for prayer,” of course.
I have to say that as I look back over my own ministry, I wonder how much of my criticism of
other men and of other ministries was motivated (at least in part) by my own jealousy and
ambition. I wonder how many church splits and how many doctrinal battles were really a matter
of men’s egos, rather than of a love for the truth. It’s a sobering thought, but if we believe that
the heart of man “is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9), it
should not surprise us.
What I have said above paves the way for my understanding of Paul’s words in our text and of
the circumstances he is describing. The church at Rome had been established through the
preaching of men other than Paul, men who are not even named in the New Testament. From

87. many miles away, Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans, the definitive and authoritative
declaration of the gospel, with special emphasis on the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in
the gospel. Paul mentions his desire to come to Rome and to have a successful ministry there.
Surely some of those who had established themselves as leaders in the church at Rome were
threatened by Paul’s announcement that he was planning on coming to Rome. If these men were
those who first preached the gospel in Rome, and also the ones who founded the church in
Rome, then they would have been tempted to feel that they “owned” this church. They would
have been tempted to look on Paul as an intruder. They knew that when he came, many of the
Roman saints would seek his counsel and would ask his opinion on matters of importance. These
were some of the very ones who used to rely heavily on the advice and counsel of the church’s
founding fathers. It would take great humility for them to welcome Paul and to be willing to step
aside from their dominant role, at least for the time that Paul was in Rome. And now, to add
insult to injury, Paul was a “jail bird.” The one to whom many would turn for leadership was
actually awaiting trial, in a Roman prison (or at least in the custody of Rome).
How opportune it was for such folks that Paul’s arrival came about in a very different way. He
did not arrive after a very effective ministry in Jerusalem. He did not come to Rome with an
impressive entourage, received by Roman officials as an honored guest. He came as a prisoner to
Rome, where he lived under house arrest for two years (Acts 28:16, 30-31). He could not attend
their church services nor fellowship with them in their homes. Can’t you see how those who
were jealous of Paul and threatened by him could put a “spin” on Paul’s circumstances to make
Paul look bad and to make themselves look good? “Well,” they might say with a pained
expression, “I wanted to believe the best about Paul, but now that it has come out that he is a
trouble-maker, I think it is probably best for the church here to keep its distance from him. We
don’t want our testimony to be tainted by such a fellow.”
I would not be surprised at all if some of those who turned against Paul in this way were men to
whom Paul had entrusted himself and had invested in them by discipling them. I wonder if any
of these folks had actually come to faith through Paul’s ministry? Those who have invested
deeply in the lives of Christians who later turn against them can identify with the pain Paul must
have suffered from such folks.
How does Paul respond to this underhanded attack from those who know Christ, and who
successfully preach Christ? Most of us would be greatly distressed, and perhaps even depressed
by this kind of betrayal and opposition. We would probably spend a great deal of time and effort
defending ourselves and exposing our opponents. Paul is not disposed to do this. He rejoices. He
knows that God is in control. He knows that God will not allow the gospel to be defeated,
whether that be by unbelievers who oppose it (for example, the unbelieving Jews who charged
Paul with treason against Rome) or by those who profess and proclaim it (such as those who
preached Christ with impure motives). He knew that while these folks “meant it for evil,” God
“meant it for good” (see Genesis 50:20). Unbelievers were not deceived; they knew that the
issue behind Paul’s imprisonment was really the gospel. And regardless of their motivation, the
gospel of Jesus Christ was being vigorously proclaimed. Paul was resolved to rejoice in the
success of the gospel, even if it was at his expense.
Conclusion
I wish to conclude by pointing out three lessons: a lesson about man, a lesson about Paul, and a
lesson about God.

88. First, let us learn that redeemed men, even those who powerfully preach the gospel, are never
completely free from fleshly and impure motivations. No one really wants to admit that when a
classmate from seminary publishes a book that is widely acclaimed and becomes a best seller, he
feels envious of his brother’s success. He should rejoice in his brother’s victory as his own,
because both are members of Christ’s body, the church. But instead, there is—at least for a
fraction of a moment—a jealous thought.
Too many Christians are disillusioned when they learn, much to their dismay, that even Christian
leaders are prideful and arrogant, jealous, greedy, lustful, or manipulative. It is as though we
wish to believe that Christian leaders have reached a plateau of spirituality that places them
above the sinful lusts of the flesh. I am here to tell you that Christian leaders have no claim to
sinless perfection. There are some Christian leaders who encourage others to think of them as
living on a higher spiritual plane, and thus they do not wish to acknowledge their struggle with
sin, and they do not wish to make themselves accountable to others. To be viewed (even though
falsely) as more spiritual is to have power over others, who know they are not as spiritual as they
ought to be.
It isn’t all the fault of those in leadership, either. We want to “idolize” our leaders, but this is
wrong. Leaders are to be honored and respected, but not idolized. They are to be imitated, to the
degree that they follow Christ; but they are not to be blindly followed, as though they were
infallible. This is why the New Testament church was (and is to be) led by a plurality of elders,
rather than by one man. This is why every elder is to be subject to the other elders. Let us not be
deceived as to the fallibility of those in positions of Christian leadership.
I must say one more thing about leaders and their struggles with the flesh. Just because I have
said we should expect leaders to struggle with sin, I have not in any way implied that we should
accept sin in the life of a leader, or anyone else. No leader should be exempt from being
accountable to others or be considered above rebuke. I have known of too many cases of blatant
sin in the lives of leaders which were not dealt with because it was assumed that leaders are
untouchable, so far as rebuke and correction are concerned. The Bible does lay down very clear
guidelines regarding accusations against leaders (see 1 Timothy 5:19-20), but this is to make sure
that leaders are not frivolously accused of wrongdoing.
Second, let us learn from our text that Paul did not allow adversity to rob him of his joy in the
Lord. There are times in my own life when I realize that I am “down in the dumps,” discouraged
or depressed. And when I seek to discover the source of my lack of joy, I often find that it is
caused by some rather trivial matter. In Paul’s case, it was no trivial matter that brought about his
incarceration; he was falsely accused by his unbelieving Jewish opponents, and even by fellow-
saints. One might think that Paul had good reason to be discouraged, but he was not! Paul was
deeply joyful and resolutely determined to continue to be so. He would not allow his
circumstances to rob him of his joy.
How can this be? How can Paul remain joyful in such adversity? It all boils down to Paul’s
priorities. What is it that Paul most desires, and in which he finds his delight? It is the advance of
the gospel, even if that requires sacrifice and suffering on his part. Paul’s joy is not in being
popular and being considered a great leader; it is in the proclamation of the gospel, the salvation
of lost souls, and the growth of Christians.
The secret to Paul’s joy was having the right goal. Let me illustrate. Suppose that a man plays a
game of golf with his friends, and after 18 holes of golf learns that this round of golf resulted in

89. the worst score of his life. If this man’s goal was “winning,” then he would go home discouraged
and disappointed, because he failed to achieve his goal. But suppose that this man’s goal was to
enjoy the companionship of his golfing partners or to share the gospel with them. If this man
achieved his goal, then it would not matter to him whether he won or lost the game. In fact, if
doing poorly provided an opening for him to share his faith, he would rejoice in his failure.
This is the way it was with Paul. His goal was not to be admired by everyone or to achieve great
fame. He goal was not to live a life of freedom and self-indulgence. His goal was to proclaim the
gospel to as many lost sinners as possible. His goal, as indicated by God at the time of his
conversion, was to preach the gospel to Gentile kings, as well as to the Jews (see Acts 9:15).
That goal was being achieved at the expense of his ease and freedom and self-indulgence, but it
was being achieved. Paul was filled with joy in our text because the gospel was being
proclaimed, and lost sinners were being saved. Paul gladly sacrificed his “image” as well as his
comfort for the cause of the gospel.
Put differently, Paul would not be robbed of his joy because he looked at his life and ministry as
his Savior did. In short, Paul had “the mind of Christ.” As we shall soon read in Philippians 2,
our Lord was willing to set aside the pleasures of living in the presence of His Father in heaven,
so that lost sinners might be saved. As our Lord was willing to suffer, that men might be saved,
so was the Apostle Paul. And as the salvation of lost sinners brings joy to our Lord, even though
it was at great personal sacrifice to the Savior, so it was with Paul.
Thanks to a friend, I came across this quotation by Jean Nicolas Grou (1731-1803): “The chief
pang of most trials is not so much the actual suffering itself as our own spirit of resistance to
it.”21
I believe it would be proper to turn this excellent statement around, in a way that would explain
the joy of the apostle Paul: “The Christian’s joy in the midst of trials is not to be found in the
suffering itself (which would be mere masochism), but in the privilege of taking part in the good
ends God has foreordained to come about through these trials.”
In our day, when self-indulgence is rampant, what are you and I willing to joyfully forsake for
the sake of the gospel?
Third, our text instructs us that in the outworking of His purposes, God is not limited to the
rightly-motivated, perfectly-executed acts of sinless saints. I cannot number the times I have
heard it said or implied that God can only use people with pure hearts and godly lives to achieve
His purposes. It is assumed that those who are most successful in ministry are those who are
most spiritual. This is very similar to the legalistic assumption of the Jews of Jesus’ day that
those who are rich are the most spiritual, and that those who suffer most are the greatest sinners
(see Luke 13:1-5; 16:14-31; John 9:1-3). It is the same mindset that we see in the Corinthian
church, where the possession or practice of certain spiritual gifts was viewed as proof of greater
piety. Let me remind you that God brought great glory to Himself through the opposition of
Pharaoh, the heathen king of Egypt, who refused to heed the words of God through Moses to let
the Israelites leave Egypt (see Romans 9:17). It was through the cruel betrayal of Joseph by his
brothers that God’s purposes for Israel were furthered (see Genesis 50:20). God can use what
wicked men intend for “evil” to accomplish “good.” It was partly through the disobedience of
Jonah that salvation came to the sailors on board that ship headed for Tarshish (Jonah 1), and to
the people of Nineveh. It was through Balaam that God blessed Israel and revealed the prophecy

90. of the coming of Messiah (Numbers 22-24). It was through the opposition of the Jews to our
Lord that God brought about the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.
I am so grateful that God’s purposes are not thwarted by my failures, and that God can use even
my failures to bring about good, in my life, and for others. In no way should this be
misinterpreted to mean that it doesn’t matter whether one sins or not. There are serious and
painful consequences for sin; there is a price to be paid for disobedience. But my sin will not
prevent even one of God’s promises from being fulfilled. God is glorified not only by the
obedience of His saints, but also by the ways He sovereignly transforms our failures to fulfill His
purposes. David committed two great sins in his life: (1) he committed adultery with Bathsheba
and killed Uriah her husband (2 Samuel 11); and, (2) he numbered the people of Israel against
God’s instructions (1 Chronicles 21). These were terrible sins, and both David and the nation
suffered because of them. But in spite of this, God turned these “evils” into good. It was through
Bathsheba that the Davidic (and thus the messianic) line would continue.22 It was due to the
numbering of the Israelites that the land on which the temple was built was purchased (2 Samuel
24).
Praise God that we serve a God Who is greater than all our sins. He is never thwarted by our
sins, and often God glorifies Himself and brings about our “good” by using the “evil” of men to
achieve His purposes. How foolish it is to resist Him. What joy there is in serving Him! Have
you trusted in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? I pray that you have, and if you
have not, I pray that you will acknowledge your sin, and your desperate need for His forgiveness
through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, which brings the forgiveness of sins and the certainty of
eternal life with Him.
17 The reader should recognize that I am assuming that Paul was imprisoned in Rome, as many
students of the Bible do. There are those who think Paul was imprisoned elsewhere (Caesarea,
Ephesus, or even Corinth), but I don’t find their arguments for this view to be compelling. The
next most likely place of writing other than Rome would be Caesarea, the place where Paul was
imprisoned for two years before he appealed to Caesar (see Acts 24:27).
18 Gratefully, there are also those who have truly come to faith in prison, and their lives are
different. At the beginning of an in-prison seminar, I’ve seen men who would not lift their eyes
to meet yours. As some of these men come to grasp the grace of God in Jesus Christ, their eyes
lift, and they look you in the face with joy and gratitude. For those who have never experienced
serving Christ in prison ministry, I would encourage you to consider this wonderful opportunity
to serve our Lord “on the inside.”
19 I think we can safely assume that Paul’s words, “and everyone else,” in verse 13 does not
mean “everyone without exception,” but rather, “many others.”
20
The NASB differs here, rendering instead, “trusting in the Lord because of my
imprisonment.” If this is the right rendering, then Paul is indicating that those who love and
support him are also those who have come to faith through his imprisonment. Either way, while
Paul is indicating that some saints, from pure motives, are preaching Christ more boldly, his
main emphasis falls on those who are preaching from less than noble motives.

91. 21 Jean Nicolas Grou, The Hidden Life of the Soul, cited by Christian Quotations of the Day,
April 1, 2000, http://www.gospelcom.net/cqod/cqod0004.htm.
22 That is to say, the heir to David’s throne was Solomon, the offspring of David and Bathsheba.
"Finding Joy in the Difficult Times"
Philippians 1:12-18
Series: Philippians:The Blueprint for Joyful Living
©October 29, 2000 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche
As you probably know, an oxymoron is the joining of two words that don't seem to go
together. For example: light darkness, a deafening silence, a bold retreat, a powerful
servant, a short sermon . . . . you get the idea. And when you put the ideas of joy and
trial together it sounds like an oxymoron. We think of joy as being something that takes
place in pleasant times. Joy accompanies good times, not difficult times.
But this is part of the problem. We have a narrow view of joy. And that is why we are
studying Paul's letter to the Philippians. Paul introduces us to a joy that is deeper than
anything we have conceived with our minds. It is a joy that is independent of
circumstances. Yes, it is present in the delightful and good times . . . but it is also
present in the difficult and painful times.
This morning we are going to begin to look at some of the specific trials that Paul was
facing and how he was able to face them with joy. We'll continue our study next week.
JOY IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
As we already know, Paul is in jail in Philippi. He is there after being framed for a crime
he didn't commit. He spent two years in Caesarea and then appealed his case to Rome.
Everybody knew about Paul's arrest and the Philippians were asking how he was
"holding up".
It is hard to imagine what it was like to be in Paul's situation. He was isolated from
friends and family. They could visit but many surely stayed away. Anyone who has
known someone who had a terminal illness knows that many people pull away at these
times. It's not that they don't care, it's that seeing people you care about suffer and
decay is difficult. I suspect Paul faced the same thing. Some of his friends remained
loyal. Others seemed to forget him. It must have been a lonely time.
He was unable to do what he loved doing. For over two years he had been kept from
preaching in the synagogue and teaching in the churches. He was unable to debate the
learned men of the city. This was Paul's passion . . . it was where he really seemed to
"shine". Paul couldn't do what he enjoyed most. It would be like a musician who couldn't
sing or couldn't play their instrument. It was like an artist who could no longer paint. It
was a frustrating time.

92. He had lost any sense of personal freedom. Paul was chained to a Roman guard by a
short chain on his wrist all the time. He had absolutely no privacy. Even the most private
acts were witnessed by the guard. Every private word was heard by the guard. How
demeaning and dehumanizing!
Paul had many of these struggles in his life. In the book of 2 Corinthians Paul tells us
some of his story,
I have been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been
exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty
lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three
times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been
constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from
bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger
in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false
brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have
known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and
naked. [2 Cor. 11:23-29]
I bet it was tough for Paul to get insurance! And one would think that it would also be
tough for Paul to remain positive and joyful. But in spite of all that has happened, Paul
continues to rejoice.
Don't miss an important point here. Paul is a bold example that things do not always go
well with followers of Christ. Times sometimes are difficult. Circumstances are
sometimes bad. Difficult times come to those who have been living faithful lives. This is
important to hear because sometimes we believe (and sometimes are taught) that godly
people are spared difficult times. We seem to think that when hard things happen in life
it is a sign that something is wrong with our spiritual life. But that is not necessarily true!
Things may be going well for you. Perhaps you are healthy, wealthy, popular and things
are running smoothly. If so, I applaud your good fortune. But please don't conclude that
your blessings mean that God approves of you more than others. That does not
necessarily follow. If it did, then it means that Paul and the rest of the apostles were not
at spiritually advanced as you.
At the same time, it is important that you see that the chains that you wear do not mean
God has turned away from you. Your chain may be a devastating illness, financial
stresses, emotional struggles, relationship problems and you may feel you seem to be
walking under a perpetual dark cloud . . . you are in good company. Faithful people
sometimes are asked to endure the chains of life.
With that said, listen to what Paul writes to the Philippians as he faces his difficult
circumstances.
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really
served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the
whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because
of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak
the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. [Phil. 1:12-14]

93. Paul could have grumbled. He could have pled his case. He could have been bitter, or
discouraged. But he wasn't. Instead, Paul declares that his circumstances are being
used by God. He points to two positive results of his circumstances. First, the Imperial
guard had heard the Gospel.
The Imperial Guard was a group of elite soldiers, stationed in Rome. They were there
primarily to protect the Emperor. At times there were between 10,000 and 16,000 of
these troops stationed in Rome. Apparently these men also served as guards over the
prisoners in Rome.
Paul was bound to one of these men with a short length of chain on his wrist. Every four
hours the guard would change. I'm sure some of the guards were harsh, some were
friendly. All of them were too close! Yet, instead of being bitter about this invasion of his
personal "space" he saw an opportunity. Paul realized that he was not only chained to
soldiers . . . they were chained to him!
Paul had a "captive audience". For four hours at a time Paul could talk to these men
about Jesus Christ. Six different men each day! And apparently, his witness was
effective. Paul remarks that because of his imprisonment, the gospel of Jesus Christ
was known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard. It is assumed (since he sends
greetings from those in Caesar's household. Philippians 4:22) that the gospel message
had even worked it's way into the Emperor's home. We're not saying that everyone
became a believer . . . but some did come to faith.
But there was also a second benefit to his situation others spoke the word of Christ
more courageously and fearlessly. God used Paul's situation to "light a fire" under some
of the other believers. Perhaps they were encouraged to carry on Paul's work while he
was unable to do the work himself. Maybe these people were inspired by Paul's
example. Whatever the reason, the message was being proclaimed more boldly
because of Paul's situation. We see this same kind of thing many times,
• A church experiences a crisis and the people rally together and work through the
crisis.
• A person contracts a disease and others rally around with practical expressions
of love. Or the attitude of the person suffering spurs others on.
• A church faces persecution in a communist country. And when the curtain of
persecution is lifted we see that the church is strong and growing. The people
had to make a real choice, they can't sit on the fence. Their faith becomes
precious.
I think there are a couple of principles we can gain from Paul as to how to find joy in
difficult circumstances, First, we learn that though we cannot control our
circumstances, we can control our response to them. We don't have to despair
when tough times come. We don't have to withdraw. These are choices we make. Paul
reminds us that whether a difficult circumstance defeats us or deepens us depends on
how we respond to it. Dr. Paul Tournier wrote,
Good and evil, in the moral sense, do not reside in things, but always in persons.
Things and events, whether fortunate or unfortunate, are simply what they are,
morally neutral. What matters is the way we react to them. Only rarely are we the

94. masters of events, but (along with those who help us) we are responsible for our
reactions. . Events give us pain or joy, but our growth is determined by our
personal response to both [YANCEY, Searching for the Invisible p. 281]
It is our natural response to feel sorry for ourselves. It is natural for us to wonder, "Why
me?" But we can CHOOSE to be joyful. We can choose to trust the Sovereign hand of
God even when we don't see clearly. We can choose to believe that God is indeed
working for the good . . . even though the evidence seems illusive. It won't remove the
pain . . . but it will enable us to live joyfully in spite of it.
Second, we need to look for opportunities rather than wallow in our liabilities. Paul
saw an opportunity to share with those he would not encounter any other way. He used
his chains as a teaching tool that would strengthen others. He chose to dig deeper
rather than to be swept away. Let me give you some examples,
• you can grumble about being homebound or you can take that time to do the
reading, writing and praying you've always wanted to do.
• you can grumble about financial stresses or you can take it as a challenge to find
contentment and joy in things that don't cost money.
• you can grumble about your physical condition or use your physical condition as
your motivation for getting started on that exercise program you've been putting
off.
• you can complain about how empty the house is with the kids gone or you can
travel or look for new ways to occupy your time.
• you can grumble about your illness or you can use the time to deepen your faith
and to minister to others.
• you can complain about living in a small town or you can draw from the benefits
of the small town.
Think about the many people we may encounter in the difficult times of life we don't see
at other times: doctors, nurses, other patients, technicians, judges, police officers, social
workers, troubled people of many types, other students, neighbors, friends, others who
have had a similar sorrows. If we stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and look around for
opportunities to glorify God . . . . we will be astounded. And we will find joy as we use
those opportunities for God's glory.
JOY WHEN DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE
There is a second trials that Paul had to endure. He was being attacked from other
Christians. In the military we would say he was being threatened by "friendly fire".
These were fellow believers . . . or at least they professed to be. Paul says, they were
"preaching Christ." They were not false teachers, they were teaching truth but with a
contentious spirit. Listen to how Paul describes the situation,
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of
goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of
the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely,
supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does

95. it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or
true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. (1:15-18)
Paul says that these people were preaching out of "selfish ambition, not sincerely,
seeking to stir up trouble for him." They were not motivated by a desire to reach others
for Christ . . . their motive was to attack the competition! In some way, they saw Paul's
imprisonment as a chance for them to get ahead. They saw their service to Christ as
some kind of competition.
Now it is important that we recognize that sometimes WE are those contentious people.
We see it in growing churches all the time. As the church grows the influence of the old
guard lessens. And in some churches the "old guard" digs in their heels and refuses to
make the changes necessary for real growth. They withhold their support. They talk
constantly of all the "trouble" in their church. These people are not seeking the Kingdom
of the Lord, they are working out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, but seeking to stir up
trouble so that they might advance.
We see it in communities. Churches compete rather than cooperate. We want to be the
best church and so we find ourselves often celebrating and broadcasting the
weaknesses of other churches. You've done it, and so have I. On the outside we
profess unity but every chance we have we underscore how inferior the other church is.
We are not seeking to advance the kingdom, we are seeking to advance our own
congregation out of selfish ambition.
We see it in relationships. We are real good at "raining on someone's parade"?
Someone has a great experience and we are quick to point out the problems. Someone
has a great opportunity and we seek to steal their joy with comments such as, "It must
be nice . . . . (to have money, to have rich relatives, to not have to work like the rest of
us, to have a relative that gives you an edge . . . . ) Why do we say these things? It is
because we want to be in the spotlight. It is selfish ambition.
The Joyful Response to Difficult People
Paul told Titus that he should warn a divisive person once, and then have nothing to do
with them. Paul pleads with two women in the church at Philippi to agree with each
other. Paul told the church in Corinth that cliques were stupid and destructive. He
confronted false teachers. . . and he even stood up to Peter and told him he was being
inconsistent. And to be honest, I would have expected Paul to come after these difficult
people with great energy. But he doesn't. Instead he says simply, "What does it matter?
The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is
preached. And because of this I rejoice."
What are we to make of this? When should we stand against difficult people and when
should we back off? Here's what I notice: Paul was fierce when the gospel was
perverted, he was fierce when the unity of the church was threatened . . . but he was
passive when the attacks were personal.
You probably see, like I do, that his approach was the opposite of the way we handle
things. We are immediately aroused to anger when personally attacked and often
unmoved when the gospel is distorted and want to "stay out of it" when the unity of the
church is at stake. Many of the times we are fierce in defending the faith, it is really a
front for avenging ourselves.

96. Paul understood that HE was not the issue. Did he want to be liked? I'm sure he did. Did
it hurt when these men sought to use his problems for their advantage . . . you bet. But
Paul overlooked the personal affront and celebrated the fact that God's word was being
proclaimed.
This doesn't mean that Paul thought these men would not have to give an account for
their methods and motives. He was sure they would. But it wasn't his job. God has told
us not to retaliate. He has told us to leave judgment to Him. He has told us to love our
enemies. And when we do what God says we will have joy.
Joy comes when we approach difficult people this way because,
1. difficult people are diffused more quickly when we don't fight them. Maybe that
was what Paul meant when he told Titus to warn a divisive person once and then
separate yourself from that person. To go over an issue again and again only
makes more of an issue of it. If you don't "let it go" it takes on a life of it's own.
2. we realize that the worst thing anyone says about us is still not even close to
what COULD be said about us. In the slander and opposition we are reminded of
God's grace and forgiveness.
3. our joy is not anchored to the opinion of the crowd . . . but the opinion of the Lord.
4. when we seek to love rather than strike back we often find that our enemies
become our friends.
Let me give you three final principles we learn about dealing with difficult people. First,
we learn that we must always look at the big picture. We are seeking to build the
Kingdom of God . . .not a kingdom to ourselves. What people say about us is so much
less important than what they say about the Lord. We should be willing for God to use
us in any way He deems appropriate if it will get the message out. Even if that is the
expense of our own reputation. Our joy is anchored in His glory . . . not ours.
Second, we must remember that sometimes we have been the contentious
person. I don't think Paul ever forgot that at one time he was zealous for the wrong
reasons once too. At one time he persecuted Christians. He sought to put them to
death. He meant well . . . but he did wrong. Sometimes well meaning people do hurtful
things and don't realize what they are doing. We must continue to act with grace, even
when others do not act that way toward us. Someday we may need that grace.
Finally, we must remember that even though other people will disappoint us, God
will not. If we anchor our joy to the behavior of others, we will ride a roller coaster all
our life. People are inconsistent. We want to live godly lives, but sometimes we look
more like the Devil that we do the Lord. We must look to the Lord for our satisfaction
and joy. We must have a relationship with the Lord that will still be sweet even if the
entire world turns against us.
We have seen this in the lives of martyrs again and again. They have gone to crosses
to be burned and died singing. They have been thrown to the lions and died testifying of
the Lord's greatness. They have blessed others as they have been ridiculed. They have
loved even as they endured hatred. They have rejoiced even as their body was
devastated by disease. These trusted God rather than men or the circumstances of life.

97. And the best example of all was a man who spent His life trying to help others. In return
He was despised and rejected. He spoke of love and was tortured and executed. And
He extended forgiveness to His attackers . . . even as He was nailed to a cross.
People will disappoint us . . . but God never will. He proved it at Calvary and if you give
Him a chance He will prove it in your life. And if we remember this, and trust God rather
than others you will have joy . . . even in the difficult times.
©October 29, 2000 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche, LaHarpe, IL. 61450 www.unionchurch.com
Bruce GOETTSCHE
Paul’s Circumstances: Perspective, Joy, and
Mission in Life—Part I (Philippians 1:12-
18a)
I. Translation
1:12 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my situation has actually turned out to
advance the gospel. 1:13 The results of this are that the whole imperial guard and everyone else
knows that I am in prison for the sake of Christ, 1:14 and that most of the brothers, having
confidence in the Lord because of my imprisonment, now more than ever dare to speak the word
without fear.
1:15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill.
1:16 The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the
gospel. 1:17 The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think
they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. 1:18 What is the result? Only that in every
way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
II. Outline
(The outline pertains to both this and the next lessonso that you can see the
context).
A. Paul’s Circumstances (1:12-18a)
1. The Advancement of the Gospel through Preaching (1:12-14)
a. General Statement about Paul’s Circumstances (1:12)
b. The Whole Imperial Guard Knows (1:13)
c. Other Brothers Speak the Word (1:14)
2. The Motivations for Preaching (1:15-18a)
a. General Statement about Preaching (1:15)
b. Preaching from Right Motives (1:16)

98. c. Preaching from Wrong Motives (1:17)
d. The Result: Christ is Preached! (1:18a)
B. Paul’s Attitude of Rejoicing (1:18b-26)
1. In Light of His Expectations (18b-21)
a. To Be Released (1:18b-19)
b. To Exalt Christ (1:20-21)
2. In Light of His Future (1:22-26)
a. Regarding Productive Ministry (1:22-23)
b. Regarding Ministry to the Philippians (1:24-26)
III. Paul’s Circumstances:Perspective, Joy, andMissionin Life
(1:12-18a)
A. Paul’s Circumstances (1:12-18a)
Having thanked God for the Philippians’ long term support and participation in the gospel with
him (1:3-8)—as well as having prayed for their love and fruitfulness in Christian living (1:9-
11)—the apostle now moves on to relate, unfortunately only in general terms, what the effects of
his imprisonment are (1:12-26). Contrary to what the Philippians may have thought or expected,
his “chains” have really served to advance the gospel. As always, the apostle views life as it
relates to the progress of the gospel and the concomitant blessing experienced by those who
welcome it. Thus, should he be released—and this is what he expects to happen—he will
continue to work with the Philippians for their progress and joy in the faith (1:25). He can think
of no other course of action fitting for his life. Paul’s attitude can be summarized in eight words:
“To know Christ (3:10-11) and to make him known (1:22)!
Further, there can hardly be any doubt that one of the reasons Paul describes his own experience
in 1:12-26, even if the Philippians had expressed an interest in it when they sent him their gift,
was not simply to inform them of his situation, but also to give them a “pattern” to live by (cf.
1:26-30; 3:17; 4:9). Knowing that both he and they shared the same struggle (1:30), Paul never
lost an opportunity to “show the way” toward proper Christian living in a fallen world.43
There are several connections in 1:12-26 to what Paul has said in 1:3-11. First, there is the
repeated theme of prayer. In 1:3-4 Paul prays for the Philippians and in 1:19 he is counting on
their prayers for him. Second, the gospel and its furtherance is a main theme in 1:3-8 as it is in
1:12-26 (cf. too 1:27ff). Third, in the same way Paul was confident that God would perfect or
carry on his good work in them until the day of Christ, I think he also, in light of 1:20, felt that
God would carry on his good work in him. Fourth, the issue of the defense and confirmation of
the gospel sounded in 1:7 is generally the context for 1:12-26 and is taken up specifically and
somewhat surprisingly with respect to other Christians in 1:16. Fifth, Paul’s joyful and Christ-
like attitude in his imprisonment is an example of being “filled with righteousness,” and recalls
the content of his prayer for the Philippians in 1:11. Such an attitude also anticipates the
sufferings of Christ in 2:5-11. Sixth, Paul’s willingness to remain on in the body for the sake of
the Philippians (1:24-25) is an example of deciding or approving what is best (1:10).
Paul transitions, then, from the introduction to the letter (1:1-11) to the body of the letter (1:12ff)
through the use of a common formula: “I want you to know, brothers and sisters...” The formula

99. “I want you to know” (ginoskein de humas boulomai) was common in Paul’s culture, though he
nowhere else uses it specifically in this setting, that is, to introduce the body of the letter with a
description of his situation primarily in mind (but cf. Col. 2:1; see also Rom 1:13; 11:25; 1 Cor
10:1; 11:3; 12:1; 2 Cor 1:8; 1 Thess 4:13 for similar constructions). There are several papyri
which have the same formula, i.e., “I want you to know,” and then follow it with facts about how
the writer is doing, his safety, feelings, and activities.44 An oft-cited second century CE example
reads as follows:
Apollinarius to Taesis, his mother and lady, many greetings. Before all I pray for your health. I
myself am well and make supplication for you before the gods of this place.
I wish you to know, mother, that I arrived in Rome in good health on the 25th of the month of
Pachon and was posted to Misenum….45
Paul may have been using a similar style current in his day, but he is unique in his focus on
Christ and the gospel. Thus it is not a mere trifle as an introduction, but he sincerely wants them
to know about what’s happening in his life. We will proceed now to look in detail at this section
in which the apostle informs his readers of what’s going on around him and how he feels about
it.
1. The Advancement of the Gospel through Preaching (1:12-14)
The focus in vv. 12-14 concerns the advancement of the gospel through preaching, in spite of the
fact that Paul is in prison. In fact, it seems that the gospel is moving ahead because he is in
prison. As a result the entire imperial guard knows why Paul is in chains and other brothers are
speaking the word with greater daring.
a. General Statement about Paul’s Circumstances (1:12)
In verse 12 Paul gives a general statement about the contents to follow in the paragraph (i.e., in
vv. 13-26). It concerns Paul letting the brothers know about the advance of the gospel because
of his circumstances.
The term brothers is used by Paul approximately 133 times in his letters to express his close
personal relationship to other Christians on the basis of their new family relationship in Christ
(e.g., Rom 1:13; 1 Cor 1:10; 2 Cor 1:8; Gal 3:15; Eph 6:23; Phil 1:12, 14; 2:25; 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1,
8, 21; Col 1:2; 1 Thess 1:4; 2 Thess 1:3; Philemon 1). It is used nine times in Philippians alone,
and even—if not used sarcastically—includes those who tried to stir up trouble for the apostle
while he was in prison (1:14-15). Thus everyone who is a genuine Christian is a brother in the
family although many “brothers” do not act as they ought. The term itself probably comes out of
Paul’s Jewish heritage, though for him it expresses the distinctive relationship that exists
between those who are in Christ. Since we are all “sons of God by faith” (Gal 3:26-28) we are,
therefore, “brothers” by new birth into a new family. Further, it should also be pointed out that
the term “brothers” in v. 12 definitely includes Christian women as well, and is thus translated as
“brothers and sisters” in the NET bible It is unlikely, however, that the same term in 1:14
includes women. There it probably refers to men only.
Paul says to his Christian brothers that what has happened to him has actually turned out to
advance the gospel. The noun translated “advance” (prokopen) appears first in the literature of
the Hellenistic period (5th through 3rd centuries BCE). The verbal form was originally a technical
term from the nautical world meaning “to make headway in spite of blows” referring to a ship at
sea striving against the wind. Both the verb and the noun came to mean “progress” and were in
and of themselves neutral, not referring specifically to progress in something evil or something

100. good. They were also used in Stoic philosophy to speak of the movement from being unwise to
possessing wisdom.46 There is also an excellent example of the use of the term in 2 Maccabees
8:8.47 In some ways this example parallels the use of the term in Phil 1:12. We will look at the
entire passage in 2 Maccabees 8:1-11 to get the big picture. It reads as follows:
8:1 Meanwhile Judas, who was also called Maccabeus, and his companions secretly entered the
villages and summoned their kindred and enlisted those who had continued in the Jewish faith,
and so they gathered about six thousand. 2They implored the Lord to look upon the people who
were oppressed by all; and to have pity on the temple that had been profaned by the godless; 3to
have mercy on the city that was being destroyed and about to be leveled to the ground; to
hearken to the blood that cried out to him; 4 to remember also the lawless destruction of the
innocent babies and the blasphemies committed against his name; and to show his hatred of evil.
5 As soon as Maccabeus got his army organized, the Gentiles could not withstand him, for the
wrath of the Lord had turned to mercy. 6 Coming without warning, he would set fire to towns and
villages. He captured strategic positions and put to flight not a few of the enemy. 7 He found the
nights most advantageous for such attacks. And talk of his valor spread everywhere.
8 When Philip saw that the man was gaining ground (eis prokopen) little by little, and that he was
pushing ahead with more frequent successes, he wrote to Ptolemy, the governor of Coelesyria
and Phoenicia, to come to the aid of the king’s government. 9 Then Ptolemy promptly appointed
Nicanor son of Patroclus, one of the king’s chief Friends, and sent him, in command of no fewer
than twenty thousand Gentiles of all nations, to wipe out the whole race of Judea. He associated
with him Gorgias, a general and a man of experience in military service. 10 Nicanor determined
to make up for the king the tribute due to the Romans, two thousand talents, by selling the
captured Jews into slavery. 11 So he immediately sent to the towns on the seacoast, inviting them
to buy Jewish slaves and promising to hand over ninety slaves for a talent, not expecting the
judgment from the Almighty that was about to overtake him (NRSV, italics mine).
Thus in 2 Maccabees 8:8 it refers to an army making steady headway by winning a succession of
small but important battles—in spite of overwhelming odds.
Paul uses prokope to refer to his own progress and advancement in Judaism as a young man (Gal
1:14). He also uses the term in reference to the progress he wants Timothy to evidence as he
gives himself fully to his pastoral concerns (1 Tim 4:15). Paul also uses prokope in a negative
sense to refer to the progress in evil that false teachers are engaged in (2 Tim 3:9, 13). Here in
Phil 1:12 it refers to the progress of the gospel in spite of what might naturally have been thought
to impede its progress (cf. Thess 3:1). This progress is not only to be understood in terms of the
number of people now preaching the gospel because of Paul’s imprisonment, or even
hypothetically to the number people now accepting the gospel because of Paul’s imprisonment,
but also to the changed lives among some of the brothers who now have more courage to speak
the word. The fact that it is used again in v. 25 with respect to the Philippians’ growth not only
brackets this section off as a unit, i.e., vv. 12-26, but also serves to confirm the idea that the
“progress of the gospel” includes more than just Christ being preached; it also includes the
effects of such preaching, both among non-Christians (1:13) and Christians (1:14).
b. The Whole Imperial Guard Knows (1:13)
As a result of the gospel making inroads in people’s lives, Paul says the whole imperial guard
and everyone else knows that he is in chains because of Christ. Paul was in prison not because he
had committed some crime against the state, but because he was a Christian and because he

101. preached the gospel. But this may not be all that he means by the expression that I am in prison
for the sake of Christ. The wording in the Greek text makes it somewhat difficult to be certain
as to Paul’s exact meaning here, but he may be referring to the fact that he is in prison as one
who shares in Christ’s sufferings. Thus, it may be a similar meaning to that found in 3:10 where
he talks about sharing in Christ’s sufferings.48
In any event, the knowledge that his imprisonment is connected to Christ—and not some crime,
political or otherwise—has become known throughout the whole imperial guard. There have
been a number of suggestions as to the exact meaning of this expression, “whole imperial
guard,” read in the Greek text as holo to praitorio. The term praitorio is a Latin loanword (from
praetorium) attested in Greek inscriptions and papyri. In time the word came to refer to a
“governor’s official residence” (see Matt 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:28, 33; 19:9; Acts
23:35).49 O’Brien lists four meanings typically suggested, all of which also impact upon the
place of origin of the letter. The “whole imperial guard” could refer to: (1) the emperor’s palace.
But there is no example of the term used in this way; (2) the “barracks attached to the imperial
palace” and the small group of praetorian guards stationed there. But the term is not used in this
way and the space is too small to be equated with the “whole imperial guard” with its 9000
soldiers; (3) the “large permanent camp of the praetorian soldiers.” But this camp was not known
as the “praetorium.” (4) “men,” and not a place, that is, those men who made up the praetorian
guard. This last solution is perhaps the best because the term is used extensively in this manner
in papyri and the personal referent is in keeping with Paul’s subsequent comment about
“everyone else” which is also personal.50 The reference to everyone else probably refers to
others who had dealings with imperial affairs and had occasion to be in Rome and learn that Paul
was in prison for preaching Christ.51
c. Other Brothers Speak the Word (1:14)
Paul says that those outside of the church, i.e., the whole imperial guard and others too, had
heard about Christ as a result of his “chains” (v. 13). But there were also those on the inside, that
is, Christians who had been affected by Paul’s imprisonment for the gospel (v. 14). The reference
to most of the brothers refers to Christians who were in the Roman church. Some have
suggested that these were Christians in other churches like Corinth and Thessalonica, or even
Philippi. The latter of these interpretations, namely, Philippi, is a most unnatural reading of the
text. Since Paul refers to the impact of his imprisonment upon the imperial guard in Rome (v.
13), it is likely that in v. 14 he is referring to the impact of his imprisonment on the church in
Philippi. Further, there is nothing in the text to suggest that he means any other place other than
where he is—i.e., Rome. He is certainly not referring to the Philippian church since they had
shared with him in the ministry of the gospel for a long time (Phil 1:5-8). What is somewhat
lamentable is the fact that his imprisonment only spurred on “most” and not “all” of the brothers
to speak the word. And, further, it is lamentable that it took the imprisonment of another brother
to bring this about, and that even then some of the Christians did not do it with proper motivation
(1:15-18a). In the end, however, Paul rejoices for at least the gospel is going forth. Those
preaching the gospel in this manner stand in sharp contrast to the solid character found in Christ
(2:6-11), and men like Timothy and Epaphroditus (2:19-30)—men who were not opportunistic,
but instead gave their lives to the faith and furtherance of the gospel.
Nonetheless, the example Paul set while he was in prison had made a deep impact on most of the
brothers. As I said above, it is somewhat lamentable that it took Paul’s imprisonment to get them
moving, but their increased courage is nonetheless to be applauded. This elevated courage,

102. however, came firstly and ultimately from the Lord: “Most of the brothers, having confidence in
the Lord…dare to speak the word without fear.” It was because of their relationship with Christ
that they were spurred on to share the gospel. Paul’s chains were only the occasion, not the
grounds, for their confidence. We too must remember that God can use the present situation to
motivate us, but ultimately that motivation has to come from him if the resulting deed is to be
done in a way that pleases him.
These “brothers,” who experienced greater courage because of their relationship with the Lord
and because of Paul’s imprisonment, now more than ever, dare[d] to speak the word without
fear. The term dared means to have moral courage to act without fear of embarrassment or
physical harm. After Jesus had responded to all their questions and they were thoroughly
embarrassed, the Pharisees did not dare ask Jesus any more questions (Matt 22:46; Mark 12:34;
Luke 20:40). That is, they didn’t have the moral courage. At bottom they were cowards who
could not take the chance that their world might get messed up with some new facts. The
disciples, after seeing Jesus alive, did not dare ask him who he was (John 21:12). Mark 15:43
provides us with an example that relates more to daring to do something in spite of the
probability of physical harm. In this passage Mark describes the courage of Joseph of Arimathea
who dared to ask Pilate for the body of Jesus in spite of (the possibility of) the threat to his life.
Further, Acts 7:32 speaks about Moses who, in holy fear, did not dare to look at the Lord and
Romans 5:7 speaks about someone who might dare to die on behalf of a good man (cf. also Jude
9). When the brothers in Rome dared to speak the word, there existed a threat to them as well.
The threat to the Roman church and the reason they feared may well be due to certain political
realities under foot during the reign of Nero. Commenting on this, Fee says:
This probably reflects the historical situation in Rome in the early 60s, when Nero’s madness
was peaking and the church there had begun to fall under suspicion, as Nero’s program against
them just a couple of years later bears witness. The present situation in Rome for followers of
Christ had (understandably) led them to a more quiescent form of evangelism than was usual for
early Christians. For good reasons, then, Paul joyfully explains to the Philippian believers that
the net effect of his own imprisonment has been to give their Roman brothers and sisters
extraordinary courage to proclaim Christ, at the heart of the empire itself, where storm clouds are
brewing.52
Thus, despite possible political repercussions “most of the brothers” spoke the word and did so
fearlessly (=with great boldness). Paul often times refers to the gospel or message about Christ
and his saving work as “the word.” It is translated accurately in many modern versions by the
term “the message” (e.g. NIV). Verse 15 confirms that “the word” = “the gospel” or “the
message about Christ.” In 1 Thess 1:6 Paul rejoices that the Thessalonians had received “the
word” (=the gospel, v. 5) with much joy even though they had suffered severely. Paul also refers
to “the mystery about Christ” as “the word” (Col 4:3; see also Gal 6:6).
2. The Motivationsfor Preaching (1:15-18a)
Not everyone who was spurred on to preach Christ did so with the best of motivations. To be
sure, some did preach Christ out of love, but others out of selfish ambition. The bottom line for
Paul, however, was that Christ was preached and the apostle rejoiced in that.
a. A General Statement about the Preaching(1:15)
Verses 15-18a form a unit with an inclusio (“bookends”), that is, it begins and ends on the same
note: In v. 15 Paul says that “some preach Christ” and in v. 18a he speaks about the fact that

103. “Christ is preached.” There is also a chiasm in the middle of these verses which provides the
general content of the passage. The chiasm follows an A B B’ A’ pattern:
A: Some preach Christ from envy and rivalry (v. 15)
B: Some preach Christ from goodwill (v. 15)
B’: The latter do so from love… (v. 16)
A’: The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition…(v. 17)
The emphasis in the chiasm falls on the repetition found in the A/A’ lines. The fact that the
passage is “sewn together” in such a tight fashion and is joined only weakly to the preceding
passage in 1:12-14 (by an “and” [kai] in the Greek text) has led some commentators to regard it
as a digression or excursus not directly related to what came before. Generally speaking, those
who argue this point, also argue that those who preach Christ out of “envy and rivalry” in v. 15
cannot be the preachers Paul refers to as “brothers” in v. 14 who have “confidence in the Lord.”
But such a rigid separation of vv. 15-18a from 12-14 is not warranted.
First, the simplest explanation and reading of “some…are preaching” in v. 15 is that the “some”
makes up part of the group referred to as “most of the brothers” in v. 14. The same is true of the
“others from goodwill” in v. 15; the “others” is also part of the “most” referred to in v. 14.
Second, there is no immediate reason why Paul cannot refer to Christians who preach with
wrong motives as “brothers”—improperly focused and misguided as they may be! Even though
they are preaching from “envy and rivalry,” two terms often associated with works of the flesh
and the fallen condition (Gal 5:21; Tit 3:3), they are nonetheless, in Paul’s estimation, preaching
Christ. Besides, it is entirely possible that a Christian operate in such a sinful condition. The
commands throughout the NT to avoid such behavior are meaningless if this is not the case,
however unfortunate such a life might be (Rom 13:13; 1 Pet 2:1-2). Again, the NT letters
presuppose that Christians do indeed sin in this way (cf. 1 Cor 1-4).
Third, Paul rejoiced that Christ was “preached” (=“to speak the word” in v. 14). This implies that
the gospel preached by these contentious Christians—at least its essentials—was for the most
part accurate (cf. v. 18a). It is difficult to conceive of Paul saying this if these brothers were not
saved. The best answer is that they were saved and thus the problem is removed. Further, there is
no indication in the text that these “brothers” in v. 14ff. are in any way connected to the
opponents and false teachers Paul denounces in 1:28; 3:2, 18-19. The latter seem to be in
Philippi, while the former are part of the church in Rome. The men in vv. 14ff. “advance the
gospel” (cf. 1:12) while those in 1:28; 3:2, 18-19 are enemies of the cross of Christ; their end
will be destruction. No connection should be seen with Paul’s opponents in 2 Corinthians either.
But who, then, are these people who “think they can cause trouble for Paul in his
imprisonment”? Several things can be noted: (1) their motivation for preaching Christ is envy
and rivalry; (2) this envy and rivalry is directed at Paul; (3) it is concerned with Paul’s chains; (4)
it is coming from members of the Roman church. These points when taken together rule out
suggestions that Paul is here dealing with factions in Corinth, or Gnostic teachers, or Judaizers
per se. We are dealing here with Christians who are trying to give Paul grief in connection with
his chains. Because Paul makes the point that he is “placed” (i.e., by God) in prison it seems that
he is defending the consistency between the idea of prison and the gospel he preaches. Thus it
may be that certain Christians in Rome were arguing that if his gospel were really the true one—
and by this they specifically mean the practical applications that flow from the gospel—then he

104. really wouldn’t be in prison. Thus they maintained a more triumphal approach to ministry and
thumbed their noses at Paul. They undoubtedly took special offense to Paul’s idea that God had
strategically placed him in prison there for a defense of the gospel. To their thinking nothing
could be more inconsistent than for Paul to speak of a God-ordained message of liberation, on
the one hand, while in prison, on the other.53 In contrast to their efforts which were directed with
one eye on Paul and one eye on the gospel, Paul had both eyes on Jesus. He was, however, not
opposed to a triumphal theology, but only in God’s time, when He decides to vindicate His
apostle (cf. 1:20-21).
b. Preachingfrom Right Motives (1:16)
Paul says that those who preach out of goodwill—goodwill probably directed toward him (not
God per se)—do so in love. The love could be love for God or love for Paul. While it is true that
those who did preach Christ with the right motives undoubtedly had a love for God, the emphasis
here must be seen in contrast to what others were doing to cause Paul grief. Just as some had
tried to cause him trouble by their preaching, there were those who out of love for him and the
work that needed to be done, jumped in and began evangelizing. It was their way of showing
their solidarity with Paul and his message.
c. Preachingfrom WrongMotives (1:17)
We have discussed the basics of this verse in the commentary under v. 15 above. Nonetheless, a
comment is in order. It was unfortunate that some of the Christians in Rome could not get past
their own agendas and self-serving motivations. But we do not have to be like that. Surely the
Holy Spirit incorporated this section in his word to provide an example for us—albeit a negative
one in terms of those who preached with wrong motives—so that we might watch our own
motivations closely and seek to share his word with others in a spirit of unity, not “one-up-man-
ship.” Paul’s selfless attitude in v. 18a is the positive model. Here is someone we can pattern our
life after (cf. Phil 4:9).
d. The Result: Christ is Preached!(1:18a)
For Paul, Christ was everything (1:21): when he was facing the possibility of death, the
resurrected Christ was enough (1:20; 3:10-11). When he was suffering in prison, the suffering of
Christ was his comfort (2:6-11). For the man who wanted the highest possible calling in life,
Christ was his focus (3:10-11). For an arrogant young man who could not love as commanded
and had ardently striven to attain his own righteousness, Christ was his righteousness (3:4-11).
For the arrogant young Pharisee, who had his own agenda, Christ had become his all in all so
that whether from false motives or pure, if Christ were preached, he could rejoice. What
happened to him was of little consequence. The gospel and its progress was more important to
Paul. The apostle was a man of one vision: to know Christ and to make him known. He had
perspective in his circumstances and joy as a result. Finally, he never lost sight of the mission to
which he been originally called (Acts 9:6, 15).
IV. Questions and Principles for Application
1. How do you view your circumstances? Can you rejoice in them, even when you are doing
all you can, but the circumstances appear to be of little help in the cause of Christ?
2. How do you deal with people, especially Christians, who intentionally try to cause
problems for you? If it hasn’t happened to you yet, trust me, it will. How do you (would you)
respond to that kind of treatment?

105. 3. When was the last time you shared Christ with someone? If you are not sure how, please
consult the “ABC’s for Christian Growth: Laying the Foundation,” on this website and go to
“Lesson 1: Assurance Regarding the Gospel.” You will find practical help there for sharing
your faith. May God grant you the strength to share lovingly with everyone you meet. “Go …
and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark
5:19)!
43 Cf. Gordon D. Fee, Philippians, NICNT, ed. Gordon D. Fee (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995),
107.
44 Cf. Gerald F. Hawthorne, Philippians, WBC, ed. Ralph P. Martin, vol. 43 (Waco, TX: Word
Publishers, 1983), 33.
45 See A. S. Hunt and C. C. Edgar, Select Papyri I, Loeb Classic Library (Cambridge, MA:
Cambridge Press, 1932), 303; Fee, Philippians, 106, n. 2; Hawthorne, Philippians, 33.
46 See Gustav Sthlin, TDNT, 6:703-19.
47 2 Maccabees is a book in the Apocrypha (14 or 15 Jewish books written from 250 BCE to 150
CE) and gives us a theological interpretation of certain important events among the Jews in the
second century BCE.
48 See Moises Silva, Philippians, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, ed.
Moiss Silva (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992), 68.
49 BAGD, 697.
50 See Peter T. O’Brien, Philippians, NIGTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 93.
51 So Fee, Philippians, 114.
52 Fee, Philippians, 116.
53 The context for this rivalry between Paul and certain members of the church in Rome may
have been fueled by his letter to them and the concessions he wanted Jews and Gentiles to make
in their relationships with one another. But this is only speculation. Cf. Fee, Philippians, 121-
124.
GREG HERRICK
Rev. David Holwick Book of Philippians series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
March 1, 1998
Philippians 1:12-19
MAKING THE BEST OF THE WORST
I. The most productive time of your life...

106. A. What were the circumstances?
B. For me, times of pressure and opposition.
1) Breaking a long-term relationship, changing jobs, losing
health, precarious finances...
2) Easy-going times are for coasting.
C. Paul is telling the Philippians about events in his life.
1) "What has happened to me..."
2) Typical of first century letters.
II. Easier to witness in some places than others.
A. Church is easy, jail is harder.
1) Paul was in a hard place.
2) House arrest.
3) Couldn't visit his churches.
B. Worshipping problems.
1) Some worship problems more sincerely than they worship Lord.
a) Their lives revolve around difficulties.
2) Others ignore problems.
a) Real Christians don't have problems.
b) They pretend everything is rosy.
C. God wants us to put problems in right perspective.
1) Realize God has allowed the problem.
a) Human circumstances lie in God's hands.
2) It can make us more knowledgeable and useful for him.
a) God doesn't just work IN SPITE of our circumstances,
but THROUGH them.
b) Example of church in Cuba:
Atheist country for past 30 years.
Yet churches are thriving.
Methodists go from 6,000 to 50,000.
Testimony of Cuban pastor in our association.
III. Paul's perspective.
A. It has worked out for furtherance of gospel.
1) Furtherance = advance like an army in spite of obstacles.
2) Love of Jesus was Paul's main motivation in life.

107. B. One advantage: witnessing to Praetorium guards.
1) Rome's elite; 9,000 men.
2) Jail enabled him to reach men that other Christians couldn't.
a) When someone backs up his word with his life, people
stop, look and listen.
C. Other Christians were encouraged to be bold.
1) First century people were timid, just like us.
2) After all, they were outnumbered a million to one.
3) Previously, Paul's effectiveness got them off hook.
a) When we witness, we encourage other Christians.
b) Reason for testimonies.
IV. A downside.
A. Other Christians had different motives.
1) Selfish ambition. (insincere politicians)
2) They wanted more influence at Paul's expense.
B. Who were these Christians?
1) Many think they were phonies, false.
a) Evangelist Marjoe in the 1970's.
b) Got rich preaching the gospel but didn't believe it.
2) Most of Paul's opponents probably weren't fakes like this.
a) They are said to preach Christ and are included with
the "brothers" (never said of heretics).
b) It is not their content, but their attitude and spirit.
3) Insincere Christians.
a) Personal ambition cloaked in religious garb.
b) Continual problem in church - it is too human.
1> Christianity Today article on Jimmy Swaggart.
His 7,000 seat sanctuary is almost empty.
He still preaches with fire, and showbiz.
2> Easy to take eyes off Christ.
C. Paul's focus.
1) He could have resorted to criticism.
a) He focuses not on personalities, but ultimate outcome.
b) Christ is being preached.

108. 2) Don't let people get your eyes off Jesus.
It was a 99 degree September day in San Antonio.
Two women were running around a car in near hysteria.
One was a mother, the other an aunt.
The object of their frenzy was a 10-month-old baby accidentally
locked inside the car.
A neighbor attempted to unlock the car with a clothes hanger.
But soon the infant was turning purple and had foam coming
from her mouth.
It had become a life-or-death situation when Fred Arriola, a
wrecker driver, arrived on the scene.
He grabbed a hammer and smashed the back window of the car to
set her free.
Was he proclaimed a hero?
He said, "The lady was mad at me because I broke the window.
I just thought, What's more important - the baby or the window?"
Christians too often focus on the window... #1907
3) Is Paul saying motives don't matter?
a) Each person will be judged for their motives and work.
b) But even if we are phony, God may still use us.
1> Marjoe was a fake, but his converts could be genuine.
V. Are you advancing the Good News?
A. One barrier - our sense of sinfulness.
1) Our motives are never completely pure.
2) Preach him anyway. (then repent)
a) Example of backslidden Baptist who witnessed to me.
b) God is not limited by sinful humans.
B. Paul's one goal was to honor Jesus.
1) Is this your desire?
2) Use your circumstances to sharpen your message.
Copyright © 2018 by Rev. David Holwick
JOWETT

109. BAD MOTIVES IN GOOD WORK
"Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife” (Philippians 1:15-19).
How fearful the combination. A gracious evangel may be upon the lips, and a most unlovely
motive in the heart; the boat may be all right, but the devil may be at the helm. We may “preach
Christ” for the sake of winning a selfish victory, or of gratifying an envious and quarrelsome
spirit. We may use our Lord’s gospel just to deck our brow with controversial garlands, to
humiliate our opponents, and to bring eclat to an ecclesiastical sect. The envious hand may deal
out the waters of life! It is possible for a denomination to open a church in a neighbourhood, not
primarily for the glory of the Lord, but just to preoccupy the ground before another denomination
appears. Churches are frequently built as the outcome of angry divisions. We can preach the
gospel of love in a bad temper; pride can dictate the proclamation of peace. All these are
amazing and almost incredible conjunctions, but daily experience brings them before us in near
and depressing reality. On every hand we can see men using the Lord’s gun, while the aim is
directed by the devil. “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife.”
“And some also of good will.” The black hand has not always hold of the white robe. The Lord’s
messenger frequently shares the Lord’s spirit; the desire of the heart accords with the evangel of
the lips. There is no hidden poison, no dark and unclean secret pool. Such men “preach Christ,”
and they glory in the gospel, and all the inner bias of their life is firmly set toward the honour of
the Lord. They have no private aim, no ulterior purpose, no selfish “feathering of their own
nest”; all their motives are Christianised and refined, and every piece of shining armour, every
consecrated power, is eagerly placed at the disposal of their King.
“The one do it of love.” Their service is born of love, like a river issuing out of a lake. Love is
the very central power in their life, and everything takes its rise in its profound and lucid depths.
This is the birthplace of all the soul’s activities; nothing is born elsewhere. Its hopes, its desires,
its designs, its endeavours are all created in love and “of love,” and therefore they all harmonise
with the glad tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ. How infinite is the contrast between these love-
possessed and loverefined souls, and those who “proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely”; doing
it from shallow and irritable partisanship, with no sincerity in their hearts, but everything
cheapened and defiled by the base alloy of self-seeking and irreligious jealousy. Such unclean
labours are ever accompanied by a certain insensitiveness, and frequently by a purposed and
successful cruelty. “Thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds.” If only they could injure
Paul, and make his chains to gall him, their evil desires would be gratified, and they would rest
in the consciousness of something done.
“What then? Only that in every zvay, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and
therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” The Apostle is gloriously optimistic. Even in the midst of
these evil-motived men Christ is talked about, even though the devil has hidden himself in the
messenger’s heart; and the devil’s ministry shall be frustrated and nullified, and the proclamation
of the Gospel shall have free course and be glorified. The Holy Spirit shall contrive against the
devil’s “God shall make the wrath of man to praise Him.” A mystic antiseptic influence shall
play upon the speech of the jealous-minded ambassador, and it shall become a minister of health
and healing, and shall accomplish purposes quite other than he ever dreamed. “My word shall
not return unto me void,” even when it is spoken by a man whose heart is a bitter pool of envy
and strife. Not because of such a man, but in spite of such a man shall Christ our Lord be
glorified. Let the story of the Saviour’s love be made known, and the very word itself shall be
energised by the Spirit, and it shall fall as a seed of life into some dead and barren soil, and there

110. shall come a resurrection and a great awakening. “And therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.”
And well he may, and well we all may! The devil is awake, but our Lord is more awake. Sin
abounds, but grace doth much more abound. “He bringeth the devices of the wicked to nought,”
and “He getteth unto Himself the victory.”
“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation.” It shall all end well. The great Apostle is in
captivity at Rome. His surroundings are hostile. His plans are all thrown into confusion, and his
far-reaching missionary campaign has been ruthlessly checked. But the apparent circumstances
are not all the circumstances. Beneath the transient there is the eternal; within the frowning
antagonisms there works the hidden friendship of God. At present circumstances may seem to
march against him with the bristling threatening armaments of an overbearing foe. But there
shall be a “turn,” things shall receive a mysterious twist; an unseen but friendly hand shall guide
the hostile hosts, and instead of being the ministers of destruction, they shall become the agents
of a larger good. “I know that this shall turn to my salvation.” And how is this gracious turning
of circumstances to be brought about? What are the ministries which are to effect the
transformation? The Apostle mentions them. “Through your supplications.” The men and
women in Philippi are to play an influential part in changing the influence of the circumstances
in Rome. It is a marvellously daring association of ideas. Rome was the very heart of imperial
power, and all the forces of empire seemed to be moving in opposition to the Apostle Paul. And
yet this little company of obscure men and women in Philippi have a lever in their hands which
can divert the battalions of unfriendly circumstances to a friendly and undreamed-of end! And
this lever is the great prerogative of prayer. Has the Church of Christ adequately realised the vast
wealth of her spacious inheritance? She has a power which can raze mountains to their base, and
divert the channels* of the floods. “And the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” This is the
second of the great ministries made possible by the first. Our prayers cut channels for the river of
God’s gracious Spirit. No sincere prayer ever fails. It cuts a path for God; it prepares “the way of
the Lord.” And therefore the Christians at Philippi were sacredly qualified to minister to the great
Apostle at Rome, and to be the means of enriching him with amazing supplies of the Divine
grace. And so it came to pass that the circumstances at Rome could be deflected and “turned to
salvation” by a company of humble saints, who were praying in some obscure home in a distant
city.
DAVID LEGGE
Now we're turning to Philippians chapter 1 again, and our subject is 'Suffering: The Catalyst of
the Gospel', and we begin our reading at verse 12. Let me say while you're looking that up, I
forgot to mention that we will be having our early morning prayer meeting as usual on
Wednesday morning at seven o'clock, God willing - so please do join us if you can at that.
This problem of suffering, human suffering, is one of the profoundest questions - theological and
philosophical - that has ever faced the human mind and intellect...
Verse 12: "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me
have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest
in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident
by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ
even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not

111. sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set
for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in
truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice".
I wonder have you ever said to yourself: 'I'm useless'? 'I'm useless, there are other people that
God seems to use for good and for the gospel, but I just feel useless!'. Well, I think Paul could
have perhaps had the temptation to say that as he is in prison, the great missionary of the
Mediterranean, the apostle to the Gentile world - I'm sure there was a temptation for him to think
himself: 'Well, I'm not locked up here under house arrest, and I'm useless for God - what good is
a suffering, persecuted evangelist that can't reach the lost, that can't go out as a missionary to
reach the world around?'.
Well, we find that in this little epistle his reaction and his attitude to his being in prison was the
exact opposite, because he's overflowing with great joy - and we learnt in the weeks that have
gone by the reason that he had such great joy in the Lord. But ultimately the one common
denominator, and the fundamental reason why Paul rejoiced in such grave and awful suffering,
was because he knew that through his suffering the gospel of Jesus Christ was being advanced.
Through his imprisonment the gospel was going forth in a way, perhaps, that couldn't have been
possible but for the fact that Paul the apostle was imprisoned in Rome.
Now I know through my daily visiting to people in hospital, and in their houses going through
problems, I know even looking on the television screen and reading the newspapers, and you
don't need to even do those things - just walking through and down life's road you know that
there are people, even Christians, who feel imprisoned in their lives. That imprisonment can be
caused by many and varied reasons, it could be a feeling, as women, that you're imprisoned
within your home and all the chores and domestic responsibilities that you have; both men and
women may feel imprisoned in their workplace, they work 9 to 5, or perhaps greater hours than
that, and they would like to do something for God, but they find that they just don't have as much
time as they would like. Some people are shut in, or maybe lying in bed with an illness or
disease, or with paralysis, crippled with some kind of ailment, and they feel useless - they feel
that something, whether it is something that is a disease or circumstantial in their life, is
hemming them in, restricting them, imprisoning them to what they could do and what they feel
they could perhaps be for God if that thing wasn't there.
Suffering is the result of the fall of man, suffering does not come from God, suffering comes
from sin...
What accentuates the problem, and rubs salt into the wound, is that we often hear, and it's freely
heard now with satellite television, charismatic theology that comes across in so many different
and varied ways. Our Bible bookshelves are full of all these paperbacks, we get them over the
radio preaching that we shouldn't have suffering in our life - and I even hear it said even in our
own prayer meeting, that it's not God's will that people should suffer. My friends, we have to be
extremely careful in the things that we listen to, to the teachings that we imbibe, and to even the
prayers that we pray - because when you imbibe this type of theology and philosophy that it's
never ever God's will that anyone should suffer, you then make the conclusion that you are not
living God's best if you are experiencing suffering. Then that precipitates a prayer in your life:
'Lord, if I'm not living Your best, and if I'm suffering, then there's something wrong with my life,
and I want You to remove this reason for my suffering because I want to be better for You, and I
know that I cannot be better unless I am rid of this imprisonment, whatever it may be'.

112. Now listen very carefully to me, because I don't want to be misunderstood, because it's very easy
when you're preaching on the subject of suffering to be misunderstood. I am not talking about
things that we can change in our lives. I'm not talking about sins that we can get rid of, that we
must get rid of and the word of God commands us to do so - those sins that so easily beset us. I'm
not even talking about doubtful things or legitimate things that can weigh us down that we can
change, habits that we can put out, habits that we can bring into our lives to make us more godly,
to make us more effective and useful for Christ - that is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking
about imprisonments and circumstances that are purely providential from the hand of God. They
have come into your life and there is nothing, humanly speaking, that you can do about it, but
you feel that it restricts your service for God.
Now this problem of suffering, human suffering, is one of the profoundest questions - theological
and philosophical - that has ever faced the human mind and intellect. It's so difficult to
understand. We meet it when we evangelise with people: 'Why does God, if He is sovereign and
He can do anything, why does He allow people to suffer?'. Now, I'm not standing up here today
claiming that I have all the answers, I have far from all the answers, I may not even have any
answers apart from what I can glean from the word of God - but I want you to remember in all of
your analysing personally and of others, what they're going through in their life with regards to
suffering, I want you to remember always two fundamental things. The first is this: suffering is
the result of the fall of man, suffering does not come from God, suffering comes from sin which
has been instigated by original sin in our forefathers in the Garden of Eden, from the fall of man.
But the converse of that, and the other side of the coin which you must always remember as a
Christian is that although God is not the originator of suffering, God in His providence can work
for good in suffering. God can take that same suffering and work out His eternal purposes and
plans in it.
That is the marvellous thing that we find in this epistle, that God can bring the best results out of
the darkest circumstances. Now let's not make the confusion of what I will be speaking on this
morning, what Paul is addressing in this book: we're not talking about suffering that results from
sin - you get that in the Bible, there is suffering even in the life of a believer that results from sin,
and you can see it in the book of 1 Corinthians, and we'll be dealing with it later on in our Bible
Reading. Around the Lord's table there were some of them who were weak and sickly, some of
them even dying, Paul said, who were asleep because there was sin in the camp as they were
breaking bread - they were getting drunk at the Lord's table, it specifically says they were
drinking unworthily, unthoughtfully, without thinking it they were coming and drinking at the
Lord's table and eating like some kind of a banquet. Their sin brought judgement upon them, and
you can have judgement and suffering in your life because of sin, but that's not what we're
talking about today.
God in His providence can work for good in suffering. God can take that same suffering and
work out His eternal purposes and plans in it...
In the book of Job we find another reason for suffering, we read that Job didn't sin with his
mouth when he was in all the talking with God and going through all of his awful experiences -
what I believe the book of Job is teaching us, and the path that Job was being brought along by
the Spirit of God, was to reveal to him more about the person of God. Job didn't understand all
that he needed about God, so God brought him through this process of suffering to reveal more
about Himself to him. We can have suffering in our lives because of sin, but we can also have

113. suffering as a discipline in our lives to be drawn nearer to God and have God revealed to us in a
way that could only happen through our suffering.
The third reason is found in the personality of Paul the apostle himself, because God can take up
suffering and He can use it in His providential sovereignty as a device to prevent sin in our lives
as Christians. Paul's thorn in the flesh, that he incidentally came to God three times and prayed
that God would remove, God said He wouldn't remove it, His grace would be sufficient for his
need at that particular time - but the reason why He wouldn't remove it was because it was for his
good. He'd had so many revelations, he'd been shown so many mysteries about the future and
about the church Jesus Christ, that the temptation was very great for him to become proud. So
God gave him suffering as a device to prevent sin in his life.
The fourth reason, and I don't say that this list is exhaustive, but the fourth reason is what we're
looking at today and it's this: suffering can and often is used to advance the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Now if you're sitting in our meeting today and you're suffering, can I tell you - provided
you're not suffering from sin, and only you can answer that - you may be suffering to learn more
about God, you may be suffering to prevent sin in your life, but even if it's one of those latter
three that I've mentioned, it can be included in this advancement of the Gospel. You've got to see
in your mind and your heart today that your suffering is not a prison! Your suffering is not a
barrier to the Gospel, but primarily it is the greatest catalyst to the Gospel that the New
Testament knows!
It, above perhaps anything, evangelistically, can precipitate change in your life and in the lives of
those people around you. I want you to see from this passage today how the Gospel was
advanced through Paul's suffering. Look first of all, he witnessed to the soldiers - we'll see that
later - his suffering witnessed to the soldiers. Then his suffering brought encouragement to the
church, they were encouraged to preach the Gospel because he was suffering for the Gospel.
Then we find that it even motivated other preachers, some of them were rival preachers, some of
them were ambitious and selfish, there were some who were perfectly sincere - but the great joy
that was brought to the heart of the apostle was in the fact that no matter what or who was
preaching the Gospel, Christ was being preached! No matter how much he suffered, no matter
what he went through, even regardless of his own imprisonment in Rome, he had overflowing
bubbling joy because Christ was being preached!
Now what I want to communicate to you today from these verses is that you will have real joy in
suffering if you realise several things. One: if you realise that the Gospel is advanced through
your suffering. Look at verse 12: 'But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things
which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel'. We ought
never ever to lose sight of the Christian doctrine and philosophy that misfortune can serve a good
purpose in the eyes of sovereign God. The key to that statement that misfortune can serve a good
purpose is the word 'purpose'. Purpose! We are not a people that talk, or we ought not to talk or
live according to chance. We don't talk about coincidence, we don't believe in luck or even fate,
but we believe in the principle of divine purpose - that there is a God in heaven who is managing
our affairs and our lives, and He has ways and plans for us.
We believe in the principle of divine purpose - that there is a God in heaven who is managing
our affairs and our lives, and He has ways and plans for us...
Admittedly God's ways and God's plans at times can feel impossible toward us, we can't
understand it, it seems absolutely foolish. It seems foolish to me that Paul, the great apostle, is

114. locked up in prison. He is the greatest evangelising force in the Mediterranean word, yes in the
church Jesus Christ of his age, yet God lets him get locked up. Now that doesn't make sense to
my human rationale and reasoning, I don't understand it, especially when we think of the church
that's pitifully small, and this is a death blow to them that their great apostle is locked up! But
that's because we can't see the workings and mechanisms of God. Paul says the opposite to what
we would think, verse 12, that through his being locked up in prison the Gospel is being
advanced - that's what it literally means, advanced. One paraphrase says: 'Everything that has
happened to me has been a great boost in getting out the good news concerning Christ'.
To the Philippians it seems like a disaster. Incidentally, isn't it interesting that it is often those
who witness suffering that feel the pain the most? Those who are looking on, they're not going
through the suffering but they're going through watching the suffering - and it can seem worse to
them, because in our human nature and in the nature of the Philippians who helped Paul on
previous occasions, they just want to come to his aid, they want to release him from his prison,
they want to help him, they want to minister to him, they want to stop all this stuff that doesn't
seem to make sense for the Gospel to go abroad. Yet Paul didn't view it in that way, he says: 'No,
but this has served as a divine purpose to give a great boost in getting the good news out!'.
Roy Lauren, the Christian author, said this: 'What seemed to sight to be a retardation, was to
faith in fact an acceleration'. What seemed to hinder really served to help, what seemed to
prevent in actual fact promoted, and what appeared to be misfortune provided a blessing! It
wasn't just because of Paul's commitment to the Gospel, or Paul's commitment to Christ, but
because in prison Paul was being an effective channel of the Gospel. Can I just say to you: we all
pray for many many things, but we all know full well that we don't always get the answers to our
prayers that we're looking for, or even the answer that we expect. It was exactly the same with
the great apostle Paul. In Acts chapter 19 he expresses his wish to go to Jerusalem, and then
'After I have been there', he says, 'I must also see Rome'. God later on, in chapter 23 of Acts,
says Paul: 'For as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also in Rome'.
But He didn't tell him how he was going to bear witness, did He? He didn't tell him he was going
to be a prisoner, that he wasn't going to be able to go out in the highways and byways and
compel them to come in.
God doesn't always tell us everything when He answers our prayers, and maybe things don't turn
out the way that we would like them to turn out, but Paul says in encouragement to us all who
experience this perhaps on a weekly basis: when we can't make sense of what God is doing in
some of His purposes, when we accept by faith it will bring joy, and it will radically affect other
people in the Gospel - the Gospel will advance! You will have real joy in suffering not only if
you realise that the Gospel is advanced, but also that your testimony is witnessed. Look at verse
13: 'So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace', or the Praetorium, 'and in all other
places'. The Romans even were affected by Paul's great joy in his suffering.
When we can't make sense of what God is doing in some of His purposes, when we accept by
faith it will bring joy, and it will radically affect other people in the Gospel - the Gospel will
advance!
You have to remember that Paul probably was obscure to everybody in the city of Rome, he was
an unknown, anonymous - but all of a sudden he gets put in prison and everybody knows his
name. He becomes a spectacle. He goes from anonymity to the attention of the palace, or literally
the Praetorium Guard, the great barracks where all the Imperial bodyguards met and slept and
ate. It goes further, it says 'not only in the palace but in all other places'. It all stemmed from him

115. being put in prison. Now his influence wasn't just confined to the church at Philippi, or even the
church at Rome, but his influence was going through the whole of the Imperial guard, going
through slaves and courtiers and even the general population of the city of Rome.
Paul was in prison, but don't think that he was in - well, I nearly said a prison like our prisons,
but he definitely wasn't in a prison like our prisons - he was under house arrest. He wasn't behind
bars or anything like that, he was probably in the grounds of the Praetorium, the grounds of that
barracks in a little house. In all likelihood there was chained to his arm a Roman Praetorian
guard, a soldier, 24 hours a day chained onto the apostle Paul. He would swap over every six
hours and do shifts, like many of you do in your work, but imagine what it would've been like to
have been that Praetorian guard shackled to the apostle Paul - it would have been a nightmare, in
my opinion at least!
When you think and consider that John Mark and Demas - I imagine, maybe reading in a little bit
to the narrative in the New Testament - but I think they found it hard going with Paul. Hard
going following that little old man with all his disabilities and ailments, yet ploughing on the
Gospel into all of Europe. It was difficult, and they forsook him, they left him - but what would it
have been like to have been this soldier who had no interest in the Gospel, no interest in Christ,
and every day this man is reading the Scriptures, he's on his knees praying and the soldier has to
get down on his knees, and then he's maybe fasting, and then he's over in the corner of the room
getting his parchment and getting his quill and starting to write a letter to the Philippians or to the
Ephesians or some other church. He's up and down in prayers and fastings often, and telling this
person of the great gospel and the great joy that he has!
From each one of those soldiers, I believe, each one of them remember every six hours going
back to the barracks and another one coming - Paul couldn't get out to preach the Gospel, what
was he doing? He was bringing them to him and preaching the Gospel in the circumstances that
he found himself in! What an encouragement that is! Paul had a captive audience 24 hours a day
of one chained onto his arm! We believe that many were converted, and we believe that the
Gospel went into the population of Rome because of that. Now let me point this out to you in
case you miss it, that the result of Paul's predicament was out of all proportion to the
disadvantage that he suffered! It was out of all proportion to what you would think would be the
outcome of being in prison, you would have thought that this type of a revival would happen by
the great man standing on Acropolis and preaching the Gospel to all the philosophers, but no: it
came disproportionately from the suffering that he endured.
Bishop T.W. Jury (sp?) said: 'The very chain which Roman discipline riveted on the prisoner's
arm secured to his side a hearer who would tell the story of patient suffering for Christ among
those who the next day might be in attendance on Nero himself'. That's what we mean when we
said last Monday night that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men. Can I ask
you this morning: what are your chains? What is your imprisonment? Is it a bed? Is it a sickness?
People listening to me on tape who can't get out to join in fellowship with us - what is it? Is it
your home? Ladies, is it your kitchen sink? Men, is it the lack of money - an economic
imprisonment, you just can't seem to break out of this debt, or the wages don't seem to go up as
much as you would like? And you feel that because of these things your life serves no useful
purpose. Would you please remember this: you are being observed by other people!
If you have real joy in your suffering they will see it everyday in the office, in the classroom, at
home, every hour. What do they see when they scrutinise you?

116. If you have real joy in your suffering they will see it everyday in the office, in the classroom, at
home, every hour. What do they see when they scrutinise you? Some people go into the hospital,
maybe for a minor operation, and they don't know why it is - but then they get to speak to
someone in the right-hand bed, or in the left-hand bed, or a nurse, or a doctor - and for such a
time as this, like Esther, they can often be brought into hospital. I've heard it! Brought into
hospital to meet someone who they could meet in no other way, to share the Gospel and that
person gets saved! Remember in your suffering, although you may feel imprisoned, although you
may feel useless, remember that the Gospel potentially can be advanced through your suffering!
Your testimony is being witnessed!
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you jump up and down and shout 'Hallelujah' when
you go through trial. I'm not saying that you have really feel in your heart and work up some
kind of emotion: 'Oh this is God's will and I ought to be happy' - but what I want you to see is
that suffering above maybe anything else is God's providential pulpit to preach the Gospel. Life
has its prisons as well as its palaces, and the sooner we accept that this is God's way of sharing
the Gospel with others, many will see it and fear and will trust in the Lord.
Thirdly you will have real joy in suffering if you realise that the church is encouraged. The
church is encouraged, verse 14: 'Many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my
bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear'. This attitude of joy was contagious,
not only among the Roman soldiers, but among the church in Philippi. Kenneth Wuest translates
this verse: 'Fearlessly they were breaking their silence and speaking the word'. They were
emboldened to preach the Gospel, they had fearful surroundings but when they saw the example
of Paul and what he was going through and the joy that overflowed, well they just went out
nevertheless and preached the Gospel - and we read that there were many saved.
Now what am I teaching you? It's this: your testimony is being witnessed, but also in the church
of Jesus Christ you can never ever know the extent and the significance of how you suffer for
Christ - you'll never know! The influence that you're perhaps having at this very moment on
other Christians - never underestimate it - by the way that you suffer, the way that you go
through pain. It may be that God has to put these chains on you and put you in this prison to help
other people, to encourage other people in the church of Jesus Christ. Mothers, it may be that you
feel chained because you have to share the Gospel with other mothers. Businessman, you may
feel chained because you have to share it with people that I could never reach. Person who is sick
with a debilitating disease, you may be able to share the Gospel with other patients that I will
never meet. We all have our little parishes to go to and to share the Gospel.
Think of Susanna Wesley, 19 children day after day - what that must have been like before any
mod-cons or disposable nappies - and she ploughed her life of godliness and prayer, and two of
her sons, John and Charles, turned Britain upside-down for Jesus Christ and we're still living in
the influence of it! Fanny Crosby, blinded from six weeks old as a child, but she was not left in
darkness with regard to her influence for Jesus Christ - we're still singing her hymns and it brings
great joy to the church of Jesus Christ at large, because she realised that the church is encouraged
by the way that we face our suffering.
We don't need new methods today, I think the greatest method that we could have is the
suffering servant of Jesus Christ!
He'll not like me saying this, but there's a young man in Portadown, and after I preach this
sermon he will transcribe every word and he will put it on the internet. He is confined to a

117. wheelchair, he has pain daily, but he's doing something out of his suffering that I could never do
- and it is advancing the Gospel! It is a testimony that people are seeing and it is encouraging
other people and the church of Jesus Christ at large. We in the West need to realise that the
church is not advanced through money or through power, but primarily through the suffering
witness of the weak. Ask yourself: where is the church advancing in the world today? Is it in the
States? Well, it's big in the States, but I wouldn't say it's advancing. We get all this bombardment
of church growth literature from the United States, but we don't need the church growth
movement of the US, what we need to get back to is the church growth movement of Ecuador!
What's that? It's a man and his wife called Jim and Elisabeth Elliot and their little child Valerie,
going to the Auca Indians, and Jim goes off on his own with four other missionaries and tries to
contact them, and he is slain as a martyr for Christ - and then his wife Elisabeth takes up the
mantle and goes into those people who killed her husband and learns their language, and writes
down the word of God and shares the Gospel with them and brings her little child up in the midst
of them, and they are saved and preaching the Gospel today! What is that? It is the spirit of the
imprisoned Paul. How that rebukes us, but how it encourages us - we don't need new methods
today, I think the greatest method that we could have is the suffering servant of Jesus Christ!
Fourthly, you will have real joy in suffering if you realise that the enemy is confounded, the
enemy is confounded. If you look at verses 15 to 17 you find that some people were preaching
Christ outside of prison for jealousy, some for strife, some out of party spirit, and some even to
aggravate Paul's imprisonment - they were wanting Paul to get a hiding, proverbially, in prison
because the Gospel was advancing outside. They thought: 'If we preach it, he'll get a beating'.
Well, who are they? Well, all the scholars speculate, some say Judaisers, I don't think it is the
Judaisers, because in all the things that Paul mentions here he doesn't mention that they're
preaching a different message. He mentions that they're preaching Christ.
I think what we have here is people that weren't opposed to Paul's doctrine, but people who are
opposed to Paul's personality. They're opposed to him as he is as a person, they're jealous of him,
they're jealous of his success, jealous of how he gets on with people, how he is a great
missionary, maybe because he is the great apostle. I don't think Paul would have rejoiced if they
were preaching a false Gospel, in Galatians he anathematises, he curses people who are
preaching a false Gospel. But I think what he is saying here is: 'I know these people are against
me, I have a personality clash with them, or they have a personality clash with me, but I don't
care because Christ is preached, the message is preached, and that's all that I'm worried about!'.
This is tremendous humility, isn't it? The word literally used here for strife and envy and all this
is the word that was later used, came to be used, as canvassing for office. You know the
politicians make you sick, you see them kissing the little babies and giving them sweets and all
the rest, that type of hypocrisy, pretention - they were going to try and be like Paul, or try and be
better than Paul, yet they were preaching the message. And Paul said: 'I don't care what their
motive is, as long as Christ is preached'. Well, once they got Paul out of their way they saw their
opportunity to further and advance not the Gospel, but their own interest and influence, their
self-seeking ambition. I think, if I was Paul, I would have got really upset - but what does he do?
He gets real joy - why? Because if you believe in a sovereign, loving God who doesn't just put
you through life's prisons for kicks but has a purpose, has a plan and a design, you can also
believe in a God who can overrule even false preaching and bring people to Christ through it!
The only Bible that some people will read is you, and they will read how you suffer. This was
the Master's method was it not?

118. It's wonderful, he didn't care! Not that he didn't care about error, but he didn't care to fight battles
for his own name - he knew that the wrath of God would praise him. Well, you think of Joseph,
that's who I thought of when I was studying - all that Joseph went through, and at the end of his
awful life, we haven't got time to go into it but you know about it, but it was said like a summary
and a conclusion: 'But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good to bring
to pass as it is this day to save much people alive'. Isn't it wonderful that God can even work
through the personality clashes? Look at Paul and Barnabas, He overruled it and brought it round
for good!
Whether it's emperors persecuting the early Church in the Acts - what was it doing? In effect it
was just driving the Christians all over Europe, and driving the Gospel with them! Whether it's
the Puritans, King Charles chases them out of the United Kingdom, out of England, but they
landed at Plymouth Rock and they founded the great Christian Commonwealth that used to be
the United States of America. God meant it for good! And then in the States they had that Civil
War, and out of that awful bloody war Lincoln, the great Christian president, he's able to free all
the slaves - and what came out of blood came to victory in Christ. Again the wrath of man is
turned out for the furtherance of the Gospel! The poet put it like this:
'Careless seems the great Avenger;
History's pages but record
One death-grapple in the darkness
'Twixt old systems and the Word;
Truth forever on the scaffold,
Wrong forever on the throne;
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And behind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the shadow
Keeping watch upon His own'.
The enemy is confounded even in our suffering. You will have real joy in your suffering if you
realise that the Christ is preached. Listen to what he said, he didn't say 'Because I preach Christ'.
He didn't rejoice because he was preaching it, he rejoiced because Christ was preached. In
modern jargon could I paraphrase it: he couldn't care less as long as Christ is preached! As long
as, as he says in Thessalonians, the Gospel has free course. He's not excusing error, he's not
saying that we have to be blinded to error, but he's acknowledging that in spite of a system that's
unbiblical God can do something not because of the system but regardless of the system!
There's a man here this morning and he was pointed to Christ by a man who wasn't a believer.
How do you work that one out? I've heard of people who have heard a pop song, and it has
clicked something in their mind; I've heard of people watching a film, seeing a billboard, and it
just engenders something in their heart and in their mind because God is sovereign and He can
take anything up - even in the most ungodly religions and systems, you see Martin Luther
mounting up those steps on his knees bleeding for penance and God reveals to him: 'The just
shall live by faith', not works, faith!
Did you hear that? God has a plan for you to give you life's greatest joy, even in its greatest
darkest hours...
Oh, we rejoice that Christ is preached. Let me say, as we close today, we are epistles written unto
men. The only Bible that some people will read is you, and they will read how you suffer. This

119. was the Master's method was it not? The Lord Jesus Christ going through such agony and
torment on Calvary, but the purpose of His suffering was God's redemptive work and our
salvation! Is a servant above his Master? No, Paul says, 'That I may know Him, the power of His
resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us,
always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be
made manifest in our body. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus'.
Billy Strachan, who we know and lovingly remember, wrote a little book on the book of
Philippians and he called it this: 'You Can Be Fruitful in Your Isolation'. Did you hear that? God
has a plan for you to give you life's greatest joy, even in its greatest darkest hours.
Father, we pray this morning for all those in our gathering who are suffering in one way or
another. We pray that You will engender that Spirit-given joy shed abroad in their heart by faith,
to realise that in their suffering the Gospel can be advanced, their testimony is witnessed, the
church is encouraged, the enemy is confounded, and the Christ is preached. Father, help us to
suffer well. None of us wants to suffer, but Lord help us that in it we would be on our Father's
love relying, Jesus every need supplying, or in living, or in dying, to know all will be well. So
help us to take with us this morning that great promise of Thy word, that all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose - for we pray
in the name of the Lord Jesus, that Man of Sorrows who suffered that we might know the joy of
sins forgiven. Amen.
Don't miss Part 6 of 'Philippians': "The Joy Of Suffering Service"
------------------------Back to Top
Transcribed by:
Preach The Word.
October 2002
www.preachtheword.com
This sermon was delivered at The Iron Hall Assembly in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Pastor
David Legge. It was transcribed from the fifth tape in his Philippians series, titled "Suffering:
The Catalyst Of The Gospel" - Transcribed by Preach The Word.
All material by David Legge is copyrighted. However, these materials may be freely copied and
distributed unaltered for the purpose of study and teaching, so long as they are made available to
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120. Joy in Spite of Detractors
• Sermons
• Philippians 1:15–18
• 50-8
• Jul 3, 1988
J o y i n S p i t e o f D e t r a c t o r s
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We come now this morning to that sacred time when we open God's precious Word. The
psalmist says it “is more to be desired than gold, yea than much fine gold: sweeter also than
honey from the honeycomb.” I hope you find the Word of God both valuable and sweet as I do.
Let's open our Bibles to Philippians chapter 1, and we are in our ongoing study of this wonderful
section from verse 12-26, a section we've entitled, "Joy in the Ministry." Now the apostle Paul is
a living example of having joy in the ministry when the ministry, in and of itself, was very, very
difficult. The key verse in this text, a rather long paragraph, in which he says, "I rejoice. Yes, and
I will rejoice." And that statement is a bit emphatic, almost authoritarian, almost defiant in some
ways, as if it ran contrary to everything we might suspect, he will rejoice in spite of everything.
This is a great insight into the true joy of ministry in spite of circumstances that are not favorable
on the surface.
Before we look into the text let me just help us to get a little bit of a running start. I have
occasion to speak to pastors quite often and church leaders, and frequently I am asked this
question, very frequently: “What is the most discouraging thing in the ministry?” “What is the
most discouraging thing in the ministry?” Now, as far as I can remember, I have answered that
question fairly consistently over the last number of years. Two things are the most discouraging,
distressing things in the ministry. Number one is people who choose to live and behave at a
lower level than they should, based upon their spiritual knowledge and experience. Let me say
that another way. It is extremely discouraging in the ministry when a believer who knows the
Word of God well and who has experienced significantly the blessing of God's spiritual growth -

121. Christian fellowship - who then almost defiantly turns his back on it and walks away into sin -
very discouraging. Much more discouraging than a new Christian who falls into sin, or an
untrained Christian who stumbles into sin because they're ignorant of God's Word. The
heartbreaking thing in the ministry is people who know very much about Scripture and very
much about spiritual living and have had great spiritual experiences and have seen the movement
in the power of God and know what it is to really to walk in the Spirit and choose to walk away
from it and engage in sin - very discouraging. People who know better acting as if they didn't.
And the second thing that I always bring up when I'm asked that question is the second most
discouraging thing in the ministry is being falsely accused, falsely accused by those who are your
fellow preachers of Christ - very difficult, very difficult. There are people who want, for
whatever agenda they have, to discredit your ministry. And so they falsely accuse you. They
aren't doing it from the world of unbelief; they're fellow preachers of Christ. Very hard to deal
with. Obviously I've been in the ministry long enough to have experienced both. I seem to be in
the midst of experiencing the second of those two right now, and I confess to you that I am not
seeking to serve my own interest by preaching this. This just happens to be where we are. But it
hits a bullseye as to where I am currently. So if I leak a little in the process of getting this over to
you, you'll understand. It's very difficult to deal with being falsely accused by people who also
preach Christ, who are your fellow servants of Christ but for some reason want to discredit and
harm your ministry.
You say, "Well, why do you bring that up?" Because that's exactly what Paul brings up in this
passage. That second issue is the issue of verses 15-18, look at them. "Some, to be sure," he says,
"are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out
of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ
out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my
imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is
proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice."
The pain runs very deep, by the way, when other preachers of the gospel slander, malign,
misrepresent, criticize, accuse, oppose, belittle a person's ministry. That's very difficult. And I'll
tell you why. To be trusted is the stock and trade of the ministry. To be believed is the stock and
trade of the ministry. To be considered a faithful teacher of God's Word is essential foundation
for the ministry. And so when you go into the ministry as a young man, as I did, the first number
of years in the ministry your whole endeavor is to lay a foundation of integrity and credibility so
that people believe you, so that when you speak they trust what you say. If people don't trust
what you say, you have no ministry.
And so you spend a great amount of effort trying to be a diligent student of God's Word, so that
when they check the Word for themselves, like the noble Bereans, they find out that what you
told them was the truth. And you endeavor to so circumscribe your life that you live a godly life
that underpins your integrity of word so that people who look at your life say it's real. So anyone
who is young in the ministry knows that the early years are spent endeavoring to be faithful to
the study and diligent in the preparation, and deep in the Word so that when people listen to you
they know it's the truth, and to concentrate on the character of your life so that your life
undergirds what you say. And I confess to you that that has been the purpose and direction of my
life for many years - to be trustworthy, to be faithful, to be known as a man who is true to the
Word of God, faithful to the Word of God, faithful not only to teach it rightly - rightly dividing it
- but faithful to live it rightly, that when he speaks you can listen and know this is true. He can be

122. believed. He's trustworthy. That is the stock and trade of ministry. If you lose that, you've lost it
all.
It would be like a doctor who wants more than anything else to gain the confidence of his
patients, but if they all die in surgery nobody is going to be there very long to visit him, to get his
diagnosis or to let him put his hands on them. There is in the spiritual dimension that same
reality. It's the same in any profession. You don't go to a mechanic who makes things worse
when you're done than when you went. In the ministry, everything is based upon you being
believable, you being trustworthy. Because basically all we do is speak and teach. There's
nothing mechanical about the ministry. You either accept it as true or you reject it. And being
believable takes years to lay that foundation. And so that's why it's so difficult when all of a
sudden you realize that you're being attacked and slandered.
In the last couple of years that's happened to me amazingly. I suppose I never expected it. I
guess, in a sense, if your conscience is clear and you feel you're doing what God wants you to
do, you think you might sort of slide through this life without any of that. That's not the case,
however. In recent months and even the last few years I have been called a heretic. That's not a
word you want to throw around lightly. I have been accused of being a perverter of the Bible.
One man suggested that I reject the true Bible altogether. There have been pamphlets about me,
booklets about me, theses about me, tapes and sermons have been produced about me with the
goal, the single goal, of discrediting my name and ministry. In fact, some of you in the church
have received a flier in the mail which lists about fifty tapes that you can get that attack John
MacArthur. I didn't really know there was that much to say about me. And there are even people
in the church here who would chime in on some of those kinds of things.
Now I want you to understand that I don't want to be self- seeking or self-defensive in this at all.
I really, I'm really not reacting because of my own personal self. The Lord can use someone else.
The kingdom does not depend on me. This church does not depend on me. The Lord's work does
not depend on me. If I had my way I'd go to heaven and get done with all this stuff and just - I
mean heaven sounds much better than anything I've seen here - to be with the Lord. The Lord
doesn't need me. The kingdom will go on without me just fine. So it's not that I need to protect
myself.
When somebody said, "You know, we've got to get Jimmy Swaggart back in the ministry quick
or all these millions of souls will go to hell," I don't believe that. I don't believe any man is
indispensable. And I'm not indispensable either. So it isn't a self-seeking kind of thing. But the
despair and the distress and the pain comes because no one who really, honestly serves the Lord
Jesus Christ wants anyone to think that he is a discreditor of Christ. That's the issue. I don't want
to bring reproach upon the name of Christ. And because of some attacks - when I get a letter
from some lady in North Carolina or somewhere who says, "I'll never listen to you again. You're
a heretic, and you've dishonored Christ with what you teach," and so forth and so on. That's what
grieves my heart because that brings reproach on Christ. And I would never want to do that, or
misrepresent His Word.
Now I guess you expect, you expect that from the unsaved world. You expect the Christ-
rejecting world to be malicious. I do. I even expect some of the Bible-denying liberals to be
malicious toward me. I just had such an occasion when I was confronted by a confused
philosopher who wanted to attack the fact that I was egotistical enough to think that I knew the
truth about God and about the things the Bible teaches. I expect that from the liberals. I expect it
from the Christ-rejecting world. I expect lawsuits from people who resist the gospel. I expect

123. rejection of the teaching of God's Word by those who pervert Scripture. But the hard thing is to
be falsely accused by those who are fellow preachers of the truth of Christ. And all the
accusation is unjust and untrue. This is very discouraging.
And to be honest with you, when I got into this passage in the last couple of weeks, I found
myself being comforted with Paul because he was going through the same thing. And if Paul had
to go through this, I feel much better about it because I'm not anywhere near being in his league.
And it's just kind of nice to know I'm in the same deal. That's a little bit confirming to me. And
the bottom line so often for Paul was, "I have a clear conscience." He says that repeatedly. And
I've been saying that to Patricia lately. "My conscience is clear, honey, my conscience is clear."
She's probably getting tired of hearing that, but if I could label something in my life that I knew I
needed to change, I would do that. And still the onslaught comes. I understand that. I understand
exactly what Paul was going through here, in a small way; certainly not in the fullness of what he
endured.
But then again, look at Jesus. Jesus was falsely accused. The whole populace turned on Him and
killed Him. And He never did one thing wrong; never thought one thing wrong; never said one
thing wrong. And they killed Him. And all He did was commit Himself to God, a faithful
Creator. That's all Paul did.
Thomas Manton, one of my favorite Puritan writers, said, "God is the most powerful asserter of
our innocency" - great statement. “God is the most powerful asserter of our innocency.”
"Therefore," he said, "it is best to deal with God about it and prayer proves a better vindication
than self-defense." That's good. Go to God. “God is the most powerful asserter of our
innocency.”
So, you look at Paul. And that's obviously what Paul did because in the middle of all of this false
accusation, at the end of verse 18, he says, "I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice." It couldn't steal his
joy. It was discouraging. It was distressing. It was disheartening, discomforting. It was a pain to
the body of Christ. It was a terrible disruption to the church. Not unlike the Corinthians where
one was of Paul, one was of Peter, one was of Apollos, and one little group was of Christ. And
they were all in conflict with each other. There were the pro-Pauls and the anti-Pauls in the
church at Rome, and that was not a comfortable thing. He didn't like that. But he maintained his
joy in spite of it. And that's the lesson we learn in this whole paragraph - joy in the ministry.
Charles Simeon, writing in the last century, reminds us that this is pretty common in the church.
He said, "Let a holy minister arise in the established church" - by that he meant a blessed, unique
servant of God - "and what efforts will be used to draw away his people. Preachings, prayer
meetings, societies, will all be formed for this very end and persons of popular talent will be
brought from a distance to further the base design," end quote.
Right on target. Right on target. He said let somebody be an anointed and an unusually gifted
minister of God and watch people attack him in their preaching, their prayer meetings, their
societies, and even people will go from great distances to proclaim against him and carry out the
base or evil design. So it's to be expected, but it shouldn't touch our joy, and that's what we're
going to learn from Paul. Since joy is the measure of spiritual strength, we would expect in Paul
an unbreakable joy because he's so spiritually strong and his joy doesn't break. We said last time
that wherever your joy breaks down, that's the point of your spiritual weakness. With Paul his
joy remained, even under these tremendous personal accusations that he was receiving.

124. Now do you remember what we pointed out last time? There are four areas of thought in this
paragraph, from verse 12-26. We've been taking them one at a time. The first one we said was
Paul has joy in spite of chains, or in spite of trouble, as long as Christ's cause is furthered. You
remember that? Go back to verse 12, "I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances" -
that is my present incarceration and being chained to a Roman soldier, having lost my privacy
and my freedom - "have turned out rather for the progress of the gospel." So he says, "Look, I
rejoice, in effect, in my chains as long as the gospel progresses." And then he explains how it's
progressing, verse 13. The first thing that's happening is the gospel is going “through the whole
praetorian guard and to everybody else.” God is saving the men that are chained to Paul. God is
saving people in the praetorian guard that were responsible for him. And God is saving people in
Caesar's household, as chapter 4, verse 22, points out. There's a revival going on among
unbelievers, and everybody else in Rome is getting the word.
The second way the gospel is progressing is in verse 14, inside the church. Not only outside the
church but inside, in that "brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment" - or
literally “being confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment” - "have far more courage to
speak the Word of God without fear." It's making the church more bold because they're seeing
that even if you're in prison you can still have a ministry. And so they're willing to be bold and
leave the results to God.
So, he says, "Look, I don't care about the chains twenty-four hours a day for two years. I don't
care about being chained. I don't care about being incarcerated. I don't really care about being
stuck with a Roman soldier all these years, never having privacy, never being alone. I don't care
about losing the freedom and not being able to travel and go to churches and plant - I don't care
about that as long as the gospel is progressing." Now there is a selfless man who didn't live for
himself, who didn't live for his own plans but was totally, totally able to rejoice if the gospel
went forward, no matter what happened to him. What happened to him was not an issue.
Now let's go to the second element in his joy. The first one, he rejoiced in spite of trials or
troubles or chains, as long as the cause of Christ was furthered. Secondly, he rejoices in his
detractors as long as Christ's name is proclaimed. Even the people falsely accusing him couldn't
steal his joy. He has joy in spite of detractors as long as Christ's name is proclaimed. Now what
do you mean detractor? Maybe we need to define the word for you so you'll understand. That is a
good word, by the way; it's a good word. The dictionary says this: "a detractor is a person who
belittles or devalues the reputation of someone - who belittles, devalues, or attacks the reputation
of someone." A detractor is someone who wants to tear someone else down, and Paul had them.
Hard to imagine - such a faithful soldier, such a beloved servant of God, such a godly man - but
he had his detractors. He was that marvelous, holy, godly, powerful, successful, blessed man
who was a problem to big egos and men with impure motives.
Among those who were made courageous, verse 14, you see it there? “The brethren who have far
more courage to speak the word”? Among those preachers in Rome, those brethren who were
preaching the gospel, there were two kinds, okay? Two kinds. The first kind that he mentions in
verse 15 were the detractors. And while they were preaching the gospel their real agenda was to
discredit, defame, accuse, criticize, belittle, devalue, dishonor Paul. Almost unbelievable kind of
treatment. Their whole perspective in ministry was to attack Paul. That's what made their blood
flow, that's what got them up in the morning. That's what really they wanted to sink their teeth
into - let's destroy Paul. Let's depreciate his reputation. And so he mentions them in verse 15,
look at it. "Some” - What do you mean “some”? - “some of the brethren who are speaking the

125. word of God," in verse 14. “Some of the brethren.” "Some" goes back to “brethren,” some of the
preachers. "To be sure" - he throws that in because it's so unthinkable. If he just said, "Some are
preaching Christ," we'd say, "You sure about that?" So he says, "To be sure." It's so hard to
believe. How could anybody be attacking Paul who was in chains for his faithfulness? How can
you do that? But he says, "Some, to be sure.” “Don't question me on this. No doubt about it, as
surprising as it may seem, as unthinkable as it may appear, it is true. It is true. Some of these
preachers for sure are preaching Christ.” Stop there for a moment.
So far so good, right? So far so good? They're preaching Christ. You want to know something?
These aren't heretics. These aren't Judaizers. These aren't Gnostics. These aren't false religionists
of any kind. These aren't idol worshipers. These aren't those who were attached to Greek
mythology. These are people who preach Christ. They are preaching Christ. And inherent in that
statement is all the gospel truth. “They're my fellow preachers.” They could sign Paul's doctrinal
statement, and he could sign theirs. They're preaching Christ. And yet they're after him.
I had an opportunity to meet with, I think, about a hundred pastors or so - 75 or 100 - and I
started out by saying, "Let's establish one thing to begin with, and that is this: that we agree on
the teaching of the Word of God. I could sign your doctrinal statement in your fellowship
without hesitation or equivocation. I believe exactly what you men believe. I just want you to
know that as a starting point." In trying to deal with false accusation it's important to establish
that we're not talking about doctrinal difference, and that's not what Paul was talking about.
We're talking about something else. The detractors here were not attacking Paul's theology. It
was his person that bothered them. And so they are preaching Christ. They really are. Look at
verse 15, "preaching Christ"; verse 17, "they proclaimed Christ"; verse 18, "Christ is
proclaimed." Three times he says that - three times. They are not heralding another gospel, like
those in Galatians 1:6. They are not proclaiming another Jesus, like 2 Corinthians 11:4 and 13.
This is the same gospel and the same Jesus Christ. They are not the Judaizers like chapter 3,
verse 2, called “the false circumcision.” They're not “the dogs” or “the evil workers” of that
verse. There's no difference in their content. There's no difference in their gospel. There's no
difference in their preaching. The difference is in their motive.
Look at it now. "Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ but from envy and strife." That's the
issue. It's their motive that messes them up. What's another word for “envy”? What is it?
“Jealousy.” It's an ugly word, isn't it? Ugly word. Paint it green – “envy.” They were jealous.
Jealous of what? I'll tell you what - Paul's giftedness, Paul's success. They were jealous that Paul
was so beloved. They were jealous that everybody found Paul to be the touchstone of truth. They
were jealous because more people followed him than them. They were jealous because he had so
eminently upon him the blessing of God. They may have been jealous of the fact that he on three
occasions had encountered the living, resurrected, and exalted Christ personally. They were
jealous - jealous of his gifts, jealous of his blessings, jealous of his ministry, jealous of his
success, jealous of his high esteem. He was a menace to their prominence. He was a menace to
the exaltation of their egos. He was in the seat they wanted to be in, only he was there rightly.
And as a result of being jealous they created “strife.” The word means “contention, conflict.”
Their jealousy pitted them against him and conflict occurred.
I have to tell you, people, it's a sad, sad thing, but that is rampant in the church - rampant today.
There are people who are motivated out of jealousy and envy. They focus their whole life on
trying to discredit other people who occupy some kind of place of blessing that creates envy in
their sinful hearts. They preach the true gospel but they have such an impure heart. They seek to

126. be more prominent. They are angry that someone else is more successful than they are, as an
evangelist or a writer, or a pastor, or a teacher. And so they are producers of rivalry. That's
another word for strife, conflict. They see themselves in competition with Paul, and they become
his detractors. And the way they're going to win the battle is by slander and accusation and
criticism and tearing him down.
Paul writes this here not so we'll feel sympathetic for him but so we'll know that this is how it is.
And he reminds us in writing this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the Lord takes note
not only of what we preach but of why we preach it. That the Lord is not only into content but
the Lord is into motive. Sadly, there are always those who attack the faithful of God who are
specially blessed. And that breeds strife and contention. And there is great jealousy among
church leaders. There is today. There always has been that problem.
You say, "Well, how were they, how were they detracting from Paul? How were they attacking
him? How were they expressing this contention and strife?" Well, he doesn't tell us. He doesn't
want to be self-serving, and there's really no point in giving the details of what they were
accusing him of. But it kind of would be interesting to speculate a little bit, and I don't think it's
too difficult to figure it out. There were probably different factions, and different men moved by
their own ego and pride were probably saying different things. It was probably some group that
was saying, "Well, he sinned; this is chastening.” God showed them. We don't know about it, but
somewhere in his life there's some secret life. I mean, here he was moving and having all this
freedom, and God was blessing, and now he's in a chain and God did it to him; he sinned. “If we
know the truth, we'd know there's something in his life that isn't right; he's sinned.” These are the
legalists, those who think they can read everybody's mind and who think they know all the
secrets of all the ages. They would have uncovered some sin in Paul's life or died trying, if they
could.
And then there was the other group – probably, if it was like today - who would say, "Well, the
reason he's in prison right now is because he doesn't have the spiritual power to be triumphant.
You see, he's in prison and he can't get out. He hasn't learned yet how to tap the resources of
God's power." That's what they'd say on channel 40 [Trinity Broadcasting Network]. That's the
channel-40 group. That's the "name it and claim it" gang, the power people. "He's weak. We're
free because we're triumphant. We're moving around free. We have power. He's obviously
impotent. He doesn't know how to tap into divine resources, or he'd burst the chains and walk
out." You can just hear it, you know. There’d be that gang there, too. They'd be laying that on
him.
And then there would be others who would say, "Well, the Lord put him over there to keep
people from getting to him, and the Lord left us free so you'd come to us. See, we're the ones you
want to listen to. He's antiquated. He's old time. This is a new day. And the new day - we're the
new men, and God just sort of shoved him over, chained him there so the people won't go to him.
He's not free to go preach anywhere; we are. God's left us to roam around and do the ministry. So
you want to listen to us, not him."
And then there were others, sort of ascetic types, who might say, "Well, you see, if he was really
a true godly man, he'd have been martyred long ago because he'd have been willing to die, and I
think he's playing politics. He's just trying to get a way of release. They've got him in that house.
They've got him chained. And he's secretly working out some kind of deal with his captors, and
if he had any character he'd be so bold they'd kill him." I'm sure there was something for
everybody, whatever.

127. The bottom line was discredit Paul. Hurts me to even think about that. This dear man - I mean, as
great a saint as ever lived, and he says, "I have no one who came to my defense," at his first trial
in Rome. He says, "All in Asia have forsaken me." He says, "There's no one of like mind with
me but Timothy." And now he's got all these people saying all these terrible things about him. Is
this what you get after a life of faithfulness? This is the church? A bunch of spineless people who
won't come to your defense? People who won't live according to the pattern that you've taught
them? People who want to attack you for the exaltation of their own ego? Pretty ugly.
Some are like that. Some are like that. But on the other hand, back to verse 15, "Some also [are
preaching Christ] from good will." That's a purely biblical word, eudokian; it means they're
“satisfied” with my life – “good will” toward me. They're content with what God is doing in my
life. Their motive is pure. They're content not only with my life but with theirs. They're satisfied
not only with what God's doing with me but with what God's doing with them. They're
sympathetic to me. They're grateful, they're generous in their feelings toward me. They're content
with my role. They're content with their role. They just have good will. Thank God for people
like that. What a blessing they are. And I thank God that He's filled my life with people like that
who are such an encouragement, such a blessing, such a source of joy.
Paul describes them a little bit more in verse 16, "the latter do it out of love." He says they do
what they do “out of love.” They're characterized by love. The implication is that the ones
preaching Christ out of envy and strife certainly aren't characterized by love. And I am
immediately reminded that the most essential element of effective ministry is - What? - love. Do
you remember this: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels”? “If I can talk angel talk
but do not have” - What? - love, I have become a noisy gong, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the
gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to
remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing,” “nothing.” If you “don't have love,”
you're a big zero. And he says these “do it out of love,” verse 16.
Some of those people, who were the brethren preaching Christ, made bold by Paul's
imprisonment, were preaching Christ “out of love.” Love for whom? For him, is what he's
talking about. They had a deep affection for him; they cared about him. They loved him. And
that, in a sense, laid down the integrity of their whole life. They loved, and that's the bottom line.
And, he says, "knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel." “They knew that I'm
in prison because of defending the gospel. They know that I'm here because I'm set for the
defense of the gospel, and I'm in a strategic place, and God set me here, and I'm destined for
this.”
The word, he says here, "I am appointed," that is a military term, keimai, “I am set.” It's used for
a soldier on duty. He was as much on duty set by God to defend the gospel as a Roman soldier
was on duty being chained to him. The word can also mean “destined.” And so if we combine it
we could say, "They love me and they have good will toward me." And he says, "They know that
I have been destined to be on duty for the defense of the gospel." They were convinced that Paul
was where he was not because he was unfaithful but because he was faithful. He was where he
was not because he failed but because he succeeded. He was where he was not because he was
out of God's will but because he was in God's will. He was “set for the defense of the gospel.”
He was the greatest living defender of the gospel.
That word "defense," a great word, apologia; apologetic comes from it. He was God's defender
of the gospel. And God put him in a strategic place to make that defense, before the hierarchy of
Rome. He had already made it in the trial that's mentioned in verse 7, the first hearing. And he

128. was now awaiting his sentence. He may have even had that in mind when he says, "I am set for
the defense of the gospel." But he said, “Of all the people preaching Christ, you can divide them
into two groups: the ones who lovingly, compassionately, sympathetically hold me in good will.
And they know that I am God's man, destined to do what I do and I'm faithful to my duty. And
then there's that other group whose real agenda is jealousy and envy and rivalry, and they speak
evil against me, wanting to tear me down so they can push themselves up. They are loveless.
They have no good will.”
He returns to that group in verse 17. And he gets us a little deeper into their hearts. “The former”
- the detractors – “proclaim Christ.” Again he reminds us for the second time, they “proclaim
Christ, the true gospel.” But they do it “out of selfish ambition.” There's the motive. That is
contrasted to pure motives - rather than from pure motives. They don't have pure motives. Their
motive is selfish ambition - the ugliest, most wicked, vile of all motives. They're a long way
from the principles of chapter 2, verse 3, which says, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty
conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than
himself." Don't you people in Philippi behave like these ugly, envious, jealous, selfish, ambitious
preachers of Rome.
“The former” then refers to that group of detractors. They proclaim Christ out of selfish
ambition. They're selfish. The message is right; the motive is wrong. There are wrong motives.
First Peter 5 says a wrong motive is “filthy lucre,” “money.” It says a wrong motive is power,
“lording it over” people. Third John 9 talks about Diotrephes and reminds us that a wrong motive
is “seeking preeminence.” And here they were; they wanted it all. They wanted money, power,
preeminence, personal gain, selfish ambition.
The word here translated "selfish ambition" - let me give you a little background; it’s very
interesting. Originally the word erithia was not a bad word at all. As far as we know in its
etymology, originally the word simply meant “to work for pay,” “to work for pay,” which is
okay; working for hire. But a man who works only, solely for pay works from a very low motive,
very self-seeking motive. He's out to benefit himself and that's all he sees, and so he only wants
to advance himself and his own gain and his own prestige. He becomes a careerist, if you can
understand that word. A man who is simply out to magnify himself. So the word because of that
sort of tendency came to be used in politics for someone who was seeking office, running for
office, canvasing for office. It came to describe a man who spent all his time promoting himself,
which is exactly what politicians do - total self-promotion, based on self-ambition. It came to
describe the personally ambitious then. It came to describe that competitive spirit which is out to
advance itself and really doesn't care how it does that or who it steps on in the process. And that's
what moved these men, erithia, driving ambition to elevate themselves at all costs.
And they saw the way to do it, if they could just get on top of Paul you'd be at the peak. If you
could just push Paul down and be thought of as greater than Paul, you arrived. So you attack
whoever's on top - that's the issue. You don't attack your, the other guys on your level. You go
and attack the guy on top so you can be elevated above him. And so they saw his imprisonment
as an opportunity to advance their own influence, their own prestige, and lessen his - selfish
ambition, ugly rather than pure motives; envious, jealous preachers moved by selfish desire for
prominence, craving honor, craving fame, craving preeminence rather than loving this faithful
man. Look at verse 17, they thought “to cause me distress in my imprisonment.” They wanted to
hurt me.

129. That says it, folks. They weren't concerned with the church - purity of doctrine, growth of the
church. Nah, they just wanted to hurt him. They wanted to hurt him badly. They wanted to rip
him up so they could crawl up and be on top. “Thinking,” it says - planning, scheming – “to
cause me distress,” “to aggravate my affliction.” Speaking against him - attacking his integrity,
attacking his credibility, attacking his faithfulness, attacking his character - would hurt him, and
they wanted to hurt him.
Isn't that sad? Isn't it sad that the church has a way of consuming itself with that kind of trash? It
does. The word "distress," by the way, is thlipsis, basically means “friction,” “friction.” They
want to just rub me till they've irritated me, just like chains rubbing his hands and his feet. They
were adding to his chains more friction, more irritation, all from malicious treatment. Their goal
wasn't to exalt Christ. Their goal wasn't to protect the church. Their goal wasn't to evangelize the
lost. Their goal wasn't to defend the Word of God. Their goal was to irritate the man of whom
they were jealous - that's their goal - and pull him down in the eyes of the people so the people
wouldn't believe him and wouldn't trust him and wouldn't go to him. And then they would be the
preeminent ones. That's, that's what they were all about.
And I don't think Paul includes this section in here just to get sympathy. I don't think he ever
wanted sympathy. He wanted prayer, but I don't think he ever wanted sympathy. But he puts it in
here so we won't be surprised at it. It happened to him. Are we surprised that it happens to us?
I'm not. By the way, as a footnote, the words “envy,” “strife,” “selfish ambition,” “impure
motives” - those words that he uses to describe these detractors - are all words listed in the
catalogs of vice of the New Testament. They're found in those catalogs. For example, Romans
1:29; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:20 and 21; 1 Timothy 6:4, where you have lists of
wickedness. They had wicked motives, wicked attitudes.
Here's the bottom line. Did it steal Paul's joy? No. And that's what's so important about it. You
couldn't steal his joy in spite of chains, as long as Christ's cause is furthered. You couldn't steal
his joy in spite of detractors, as long as Christ's name is proclaimed.
Let's go to verse 18, “What then?” You know what that means? “So what?” “So what?”
“Suppose it’s so?” Or, “What does it matter?” “So what that such detractors speak against me;
what's my response?” Here it is, "Only that it" - here's my only response. Boy, singlemindedness;
amazing, what a man. “Only this, that in every way” - every method and every motive –
“whether in pretense” - that is as a hypocrite like these detractors – “or in truth” - like the lovers
and the men of good will – “Christ is proclaimed.”
You know what he's saying? “Look, what does that mean to me? Absolutely nothing. Only one
thing matters to me.” In whatever way, whatever method, whatever motive, whether it's
hypocrisy, “pretense” - and it doesn't mean they pretended to believe the gospel. They believed
it. They just pretended to preach it out of pure motive when their motive was really to hurt Paul.
“Or in truth” - those who preached truth with true intent. He said, the bottom line, “Christ is
proclaimed” –katangelletai, means “to proclaim with authority.” “If Christ is being proclaimed
with authority, that is enough to satisfy my heart.” Oh my, what a man, what a man! Whether
sincerely or insincerely, “if Christ is preached, I rejoice.” He didn't rejoice in the preaching of
error, and did not rejoice in the sinful attitude of the preachers. But he rejoiced that Christ was
preached. That was the overriding thing. And he “will rejoice” in that.
You say, "Well, you mean they really preached the true gospel? Could it affect anybody?" Yes.
A preacher with a jealous, envious, selfish motive can still be used of God, and I'll tell you why.

130. He can't be used of God as much as God would want to use him, but he can still be used of God
to this degree that - listen carefully - that the truth is more powerful than the package it comes in.
And you can put the Word of God and the saving gospel in the mouth of a man with bad motives
and the truth is still the truth, and powerful, and powerful. Because the power, as John Eadie, that
old commentator, said, "Lies in the gospel not the gospeler." It lies in what is preached, not the
preacher. And the listener here is only the preaching; he doesn't see the motive.
And Paul says, "Look, I'm not concerned about me. I'm expendable. I've committed myself to
God who is the greatest asserter of our innocency - He knows. I just thank God that Christ is
preached. I'm just so glad they're preaching Christ, not Buddha, not some false God - Christ."
He's a magnanimous man, isn't he? He's everything the other men aren't, everything the other
men aren't.
In the midst of all his suffering, all the selfish cruelty that's thrown at him, he is undaunted in his
commitment. “As long as Christ is preached, that's what I live for, that's what I die for.” So he
says, "and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice." The present will flow right into the future.
Present joy will become future joy as long as Christ is preached. “I don't care about me,” he says,
“I don't care about me.” That's true spiritual character.
One old commentator wrote, "While we detest the abominable profaneness of men who so
dreadfully abuse the gospel, let us not cease to rejoice at the good effects which God produces by
their hands. Let us hold the thorns of such plants in horror and gather with thanksgiving the
roses." That's good.
Paul didn't care who got the credit. He didn't care what happened to him. He lived for the gospel.
Oh my, how do we instill that in a generation today? How do we get that into the heart of pastors
and teachers and elders and deacons and leaders in the church? When you put chains on a man
like Paul, when you latch him to soldiers for years without privacy or freedom, when you restrict
him and forbid him to travel and preach the gospel he loves and build churches, and when you
aggravate his trouble with the constant friction and irritation of malicious, false accusation rising
out of jealousy and selfishness and contention, what happens to that man? Does he quit? Does he
lash back? Does he break? Does he lose his joy? No, he doesn't. He doesn't. Why? Because the
cause of Christ is furthered and the name of Christ is proclaimed. That's all he cared about; that's
all he lived for.
Only the grace of Christ can enable you to handle slander like that. In 1975 the Sacramento,
California Superior Court issued a judgment against a man named John Abercrombie. You may
have remembered it. He was accused of and found guilty of shoplifting a 63-cent can of Danish
bacon. Not one of your major crimes. Throughout the whole contention he maintained his
innocence. He had a very difficult time dealing with the slander. He was a retired Air Force
colonel with a distinguished World War II combat record. He had post-war assignments that
involved top security clearance for the government. He was an honorable man, a man of great
integrity. And by the way, an innocent man.
Finally, the case was appealed and a jury overturned the case, exonerated him completely from
the supposed theft, awarded his family $100,000 in damages. Too late for him to enjoy. The
slander had so devastated him that he died of a heart attack at age 53 before the court case was
even finished. Couldn't handle being falsely accused.
And maybe, maybe in the flesh it's tough to handle, but in the Spirit it never took Paul's joy, and
it shouldn't take ours either. Let's pray together.

131. Lord, we thank You this day that when, as we read in the Psalms, when we are forsaken, You
will take us up and when we are slandered, You will hold our cause. Thank You for being the
great asserter of our innocency. Thank You, Lord, that when it comes against us in the world -
the slander even from those in the church who preach the very Christ we preach - that You
sustain and support us. When it comes from people close to us who misunderstand and
misrepresent, You're there to strengthen us.
Thank You for the example of Paul who never lost his joy, who rejoiced and would continue to
rejoice - no matter what happened - as long as Christ was proclaimed, even by the people who
spoke evil against him.
Thank You, Father, for every mouth that proclaims Christ, no matter what they may say about
me or us. Thank You that they preach Christ. And may we never become defensive but always
commit our souls to a faithful Creator. We thank You, Father, for the privilege of representing
you. Help us to be faithful. And if nothing else, how glorious to hear some day, "Well done,
good and faithful servant, enter the joy of your Lord."
Until we know that consummate joy, may we know the joy of ministry even now, in spite of
trouble, in spite of detractors. Keep us close to Your heart. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.
A, MACLAREN
A PRISONER’S TRIUMPH
Philippians 1:12-20 {R.V.}
Paul’s writings are full of autobiography, that is partly owing to temperament, partly to the
profound interpenetration of his whole nature with his religion. His theology was but the
generalisation of his experience. He has felt and verified all that he has to say. But the personal
experiences of this sunny letter to his favourite church have a character all their own. In that
atmosphere of untroubled love and sympathy a shyer heart than Paul’s would have opened: his
does so in tenderness, gladness, and trust. We have here the unveiling of his inmost self in
response to what he knew would be an eager desire for news of his welfare. This whole section
appears to me to be a wonderful revelation of his prison thoughts, an example of what we may
call the ennobling power of a passionate enthusiasm for Christ. Remember that he is a prisoner,
shut out from his life’s work, waiting to be tried before Nero, whose reign had probably, by this
time, passed from its delusive morning of dewy promise to its lurid noon. The present and the
future were dark for him, and yet in spite of them all comes forth this burst of undaunted courage
and noble gladness. We simply follow the course of the words as they lie, and we find in them,
I. An absorbing purpose which bends all circumstances to its service and values them only as
instruments.
The things which happened unto me; that is Paul’s minimising euphemism for the grim realities
of imprisonment, or perhaps for some recent ominous turns in his circumstances. To him they are
not worth dwelling on further, nor is their personal incidence worth taking into account; the only
thing which is important is to say how these things have affected his life’s work. It is enough for
him, and he believes that it will be enough even for his loving friends at Philippi to know that,

132. instead of their being as they might have feared, and as he sometimes when he was faithless
expected, hindrances to his work, they have turned out rather to ‘the furtherance of the gospel.’
Whether he has been comfortable or not is a matter of very small importance, the main thing is
that Christ’s work has been helped, and then he goes on to tell two ways in which his
imprisonment had conduced to this end.
‘My bonds became manifest in Christ.’ It has been clearly shown why I was a prisoner; all the
Prætorian guard had learned what Paul was there for. We know from Acts that he was ‘suffered
to abide by himself with the soldier that kept him.’ He has no word to say of the torture of
compulsory association, night and day, with the rude legionaries, or of the horrors of such a
presence in his sweetest, sacredest moments of communion with his Lord. These are all
swallowed up in the thought as they were in the fact, that each new guard as he came to sit there
beside Paul was a new hearer, and that by this time he must have told the story of Christ and His
love to nearly the whole corps. That is a grand and wonderful picture of passionate earnestness
and absorbed concentration in one pursuit. Something of the same sort is in all pursuits, the
condition of success and the sure result of real interest. We have all to be specialists if we would
succeed in any calling. The river that spreads wide flows slow, and if it is to have a scour in its
current it must be kept between high banks. We have to bring ourselves to a point and to see that
the point is red-hot if we mean to bore with it. If our limitations are simply enforced by
circumstances, they may be maiming, but if they come of clear insight and free choice of worthy
ends, they are noble. The artist, the scholar, the craftsman, all need to take for their motto ‘This
one thing I do.’ I suppose that a man would not be able to make a good button unless he confined
himself to button-making. We see round us abundant examples of men who, for material aims
and almost instinctively, use all circumstances for one end and appraise them according to their
relations to that, and they are quoted as successful, and held up to young souls as patterns to be
imitated. Yes! But what about the man who does the same in regard to Christ and His work? Is
he thought of as an example to be imitated or as a warning to be avoided? Is not the very same
concentration when applied to Christian work and living thought to be fanatical, which is
welcomed with universal applause when it is directed to lower pursuits? The contrast of our
eager absorption in worldly things and of the ease with which any fluttering butterfly can draw
us away from the path which leads us to God, ought to bring a blush to all cheeks and penitence
to all hearts. There was no more obligation on Paul to look at the circumstances of his life thus
than there is on every Christian to do so. We do not desire that all should be apostles, but the
Apostle’s temper and way of looking at ‘the things which happened unto’ him should be our way
of looking at the things which happen unto us. We shall estimate them rightly, and as God
estimates them, only when we estimate them according to their power to serve our souls and to
further Christ’s kingdom.
II. The magnetism or contagion of enthusiasm.
The second way by which Paul’s circumstances furthered the gospel was ‘that most of the
brethren, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of
God.’ His constancy and courage stirred them up. Moved by good-will and love, they were
heartened to preach because they saw in him one ‘appointed by God for the defence of the
gospel.’ A soul all on flame has power to kindle others. There is an old story of a Scottish martyr
whose constancy at the stake touched so many hearts that ‘a merry gentleman’ said to Cardinal
Beaton, ‘If ye burn any more you should burn them in low cellars, for the reek {smoke} of Mr.
Patrick Hamilton has infected as many as it blew upon.’

133. It is not only in the case of martyrs that enthusiasm is contagious. However highly we may
estimate the impersonal forces that operate for ‘the furtherance of the gospel’ we cannot but see
that in all ages, from the time of Paul down to to-day, the main agents for the spread of the
gospel have been individual souls all aflame with the love of God in Christ Jesus and filled with
the life of His Spirit. The history of the Church has largely consisted in the biographies of its
saints, and every great revival of religion has been the flame kindled round a flaming heart. Paul
was impelled by his own love; the brethren in Rome were in a lower state as only reflecting his,
and it ought to be the prerogative of every Christian to be a centre and source of kindling
influence rather than a mere recipient of it. It is a question which may well be asked by each of
us about ourselves--would anybody find quickening impulses to divine life and Christian service
coming from us, or do we simply serve to keep others’ coldness in countenance? It was said of
old of Jesus Christ, ‘He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and in fire,’ and that promise
remains effective to-day, however little one looking on the characters of the mass of so-called
Christians would believe it. They seem rather to have been plunged into ice-cold water than into
fire, and their coldness is as contagious as Paul’s radiant enthusiasm was. Let us try, for our
parts, to radiate out the warmth of the love of God, that it may kindle in others the flame which it
has lighted in ourselves, and not be like icebergs floating southwards and bringing down the
temperature of even the very temperate seas in which we find ourselves.
III. The wide tolerance of such enthusiasm.
It is stigmatized as ‘narrow,’ which to-day is the sin of sins, but it is broad with the true breadth.
Such enthusiasm lifts a man high enough to see over many hedges and to be tolerant even of
intolerance, and of the indifference which tolerates everything but earnestness. Paul here deals
with a class amongst the Roman Christians who were ‘preaching of envy and strife,’ with the
malicious calculation that so they would annoy him and ‘add affliction’ to his bonds. It is
generally supposed that these were Judaising Christians against whom Paul fulminates in all his
letters, but I confess that, notwithstanding the arguments of authoritative commentators, I cannot
believe that they are the same set of men preaching the same doctrines which in other places he
treats as destructive of the whole gospel. The change of tone is so great as to require the
supposition of a change of subjects, and the Judaisers with whom the Apostle waged a never
ending warfare, never did evangelistic work amongst the heathen as these men seem to have
done, but confined themselves to trying to pervert converts already made. It was not their
message but their spirit that was faulty. With whatever purpose of annoyance they were
animated, they did ‘preach Christ,’ and Paul superbly brushes aside all that was antagonistic to
him personally, in his triumphant recognition that the one thing needful was spoken, even from
unworthy motives and with a malicious purpose. The situation here revealed, strange though it
appears with our ignorance of the facts, is but too like much of what meets us still. Do we not
know denominational rivalries which infuse a bitter taint of envy and strife into much
evangelistic earnestness, and is the spectacle of a man preaching Christ with a taint of sidelong
personal motives quite unknown to this day? We may press the question still more closely home
and ask ourselves if we are entirely free from the influence of such a spirit. No man who knows
himself and has learned how subtly lower motives blend themselves with the highest will be in
haste to answer these questions with an unconditional ‘No,’ and no man who looks on the sad
spectacle of competing Christian communities and knows anything of the methods of
competition that are in force, will venture to deny that there are still those who preach Christ of
envy and strife.

134. It comes, then, to be a testing question for each of us, have we learned from Paul this lesson of
tolerance, which is not the result of cold indifference, but the outcome of fiery enthusiasm and of
a clear recognition of the one thing needful? Granted that there is preaching from unworthy
motives and modes of work which offend our tastes and prejudices, and that there are types of
evangelistic earnestness which have errors mixed up with them, are we inclined to say
‘Nevertheless Christ is proclaimed, and therein I rejoice, Yea, and will rejoice’? Much chaff may
be blended with the seeds sown; the chaff will lie inert and the seed will grow. Such tolerance is
the very opposite of the carelessness which comes from languid indifference. The one does not
mind what a man preaches because it has no belief in any of the things preached, and to it one
thing is as good as another, and none are of any real consequence. The other proceeds from a
passionate belief that the one thing which sinful men need to hear is the great message that Christ
has lived and died for them, and therefore, it puts all else on one side and cares nothing for
jangling notes that may come in, if only above them the music of His name sounds out clear and
full.
IV. The calm fronting of life and death as equally magnifying Christ.
The Apostle is sure that all the experiences of his prison will turn to his ultimate salvation,
because he is sure that his dear friends in Philippi will pray for him, and that through their
prayers he will receive a ‘supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,’ which shall be enough to secure
his steadfastness. His expectation is not that he will escape from prison or from martyrdom, both
of which stand only too clearly before him, but that whatever may be waiting for him in the
future, ‘all boldness’ will be granted him, so that whether he lives he will live to the Lord, or
whether he dies, he will die to the Lord. He had so completely accepted it as his life’s purpose to
magnify Jesus, that the extremest possible changes of condition came to be insignificant to him.
He had what we may have, the true anæsthetic which will give us a ‘solemn scorn of ills’ and
make even the last and greatest change from life to death of little account. If we magnify Christ
in our lives with the same passionate earnestness and concentrated absorption as Paul had, our
lives like some train on well-laid rails will enter upon the bridge across the valley with scarce a
jolt. With whatever differences--and the differences are to us tremendous--the same purpose will
be pursued in life and in death, and they who, living, live to the praise of Christ, dying will
magnify Him as their last act in the body which they leave. What was it that made possible such
a passion of enthusiasm for a man whom Paul had never seen in the flesh? What changed the
gloomy fuliginous fanaticism of the Pharisee, at whose feet were laid the clothes of the men who
stoned Stephen, into this radiant light, all aflame with a divine splendour? The only answer is in
Paul’s own words, ‘He loved me and gave Himself for me.’ That answer is as true for each of us
as it was for him. Does it produce in us anything like the effects which it produced in him
KEITH KRELL
Delight in the Midst of Disaster (Philippians 1:12-18a)
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135. When Handel wrote the “Hallelujah Chorus,” his health and his fortunes had reached an all-time
low. His right side had become paralyzed, and all his money was gone. He was heavily in debt
and threatened with imprisonment. He was tempted to give up the fight. The odds seemed
entirely too great. And it was then he composed his greatest work—Messiah.2
Today you may be going through one of the lowest seasons in your life. Perhaps you’ve recently
been diagnosed with cancer and you’re wondering what the future holds for you and your loved
ones. Maybe you just lost your job and you don’t see how God can provide for you and your
family during this time of economic uncertainty. Perhaps your parents are getting a divorce and
you’re scared and angry. Maybe a family member or friend just passed away and you don’t know
how you can carry on. Whatever you’re going through today, I want you to know there is hope.
God wants to work in and through you in the midst of your pain. But as you know, the Christian
life can be bittersweet. It’s bitter when you experience suffering and loss. Let’s face it, trials and
tragedies are awful! No one loves suffering and hardship.3 Nevertheless, the Christian life is also
sweet in the sense that our suffering is never wasted on God. He works His purposes even in the
midst of your pain. In fact, God will do some of His best work in and through you when you are
in the midst of personal crisis.
Paul shares from personal experience that your perspective in times of pain makes all the
difference.4 You’ll see that the question Paul asks himself is not, “Is what’s happening to me
fair?” Rather, he poses this question: “Is what’s happening to me accomplishing something for
God? Is it furthering His purposes in the world?”5 If you reflect on this question, you will
discover that you can have your best witness in your worst circumstances.6 In Philippians 1:12–
18a,7 Paul shares two encouraging realities about adversity. These realities will give you even
greater confidence in the power of the gospel.
1. Adversity advances God’s kingdom (1:12–14). Paul is going to challenge you to view your
adversity in light of its kingdom contribution. In doing so, he insists that adversity does not
stymie the gospel; rather, it advances the gospel. Paul puts it like this: “Now I want you to
know, brethren,8 that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the
gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ9 has become well known throughout
the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else” (1:12–13). Paul opens with the important
phrase: “Now I want you to know.” This phrase introduces something important.10 Here, it
functions as a topic sentence for all that follows through 1:26.11 (Paul begins the body of his
letter in 1:12 and it runs through 4:9.)12 In 1:12, Paul explains that his “circumstances have
turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.” What are Paul’s specific circumstances?13 He
is serving a prison sentence in Rome and is most likely in the custody of the “praetorian14
guard.” These are elite troops housed in the emperor’s palace.15 They are a specialized,
handpicked, military group. They were Caesar’s own personal bodyguards—strong, courageous,
brilliant, sophisticated, young men—kind of a mixture of West Point and the Secret Service.
They served in the palace guard for twelve years, protecting Caesar and guarding the prisoners,
who, like Paul, had appealed to him. After twelve years they transitioned into other influential
careers. Some went on to be the commanding generals of large forces. Others went into public
office and became senators or ambassadors to other countries. Still others advanced into the top
echelons of business and industry. As a group, they were the movers and shakers of the future,
the opinion leaders, and kingmakers of the next generation. They were a powerful and strategic
group of young men. If you wanted to influence the Roman Empire,16 you couldn’t pick a better
group to start with. Every day Paul grinned to himself because, for two years, one of them wore

136. the other end of his chain, and for six hours, had to stay within four feet of him. He wasn’t
chained to them; they were chained to him!17 Literally, Paul had a captive audience with whom
he shared Christ, which led to a chain reaction of conversions throughout the whole Roman
palace.18
Paul’s imprisonment led to “the greater progress of the gospel” (1:12). The noun “progress”
(prokope)19 means “cut before” and speaks of the cutting of a path by pioneers to open the way
for an army to advance into new territory.20 Even though Paul’s imprisonment may have seemed
like a setback, it actually served to advance the gospel among those in Rome.21 In God’s
sovereignty, the Lord ordained Paul’s imprisonment in Rome so many people would hear the
gospel who would not otherwise have heard it. Furthermore, many of these people are significant
and influential people, who in the future, have a great impact for God. Although God closes a
prison door behind Paul, He opens a new door for the gospel. Always remember, Jesus is Lord
even in prison! He has His people behind bars so they can spread the gospel! This is why Paul
cares more about the progress of the gospel than his own problems. He is confident that God is
always at work. And he believes that you can have your best witness in your worst
circumstances.
Similarly, God uses your painful circumstances to advance His gospel. You may not like your
job, your school, your neighborhood, or your marriage, but God has you “chained up” to some
people who need Christ. Have you ever stopped to ponder the fact that God placed you in your
school so that you might share Christ? Have you realized that God gave you a particular job in
order for you to share Christ with your boss and coworkers? Are you cognizant of the fact that
God directed you to buy a house in a particular neighborhood with neighbors who need to hear
about His Son? There are no mistakes or coincidences. God has a plan and He is advancing His
kingdom through YOU.
Adversity will come to you sooner or later. Unfortunately, you’re not given a choice about most
of the things that happen to you. I hate to break this to you, but you’re in one of three situations:
Either you’re in a trial right now, or you’re just coming out of a trial, or you’re about to enter a
trial and just don’t know it yet. Such is life this side of heaven. But opportunity knocks whenever
you experience a tragedy or trial. Thus, you must train yourself to see every tragedy as a divine
opportunity to advance the gospel. You may one day lose a child, yet God can use that tragedy to
open doors for the good news of Christ. Your spouse may leave you one day for someone else,
and God may use your loss for His gain. On a smaller scale, you may get cut from a team or fail
to get into the college you wanted to attend. Yet, God may open new doors to reach more
students with His gospel. The question is not, “Is what’s happening to me fair?” but instead, “Is
what’s happening to me accomplishing something for God? Is what’s happening to me being
useful to God in some way? Is it furthering His purposes in the world?”22
Paul concludes this section in 1:14 by explaining another way that God is using his
imprisonment: “and that most of the brethren, trusting [having gained confidence23] in the
Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God
without fear.” Paul’s prison sentence brought about greater boldness among the Roman
Christians.24 Rather than laying low and hiding out, these believers felt inspired by Paul’s
courage. Consequently, they are standing up boldly for Christ and proclaiming Him in
unprecedented fashion. Apparently, they figure, “If Paul can share Christ in prison, why can’t I
do it as a free person?” Likewise, when I hear about my brothers and sisters in places like Sudan,

137. North Korea, China, and India courageously sharing their faith amidst severe persecution, I get
motivated to boldly share Christ.
Do you realize that your commitment to boldly share Christ in the difficult circumstances of your
life will embolden others to do the same? As a public school teacher, if you find ways to
creatively share Christ, when other Christian teachers find out about what you are doing, they are
going to want to do the same. As a state employee, if you host a Bible study and other Christian
state employees find out about this, they may attempt to do the very same thing. As a public high
school student, if you host a prayer gathering and Christian students from other school districts
hear about it, they may follow suit in their school. You can have a powerful witness because God
emboldens us to proclaim Christ by observing the witness of other believers. It will not be easy,
but you can have your best witness in your worst circumstances.
[Adversity advances God’s kingdom because the world is all eyes and ears when Christians
suffer. They want to know how you will respond. When you trust Christ in the midst of your
adversity the gospel advances in and through you. A second reality of adversity is…]
2. Adversity reveals our priorities (1:15–18a).25In the midst of trials and suffering, you find
out what is really important to you. Adversity serves as a true gut check. In these verses you will
see how Paul’s true passion and priorities reveal themselves. In 1:15–17 he writes: “Some, to be
sure, are preaching Christ evenfrom envy and strife, but some also from good will; the
latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the
former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to
cause me distress in my imprisonment.”26If you read through these verses carefully, you ought
to be exclaiming, “Can you believe this? What in the world is going on here? It’s not bad enough
that Paul is in prison, now he has some preachers27 who are hoping to rub salt in his wounds!
Who are these devils? First of all, we must recognize that these are not false teachers;28 they are
selfish teachers.29 Paul is clear in 1:15 and 17: these preachers “preach Christ,” but they do so
from “envy and strife” and out of “selfish ambition.” The word translated “selfish ambition”
(eritheia) was used to describe a selfish worker interested only in his own pay or a politician in
the self-seeking pursuit of office regardless of means. In the same vein, with Paul in prison, there
is now a perceived vacancy, and these preachers are all seeking to be the top dog.30 They are
petty, territorial, calculating, and focused on self-promotion. They aren’t anti-Christ, they are
anti-Paul.31
What bothered these preachers was that Paul was getting too much attention. As far as they were
concerned, he was just a little bit too famous—the big shot apostle who came to town as an
imperial prisoner, guarded by Caesar’s personal bodyguards. All the Christians in Rome were
talking about him and singing his praises. As a result, some of the local pastors got a bit envious
of all the attention Paul was getting. Who was he to come into their city and get all the praise
after they’d been there for years? So, some of them took advantage of the situation so that they,
too, would become more prominent. It was kind of a rivalry with them.32 Perhaps they said
things like this: “You know how much we love and respect our dear brother Paul. No one loves
him more than we do. However, it seems as if Paul causes trouble wherever he goes. Someone
stones him, or they arrest him, or he has to sneak out of town in the middle of the night. We
don’t like to mention it, but there are bad rumors about him back in Jerusalem. I personally don’t
believe them, but we can’t reject them out of hand. It’s possible he’s guilty of the charges against
him. He’s a wonderful preacher, but he seems to stir up trouble in every city. Frankly, I think it’s
extremely embarrassing to have an esteemed apostle in jail…and in Rome of all places. Perhaps

138. it would be better if Paul had never come to our city. In any case, he can hardly be our spiritual
leader while he’s in jail. Let’s agree to pray for him and ask God to release him and send him
somewhere else—preferably a long way from here.”33
Fortunately, Paul could always fall back on those preachers who proclaimed the gospel from
goodwill and out of love for him (1:16). These pastors recognized that God had placed Paul
exactly where He wanted him. The word translated “appointed” (keimai) was a military term
indicating a military assignment or orders. In other words, the good pastors knew that God had
assigned Paul to his chains and to a courtroom appearance before Caesar; God had ordered him
there to defend the gospel at the highest level in the Roman Empire. They wanted to do their part
where they could.
So how does Paul respond to these two types of preachers? In 1:18a, he closes with some
astonishing words: “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,
Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.”34The phrase “What then?” means, “What do I say
about that?” or even, “So what?”35 This question refers back to 1:15–17.36 Paul is essentially
saying, “All that I know is the gospel is being proclaimed…it is advancing! And that thrills my
heart! I rejoice!” His sentiments are that it is better for people with impure motives to preach
Christ than they not preach Him at all. After all, “He who is not against you is for you” (Luke
9:50). Suppressing Paul is like trying to sink a cork in a bath!37
Paul can exude this attitude because he is consumed with the gospel. Ultimately, he is not
concerned with his own reputation, ministry, or happiness. Rather, Paul wants the success of the
gospel—he longs for it to advance. What an example! All kinds of issues cry for our attention:
abortion, pornography, media bias, economic injustice, racial discrimination, classism, sexism, to
name a few. These are important issues, but the great danger is that we become so passionate or
concerned about these issues that the gospel is marginalized.38 This has been happening in the
Protestant church for years! But when the gospel is preached by gospel-focused people, God
transforms the culture. The key is “to keep the main thing the main thing.” Life does not revolve
around being happily married, raising the perfect family, making a lot of money, or being
successful in your job. Life revolves around preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and
dying world. For Paul, the “main thing” is the gospel. And in the gospel, Paul will rejoice!
Undoubtedly, though, the slander of these preachers hurt Paul deeply. It must have broken his
heart to know that some of his brothers were using his prison time against him. Nevertheless,
Paul has a big heart and broad shoulders, and he knows people often do the right things for the
wrong reasons. This is why in 1 Cor 4:1–5, Paul himself says, “I don’t judge others or myself; I
leave that to the Lord Jesus Christ (paraphrase).
It is critical to follow Paul’s example and not get caught up criticizing the methods and motives
of other ministries. This is counterproductive for several reasons: (1) Criticism is addictive,
because it can turn you away from your own faults and breeds a spirit of self-righteousness and
intolerance. I don’t know about you, but I have enough sins and weaknesses to worry about in
my own life and ministry. (2) Criticism diverts an extraordinary amount of time and energy away
from the positive proclamation of Christ. There are too many Christian witch hunters who are
known for who and what they are against. We ought to be for Christ and His gospel, (3)
Criticism stirs up divisiveness and disunity before the world. This leads unbelievers to say, “I’d
rather be at the bar or the country club where people love me. The church shoots its own
wounded and is full of backbiting.” We must be sensitive to this objection and change the
world’s perspective. Let us begin by contending for the faith and not with the faithful.39

139. As you contend for the faith and proclaim Christ, you can experience joy. It’s been said, “If we
see Jesus in our circumstances, then we will see our circumstances in Jesus.” Paul lived this!
Remember, Paul is writing this letter from a Roman prison. Furthermore, five of Paul’s thirteen
letters were written from prison.40 Paul would not let himself give way to self-pity. He knows
that in order to exude joy in the midst of adversity he must see adversity from an eternal
perspective. The key to his joy was between his ears. Over thirty times in Philippians Paul refers
to the mind or to remembering. When joy has leaked out of your life, the leak is between your
ears. You must change your thinking so that you can experience joy once again. May you do so
today. You can have your best witness in the worst of times.
My seminary classmate and dear friend, Mike Paolicelli, was diagnosed with cancer this past
January. For the last six months Mike and his wife Janet, along with their two young boys, Titus
and Simeon, have been through the most difficult season of their entire lives. Mike has been on
the verge of passing away due to various complications throughout this ordeal. He and his family
have experienced every human emotion imaginable. Yet, throughout this traumatic ordeal, the
Paolicelli’s have not wavered in their faith. They have resolutely believed that God has a purpose
in their personal suffering. They have been a model to countless people throughout the world.
This past Tuesday, Mike was in for his tenth chemo treatment. Janet and the boys decided to visit
Mike at the start of his treatment. This was a rare occurrence because children are not officially
allowed in the cancer infusion area. While Mike was waiting his turn, his boys became a bit
rambunctious. (Can you blame them?) Simeon was particularly talkative and loud, causing
distraction for the other chemo patients.
Mike’s attending nurse, who had never treated him before, came up to them and said, “Would
you like a private room where you and your family can sit?” This had never happened before, so
the Paolicelli’s took advantage of this opportunity to have some secluded family time.
Eventually, it was time for Janet and the boys to leave and for Mike to begin his first chemical
injection.
Just before giving the injection, this nurse said, “So, I hear you’re a pastor?” Mike responded
affirmatively.
The nurse replied, “I’m Catholic. But I have so many questions, and I want more.”
Mike asked, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” the nurse said.
“On a scale of 1–10, where 10 is, ‘I am absolutely sure,’ and 1 is, ‘I am absolutely unsure,’
would you say that your sins are forgiven and that if you were to stand before God today, He
would let you into heaven?”
“I’m a 5,” replied the nurse.
Mike asked, “Would you like to know for certain your sins are completely forgiven?”
“Yes, I would,” she responded.
Mike then shared the gospel with this nurse and invited her to trust in Christ. The nurse came and
sat down with Mike and she prayed to believe in Christ as her Savior!
God used Mike’s cancer and his loud boys to orchestrate a set of circumstances to bring a young
nurse in Charlotte, NC to faith in Christ. Mike put it like this: “Does it get any better than this?
Don’t think for a minute that God can’t or doesn’t use your difficulties for a purpose larger than

140. yourself. He does.”41 God can use your adversity in the same way. Whatever you’re going
through today, pray: “Lord, help me to submit to You and trust You in the midst of my pain.
May I only care about how my trial advances your gospel.”
Scripture References
Philippians 1:12–18
Jeremiah 17:9–10
Job 13:12–19
Acts 4:1–22
Acts 28:30–31
2 Timothy 2:8–10
John 15:18–25; 16:1–4, 33
Study Questions
1. What has been the worst thing that has ever happened to me? How did I feel when this ordeal
began? Over time how did my perspective and attitude change? What did God teach me through
this traumatic period in my life? How has this low point in my life prepared me to undergo future
trials? Read James 1:2–12.
2. In the midst of my adversity, how has God opened doors for me to share Christ? How have
people responded when they have observed my joy and confidence in the Lord during these
awful circumstances? What questions did people ask me? What comments did they make? How
did I respond to their questions and comments? What would I say differently today as a result of
studying Philippians 1:12–18?
3. Who has observed my personal suffering? How has my adversity encouraged these individuals
to boldly live for Christ and proclaim Him? What testimonies have I heard from others as a result
of my life and witness? How can I consciously take my eyes off of myself and verbally
encourage those who are in my sphere of influence?
4. What is my attitude toward those Christians who seem to want the worst for me? Read
Romans 12:18. How can I flesh this principle out in my own life? How can I adopt Paul’s
optimistically eternal perspective? How does Philippians 1:15–17 help me understand God’s
sovereignty? How can I use these verses to encourage other brothers and sisters in Christ?
5. Can I honestly say that my passion in life is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ? If not,
what keeps me from being consumed with this good news? How can I fan the flame of my zeal
for Jesus Christ? Who is the boldest witness I know? Will I strive to spend some time with this
person? Will I take steps this week to share Jesus Christ with my neighbors, coworkers, and
classmates?
1 Copyright © 2009 Keith R. Krell. All rights reserved. All Scripture quotations, unless indicated,
are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975,
1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, and are used by permission.
2 Preaching Today citation: Peter Marshall, Sr., “Who Can Take It?” Preaching Today, Tape No.
131.

141. 3 See the excellent comments on suffering from Frank Thielman, Philippians. NIV Application
Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995), 63–73. See also D.A. Carson, How Long, O
Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006).
4 Phil 1:12–18 present Paul as a positive model for all believers. Rather than valuing his own
comfort, reputation, and freedom above all else, he put the advancement of God’s plan first. He
discerned what was best (1:10). He could maintain a truly joyful attitude even in unpleasant
circumstances because he derived his joy from seeing God glorified rather than from seeing
himself exalted. His behavior in prison had been pure and blameless (cf. 1:10).
5 “Don Sunukjian, “It’s All About You, Lord” (Phil 1:12–18): www.preachingtoday.com.
6 This appears to be the NT counterpart to Joseph’s words: “As for you, you meant evil against
me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people
alive” (Gen 50:20).
7 The NIV appropriately divides this section (Phil 1:12–18a), into two paragraphs: 1:12–14 and
1:15–18a.
8 Paul uses adelphoi (“brothers and sisters”) nine times in Philippians (1:12, 14; 2:25;
3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21).
9 Thielman, Philippians, 59 notes, “[The phrase ‘in Christ’] probably not only carries the
connotation of being in prison for Christ’s sake but also of participating in Christ’s suffering by
being in prison. The purpose of Christ’s suffering was the advancement of God’s redemptive
work, and so it was an evil through which God effected great good for humanity (Rom. 3:21–26;
5:12–21; 2 Cor. 5:21). Paul believes that his own suffering, since its origin lies in his efforts to
fulfill the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ to which God has called him (2 Cor. 5:18), has the same
quality (Phil. 3:10; cf. 2 Cor. 1:5; 4:7–15; Col. 1:24–29). Thus his imprisonment is not simply a
result of his Christian commitment but is the necessary means through which Paul fulfills his
calling. It is not only ‘for Christ’ but ‘in Christ’ as well.” See also Peter T. O’Brien, Commentary
on Philippians. New International Greek Testament Commentary series (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1991), 92; Moisés Silva, Philippians. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, 2nd ed. Edited by Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 1992, 2005), 68.
10 Cf. 2 Cor 13:6; 2 Tim 3:1. See also Thielman, Philippians, 57; Thomas L. Constable, “Notes
on Philippians,” 2009 ed.: www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/philippians.pdf, 13.
11 Paul does not use the precise phrase “I want you to know” (ginoskein de humas boulomai)
elsewhere in his writings (Cf. Col 2:1; see also Rom 1:13; 11:25; 1 Cor 10:1; 11:3; 12:1; 2 Cor
1:8; 1 Thess 4:13 for similar constructions). However, this phrase was common in Paul’s culture
and there are several papyri which have the same formula (i.e., “I want you to know,” and then
follow it with facts about how the writer is doing, his safety, feelings, and activities). See Gerald
F. Hawthorne, Philippians, Word Biblical Commentary, ed. Ralph P. Martin, vol. 43 (Waco:
Word, 1983), 33.
12 See Gordon D. Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. New International Commentary on the
New Testament series (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 109–10. It is debated whether the body
of the letter begins with 1:12 or 1:27. See Duane F. Watson, “A Rhetorical Analysis of
Philippians and Its Implications for the Unity Question,” Novum Testamentum 30 (1988): 61. It
is common to take the disclosure formula in 1:12 as the transition into the body of the letter.

142. Compare L. Gregory Bloomquist, The Function of Suffering in Philippians (Sheffield, England:
Sheffield Academic Press, 1993), 147; Ben Witherington III, Friendship and Finances In
Philippi: The Letter of Paul to the Philippians (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International,
1994), 7, 43.
13 Some of the “circumstances” that Paul endured are as follows: He was arrested on the basis of
a false accusation (Acts 21:30); he was nearly lynched in the ensuing riot (Acts 21:35–36); he
was nearly flogged and had to plead his Roman citizenship to avoid it (Acts 22:25); he was made
the object of insults (Acts 23:2); he was maliciously misrepresented (Acts 24:5, 25:6–7); his life
was plotted against (Acts 23:12); he was kept in prison because of unscrupulous officials (Acts
24:27); he nearly died in a sea crossing to Rome (Acts 27); and he was imprisoned for two years
without ever facing his accusers (Acts 28).
14 The KJV and NKJV have “palace” (see Acts 23:35). Originally the term referred to a Roman
general’s tent (praetor), but after the age of Roman conquest it came to be used in an
administrative sense to denote the headquarters or residence of the political/military
administration (cf. Matt 27:27; John 18:28,33; 19:9; Acts 23:35).
However, in the first century Roman world it was used for the officers who made up the special
Imperial Guard.
15 Constable, “Notes on Philippians,” 14 writes, “The praetorian guard probably refers to the
soldiers who were members of the regiment assigned to guard many of the high ranking officials
in the Roman government. These soldiers were also responsible to guard prisoners who had
appealed to Caesar such as Paul. It was an honor to be one of these guards. They would have
been with Paul in his hired house where he was under house arrest 24 hours a day (cf. Acts
28:30-31). Paul had the opportunity to witness to many of these high ranking soldiers, and he
viewed this as a great blessing.”
16 Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, 113–14 also holds to a Roman imprisonment, although
Thielman, Philippians, and others shed some doubt on this.
17 Sunukjian, “It’s All About You, Lord.”
18 Within two or three years, the number of Christians in Rome would be described by the
Roman historian Tacitus as a “vast multitude.” Boa, Reflections, May 1987.
19 Paul uses prokope (“progress, advancement”) to refer to his own progress and advancement in
Judaism as a young man (Gal 1:14). He also uses the term in reference to the progress he wants
Timothy to evidence as he gives himself fully to his pastoral concerns (1 Tim 4:15). Paul also
uses prokope in a negative sense to refer to the progress in evil that false teachers are engaged in
(2 Tim 3:9, 13).
20 This military metaphor would have appealed to the Roman veterans in Philippi (remember that
Philippi was a Roman colony and a military outpost; Acts 16:12). See Kenneth Boa, Reflections
Newsletter April 1987.
21 Paul mentions the gospel twice in this text (1:12, 16) and he also uses three synonyms: “to
speak the Word,” “preach Christ,” and “proclaim Christ.” Hughes writes, “For Paul, the advance
of the gospel overrides all else. Everything in Paul’s life is subsumed to this end. If we fail to
understand this, we fail to understand Paul.” R. Kent Hughes, Philippians: The Fellowship of the
Gospel. Preaching the Word (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007), 48.

143. 22 Sunukjian, “It’s All About You, Lord.”
23 The HCSB captures a better rendering of the Greek participle pepoithotas. Cf. NET, ESV,
NRSV, NKJV, NLT. However, the NASB depends upon BDAG s.v. peithio 4 who defines the
use of Phil 1:14 as “depend on, trust in”
24 This is a specific reference (Phil 1:13 “in Rome”), not a general reference to include the
Christians in Thessalonica, Corinth, and Philippi. The believers in Philippi have notably been
faithfully supporting Paul all along (1:5–8).
25 Verses 15–18a form a unit with an inclusio (“bookends”), that is, it begins and ends on the
same note: In 1:15 Paul says that “some preach Christ” and in 1:18a he speaks about the fact that
“Christ is preached.”
26 For an excellent commentary on these verses see Greg Herrick, “Lesson 4: Paul’s
Circumstances: Perspective, Joy, and Mission in Life—Part I (1:12-18a)” in Philippians: The
Unconquerable Gospel at www.bible.org.
27 O’Brien, Philippians, 105 rightly notes a positive identification of Paul’s enemies is
impossible.
28 If these were false teachers, Paul would have verbally chastised them like in Gal 1:6–9.
29 D.A. Carson, Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians (Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 1996), 25.
30 Envy and rivalry regularly come up on Paul’s vice lists (Rom 1:29; Gal 5:20).
31 Hughes, Philippians, 50.
32 Sunukjian, “It’s All About You, Lord.”
33 Ray Pritchard, “Keep Your Eye on the Donut and Not on the Hole” (Phil 1:12–18):
www.keepbelieving.com/sermon/1998-09-20-Keep-Your-Eye-on-the-Donut-and-Not-on-the-
Hole.
34 I love Swindoll’s paraphrase of these verses: “So what if some preach with wrong motives?
Furthermore, some may be overly impressed with themselves…and take unfair shots at me. Who
cares? What really matters is this; Christ is being proclaimed… and that thought alone intensifies
my joy! All the other stuff, I leave to God to handle” (original emphasis). Charles R. Swindoll,
Laugh Again (Dallas: Word, 1992), 54–55.
35 Jerry L. Sumney, Philippians: A Greek Student’s Intermediate Reader (Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson, 2007), 24.
36 The Greek conjunction gar (“for, then”) makes this clear.
37 Gordon, An Odyssey of Joy, 45.
38 Hughes, Philippians, 52.
39 Kenneth Boa, Reflections, July 1987.
40 It is an astonishing thought to think of how much of Paul’s writing ministry took place in jail.
He wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and 2 Timothy while incarcerated.
41 My friend, Mike Paolicelli, pastors Renew Church in Charlotte, NC. I am privileged to be the
chairman of his ministry organization called “God Factor.” I urge you to check out Mike’s
website: www.godfactor.com/.

144. In Jail - but No Need for Bail
By Steve Wagers
Bible Book: Philippians 1 : 12-20
Subject: Christian Living; Encouragement; Ministry
Series: Joy In Jail
Introduction
Victor Frankl knew the reality of suffering as a prisoner of war in WWII. His experience in Nazi
German prison camps enabled him to see life at its worst. Some survived the horrific camps;
while the pages of history are besmirched with the blood of those who did not.
Victor Frankl wanted to know why. After carefully studying his fellow prisoners, he concluded,
“Everything can be taken from men but one thing: the last of human freedoms—to choose one’s
attitude in any given set of circumstances.
Victor Frankl came to realize that while many Jewish prisoners died as the result of starvation,
torture, and disease; many others died due to the death of their will to overcome.
I read about a little boy, the other day, who was a perpetual pessimist. He was preparing to take a
test and kept saying, “I know I’m going to fail this test. When his father asked him why, the little
boy said, “Because I don’t know the material.” His father replied, “Son, you have to be positive.”
To which the boy said, “Okay, I’m POSITIVE I’m going to fail this test.”
Charles Colson was part of the Watergate conspiracy that tarnished the legacy of Richard Nixon.
Colson was one of the conspirators who served a prison sentence for his part in the conspiracy.
In his book, “Loving God,” he concludes with these words:
“My lowest days as a Christian (and there were low ones—7 months worth of them in prison, to
be exact) have been more fulfilling and rewarding than all the days of glory in the White House.”
[1]
The apostle Paul was a man who had grown accustomed to the confinement of a jail cell. He was
serving a prison sentence when, from the Mamertine Prison in Rome, he penned several letters,
including the book of Philippians.
Yet, when we read Paul’s words we do not get the sense that he was dejected, but delighted; not
discouraged, but encouraged; not pitiful, but positive. In fact, his words leave an indelible mark
upon our souls as to how God turns tears into telescopes, miseries into milestones, and burdens
into blessings.
Someone has well said, “If we see Jesus in our circumstances then we will see our circumstances
in Jesus.”
I’m not sure if Rome had any bail bondsmen, but if they had, Paul would never have employed
their services. He was in jail, but as far as he was concerned, there was no need to send bail. He
was right where God wanted him to be.

145. I. A Most Excruciating Difficulty
As Betsie Ten Boom, sister of Corrie, lay dying in the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, she
uttered a sentence that has traveled around the world, “There is no pit so deep that Christ is not
deeper still.” Bruised and assaulted by a Nazi rifle, humiliated by the Holocaust, she said to her
sister Corrie, “They will listen to us because we’ve been there.”
We certainly have reason to listen to Paul, because he has been there, and was there when he
pens this letter. He was in the “deep pit” of a depressing prison. It was a time of excruciating
difficulty. It included a time of:
A. Unbelievable Persecution
[12] “THE THINGS WHICH HAPPENED UNTO ME.”
[13-14, 16] “MY BONDS”
The “bonds” Paul refers to were simply shackles or chains. In other words, Paul was led around
like a convict on death row in shackles and chains. The phrase, “The things which happened unto
me” could better be translated, “The things dominating me.” In modern terminology, we would
say, “My affairs.”
Since, with God, nothing ever just happens, Paul understood that was had “happened” was not a
matter of accidence, but of Divine Providence. God had allowed these things to “happen” to him.
I believe it’s appropriate to ask, “What had happened to Paul?” A detailed list is given in 2
Corinthians 11: 23-27. “In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more
frequent, in deaths oft. [24]Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. [25]Thrice
was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have
been in the deep. [26]In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by
mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in
perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. [27]In weariness and painfulness, in watchings
often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”
Paul had been imprisoned, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, robbed, betrayed, starved, dehydrated,
cold, and stripped. After finally arriving at Rome, where he was imprisoned, he has waited for
the better part of 2 years, for the outcome of his appeal. It appears he has been forsaken and
forgotten.
Paul was not in prison for something he had done wrong. He was in prison for something he had
done RIGHT! His hardships were not the chastening of a displeased God, but the contempt of a
depraved world.
But, we do not find Paul licking his wounds in a corner. He is not sulking, throwing a “Woe is
Me” pity party; rather, he accepts it all as divine providence. He doesn’t start out asking, “Why?
Why this? Why me? Why now?”
He did put a question mark where God had put an exclamation point. Unbelievable persecution
had happened to Paul, but he understood there was someone in charge who was far greater, and
far more powerful than Caesar.
Paul reminds me of Samuel Rutherford, the saintly Scotsman. In 1637, he was imprisoned for his
faith and wrote from his prison cell, “Christ triumphs in me. This is my palace not my prison. I
think this is all, to gain Christ. All other things are shadows, dreams, fancies and nothing.” [2]

146. You may not understand why you are in the midst of trial, trouble or tribulation. You may
wonder why God has allowed you to experience pain, pressure, and problems. However, when
you know the WHO you can accept the WHY.
HAS IT EVER OCCURRED TO YOU THAT NOTHING HAS EVER OCCURRED TO GOD?
God did not wake up this morning to the headlines that you were in trouble. He wasn’t suddenly
informed of your current location. Rather, His sovereign hand has assigned it, approved it,
arranged it, or allowed it. It is no accident; it is an APPOINTMENT!
In spite of unbelievable persecution came:
B. Unexplainable Progress
Warren Wiersbe said, “Paul wanted to go to Rome as a preacher, instead he went as a prisoner.”
Paul doesn’t deny the fact that he is the recipient of unbelievable persecution. It wasn’t an airy-
fairy, pie-in-the-sky, not what it appears to be situation. It was what it was. Paul was in jail, in
shackles and chains, forsaken and forgotten by the authorities.
However, he sees the bigger picture. God had used persecution to fulfill His purpose and bring
progress. For one thing, there was progress in:
1. Evangelism
[12] “The things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the
gospel.”
The word “furtherance” is the Greek word prokopen. The word means, “To cut toward.” It was a
military term, used of engineers who would prepare a road for the advancing army by removing
obstructions, such as rocks or trees.
It’s as if Paul was saying, “Don’t feel sorry for me. I’m not looking to be patronized. All these
things have happened in my life, but they have worked to promote the preaching of the gospel,
not prevent the preaching of the gospel. They have simply cut down the obstructions so the
gospel message could go forth unhindered.”
In other words, his opposition was an opportunity. What appeared to be a retardation of his
ministry was actually an acceleration of his ministry. The things that happened, instead of
shutting the door, opened the door.
His liabilities became assets, his frustrations brought fulfillment, his adversity became an
advantage, his difficulties became doors, and his thwarting turned into thoroughfares. What
appeared to be a hindrance to the gospel was actually a helper for the gospel.
Robert Gromacki writes, “When a believer views adverse circumstances from the divine
perspective, he will use them for spiritual advantage. Most Christians, unfortunately, permit
difficulties to affect their emotional, mental, and spiritual stability. A believer must look at the
result of adversity, not the adversity itself.” [3]
Paul did not deny that he was in an undesirable place, but he understood that there was an unseen
purpose; and, the purpose was far, far bigger than him. In fact, if I could say it this way: Paul
understood that IT WASN’T ABOUT his problems, predicaments, or persecution; IT WAS
ABOUT the proclamation and progress of the gospel.
Paul’s suffering not only did a work of corporate evangelism, but of personal evangelism. [13]
“So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places.”

147. Paul could not go to the churches and continue his missionary journeys, but his service was not
suspended. What God did was give Paul an exciting and effective prison ministry.
Notice the word "palace." The word refers to what was known as the Praetorian Guard. The
Praetorian Guard was the elite of the Roman army. They were the Imperial Guard of Rome. It
consisted of 10,000 hand-picked men of Italian birth.
They served a term of 12-16 years, received double-pay and special privileges. They were
somewhat like the Musketeers of Rome. They were the Emperor's personal army and
bodyguards.
Again, the word “bonds” refers to being shackled and chained. The word speaks of a short chain
by which the wrist of a prisoner was bound to the wrist of a soldier, so that escape was
impossible. In other words, Paul wasn’t just shackled and chained, but he was shackled and
chained to these Praetorian Guards.
In Acts 28:30-31, we learn that, "Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and
received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things
which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.”
For 2 solid years, Paul was under, what we would call, ‘House Arrest.’ During this "house arrest"
soldiers of the Praetorian Guard were assigned to him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The shift
changed every 6 hours, so each day there would be 4 different soldiers connected to Paul by an
18-inch chain. Paul couldn’t get away from the soldiers; but, better yet, the soldiers couldn’t get
away from Paul.
Let’s do the math. 4 soldiers a day for a period of 2 years, or 730 days, adds up to Paul
witnessing to almost 3000 soldiers. Sam Gordon said, “Paul may have been locked up, but he
wasn’t tongue-tied.”
No doubt Paul led many of these soldiers to Christ. He makes reference to:
“The saints…chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.” (4:22)
Think about that. Every day, for 2 years, 6 different soldiers had to listen to Paul tell them how
he held the clothes of Stephen when he was stoned, and God began to do a work of conviction in
his heart.
Then, one day, on his way to Damascus to persecute torture, maim, and kill more Christians, he
saw a light, heard the Lord, and it changed his life. He saw his prison term as an opportunity to
reach people that, otherwise, he could have never reached.
Note that D. L. Moody was once preaching about being a soul-winner and giving examples that
God had used effectively in his own soul-winning efforts. Suddenly, a very pious, religious man
rebutted Moody, “I don’t believe in using gimmicks, games, or scare tactics to witness.” Moody
asked, “Sir, how many people have you won to Christ?” The man replied, “None.” Moody said,
“Then, I believe I’ll stick to my method.”
What Caesar planned to use to short-circuit Paul’s preaching ministry, God used to give Paul an
even greater platform to spread the gospel of redemption.
Not only did progress happen in regards to evangelism, but also in regards to:
2. Encouragement

148. [14] “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold
to speak the word without fear.”
The “things” God allowed to “happen” to Paul not only brought the proclamation of the gospel,
but the edification of the saints. Because of Paul’s suffering, “many of the brethren” became
more and more “confident” and “bold” to “speak the word without fear.”
The word “speak” does not refer to preaching, but rather normal, everyday conversation. In other
words, they didn’t need a pulpit or a platform to share the gospel. They shared the gospel at the
drop of a hat; and, we get the idea that, many of them dropped the hat.
We read A. T. Robertson comments, “The ‘many of the brethren’ constituted that inner circle of
the those that does and dares things for Christ, while the rest hang back. It is usually the minority
of Christians who put energy into the work while the majority drift along or criticize what the
minority do.” [4]
Paul’s courage shamed those who were timid into greater boldness, and it encouraged the bold
ones to witness with even greater conviction and joy. His suffering had inspired the blue-collar,
down-to-earth, plain, ordinary, common man to share the gospel in the field, in the factory, in the
work place, or in the home place.
Discouragement spreads like a cancer, but encouragement spreads like a cure. Often what we go
through and how we handle or respond to it serves as an encouragement to others.
When tragedy, trouble and trials come, anyone can quit. When another believer sees your faith,
fortitude and fidelity, they are encouraged to suit up, stand up and speak up for what is right.
Amazingly enough, in the midst of excruciating difficulty, God used unbelievable persecution to
bring about unexplainable progress of the gospel. The same God that used Moses rod, Gideon's
pitchers, and David's sling, used Paul's chains.
II. A Most Exemplary Decision
As Christians, and especially as preachers, we live in glass houses. We are being watched,
listened to, and observed by the closest insider to the furthest outsider. They scrutinize our
methods, they analyze our message, and they may criticize our manner.
Paul’s glass house was a jail cell. He was being watched, often ridiculed by many of the so-
called “brethren,” or those he thought were his brethren.
However, Paul made a most exemplary decision, when it came to the “good” guys, as well as the
“bad” guys. He decided to be:
A. BOTHERED not BURDENED
[15-16] “SOME INDEED PREACH CHRIST EVEN OF ENVY AND STRIFE; AND SOME
ALSO OF GOOD WILL. [16]THE ONE PREACH CHRIST OF CONTENTION, NOT
SINCERELY, SUPPOSING TO ADD AFFLICTION TO MY BONDS.”
Notice the words, "add affliction." The words bring up the image of the painful rubbing of iron
chains on a prisoners wrists and legs. Phillips translates the words, "to make my chains even
more galling than they otherwise are."
Talk about knocking a man when he is down, that is exactly what was going on. Paul describes
how they added affliction to his bonds. How were they adding to Paul’s affliction?

149. In verse 15 he said that they were preaching Christ of "envy" and "strife." The word "envy"
carries the ideal of jealously. The word "strife" means wrangling. It would seem there were those
who were envious and jealous of Paul and this was resulting in contention and strife.
In verse 16 Paul puts his finger on the root cause of their problems with him. Paul said, "The one
preach Christ of contention, not sincerely."
The word "contention" was a political word. It was used to describe someone who was seeking
office for himself. It came to mean canvassing for office, to get someone to support you. It spoke
of self-seeking and selfish ambition.
In a nutshell, these brethren were trying to draw people to themselves, whereas Paul was trying
to draw people to Christ. They were like religious politicians that were trying to get people on
their side, in their corner, and following them.
They were preaching Christ but with purely selfish motives. They were jockeying for positions
of influence within the Christian community. Simply put, whenever you saw one of these
Judaizers you immediately knew that they were up to no good. They may have had others fooled,
but Paul wasn’t fooled.
This bothered Paul, but it didn’t burden Paul. There were those who had impure motives, but
Paul didn’t focus solely on them. He also saw those who had impeccable motives. [17] “But the
other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.”
Paul decided that he would not allow the perverted in heart to take his focus off of the pure in
heart. Although it bothered him, he decided that he would not allow it to burden him.
B. DISGUSTED not DEFEATED
Under no circumstances would Paul allow them to get him down, or take his eye off the prize.
[18] “What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is
preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.”
Paul did not approve of their method, but he rejoiced in the message. What they were trying to
do to hinder the gospel, Paul understood was being used to help the gospel, because Christ was
still being preached.
Paul understood that the MESSAGE IS BIGGER THAN THE MAN. God may bypass the man,
but will always bless the message.
John Eadie, the Scottish preacher said, “The virtue lies in the gospel, not in the gospeller; in the
exposition, not in the expouder.”
We are all aware of the scandals that have ravaged Christianity, from Jim Bakker to Jimmy
Swaggart to Ted Haggard. People often ask, “How someone could be saved under their ministry
with all of the deceit?” The answer is simple: GOD HONORS HIS WORD!
God never promised to honor the messenger, but He did promise to always honor the message.
But, how much more powerful when He has a clean messenger to deliver the clear message?
To Paul, it didn’t matter if the message came from perverted hearts or pure hearts, because Christ
was the focus, and the gospel would not be suppressed, and could not be stopped.
III. A Most Excellent Desire
I recently saw a sign on an office wall that read, “When one resigns to fate, their resignation is
accepted.”

150. Paul would not offer his resignation, because he focused more on the Problem Solver than the
problem. He saw his circumstances as opportunities to grow up instead of obstacles to gripe
about.
He was in prison, waiting on an appeal that had seemingly been forgotten, yet he could still say:
[19] “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation.”
The word “salvation” is the Greek word soteria. The word does not refer to salvation in the sense
of a soul being forgiven and saved. The word has to do with “health, or well being.”
Paul was saying that everything that happened had been healthy for his own heart and soul. It
would all work out for his own personal and spiritual well-being. You could say that Paul
understood it took grief to promote growth, and fire to produce faith.
God had not changed the circumstances of Paul, but He had changed Paul in the circumstances.
God had taken all that had happened and used it to enlarge His work in Paul’s heart. God’s
intention was not to break Paul, but to MAKE Paul.
Robert Frost said: "But it was of the essence of the trial that you shouldn't understand it at the
time. It had to seem unmeaning to have meaning." So many things happen in life that seems to
have no meaning. Yet, what happens may have great meaning in God's eternal plan.
Someone has said, "The thickest cloud may bring the heaviest shower of blessing." You may not
understand what God is up to; but, you can stand on the fact that GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING,
and ultimately it will be for your good and His glory.
Paul knew that God had a plan, thus his desire was for God to fulfill His plan. He relied on the:
A. INTERCESSION of the SAINTS
[19] “FOR I KNOW THAT THIS SHALL TURN TO MY SALVATION THROUGH YOUR
PRAYER.”
The word “prayer” is the word deesis, which speaks of intense intercession. Paul knew that these
saints were not only praying for him, but they were pleading for him. While Caesar may have
had his arms chained, the prayers of the saints held his arms up.
A missionary was giving a report to his home church in Michigan. He told them while serving a
small field hospital in central Africa; he traveled by bike to a nearby city every 2 weeks to get
supplies. The trip took 2 days, with an overnight camping stop halfway there. On one of these
journeys, he arrived in the city and observed two men fighting, one of whom was seriously
injured. He treated him, and then traveled two days back to his village, camping overnight
without incident.
Two weeks later, he returned to the city and met the man he had treated. This man told the
missionary, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp
overnight. We planned to kill you, and then take your money and drugs. But when we saw the 26
GUARDS surrounding you, we left you alone." The missionary laughed and told the man that he
had been alone all night. The man insisted, "No sir. I wasn't the only one who saw the 26
GUARDS around you that night. My friends saw them too. We all counted them and decided not
to attack."
At this point, a man in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary. He
asked what day and time all this had happened. The missionary told him, and the man smiled and
said, "On the very night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go

151. play golf. I had an overwhelming urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so
strong that, instead of playing golf, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the
sanctuary and pray for you." He then asked for all the men who had gathered to pray to stand up.
The men stood up, and when they were all counted the number was 26!
Samuel Chadwick summed it up, “The devil fears nothing from prayer-less studies, prayer-less
work, prayer-less religion. The devil laughs at our toil, mocks our wisdom, but Satan trembles
when we pray.”
Paul knew he could rely on the intercession of the saints, as well as the:
B. INVOLVEMENT of the SPIRIT
[19B] “THE SUPPLY OF THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST,
The word “supply” is an interesting word. The Greek is a double-compound word ‘choros’ and
‘hegeomai’, which means, “to furnish supplies for a musical chorus.”
In ancient times, a benefactor would pay for the singers and dancers at a festival. No expense
would be spared. Generous provision would be made to meet the need.
Paul says, “I know that these sufferings and persecutions are going to be for my own growth and
well-being, because I rely on the intercession of the saints and rest in the involvement of the
Spirit.”
In other words, all the resources that Heaven could muster were freely available to Paul. He
knew that there was no lack to God’s supply. There may have not been enough in the warehouse,
but Paul knew that there was more than enough in the storehouse of Heaven.
The Bank of America may go belly up, but the Bank of Heaven will never file bankruptcy. This
country may be in a recession, but God’s people aren’t in a recession, because we have a source,
sustainer, provider and provision that Congress knows nothing of.
He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, every hill, and every ‘tater in the hill. He owns it all and
has need of nothing. What do you need? God has it! What would be enough? God has more than
enough.
I love Romans 8: 32: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with him also freely give us all things?”
The intercession of the saints and the involvement of the Spirit caused Paul to earnestly desire
the:
C. INTEGRITY of the SERVANT
[20] “According to my earnest expectation and my hope.”
The word “expectation” is most interesting. The Greek word ‘apokaradokia’ is actually made up
of 3 elements: ‘apo’ (from), ‘kara’ (head), and ‘dokeo’ (to watch). Put together, the word
expectation means, “To watch something so intently that the head is turned away from
everything else.”
Paul knew what the outcome would one day be. He knew where he was headed, and he was
ready to go. Thus, this is the reason prison, persecution, pain, or pressure could not get him
down. It was but preparation for what lay ahead.

152. He had his eye so fixed upon it that he turned away from anything and everything else except:
[20b] “That in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also
Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”
Paul knew the day of meeting Christ was coming. His hope was such that he is sitting on the
edge of his seat. He is standing on his tip-toes with nothing else in view other than meeting the
Master will integrity.
The Pauline motto was, “Whether I live, or whether I die; I want Christ to be magnified and
glorified.”
Guy King said, “Mary’s magnificent was, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord.’ Paul’s magnificent
was, “Christ be magnified in my body, by life or death.’” [5]
Frank Stagg put it this way, “Paul wants to meet his fate with such dignity and spirit that all may
see what Christ means to him.” [6]
Jim Eliot, husband of Elisabeth Eliot, was murdered by a group of Auca Indians in Ecuador in
1956. Before he left to go witness to the natives who would eventually kill him, Elisabeth
noticed that Jim wasn’t taking a gun. She asked, “Why are you not taking a gun for protection?”
Jim replied, “Because we’re ready for Heaven, but they are not.”
Elisabeth Eliot said of her husband, "Jim's aim was simple: To know God." Jim himself wrote an
entry in his journal that was found after his death. The date of the entry was only 2 days before
he was murdered, "Lord, make my way prosperous, not that I achieve high station, but that my
life may be an exhibit to the value of knowing God."
Conclusion
Paul was in jail, but there was no need for bail, because he knew that God had a plan and
purpose, and Paul didn’t want to hold up progress. He wanted Christ to shine, be shared, and
shown.
Paul’s desire could be summed in the words of an unknown author:
Preach by your lives, and preach from the Word:
Preach by your singing, that souls may be stirred.
Preach on a trolley or preach on a bus;
Preach without fanfare and preach without fuss:
Preach in a hall or preach in a shack;
Preach the Word and never turn back.
Preach on the sidewalk, preach the "Good News";
Preach the Gospel and not men's views.
Preach with the unction the Holy Spirit imparts;
Preach to touch lives and melt cold hearts.
Preach only Christ, the Savior of men;
Tell how He died, and liveth again.
Preach the pure Gospel, so true and so tried;

153. Preach casting all doubts and false doctrine aside.
Preach every moment till life's race is run;
Preach till in Heaven you hear His "well done."
Endnotes
1) ““Turning Toward Joy,” David Jeremiah, pg. 32.
2) “Odyssey of Joy,” Sam Gordon, pg. 45.
3) “Stand United in Joy,” Robert Gromacki, pg. 51.
4) “Paul’s Joy in Christ,” A. T. Robertson, pg. 79.
5) “Joy Way,” Guy King, pg. 33.
6) “Philippians,” J. B. Fowler, pg. 28.
R.C. SPROUL
Motives for Preaching
“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 rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.”
- Philippians 1:15–17
The advance of the gospel in the city of Rome while Paul was in prison was certainly a
wonderful thing, for it demonstrated that the efforts of mere men cannot extinguish the light of
the gospel of God (Phil. 1:12–14). At the same time, however, we might say that there was a bit
of a downside to the situation. Unfortunately, not all of the Roman Christians had their hearts in
the right place as they preached the gospel during the apostle’s imprisonment.
We see in today’s passage that although some had a pure motive in proclaiming the Word of God
with boldness, other preachers were moved by jealousy and an attempt to increase Paul’s
afflictions. Before we look at these motivations, let us note that those who preached out of
rivalry and envy actually preached an orthodox gospel. After all, Paul rejoices that Christ was
proclaimed by these people even if a desire to pour salt in the apostle’s wounds was their
inspiration (Phil. 1:18). Moreover, if these jealous brothers had been preaching an unorthodox
gospel, the apostle would have quickly condemned them just as he condemned the Galatian
Judaizers (Gal. 1:6–9). Authentic evangelism was going on in Rome even if some of the
evangelists had questionable motives.
These Roman evangelists had insincere reasons for doing ministry. That is, they were not moved
by a true love for lost people and a desire to see God glorified but by jealousy for the apostle
Paul’s name and impact on the church in their day. With him sequestered behind bars, these
individuals sought to increase their own recognition and gain a following larger than the
apostle’s. While doing so, they hoped to “afflict” Paul in his imprisonment (Phil. 1:17), probably
highlighting the apostle’s situation in jail as proof that God did not approve of Paul’s methods or

154. ministry. In so doing, they were not living by the Spirit but in the flesh, and if their motivations
never changed, they were unregenerate (Gal. 5:19–23).
Believers today remain tempted to preach the gospel for the wrong reasons. Some preachers,
though they teach the truth, are more interested in building their own empires than God’s
kingdom. Sometimes we minister simply for the approval of others. Let us guard our hearts
against these fleshly motivations.
Coram Deo
We must never discount the importance of preaching the truth. At the same time, we must never
ignore the importance of having our hearts in the right place when we do so. God looks on both
our outward behavior and our inward motivations (1 Sam. 16:7), approving of us only when both
of these are directed to the good of others and His own glory (Matt. 12:1–14). What is your
motive for serving the Lord this day?
Passages for Further Study
1 Chronicles 28:9
Isaiah 29:13–14
Mark 12:28–34
Ephesians 6:1–8
1:12-18 Putting The Gospel First
Previous Next
Philippians 1:12-18 “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has
really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace
guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the
brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and
fearlessly. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others do so in love,
knowing that I am put here for the defence of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish
ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But
what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or
true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”
Earlier this month a New Tribes missionary to the Philippines, Martin Burnham, was shot dead.
He and his wife Gracie had been kidnapped by Abu Shyyah, an Islamic group linked to Osama
bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorists. In May last year the Burnhams had gone on vacation to celebrate
their eighteenth wedding anniversary and on the first day of their holidays at an island resort they
had been abducted by these criminals. Their three children, Jeff aged 15, Mindy aged 12, and
Zac aged 11 have been waiting back in the USA for a year supported by their extended family
and the little evangelical congregation in Rose Hill, Kansas, which so many of the Burnham
family attend and serve. They have constantly prayed for their loved ones’ protection and
release. We had an American family staying with us last week, and the 10 year old daughter had

155. prayed most days through the past year that God would keep those missionaries safe. Thousands
of others gave money and also interceded for this couple’s safety. “Why, Mommy?” the little girl
asked when the news was broken on June 7 that during a raid to rescue them Martin and a
Philippine nurse had been shot. The little girl took the news very badly. God had laid them on
her heart, and now God permitted the husband to be killed. Why? Why must a Christian like
Gracie face widowhood at 40? Why do three children have to grow up without a father? Why are
people in the Philippines who need to hear of Christ robbed of that privilege by so pointless a
murder? Why did the $300,000 ransom which was paid fail to obtain their deliverance?
Christians will often ask the question why? Is there knowledge with God of things below?
Paul makes a passing reference in our text to “what has happened to me” (v.12). He doesn’t
make a meal of it. A journey to Rome which should have taken weeks took many months. He
was nearly drowned. He then spent many years in prison – someone has suggested that as a
Christian he spent more years in prison than out of it. What a long journey to actually sitting and
writing this letter: some years earlier, “when the apostle had set foot in Jerusalem, he was
forewarned by the Holy Spirit that bonds and imprisonments awaited him (cf. Acts 20:22f.).
Trouble was not long delayed. Though Paul went out of his way to reassure Jewish scruples
(21:26f.), an entirely false accusation was levelled at him by his own people (21:28); he was
nearly lynched by a religious mob, and ended up in the Roman prison, having escaped a flogging
only by pleading citizenship (22:22ff.). His whole case was beset by a mockery of justice, for,
though all right was on his side, he could not secure a hearing. He was made the subject of unjust
and unprovoked insult and shame (23:2), malicious misrepresentation (24:5; 25:6f.), and deadly
plot (23:12ff.; 25:1ff). He was kept imprisoned owing to official craving for popularity (24:27),
or money (24:26), or because of an over-punctilious facade of legalism (26:32). The deceit and
malpractice and vilification that surrounded his person were past belief . . .” (J. Alex Motyer,
“The Richness of Christ”, Inter-Varsity Fellowship, London, 1966, p.33). But Paul just calls all
of that, “what has happened to me . . .”
The apostle Paul was a dynamic personality, energetic, outgoing, creative, ready in and out of
season to advance the kingdom of God. How frustrating for such a gifted man to be locked up for
some years in a prison cell. What needs and opportunities were surrounding him. He had planned
to take the gospel to the other end of the Mediterranean, to distant Spain. He had hoped en route
to take in a period in Rome to address the congregation there, and benefit from their gifts. Those
plans all foundered. Instead, as the months went by God gave him a cold cell, a bed of straw,
poor food and bored lascivious soldiers on guard duty for company. Why? Sometimes we have
no idea of the reasons why God is dealing with us in particular way. John Flavel’s book reminds
us of “The Mystery of Providence.” One day we may know better, but in this fascinating section
the apostle Paul gives us a number of reasons for his sufferings, and both his attitude and the
principles he lays down can help us all come to terms with the troubles we meet on our short and
uncertain earthly pilgrimage.
Let us think of all the groups who were affected by Paul’s imprisonment.
1. THE CHURCH AT PHILIPPI WAS STRENGTHENED BY IT.
It is plain from this letter that Paul had a deep affection for the Christians in Philippi, and that
this love was mutual. They showed genuine concern for his welfare. They had sent one of their
members named Epaphroditus with some money which they had collected to help Paul during
his time in jail. The vast majority of the members were anxious to know how things were going
in Rome, and they would rejoice at any news of an immanent release and vindication. But there

156. were other professing Christians who were critical of Paul, of the fact that he has appealed to the
Emperor. “Wouldn’t this rather splashy gesture bring the ‘Way’ into ill repute?” they argued.
“Isn’t that action rather typical of Paul who rushed headlong into things where a cooler, wiser
head would have been more cautious? Did he have to go up to Jerusalem and get himself
arrested? Wasn’t he warned by a prophet that this would happen? He knew that they hated him
there. Surely he could have handled it better?” This is the sort of criticism slyly directed at Paul
by his critics. They masked their resentment at his doctrines with barbed words at his conduct.
Then there were others who had what our fathers called “the faith of miracles.” In other words,
they are those the Lord Jesus refers to as doing many mighty works and casting out demons in
his name while themselves remaining unconverted and condemned (Matt. 7:22&23). The apostle
warned the Christians in Corinth of having a faith that can move mountains, and yet lacking love,
and so being a nothing (I Cor. 13:2). So there were those present in Philippi who had been drawn
to the congregation by a religion whose leaders could open every door in a jail and unloose the
chains which were binding every prisoner. They heard of the God who answered by earthquakes
and they wanted some of that action. But they were disappointed when God did not accomplish
that same mighty work in Rome where Paul did not pop out of prison the day after he arrived. He
was imprisoned for years, and God did nothing. What sort of God was he? Unpredictable?
Capricious? Weak? He could shake the little prison in Philippi but the great jail in Rome was too
much for him, was that it?
To all of those people, and to their followers down through the ages, Paul writes this letter out of
his own experience to instruct the Philippians concerning perplexities, frustrations and delayed
answers to prayer which every follower of Christ has to experience. He was anxious for them to
learn a lesson which he already knew, “that what has happened to me has really served to
advance the gospel” (v.12). The whole letter redounds with such God-given confidence as he
tells them: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in
need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and
every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do
everything through him who gives me strength” (4:11-13). So Paul pours the oil of comfort into
the lives of these Christians in Philippi by this letter, as well as to us in this congregation and
congregations everywhere ever since, and until Christ returns. This marvellous prison epistle,
inspired by the Holy Spirit, came out of the most puzzling providence and yet has been a means
of strengthening Christians ever since. There is not a member of this congregation who has not
profited from the truths of this epistle.
But there are others also changed by this imprisonment.
2. PAUL HIMSELF WAS ABLE TO REJOICE IN IT.
“And because of this I rejoice” (v.18). Paul looked at everything that was happening in Rome
from the fulcrum of his chains and he praised God. No doubt initially Paul longed that he might
be quickly released, and that his official vindication would mean that throughout the whole
Roman Empire Christians could evangelise and worship openly and legally. That is why he had
appealed to the Empire. But the weeks turned into months and then into years during which his
trial was constantly postponed and Paul was languishing in bonds. Yet there in prison he learned
to glory in his infirmities, and even take pleasure in such a necessity and distress as his
incarceration. In prison he found the sufficiency of God’s grace, “and because of this I rejoice!”
he could write.

157. Have you consider how self-effacing Paul is? He doesn’t call attention to himself as a sufferer.
He doesn’t elaborate his discomforts. He doesn’t want people’s pity, in fact he doesn’t seek the
congregation’s attention or interest. That would turn their eyes off Christ. He does refer to his
chains (v.14), but so that the fact of his forced confinement would make more of an impact on
the Philippians. “The chains are for Christ,” he tells them. In other words, Christ was his Lord
and he was his servant, and it was this Lord Christ who had put him precisely in that spot,
chaining him to this wall or to different men on guard. When a new soldier came on duty and
fastened the other end of the chain to his own wrist he would take a look at his prisoner. The
handcuffs meant nothing, and so the new man would casually ask Paul what he was inside for,
and Paul would reply, “For Christ,” and then the conversation would move on. When a Christian
visitor called and the guard was forced to listen to their conversation he soon discovered that it
was all about this Christ and how those who served him were faring. The apostle was concerned
that the Philippians might become over-anxious about him, and over-anxiety is a sin, as much a
sin as stealing or lying. “Do not be anxious about anything” (4:6), he tells them. Sinclair
Ferguson points out, “There is something Christ-like in Paul’s attitude here. One of the
impressive things about Jesus’ ministry to his disciples in the last hours of his life was that,
despite his own need, he was concerned to comfort and strengthen them. John tells us that
although our Lord was deeply troubled (John 13:21), he encouraged the disciples not to be
troubled (John 14:1). The language in both verses is the same, which is probably John’s way of
inviting us to link these two verses together. Like Jesus, Paul was more concerned about others
(in this case, the Philippians) than with his own comfort. He practised what he preached (cf. 2:4
“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others”). But
more than that, he knew that God invariably means to bring new blessings out of the trials and
difficulties his servants experience” (Sinclair Ferguson, “Let’s Study Philippians,” Banner of
Truth, 1997, p.17).
Paul tells us that he knows why he was put there; “I am set” [in this prison cell manacled to this
soldier] “for the defence of the gospel” (v.16). In other words, he was a man under orders. “The
term used here is military. When the time came that a praetorian’s period of guard duty was over,
he was relieved by another. The chain was passed from hand to hand and the new guard was ‘set’
to keep watch over Paul. It was not his part to query the duty allotted to him: such decisions were
made by other minds in other places. However he might have planned his service to lie in other
and more exciting, and apparently more worth-while, enterprises, this was what was required of
him, and this was the situation in which to uphold the traditions of the regiment to which he
belonged and to win his superiors’ praise. But Paul was as much ‘on duty’ as he was. Perhaps we
may venture to imagine what went through the apostle’s mind when a sentry entered for the first
time. ‘He has come in here because he is on duty; he is “set” to guard me. Wouldn’t he be
surprised to learn that I am every bit as much on duty as he is, that I am “set” to guard him for
Christ!’ Paul did not see his suffering as due to divine forgetfulness (‘Why did God allow this to
happen to me?’), nor as a dismissal from service (‘I was looking forward to years of usefulness,
but here I am chained to the house’), nor as the work of Satan (‘I am afraid the devil has had his
way this time’), but as the place of duty, the appointed setting of service, the work at present
required. The great ambassador of Christ is not free to bear the tidings of the Lord over land and
sea as before, but he has not ceased to be an ambassador. The form of the ambassadorship has
changed but the purpose and duty of it still remains – ‘an ambassador in chains’ (Eph. 6:20)” (J.
Alec Motyer, “The Richness of Christ,” Inter-Varsity Fellowship, London, 1966, pp. 41&42).

158. Every one of us has to see our present occupation as the work God is giving to us now, in the
place, and in the company that the Lord has decreed. Wherever we find ourselves there we too
are on duty. We may feel we are virtually chained to this husband or wife, to these needy
children, to this parent who has become senile, or to these wearying studies. Or are we members
of this little church fellowship with its obvious weaknesses, or locked into this tedious routine of
a dull job or boring household duties? Then we must remember that we are set there by God to
defend the gospel by our credible Christ-like living. Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus
Christ. Paul was able to rejoice in the place in which God put him.
Philip Hacking, once a minister in Sheffield, was involved in the disaster in the Hillsborough
soccer stadium in that Yorkshire city in April 1989 in which 96 spectators were crushed to death.
A Christian nurse from his fellowship was set there in that scene of horror by God. Hacking says
“I was present at the match, and was trying to counsel a little. One of our girls, who’s a nurse,
had sat for hours with a lad who wouldn’t say a word. He was waiting to see whether his friend
was dead or alive. She sat with him, she gave him coffee, she wanted to speak to him about Jesus
but it seemed impossible to say anything. Eventually the message came that they’d found his
friend but he was dead. He went to examine the body, and she went with him. He’d hardly
spoken a word for hours, and suddenly he thumped the wall and he shouted, ‘My God! My God!
Why? – if there is a God!’ My nurse friend was able to say, very sensitively, ‘Yes, there is a
God, I know him. He’s changed my life and he is able to change yours too.’ She went on to say,
“Do you realise the words you said are the words that Jesus said on the cross? ‘My God, my
God, why?'” (Philip Hacking, “Servants of the King,” The Keswick Convention 1989, STL
Books, Bromley, 1989, p.24). God had put her there for the defence of the gospel, and defend it
she did. There are periods in our lives in which we feel we’re in chains to the most unpleasant
providences, yet it is God who has set us in that place in defence of the only gospel given to men,
and in that we can and may rejoice as Paul himself did. You will also, if you put the gospel in
first place.
3. THE ROMAN GUARDS WERE AFFECTED BY PAUL’S PRESENCE IN PRISON.
“As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I
am in chains for Christ” (13). The full Praetorian Guard numbered nine thousand men and were
the official bodyguard of the emperor. Members of the Philippian congregation would see the
Roman soldiers marching through their town and some of them might say, “They need the
gospel. How could the good news about Jesus break into the world of the Roman army? If only
Paul could meet with some of them and talk to them of the Saviour for a long time we are sure
many of those battle hardened veterans would start to follow Christ. But how could that be
possible? Let’s just pray about it.” But Paul arrives in Rome and there he meets soldier after
soldier. Speaking to them and writing letters becomes his major ministry. It’s not raw country
boy recruits who couldn’t read he is evangelising but the elite company of Caesar’s troops whose
barrack rooms and bath houses soon buzz with discussion about religion for year after year. All
this was because of one single prisoner who was in the custody of the very troops who guarded
the emperor.
There had been a period in which Paul had been given a measure of liberty from the jail, and he
lived for that time in a private house, but even there a guard would have had to be on duty. The
prisoner and the guard were chained together, but Paul didn’t whine to them that it was all so
unjust, and that he had grown to hate the sight of the Roman legionnaires. He didn’t bribe them
to have wine smuggled in, and women too, or plot an escape. No, he bore a plain powerful

159. witness to the three or four soldiers who worked the daily shifts and kept an eye on him. He
looked forward to the constant new men whose turn it would be to guard him. How wearying the
constant conversations, the absence of privacy, the new guard wanting to talk, and Paul tired
from the previous four hours of questions and answers. Yet Paul was under obligation to love his
guarding neighbour as his guarded self. Over the years he would meet many of the imperial
guard in a one-to-one relationship.
An enormous impression was made on them all. Paul told them about a Jew named Jesus from
Nazareth. He shared with them some of Christ’s scintillating teaching. He told them of his
mighty works, that when he spoke the winds and waves obeyed him. He told these soldiers about
the centurions who loved the Lord, one of whose servants he raised from a death bed. He told
them how the Lord Jesus was the promised Messiah, God the Son, and that he had died as the
lamb of God to take away our sin. “We deserve eternal death because we are sinners,” Paul said,
“but Jesus, because he loved us, died in our place.” He told them that they must repent of their
sins, really turn away from them, and turn in faith to the one who said, “Come unto me all you
who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” The men on guard duty had never met
a man so much at peace with himself as this prisoner. They later went back to the barracks
thinking over everything they had been told, and they talked to their friends, so that other troops
were filled with curiosity to meet this extraordinary man. The good news he told them resulted in
this achievement of grace; “it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to
everyone else that I am in chains for Christ” (v.13). Paul had put his life at the disposal of Christ,
and though he was bound, the word of God is never bound.
Let me illustrate from three sources the power of the providence of restrictions and limitations (if
they be received from God); firstly from the English reformer Hugh Latimer, the greatest of all
the English preachers of the sixteenth century, the one who eventually was burnt at the stake in
Oxford. When he was arrested during the reign of Queen Mary, Latimer was committed to a
painful house arrest in the home of the mayor of Oxford, Edmund and Margaret Irish. For 18
months he had to live there with their hatred of all he stood for, their boorish behaviour and foul
conversation. Day after day he was called by God to endure it. Latimer was set in that mayor’s
house for the defence of the gospel, and at the end of it, just before his martyrdom, Margaret
Irish was won over by his faithful and gracious testimony. She not only grew in admiration of his
consistent life, but she came to trust in Christ alone for her salvation.
Another illustration of this lesson refers to the late Bob Sheehan’s father. In the second World
War he was a stretcher bearer, and God attached to the other end of that stretcher a Scottish
Christian who lived for Christ and spoke of him to Mr Sheehan whenever he had an opportunity.
That stretcher was the chain that bound those two men together, and by 1945 and VE Day, they
were both following Christ. The implications of that ‘chain’ for the Sheehan family and the
congregations who heard his son Bob preach at Welwyn were immense. I am saying to you,
‘Receive your chains from Christ!’
The third illustration of this conduct of Paul being imitated today to the same powerful effect is
in the case of the late Martin Burnham, the missionary to the Philippines, murdered last week.
Several hostages, including his wife Gracie, testify to his patient Christian response to suffering
for those 376 days. Chained to a tree each night, Martin Burnham would thank his guard and
then wish him a good night. On their marches through the jungle he would do what the Saviour
told us all to do – offering to carry the bags of other hostages and also his captors. He spoke of
Christ to them, sharing the message of the gospel with rebel leader Abu Sabaya himself. When

160. the bullets were fired in the rescue attempt he dived across the body of his wife and protected
her, but lost his own life.
God has designed some chains for every one of us. As I look at a congregation I see everyone in
chains. You may be tied to a desk when you would like to be in evangelistic work. You may be
tied to a home, with young children in need of constant care. You may be tied to one room, never
able to get out of your house. But God has put you there and so God will use you there.
Remember that the first prayer to pray is not ‘God use me’, but ‘God make me usable.’ Then
seek to speak a word and do something for Jesus Christ where you are. This passage in
Philippians may change entirely the way you look at the factors that hem you in. You may be
able to say, “what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel” (v.12).
The fascinating greetings at the end of the letter presumably refer to the success of Paul’s
evangelising these soldiers: “All the saints send you their greetings, especially those who belong
to Caesar’s household” (Phils 4:22). How many of those soldiers were later posted to a tour of
duty in the furthest parts of the Roman Empire, to the British Isles? Could some of those once
chained to Paul have been later sent to Caerleon, Carmarthen and Chester where they shared with
some of the early Welsh men and women the wonderful message of sins forgiven through faith
in the Lamb of God?
4. THE CHRISTIANS OF ROME WERE ENCOURAGED BY PAUL’S IMPRISONMENT.
“Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word
of God more courageously and fearlessly” (v. 14). Knowledge of this revival in the Praetorian
Guard would have had an enormous impact on the congregation in Rome. It would have made
them zealous for the Lord. They would have thought, “It really is true. The Spirit of Christ makes
every kind of man and woman new creations.” There were others who like Paul were also
Roman citizens, and when they saw the special protection this status had afforded him then they
spoke up too. But most important of all the church continually considered Paul’s example, some
of them visiting him and reporting to the congregation how he was, and they were all challenged
to confront their difficulties and speak up for Christ whatever the cost. If the apostle could do so
much from a prison cell how much more should they be accomplishing with their freedom. New
courage and boldness was given to the church. Most of all there was a new love for Paul, and for
his Lord, and for sinners. Paul refers to it saying, “some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry,
but others do so in love.” It was with a new love that they witnessed to the people of Rome.
Let me share with you something that came home to Pastor John Armstrong last week when he
heard of the martyrdom of Martin Burnham. He says, “I heard very little about martyrdom as a
child. The only story of martyred missionaries I know anything at all about was the history of
five young men who were killed by Auca Indians in Ecuador in the 1950s. I still recall reading
“Through Gates of Splendour” as a boy of twelve. I remember when I first saw their photos I felt
a desire to follow Christ to the death. It was in the recesses of my heart that I first sensed God
calling me to preach the Word no matter what it would cost me. Later I read Jim Elliott’s
memorable words, recorded in his journal while a student at Wheaton College: ‘H e is no fool
who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.’ To this day whenever I go into
Edman Chapel, Wheaton, and read the plaque on the wall which bears the story of Jim Elliott
and Nate Saint I am moved to recommit my life to Christ and his Kingdom.” The motivating
energy that comes from seeing the bravery of a suffering and dying Christian must have been the
prime factor that drove away the excuses and cowardice from the Christians in Rome as they

161. heard of Paul’s spirit and his activities even in chains. They began to live for Christ as they had
not been living hitherto.
This was the effect on “most of the brothers in the Lord” (v.14) Paul says, not that the preachers
started to preach powerfully, but it was the brothers who were talking with people telling them of
Christ. So most of the church was on the march. The people of God were set on fire for the Lord,
and all this did not happen through Paul’s mighty preaching in Rome. He was in prison chained
to an unbelieving soldier, but the effect of his life in jail impacted the whole congregation who
were all out of jail. They suddenly weren’t as scared as they used to be. Paul was facing a
meeting with the Emperor and a possible death sentence, but how he spoke up for his Lord! So
their instinct for self-preservation and a good reputation went, and they simply spoke about
Christ. What they did was so very ordinary, they spoke a word for Jesus as they sought and
received opportunities. They spoke like any other human beings; they opened their mouths and
they chatted. They talked to people about the message of the Scriptures. They explained their
faith, and they gave a word of testimony to its impact upon them, and they answered the
questions they were asked in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Yet this simple activity was so
important for Paul that he wrote about it by the help of the Holy Spirit to Greece, and he told the
Philippian church what was happening. “I want you to know that the ordinary men and women
on the streets and in the homes of Rome, in their day to day conversations, are speaking the
Word of God.” Someone spoke to a New Tribes missionary called Donna Davis last week. She
knew Martin and Gracie Burnham well, and she said, “News accounts talk about Martin as if he
were a hero, and I suppose that’s true, but at the same time the Burnhams are ordinary people.”
Who are the martyrs who speak and suffer for Christ? They are mere Christians who are
prepared to follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
So here were Christians living in Rome who had not been using their gifts, not walking in the
Spirit, not presenting their bodies as living sacrifices to God. Then Paul arrives and is put into
prison and shows them what a life lived for Christ can do even there, and these Christians are
changed. They stop thinking about themselves and their little lives. Maybe some of them had
kept a careful record of what they did and thought and how people treated them each day. They
could tell you from their diaries exactly what had happened week after week, but when they got
serious about living for Christ that all seemed so petty and they discard them or radically change
what they record. As Dr Lloyd-Jones says, “Even psychologists are aware of this fact and,
indeed, it is a part of their stock in trade. The whole business of psychological treatment is to
make men and women forget themselves, to become interested in something else, to transfer this
self-interest to something else. It is this morbid, pathetic interest in self that makes us so
miserable. That is why we break down in life: that is why we fall when tribulation comes – self-
pity. ‘Why should this be happening to me?’ I ask. I am looking at myself all the time and
because of that everything is exaggerated. Now Paul does not do that in prison because he is
looking for Christ, and the glory of Christ, and the gospel is what he is concerned about” (D.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “The Life of Joy,” Hodder & Stoughton, 1989, p.78). This is the reason for
the change in the brothers in the Lord in Rome. We too may visit a brother or sister passing
through a life-threatening illness and having major surgery, and we observe a joy and hope and
trust in God. How it strengthens us! By the same grace from the same Saviour we too shall be
more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Then there was another way in which the gospel was being furthered. They were preaching
Christ. It is a refrain that occurs three times in these verses (vv. 15, 17 &18). Again Paul is

162. referring to ordinary Christians and he is saying that even they were doing this tremendous thing,
that they were preaching Christ. The word used for ‘preaching’ was a technical word in the
ordinary language of the day which Paul took up. It was the word used for the herald or town
crier, and the picture we have here is of the Lord’s people acting as heralds of the gospel. They
are virtual town-criers and they are proclaiming Jesus Christ in Rome. They are telling people
that he is God and man, and that he is a prophet, priest and king, and that he is the Lord and
Saviour of all who turn from their sins and trust in him. They bore such testimony to this that the
much of Rome was hearing about it. A town crier doesn’t go the remote corner of the beach and
talk to the seagulls, or to the top of Plunlumon and speak to the sheep. He goes where the people
gather and he tries to give his message maximum publicity, and he speaks with authority not
simply from his own initiative. He speaks as one given a message to declare and a commission to
speak it to all. Every Christian must know that he or she is the recipient of the Lord’s Great
Commission. “Go! Speak!”
There is no one in this congregation who needs permission from me to be the Lord’s town crier
in Aberystwyth, in fact we are all under that obligation just because we are Christians. By God’s
grace every Christian is a prophet unto God. We believe in the prophetic status of every believer,
and we are to show forth the praises and virtues of our Lord to everyone who will hear us. We
are to give maximal publicity for the gospel, and we are to do it with the consciousness that this
is God’s will for every Christian, that God has made us heralds and prophets to address his word
to his creation. We are put in the places of daily duty for the defence of the gospel, and our great
theme must be Christ. “In other words, the message of the church and of the gospel is definite; it
is not a vague message of goodwill, nor a general exhortation to people to live a better life. It is
not a mere appeal for morality, or soothing words to a nation which is experiencing economic
difficulties. Nor is it a kind of general attempt to raise the morale of the people, and to get more
production and things of that kind. All that may come in the future as a result of the gospel, but
that is not the thing that confirms the truth: it is preaching Christ. Thus, the test of the message
should be: is Christ in the centre? Is Christ essential? Does it all emanate from him? Does it all
revolve around him? Would there be a message if Christ had never lived? That is the test, and I
think we must all agree that so much that passes for Christianity, judged by this test, is not
Christianity at all; it would all be possible without Christ. There is a great deal of idealism in
Greek philosophies, and in Islam. There is much good and moral uplift entirely apart from
Christ, but it is not the gospel, it is not the word. The thing I am anxious about, said Paul, is
Christ. I preach Christ . . . So then the apostles turned to the people and said: That is the good
news we have to tell you. If you believe in this Christ, if you say that the Son of God has died for
your sins, God forgives you; your biggest guilt is cleared, your sins are removed, you are
accepted of God and you have become his child. That is the good news. We preach Christ Jesus
as the Saviour of your souls” (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “The Life of Joy,” Hodder & Stoughton,
London, 1989, p, 65 & 66 & 69).
I emphasise this because the professing church has largely lost the gospel. There is a Professor of
Missions at the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago named Paul Hiebert. He was
raised amongst the Mennonites in America and became a missionary in India for many years. He
has commented on how the American Mennonites in the last century came to lose the gospel
(and what happened to them has happened to all the denominations in our own land of Wales).
One generation preached Christ, but they held that there were certain social, economic and
political entailments. The next generation assumed the gospel, but identified with the
entailments. The following generation denied the gospel: the ‘entailments’ became everything. I

163. am saying that his has happened in Wales, and it has destroyed living Christianity and closed
down most of the churches in the nation, and that we are witnessing large swaths of what is
called ‘evangelicalism’ in Britain today going in the same direction. The greatest need of the
pulpits of Wales is to become obsessed with the gospel of Christ.
5. EVEN PAUL’S OPPONENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO PREACH CHRIST.
“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry … the former preach Christ out of
selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in
chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false
motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of that I rejoice” (vv. 15, 17&18). There were
certain people, who, because Paul was in prison were taking advantage of his absence and were
preaching the gospel largely to annoy him. They sought to magnify their own ministry by putting
Paul down. They were anxious to draw people to themselves, but the extraordinary thing was
that though they demeaned Paul, and were preaching Christ with an utterly disgraceful motive
the apostle himself rejoiced because Christ was being preached. That was more important than
whether or not he himself achieved universal respect in the church.
Obviously there are certain misunderstandings about the dynamics of all this which we must
clear up. Paul is not saying that he is indifferent to the kind of teaching that a servant of Christ
gives. If we should turn to his letter to the Galatian church we would learn that a person who
dilutes and perverts the gospel of Christ is to be condemned. Paul is not alone in using such
strong language. The apostle John warns that if someone comes with a different doctrine then
make sure you don’t bid him, “God Speed!” Those apostles were faithful servants of their Lord
who told them to beware of wolves who would come to the church dressed as sheep. There are
those who preach a message which is not the gospel of Christ. If the foundational doctrines are
wrong or denied then we cannot possibly rejoice, and Paul would not be rebuking us for not
rejoicing – quite the reverse. Paul tells the Corinthians, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus
Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha” (I Cor, 16:22). There was a survey of the beliefs of the
clergy in the Church of England published in the Times yesterday (29 June 2002). Four out of
ten male ministers do not believe in the virgin birth of Christ, and seven out of ten women clergy
do not believe in it. We cannot rejoice in that. Less than half the clergy believe that Christ is the
only way to God. About 40 per cent of the clergy do not believe in the physical resurrection of
Christ. We do not rejoice in that. Any schemes or pleas for unity in the name of freedom of
opinion and sincerity while those denials are maintained is a betrayal of Christ. If men preach
salvation by works, or salvation by respectability, or deny the need for a new birth then we
cannot rejoice. We cannot welcome such preaching. We cannot condone it. We cannot be
associated with it, because the doctrine is wrong. In other words, Paul is not suggesting in these
verses, “It doesn’t matter what they preach so long as they mention the name of Jesus. Then I’ll
be happy.” No, no! ‘Jesus’ is not some kind of mantra which you chant. The Apostle was not soft
towards any and every preacher who offers a show of piety and who claims to preach ‘Jesus.’
Paul didn’t say in some bland way that since we all follow the one Lord then we are all one. Paul
would want to know which Jesus they were preaching. We too must constantly ask if a Jesus
being promoted is the Mormon Jesus or the Jehovah’s Witness Jesus or the naturalistic, liberal
Jesus or the health, wealth, and prosperity Jesus. Or is it the biblical Jesus, the Jesus of
Chalcedon, and the 39 Articles and the 1689 Confession? Paul gives the weight of his authority
and approval not to his opponents’ devotion to Christ as such, and not to their concern for the

164. unconverted as such, but to this fact, that he agrees with and authenticates their message. They
were preaching the Christ of the Bible.
Let us go on a little and notice the strength of language which Paul uses when he describes his
opponents – “envy and rivalry … selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up
trouble for me while I am in chains … false motives” (15 & 17). James Montgomery Boice
comments, “Did you know that Paul very likely lost his life as a result of the trouble caused by
the troublemaking Christians at Rome? The information that exists from the early church age
about the death of Paul and the things that led up to it points to this conclusion: envy led some
Christians to denounce Paul and, as a result of their denunciation, Paul and perhaps others also
were presumably executed under Nero” (James Montgomery Boice, “Philippians”, Baker, 1971,
p.59). Dr Boice produces three strands of evidence for this, the fact that Paul was initially not
well received in Rome, that he seems to have been forgotten and when Onesiphorous arrived
there no one seemed to be able to tell him where Paul was. It was only after considerable
searching that he found him. But these leaders of the Roman congregation had to pay attention to
him when the Praetorian guard became awakened to Jesus Christ by Paul’s testimony. It was
then that those leaders spoke out against him – there are references to a hostile spirit in Paul’s
second letter to Timothy. Then another strand of evidence for this Christian opposition Paul is
provided by the Roman historian Suetonius who alludes to friction in Rome brought about by
those who preached in Christ’s Name. The third cause for us to believe in the strength of feeling
by Paul’s opponents is in a letter written about 90 A.D. by an old Christian in Rome named
Clement. He makes reference to jealousy and strife which in some way caused Paul’s execution.
So it is not unlikely that some of his opponents actually denounced Paul to the authorities and so
betrayed him, as his Master was also betrayed by one who had been a disciple. So they certainly
stirred up trouble for Paul while he was under arrest (v.17).
So here were a group of men in the leadership of the church at Rome who virtually hated Paul.
They were envious of his influence and success, and they were ambitious for leadership. Yet
when everyone began to evangelise fervently even they were constrained to preach Christ with
new zeal. How impressive and influential is Paul’s example. He really did live that the gospel
might be advanced. That was his raison d’etre. So Paul could rejoice in their strange activity, his
grumbling opponents were both preaching Christ, while also using the pulpit to make sly
innuendoes and veiled threats and concealed, damaging hints about him. They were preaching
the holy forgiving Christ the Saviour! They were men who gave a faithful gospel message,
declaring a selfless, self-sacrificing, unself-seeking Christ, but privately they indulged in another
set of values, self-seeking, and moved to hurt one whom Christ had died to save and set apart as
his apostle. They were double-minded, dual personalities. Yet there was a complete absence of a
retaliatory spirit in Paul. He didn’t reveal the identity of one of his adversaries There was no
feeling of ‘Name and shame.’ He felt hurt at their attitude, but he doesn’t dwell on what they
were doing to him. He concluded with thoughts such as these: “They are genuinely preaching
Christ. I don’t like why. I don’t particularly like how, but over many years I have observed that
God has put his treasure in clay pots and uses them to his glory.” Those who heard Paul’s
opponents preaching had no idea of their attitude to the apostle. The congregations only heard
good preaching of Christ, and some of them came to believe. God veiled the preachers’ bad
motives from them.
There may be a great deal in contemporary evangelicalism that we find profoundly disturbing,
and the skids may be under it as it slides into another agenda of social and psychological

165. entailments which the American Mennonites have come to represent as Christianity. But one
criterion can make us rejoice, that Christ is still being preached from other pulpits all over the
land. Their services may be teenage-oriented, garish, high pressure, far too dependent on such
devices as music softening up a congregation for the message to seem more attractive, immature,
manipulative and confused. Yet is the Christ of the Bible being preached? Is he being proclaimed
as God and man? Is he being preached as pre-incarnate, incarnate, exalted? Is he being preached
in his state of humiliation and glory? Is he being preached in his offices as prophet, priest and
king? Is he being offered as the only Saviour, the one Name by which we must be saved, and the
Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, so that there is no need of purgatory, and praying
saints, and penances, and an interceding Mary, and ritualistic Calvary-repeating dressed-up
priests? Is their Jesus all sufficient? As we evaluate preaching, especially in denominations
different from our own, the prime question is and must always be, is Christ being preached? If
so, I am called upon to rejoice.
Let us close with these measured words of the Anglican scholar and preacher, J. Alec Motyer:
“Differences of personal like and dislike must ever remain in the church. Different stages of
sanctification must ever mark individual Christians and groups of Christians on this side of
glory. These things must be accepted, and, as far as unity is concerned, set on one side. There is
but one essential. In its broadest statement, it is agreement in the truth; in its inner essence it is
agreement as to what constitutes the saving message, the gospel, what we tell the world about
Christ. Lacking this we will look in vain for unity; having it we have the one thing on which Paul
here insists, and which remains the single point of insistence throughout the New Testament
teaching on the unity of the church” (J. Alec Motyer, “The Richness of Christ”, Inter-Varsity
Fellowship, London, 1966, p.48).
30th June 2002 GEOFF THOMAS
Fearlessness as a Sign of Destruction and
Salvation
• Resource by
John Piper
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J o h n P i p e r P h o t o
/authors/john-piper

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• Scripture: Philippians 1:12–30 Topic: Courage & Boldness
There are at least five reasons why I believe God is leading us into a new series of messages that
focus on God-centered courage and boldness and fearlessness and risk-taking for Christ and his
kingdom.
1. The Need to Stress Some Crucial Themes of Ministry
l "
One is that some of the crucial earlier themes of our ministry have not been stressed for a long
time. For example, a lot of what we are as a church today was built on the biblical teaching of a
radical, God-centered, wartime, risk-taking life-style. The sort of life that’s captured in biblical
sentences like:
• “He who loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
• “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
• “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
• “It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
• “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
• “Sell your possessions and give alms.”
• “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”
• “Whatever you would that people do to you, do so to them.”
• “Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you.”
• “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength and mind.”
• “Do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing that they can do.”
• “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?”

167. Some of us sense the need again to lift this banner of radical, risk-taking, God-centered,
courageous, wartime living so that there is no mistaking: that’s what God calls us to be.
2. The Need to Stir One Another Up to Take Risks
l "
“We need to break out of deeply-ingrained habits of timidity and silence and fear.”
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There is the growing sense in some of us that we need to stir each other up to take some risks in
more venturesome acts of love, especially in evangelism “for the sake of the name.” We need to
break out of deeply-ingrained habits of timidity and silence and fear. We need to be set free from
long-established anxieties of ruffling feathers and offending secular pluralists and being
slandered. We need to be freed to speak the truth in love without looking over our shoulder at the
snickering or ridicule that follows. This fits with some of the new things we are planning for
fresh opportunities of outreach.
3. The Growing Sense of Hostility Against the Church
l "
There is the growing sense in many of us that the winds are blowing ill for the comforts of
Christians in America. This is not necessarily a bad thing for the purity and power of the church.
But we need to be ready for the trouble and disapproval and danger when it comes. First Peter
4:12 says, “Beloved do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is coming upon you as though
something strange were happening to you.” It isn’t strange. It is strange how long we have been
able to live without it.
4. The Increasing Riskiness of Addressing Important Issues
l "
There is also the rising sense that taking a loving, biblical stand on some of the front burner
issues of our time (e.g., abortion and homosexual behavior) will be increasingly risky business
and may bring down actual physical hostility and not just verbal.
5. Courage and Boldness at the Heart of Christianity
l "
Finally, as I have taught this great book of Philippians on Wednesday evenings, the conviction
has gripped me that courage is at the center of what it means to live in a manner worthy of the
gospel. Boldness in the face of opposition is at the heart of being a Christian. It is not an upper
level spirituality for super saints. It is the meat and potatoes of daily Christian living. I saw this
in today’s text and I want to show it to you.

168. Christian Courage and David Koresh
l "
But first I want to relate our theme of courage and boldness and kingdom risk-taking to David
Koresh and the Branch Davidians. Tom Steller and I were talking earlier this week about this
new series of messages, and he raised the question of how people might hear a call to radical,
risking-taking courage in view of the apparent willingness of the whole Davidian compound to
die for their cause.
My response is this: One of the greatest threats to Christian courage in our day is the fear that it
will be labeled with derisive names and associations. One of the greatest fears in America today
(in the church and out of it) is the fear that we will be classed with certain fringe groups: racist,
sexist, homophobic, right-wing, fundamentalist, extremist, fanatic. Now, I dislike all those terms
and don’t want those labels. I would like to avoid being called those things.
But therein lies a danger. What a tragedy when the great fear is not that we will dishonor the
Lord by departing from his truth and righteousness, but that we will be accused, labeled,
slandered with words that are spring-loaded to destroy. The crucial question is not: “can group
call you bad names,” but “did you speak the truth in love?” There is no correlation between those
two.
So the greatest danger for Christians in response to the Branch Davidian tragedy is not that we
will be swept away by another messianic pretender, and kill ourselves for the sake of a false
Christ. The greater danger is that we will be so afraid of being labeled as apocalyptic fanatics
that we may abandon any truth or any action that might be interpreted by the world as falling into
that category—or any other widely disliked category.
How Gamaliel Assessed the Early Christians
l "
“We must obey God rather than men.”
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This is not a new problem. Let me read for you a similar situation from history, Acts 5:35–41.
The officials in Jerusalem had given the apostles strict orders not to teach in Jesus’s name (verse
28). They responded with radical, God-centered, courageous, risk-taking words: “We must obey
God rather than men.” And they proceeded to tell their accusers, who have the authority to put
them to death, “You put Jesus to death, but God raised him up” (verse 30).
When the council was about to kill the apostles out of rage, a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up
and did something that must have stung the apostles, when they heard about it, worse than the
anger of the council — Gamaliel said, they are just another bunch of Branch Davidians following
a phony David Koresh. So leave them alone and they will self-destruct. Here is the way he put it.
And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men.
For some time ago Theudas [read: Jim Jones] rose up, claiming to be somebody; and a
group of about four hundred men joined up with him. And he was slain; and all who
followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After this man Judas of Galilee [read:
David Koresh] rose up in the days of the census, and drew away some people after him,

169. he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. And so in the present
case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action
should be of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to
overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.” And they took his
advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them to speak no
more in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the
presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame
for his name. (Acts 5:35–41)
Now that is radical, God-centered, risk-taking, courageous living — rejoicing that they are
worthy of shame, worthy of flogging. What do we feel that comes close to such rejoicing?
But note well: part of the shame was that they were treated with a patronizing disdain — Oh, this
is just another Theudas group; this is just another Judas of Galilee and his deluded followers —
just another Jim Jones and David Koresh. When the apostles heard about it, that was perhaps the
worst shame of all.
Will You Be Able to Rejoice at Being Thusly Shamed?
l "
We all dream now and then of suffering for righteousness’ sake. We dream of suffering nobly —
even heroically — for Jesus’s sake. But what will you feel when the authorities and the crowds
and the media distort your cause and tell the whole world not that you are a noble person with
courage suffering for righteousness but that you are a deluded, extremist fanatic? In following
Jesus you are following just another Theudas, just another Judas of Galilee, just another David
Koresh.
Will you be able to rejoice with the apostles that you were shamed in this way — that you were
misunderstood and misinterpreted and slandered?. Will you be so secure in God and so confident
in his truth that you will rejoice? Or will you grovel and scrape with fear lest you be classed with
the followers of Theudas.
That, I think, is the greatest danger at this moment in response to the Waco conflagration.
Courage in Christ Is at the Heart of Christian Living
l "
Now I gave as my fifth reason for this series of messages that studying Philippians has convinced
me that courage in Christ is at the heart of Christian living — not at the periphery. It’s essential
not optional.
What It Means to Live Worthy of the Gospel
l "
Let me show you that very briefly. Philippians 1:27–28 describes what it means to live worthy of
the gospel:
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I
come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one
spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed [or

170. frightened] by your opponents — which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation
for you, and that too, from God.
In his recent 600 page commentary on this little book of Philippians, Peter O’Brien titles the
paragraph of 1:27–30, “Unity and Courage in the Face of Opposition.” I think that’s exactly
right. There are two things that Paul highlights as worthy of the gospel:
1. “standing firm in one spirit and striving together for the faith” (unity), and
2. “in no way alarmed [or frightened] by your opponents” (courage). Christianity means
living worthy of the gospel (verse 27). Christianity is a way of living, not just a way of
thinking or believing. But the order is very crucial. First comes the gospel, then comes
the living.
First Gospel, Then Living
l "
First we meet Christ in the gospel — the good news that Jesus Christ came into the world to die
for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life, and that he offers forgiveness and everlasting
joy to all who bank their hopes on him and not on the promises of the world.
Then comes a way of life that is worthy or fitting or appropriate for that great truth — a way of
life that shows we are really banking our hope on the gospel and not on the world. When Paul
says in verse 21, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain,” he was simply showing what it
means to live worthy of the gospel. If the gospel is true, and if we put our hope in its promises,
then to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Unity and Fearlessness
l "
Which is why Paul defines living worthy of the gospel as living in unity with each other and
living in fearlessness toward opponents. Living worthy of the gospel means that “to live is
Christ” — and so he becomes the center of our life and our unity; living worthy of the gospel
means that “to die is gain” — and that promise takes away our opponents’ last weapon (death)
and takes away our last fear. Unified striving together for the gospel and fearlessness before our
opponents are the two ways that Paul says are at the heart of living worthy of the gospel.
And since they show the worth of the gospel so powerfully, Paul calls them in verse 28b a sign
from God. When we live in unity and when we stand courageously and unafraid and humbly and
lovingly before our opponents, this is a sign that the gospel is indeed true and that therefore those
who believe it are saved and those who don’t believe it are perishing.
The Most Important Reason for This Series
l "
“We are called to show that our treasure is not in this world.”
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So there are many reasons for a series like this. But perhaps the most important one is that we are
called to live worthy of the gospel. We are called to live in a way that shows the worth and value
of the gospel — that we prize the gospel more than anything in the world. We are called to show

171. that our treasure is not in this world, our hope is not in money and earthly security, our
satisfaction is not in power and prestige, our contentment is not in the approval of other people,
our happiness is not in avoiding criticism and slander.
Instead, our treasure and hope and satisfaction and contentment and happiness are in Christ and
his promises: to live is Christ and to die is gain. Unity in Christ and fearlessness before our
opponents make the worth of the gospel clear. So the call to courage in these messages is a call
to magnify the worth of the gospel and glorify the all-satisfying value of Christ.
RAY PRITCHARD
Keep Your Eye on the Donut and Not on the
Hole
Philippians 1:12-18
In the 20 years I have been a pastor, a good portion of my time each week has been spent talking
with people going through hard times. I suppose it just comes with the territory. When things go
well, the pastor rarely hears from people. But when life tumbles in, the pastor gets a telephone
call. I’ve discovered that in those situations people usually ask two questions:
1. “Why has this happened to me? I can’t see any purpose in it.” The only reasonable answer is
to say that what you see depends on what you look for. Some people never discover an answer
because they’re looking in the wrong places.
2. “What do I do now?” Recently I discovered a good answer to that question. It’s a little saying
that contains a big truth. When hard times come, keep your eye on the doughnut and not on the
hole. Think about that for a moment. A doughnut has two parts—the fried dough and the hole.
You’ve got a choice of which one will attract your attention. You can either focus on what
you’ve got or you can focus on what you lack.
Your perspective in times of difficulty makes all the difference. Our text tells us how Paul
responded to a difficult experience in his own life. We learn from these verses four perspectives
on adversity that will help us focus on what we have, not on what we lack.
I. Adversity Opens New Doors for the Gospel.
“Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance
the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone
else that I am in chains for Christ” (v. 12-13).
The word “advanced” is a military term that refers to the movement of an army into enemy
territory. As the soldiers move forward, they clear the obstacles, open the roads, drain the
swamps, and build pontoon bridges so that the whole army can advance unhindered. Paul means
to say that his imprisonment—which seemed to be a setback—actually served to advance the
gospel in Rome.

172. Think for a moment about the long chain of events that led to this moment. It started in Acts 21
when he went to Jerusalem to make an offering in the Temple. Unfounded rumors spread that he
had brought a Gentile into the sacred precincts. That led to a mob scene where Paul was severely
beaten and would have been murdered if the authorities had not stepped in and arrested him.
Eventually he was sent to Caesarea to stand trial as a Roman citizen. There he was held without
bail for two years. (He narrowly avoided being murdered by a group of 40 cutthroats who vowed
not to eat or drink until they killed him.) Meanwhile he gave his testimony to Felix, the Roman
governor, who listened attentively and then kept Paul in confinement, hoping for a bribe. Still
later he testified in chains before King Agrippa. Eventually he was put on a boat with other
prisoners and sent to Rome. But the boat never made it―foundering and eventually sinking
during a violent storm on the Mediterranean Sea. Paul and other survivors were washed up on
the shores of Malta where a serpent came out of the fire and bit him. Finally he was brought in
chains to Rome where he was kept under house arrest for two years, awaiting trial before Caesar.
Meanwhile his opponents spread rumors about him, attempting to destroy his reputation and ruin
his ministry.
That’s the background of Paul’s statement in verse 13—"what has happened to me.” As he looks
back, he sees clearly that everything happened for a divinely-ordained purpose—the false
rumors, the riot, the beating, the arrest, the four years of confinement, the public
misunderstanding, the ruining of his reputation, the slanders, the whispers, the accusations
against his name, the shipwreck, the snakebite, and his house arrest in Rome. All of it now is
clearly seen as part of God’s plan to bring him to Rome at precisely this moment in precisely this
situation so that he would be where God wanted him to be.
Do You Really Believe in God’s Providence?
As a Christian, Paul had a high view of the providence of God. That’s the belief that God is in
charge of everything that happens to us—the good and the bad, the positive and the negative—
and that in some way unknown to us, he orders all things, including our own free choices, so that
what happens to us is for our good and his glory. This doctrine is easier to believe when things
are going well, when our health is good, our family is together, our marriage is positive, our
career is moving forward, and we have money to pay our bills, a good church to attend, friends
who love us, and everything is coming up roses. It’s something else to say that you believe in
God’s providence when your health is bad, your marriage is failing, your family is blown apart,
your career is going nowhere, and your friends have turned against you. That’s when you
discover what you truly believe.
How could Paul look at his circumstances in such a positive light? After all, being chained to a
soldier in a Roman jail is normally not a good career move. Here’s the answer. Paul judged
everything by Kingdom Priorities. I find it fascinating that he doesn’t mention his own
circumstances or complain about his imprisonment. It’s as if it doesn’t matter at all. The only
thing he cares about is that the gospel be preached and that people come to Christ. Since Paul
lived solely for the Kingdom, he could find something good even in jail in Rome. Surely, God
must have sent him there for a purpose. He would find that purpose and rejoice in it.
He found that purpose at the other end of the chain. Paul was being guarded by members of the
elite Praetorian Guards. These highly-trained soldiers served as a cross between the Secret
Service for the Caesars and the Army Special Forces. Created by Caesar Augustus some 70 years

173. earlier, the Praetorian Guard numbered about 9,000 in Paul’s day. They were paid double the
normal wage and served for 12 years, after which most of them retired in and around Rome.
Over time they became a powerful political force, putting forth nominees for the Roman Senate.
All this meant that the Praetorian Guards were one of the most important groups in ancient
Rome. How would Paul reach them with the gospel? It wouldn’t work to rent a hall and have a
“Rome for Christ” crusade. Who wanted to hear a Jew from Tarsus talk about some man named
Jesus? But God wanted to reach the Praetorian Guards so he took his best man and had him
unjustly arrested and sent to Rome where he was put in jail and chained to a member of the
Praetorian Guards 24 hours a day. Since they changed guards every six hours, this meant Paul
had a new audience four times a day, 28 times a week, and over 2900 times in two years.
That’s why Paul could truthfully say that the news about Christ had spread through the entire
palace guard. No doubt he had personally witnessed to hundreds if not thousands of them during
the long days of confinement.
I suspect that before too long he wasn’t chained to them; they were chained to him. God
designed a “chain reaction” for the spread of the gospel in Rome. It was the first “Evangelism
Explosion.” Only God could think of something like this.
In a Virginia Prison
This week I received a letter from a man in prison in Virginia. I do not know the man, have never
met him, and know nothing about him other than what he writes.
I have been incarcerated for the past 23 years, 12 months and 21 days. I have been in prison for a
total of four times of about 29 years. I am 58 years old, have three children of 35, 34, and 32
years old. I am divorced and live here in Virginia.
Here is the reason for his letter:
I am writing you to let you know that I have received a rich blessing from reading your book
What a Christian Believes. I have since accepted Christ Jesus into my life and now enjoy
spiritual freedom—freedom from sin, fear, and slavery. Until a person is willing to say, “I am a
sinner in need of salvation,” he cannot experience such freedom from guilt and condemnation as
I have. I was hopelessly enslaved by sin before I read your book and accepted Jesus into my life.
He closes the letter by asking that I pray for revival at the correctional center where he is serving
time. I mention this because the book has been published for barely two months. I have no idea
who found a copy and gave it to this man in prison in Virginia. There is a connection that only
God knows. But it illustrates a great truth. When God wants to save a man, he saves him. Prison
bars won’t stop the Holy Spirit. Perhaps this man will become like the Apostle Paul and use his
remaining days in prison to spread the gospel to his fellow inmates.
We often see God’s hand at work only in retrospect. I don’t think Paul had any clear idea during
those long months in jail in Caesarea that he would end up in jail in Rome preaching to the
guards. That would only be revealed later. The same is true for all of us. Rarely do we see the
“big picture” while we are in the midst of a great trial. God’s purposes are generally revealed
much later. Our part is to patiently trust God while we wait for better days.
One final note on this point. Circumstances are no obstacle to God. You can be chained and in
the will of God. You can be chained and in the will of God and be innocent of all charges.

174. Sometimes God puts you in chains because you can reach more people in chains than you ever
could in freedom.
I’m sure that Paul didn’t want to go to jail and didn’t enjoy the experience. But in the midst of
everything, he saw God’s hand at work in his circumstances—and thus he could rejoice.
Jesus is Lord even in prison! He has his people behind bars so they can spread the gospel!!
II. Adversity Encourages Bold Witness.
“Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word
of God more courageously and fearlessly” (v. 14).
Courage is contagious. In this case Paul’s courage in chains spread to the believers who watched
him witness to the Roman soldiers. And persecution can be productive. Even though Paul was in
jail on a trumped-up charge, his incarceration produced a harvest of bold evangelism across the
city of Rome.
How did Paul encourage his fellow believers while he was in prison? I can think of at least four
answers:
a) He faced his difficulty with joy.
b) He used every opportunity to speak up for Christ.
c) He demonstrated a complete lack of fear.
d) He refused to complain or blame others.
This same thing happens today. In July I received a form letter in the mail from World Relief
asking for prayer as their new president, Clyde Calver, traveled to southern Sudan, site of
enormous persecution of Christians by some radical Muslims. Reports over the last several years
have detailed the looting of churches, burning of Christian villages, the wholesale murder of
Christian leaders, and even stories about Christian children being sold into slavery. This is all
accompanied by famine and widespread civil war. I knew a bit about this and so I read the letter
with interest.
About three weeks ago I went to the TV-38 studios in Chicago to tape an interview for the
“Among Friends” program. Since they usually do a whole week in one day, guests from several
programs meet in the “Green Room” before the taping. When I walked in, I spotted a nice-
looking gentleman and his adult son. He immediately stood and said, “Hi, I’m Clyde Calver with
World Relief.” I recognized his name and mentioned that I had read his letter. It turns out that he
had just returned from his trip to the Sudan and was going to talk about it on the television
program.
When I asked if the reports about widespread persecution were true, he replied in the affirmative.
Then he added a detail I hadn’t heard. He said that in many places the church in southern Sudan
is growing rapidly. Despite the persecution (or perhaps because of it), one church leader told
him, “We’ve got too many converts. We can’t take care of them all.” That’s a nice problem to
have, isn’t it?

175. How has it happened? An early church father named Tertullian gave the answer when he
declared that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. You can kill the messenger but
you can’t kill the message. For 2000 years enemies of the gospel have done their best to wipe out
Christianity. But if you stop it here, it springs up there, and then when you turn around, it springs
up where you thought you stamped it out.
Too often we say, “I’m waiting for better circumstances.” God says, “Go ahead and speak up. I
don’t need good circumstances in order to do my work.” Hard times often give us fantastic
opportunities to share the gospel with others.
III. Adversity Reveals Our True Friends.
“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter
do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ
out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in
chains” (v. 15-17).
No matter how you read them, these verses sound strange to our ears. Paul is speaking about two
groups of genuine believers in Rome. One group loves him and preaches the gospel from good
motives. The other group evidently is jealous of his leadership and took advantage of his
imprisonment to divide the body of Christ.
It’s important to note that whoever these selfish preachers are, they aren’t false prophets or
apostates. If they were, Paul could hardly have rejoiced in their preaching. No, they are true
brothers in Christ who nevertheless are using Paul’s situation as an open door to advance their
own cause. They had the right message (the gospel) but preached it from wrong or unworthy
motives. Their message was good, the motives were bad, and their methods were questionable.
Perhaps they said things like this: “You know how much we love and respect our dear brother
Paul. No one loves him more than we do. However, it seems as if Paul causes trouble wherever
he goes. Someone stones him, or they arrest him, or he has to sneak out of town in the middle of
the night. I don’t like to mention it, but there are bad rumors about him back in Jerusalem. I
personally don’t believe them, but we can’t reject them out of hand. It’s possible he’s guilty of
the charges against him. He’s a wonderful preacher but he seems to stir up trouble in every city.
Frankly, I think it’s extremely embarrassing to have an esteemed apostle in jail. And in Rome of
all places. Perhaps it would be better if Paul had never come to our city. In any case, he can
hardly be our spiritual leader while he’s in jail. Let’s agree to pray for him and ask God to
release him and send him somewhere else—preferably a long way from here.”
It’s sounds convincing, doesn’t it? Especially if you don’t know all the facts.
No doubt it broke Paul’s heart to know that some of his brothers were using his prison time
against him. Couldn’t they see how God had opened this door for the gospel? Couldn’t they
rejoice with him at the progress of the gospel? In any case, he would rest content knowing he
was in God’s hands and that he had many friends who truly loved him.
Adversity does that—it makes clear who your friends are. And who they aren’t.

176. IV. Adversity Proves Our Ultimate Values.
“But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives
or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice” (v.
18).
Here is Paul’s triumphant conclusion. He has chosen to rejoice in spite of his critics. Paul’s only
concern is the gospel of Christ. As long as people preach Christ, it doesn’t matter what they say
about him. Perhaps you’ve heard it said that “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main
thing.” Good point. For Paul, the “main thing” is the gospel. He refused to be diverted by lesser
issues such as how certain people felt about him being in jail. On one level, it was an irritation;
on another level, it didn’t matter at all.
Have you ever wondered how political leaders can stand the unending stream of criticism that
comes to them from every side? Think of the thousands of letters any president receives—and
the critical editorials no matter what position he takes on any issue. In today’s world, with the
hyper-scrutiny of public officials, it’s a wonder that anyone dares to run for high office. How do
those in power maintain their balance in the face of unrelenting criticism? The answer is not hard
to find. The best leaders have committed themselves to a cause that is beyond them. They believe
in something (whatever it might be) that is so great that even after they have given their best
effort, there is still much work to done. They believe in the cause so much that it doesn’t
particularly matter what happens to them personally.
That’s how Paul felt. In the end, whether his fellow believers loved him or hated him didn’t
matter so long as the gospel was preached. This is an amazing attitude when you consider how
easy it is to be bitter against those who mistreat you. How easy to grow angry and strike. How
“natural” to attack those who attack you.
Do you believe God can work through people you don’t respect? Let’s make it more personal.
Do you think God can speak to you through people you don’t like—and don’t even trust? Is that
possible? Can God do that? Can he put you in an office working under a Grade A, Government-
Certified Total Jerk—and then work through that person to direct your life?
Consider the following key statements:
a) God can use bad people to do good things.
b) He can use flawed people to do his will.
I know the second statement is true because he routinely uses people like you and me—and
we’re all flawed in one way or another. There’s an important lesson here regarding how we
respond to people we don’t respect and may not like very much. Think before you react—God
may be speaking to you through a very disagreeable (or even disreputable) person.
Learning to Disagree Agreeably
This also raises the larger question regarding how we relate to other Christians—especially those
who aren’t in our group or denomination. As you know, there are hundreds of denominations,
and in most denominations there are smaller groups divided by doctrine, practice, history,
worship styles, and geography. The same is true inside most churches. There are pioneers,

177. settlers, newcomers, transients, radicals, conservatives, progressive, and moderates, to name just
a few divisions. How should we relate to other believers who don’t see things the way we do?
This is crucial because today we have Calvinists, Arminians, dispensationalists, Presbyterians,
Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, plus we have the traditional worship people, the
contemporary worship people, and the liturgical worship people. Not to speak of
fundamentalists, neo-fundamentalists, charismatics, evangelicals, and so on. No matter what we
say, we Christians love labels … and we love to argue about our labels.
Perhaps you’ve heard of Jack Van Impe, the famous evangelist known as “the Walking Bible”
because he has memorized thousands of Scripture verses. By his own testimony, for many years
he used his sermons to attack other Christians over matters that might properly be called
secondary issues. Eventually the Lord broke his heart about the infighting and name-calling in
Christian circles and he vowed to change his ways. In his revealing book Heart Disease in
Christ’s Body, he includes the following anecdote:
In Green Bay, Wisconsin, we were closing our crusade on Sunday afternoon. The arena we were
using featured wrestling on Sunday night, and then Rex Humbard was scheduled to begin a
meeting on Monday. Humorously, the marquee outside the facility read:
Jack Van Impe
Wrestling
Rex Humbard
That might have been true of Jack Van Impe at one time. However, during my remaining years
in the ministry, I want to glorify God by being an example of His love—striving to promote true
Christian unity among all members of His body. (Heart Disease in Christ’s Body, p. 41).
In light of Philippians 1, how should we respond to fellow believers with whom we have a
genuine disagreement—regarding doctrine or practice? I suggest the following three principles
as being consistent with Paul’s attitude in this passage. We should …
a) Hold our convictions graciously.
b) Differ when we must regretfully.
c) In all things we should love sincerely.
Grace enables us to speak the truth without alienating other brothers and sisters who see things
differently. Regret comes from the fact that in a fallen world we will never see eye to eye with
everyone. Sincere love helps us build bridges to those with whom we disagree.
The Hidden Purposes of God
Adversity comes to all of us sooner or later. We’re not given a choice about most of the things
that happen to us. Everyone who reads this sermon is in one of three situations with regard to
hard times. Either you’re in one right now, or you’re just coming out of a hard time, or you’re
about to go through hard times and just don’t know it yet. Such is life this side of heaven.

178. Since adversity comes to all of us sooner or later, the only choice we have is regarding our
attitude. Will we look at the doughnut or will we look at the hole? If we look at what we don’t
have or what we have lost, we will almost certainly lose our faith. If we look at what we still
have, we can find the courage to keep on going.
It appears that Paul refused to be mastered by his circumstances, no matter how difficult or
personally frustrating they might be. He resolved to see the hand of God at work in every
situation. Thus he could rejoice even while chained to a Roman soldier.
How can we live like Paul? By committing ourselves to the truth that God has a hidden purpose
in what he allows. Often that purpose will seem well hidden to us. Remember that Paul couldn’t
see the big picture until he finally arrived in Rome. Until then, he simply trusted God moment by
moment, seizing every opportunity to preach Christ.
During one particularly hard moment in his political career, Winston Churchill wondered out
loud why a certain thing had happened to him. His wife replied that it was a blessing in disguise.
“If it is a blessing in disguise,” Churchill declared, “it is certainly well disguised.” Some of you
reading my words are dealing with well-disguised blessings at this very moment. You see the
dark cloud, but where is the silver lining?
Lessons from the Carpet Mill
During my college years I worked briefly at a carpet mill in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My job
was fairly low-tech—mostly pushing a broom and keeping the walkways clean. In my spare
moments I loved to watch the huge carpet machines at work. As you stood in the back you could
see huge spools of yard—dozens of them, of every conceivable color—spinning rapidly as the
yarn went into the machine. From the back side everything seemed to be a meaningless jumble
of colors and noise. Nothing made any sense. There didn’t seem to be the slightest pattern at
work—just a mass of colored threads making their way at high speed into the mechanical
weaver. When you walked to the front of the machine, an entirely different sight greeted you.
There you could see carpet slowly emerging—row by row, all the colors perfectly in place,
arranged in order as if by magic. But it wasn’t magic at all. Someone had programmed the
machine to take that tangle of threads and turn it into a pattern of exquisite beauty.
In this life we stand as it were at the back of the machine looking at the multicolored threads of
circumstance. Some are the dark colors of sadness and confusion, others the bright tones of
happiness and success. On this side there seems to be no pattern—only colors and noise. Now
and again God gives us a peek at the finished product and we are aware that something beautiful
is being produced in us by the Master Designer. But in this life we never see the big picture. That
will all change when we finally get to heaven. Then we will see that everything that happened to
us had a purpose—even those things that seemed to bring us nothing but pain and heartache.
Those dark tones that seem so pointless will in that day be a vital part of a pattern so beautiful
that if we were to see it now, it would take our breath away.
Let us therefore be patient and let the Master Designer complete his work in us. When we cannot
see the big picture, we can still trust that our Heavenly Father knows exactly what he is doing.
And while we wait, let us take every open door the Lord gives us to share Christ with those
around us. As we seek first the Kingdom of God, we will discover that through the good times

179. and the bad, in days of pleasure and days of pain, through our laughter and through our tears,
God is at work in us.
A woman whose heart was crushed by a tragedy not of her own making wrote a poem about
what God was teaching her. It summarizes the meaning of this passage better than anything I
have seen.
The things that happen unto me
Are not by chance I know,
But because my Father’s wisdom
Has willed to have it so.
For the ‘furtherance of the gospel’
As a part of His great plan,
God can use our disappointments
And the weaknesses of man.
Give me faith to meet them bravely
Trials I do not understand,
To let God work His will in me—
To trust His guiding hand.
Help me to shine, a clear bright light,
And not to live in vain—
Help me hold forth the Word of Life
In triumph over pain.
Motives
This entry was posted in Philippians (Rayburn) on October 8, 2006 by Rev. Dr. Robert S.
Rayburn.
Philippians 1:12-18 Audio Player

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Text Comment
v.12
With v. 12 Paul moves into the body of the letter and, because the Philippians had been
concerned about his welfare, he begins by assuring them not only that he is well, but that the
gospel has been flourishing during his imprisonment, indeed because of his imprisonment. In
more contemporary terms, Paul is a missionary and the Philippians have supported him and
they have a right to know that their investment is reaping returns. The next few verses
amount to what we know today as the “missionary letter.”
v.13
The praetorians were an elite force of soldiers, serving as the emperor’s bodyguard, who
would have come into contact with Paul as supervisors of various criminal justice functions
in Rome. Remember there was no such thing as a police force in the ancient world. As Paul
met one after another of these elite soldiers, the knowledge of the gospel began to spread
among them. A number of them became Christians as a result. And, as Christians, they began
to speak to their fellows of Christ and salvation. The kingdom grows geometrically, as each
convert becomes an evangelist in turn.
v.14
As so often happens, when people are coming to Christ and Christians can see it, all the more
when prominent people are coming to Christ, people who might have been thought unlikely
candidates for conversion, Christians take courage and begin to share their faith more boldly.
Nothing discourages evangelism more than the anticipation of failure. Having Paul in the city
and being encouraged by his example and his success, Christians in Rome became more
daring and fearless in their witness for Christ. If Paul could be such an effective evangelist as
a prisoner, and among the hard-boiled praetorians, surely we who are free should be at work
sharing our faith and be bold even with those who seem to have no interest in or even active
hostility to the gospel.
One very important and interesting implication of the phrase “most of the brothers in the
Lord” in v. 14 is the evidence it provides that evangelism in early Christianity was the work
of Christians in general and not only of the ordained ministry. That every Christian should be
an evangelist is rightly the universal assumption of evangelical Christians, but it is a striking
fact that the New Testament never says that in so many words. The New Testament never, in
so many words, lays all Christians, men and women, boys and girls, under the obligation to
share their faith. Its remarks about being the Lord’s witnesses are addressed to the apostles
and, by implication, the church officers that replaced them. And, accordingly, the evangelism
that we actually see being done in the New Testament is largely the work of apostles and
other church officers. But here it seems clear that Paul is talking about Christian brothers in
general, even if in the verses that follow he seems again to be talking about men we would

181. describe as ministers. There are many other reasons to believe that every Christian should be
trying to win the lost, but here, in one of Paul’s obiter dicta – comments he makes while
talking about other things – he indicates that it was so even in his own day. And so it would
be in the centuries that followed. The gospel spread from mouth to mouth as, according to
Celsus’ scornful comment, Christian women gossiped Christ at the laundry!
v.15
“Some” harks back to brothers in the previous verse. Therefore, it appears that the “brothers
in the Lord” mentioned in the previous verse include both the rightly motivated and the
wrongly motivated preachers of the gospel. Paul is willing to say that those who preach
Christ out of envy and rivalry are, nevertheless, brothers. That is interesting because the
terms he uses to describe their motives – envy and jealousy – are terms that several times in
the New Testament appear in lists of evil qualities that characterize the unregenerate life. It is
an illustration of how much can be wrong in a genuine believer’s life, a fact that should both
humble us and make us wary of our tendency to think better of ourselves than we ought to.
v.17
Once again, Paul raises no question as to the integrity of the message itself. These men were
preaching Christ. But the men take different views concerning Paul. The genuinely motivated
among them see Paul’s imprisonment as a demonstration of his loyalty to Christ and his
faithfulness to his calling and, therefore, as a consequence of the work the Lord called his
apostle to perform. The other group stumbles at Paul’s imprisonment and its appearance of
weakness. A real Christian leader, they reasoned, shouldn’t be in jail.
The difficulty here is to figure out precisely how these men supposed that their preaching
Christ would put Paul at some further disadvantage. Jealous of his prestige, it seems likely
that they are trying to outdo him in the estimation of others while he remains confined. They
were taking advantage of an opportunity to preach when Paul could not, in hopes that, in
Paul’s absence, the church would rally around them. Were these men also, while perhaps not
Judaizers per se, nevertheless not entirely in agreement with Paul either and, by their
preaching did they hope to undermine his authority among the Gentile Christians? “Yes, men
and women were being brought to a saving knowledge of Christ, and for that Paul rejoiced.
But this evangelistic success was being used by some to subvert the apostle’s authority and to
establish a form of Gentile Christianity that was friendlier to Judaizing influences. It is no
wonder that they believed that their efforts would add misery to Paul’s sufferings…” [Silva,
ad loc] That seems plausible because we’ve seen it again and again in subsequent church
history. We might think, for example, of the unseemly counter-preaching engaged in by the
Wesleyans and the Calvinistic Methodists in the Great Awakening. People were coming to
Christ, but there was no doubt, in many cases, that converts were being added to particular
parties at the same time. They were preaching Christ, but they were preaching him – they
would never have admitted this, of course – to their own advantage, to increase the number
of their followers. This was not true of all of them, but it was very definitely true of some of
them. In a similar way, one of the reasons that comity agreements were reached in the 19th
century—agreements that, in effect, divided up unevangelized areas among various mission
agencies was because of the tendency of missionaries to view for converts.
The world has known its share of great men: men of rare accomplishment, men of great
influence, men who left their mark on their own and succeeding days. A great many of them

182. were vain. They were great men and no one was more aware of their greatness than they
themselves. They lived for applause and for recognition. I don’t always read books straight
through. Sometimes I pick a book up, put it down, pick it up weeks later and read some more and
so on. It can take me years to get through a book that way. Well, after several years of reading bit
by bit, I’m just now finishing Christian Meier’s highly regarded biography of Julius Caesar. And
through the months and more than a year of reading that book, coming back to it time after time,
a way of reading in which the details fall away and only the great impressions remain, one is left
with two impressions. First, Caesar was a very great man, a man of extraordinary drive and
ability, and he unquestionably accomplished remarkable things. But, second, neither “self-love”
nor “vanity” is an adequate description of the towering ego, the supreme selfish ambition that
drove Caesar to reshape the world of his time. Caesar was a man who had the gall to imagine that
his own fate and the fate of the world would be the same. Here was a man who was willing to
receive honors as if he were a god. Christian Meier isn’t absolutely sure that Caesar didn’t really
begin to wonder if he were a god! Search the man’s writings through – famous writings that
Latin students have been required to translate for many generations now – and you will be hard-
pressed to find any expression of sorrow or remorse for his own failings, if he ever realized that
he had failings. His histories invariably give an account of events that reflects well on him and
often omit altogether facts that could be taken to be to his discredit.
We want to believe it is not so of our heroes but we are usually disappointed. We admire
Winston Churchill’s daring and his courage under fire as a young army officer, but cringe to hear
him say in a letter home to his mother that his courage was motivated by the desire to get a
medal that he could wear at a dance or a ball when he returned to England. Churchill was a man
who lived for the praise of others. Having got far too little of it from his parents when he was a
boy, he spent the rest of his life trying to make up the loss. He hardly ever did anything without a
thought to whether it would make him look brave, or clever, or generous in the eyes of others.
George Patton and Bernard Montgomery, perhaps the most famous fighting generals of World
War II, were both prima donnas and more than once got soldiers killed by acting in what they
took to be the best interest of their own glory and reputation.
Many great things in the history of mankind have been achieved for ignoble reasons. We rightly
admire the accomplishment of setting a man on the moon. We wish we didn’t have to hear how
the plan originated. President Eisenhower, concerned primarily with the American economy,
refused to invest heavily in space beyond the pragmatic needs of the defense program. He was
opposed to expensive forays into space exploration for the sake of “prestige.” But less than three
months after John Kennedy was elected president, Russia launched the first man into orbit,
beating the Americans by a month. There is a vivid record of a frenzied meeting that President
Kennedy held with his advisors two days later, in the early Spring of 1961.
“Is there any place where we can catch them? What can we do? Can we go around the
Moon before them? Can we put a man on the Moon before them?…Can we leapfrog?…If
somebody can just tell me how to catch up! Let’s find somebody, anybody. I don’t care if
it’s the janitor over there, if he knows how.”
Three days later came the Bay of Pigs fiasco and a few days later Kennedy met with his vice-
president, Lyndon Johnson, and ordered him to find out if there were some way we could beat
the Soviets in space. A few days after that he committed America to put a man on the moon
“before the decade was out.” And, of course, the United States did put a man on the moon in July
of 1969. It was a spectacular accomplishment. But for what purpose? “One small step for man;

183. one giant leap for mankind.” Whatever that was supposed to mean, the whole effort was, in fact,
first and foremost, a gamble by a politician to distract the country and the world from some
galactic miscalculations on his part, to make Americans look better than Russians, and the
American president a greater statesman than his Russian counterpart. [Paul Johnson, Modern
Times, 629-630] And in this way history disappoints us time and time again. Avarice spurred
heroic exploration and marvelous invention, pride and envy were spurs to accomplishment.
There is no help for it. We forget this as much as possible because we know and cannot deny that
it stains, it diminishes, it sullies the accomplishment when you have to add the seedy, ignoble,
and selfish motive to it. If, for example, you had somehow overheard a squabble among the
astronauts – I’m not saying that there was one, but I know the human heart – over which one was
going to get to step on the moon first – “It should be me,” “No, it should be me!” – you would
have looked at that scene of Neil Armstrong stepping off the ladder onto the surface of the moon
with a more jaundiced eye. We can’t help it. It is the way we were made. God’s holiness, his
moral perfection goes down to the bottom, down past the words and deeds to the motives from
which they spring. Motives attach themselves to actions and vice versa, and once attached they
cannot be separated.
One of Malcolm Muggeride’s realizations, on his way to Christianity, came when he finally
repudiated his earlier hope of some utopia on earth. The repudiation of the possibility of utopia,
he later said, came with the realization that motives were everything in human action.
“The essential quality of our lives, as I now understood, was a factor, not so much of how
we lived, but of why we lived. It was our values, not our production processes, or our
laws, or our social relationships, that governed our existence.” [Chronicles of Wasted
Time, 291] [My italics]
As soon as he realized that the “why” told you the most important thing about any human action,
he realized that we were no closer to perfection as human beings than we had ever been. It is the
why that hangs us out to dry: all of us, all of the time.
That should not surprise a Christian. Jesus taught us that. He was always going down to the
motives. He considered the “why” of someone’s thoughts, words, and deeds, to take the measure
of a person’s life. The Pharisees, he said in his famous Sermon on the Mount, did many things
that they ought to have done. In fact, most of the things they did as religious men were things
they should have done. They prayed, they fasted, they went to worship, they gave gifts to the
poor, but their motives were wrong and that fact rendered their actions displeasing to God. Bad
motives make good deeds bad. It is as simple as that. That is because the judge of our actions is
God himself and he cares about the entire act, from motive to event. For God, who looks upon
the heart, the motive and the action are one. However shiny the outward behavior, if the inside, if
the underside is dirty, corrupt, and petty, the entire action displeases and offends him. Long
before Jesus preached that sermon he had read in Proverbs:
“All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are
weighed by the Lord.” [16:2] And,
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the
Lord tests the heart.” [17:3]
God looks on the heart. He judges any human action in its totality, with the motives included.
God sees the why as well as the what of everything we do. In the Pharisees case it was chiefly
their motives that made them unrighteous men and it was their wrong motives that blinded them

184. and deafened them to the ministry of the Son of God when he came among them. We tend to
think that, knowing the Pharisees as bad men as we do, reading the New Testament and believing
it as we do, that we aren’t likely to make their mistake. But, of course, it is first and foremost in
our motives that we also fail most commonly, consistently, and egregiously.
We need to be thoughtful about this, just as Paul teaches us to be thoughtful here. What we have
here in the middle of Philippians 1 is a study in motive and the relationship between motive and
action. The fact is, the desire of these men to rise above Paul in the estimation of others, the
desire to aggrandize themselves or their party at Paul’s expense led them to preach Christ more
zealously than otherwise they would have done. The message got out more widely than might
otherwise have been the case. Paul could acknowledge that fact and even rejoice in it, such was
the wideness of his spirit. But that did not make the envy and the rivalry any less evil. Paul could
rejoice in the happy result, but the preachers themselves could take no credit for it and would
receive no reward for it.
The fact that selfish and unworthy motives may produce incidental benefits does not make them
any less evil. The desire to be rich is an evil desire, but it often produces diligence, enterprise,
frugality, and self-denial in people, things that are, in themselves, good things. [Cf. C. Hodge,
Princeton Sermons, 105] The desire to be admired is selfish and small in almost all its forms, but
it can lead people to bite their tongue when they might otherwise say unkind and hurtful things,
to do good deeds, to cultivate friendships, all of which are good things in themselves. The
longing to be thought intelligent by others can lead a person to read and study more than he or
she ever otherwise would, which is not a bad thing but a good thing. Think of all the women who
have, after the wedding, discovered that their husband seemed a better man when he was
courting her than she found him to be once they were married. His desire to secure her hand put
him on his best behavior. That behavior was right and proper – that is precisely why it impressed
her at the time – but the fact that it wasn’t a true expression of his inner self made it not only
hypocrisy but, as time would prove, a cruel deceit.
And all this being so widely true, it bears our thinking carefully and honestly about it. After all, it
is of the brothers that Paul speaks of their doing good out of wrong motives. Had Paul said that
some false-brothers had wormed their way into the fellowship and were preaching Christ for
nefarious purposes, we would have taken it simply as a warning against wolves in sheep
clothing. We hear that warning often enough in the Bible as it is. But that isn’t what Paul says.
He says that some brothers were preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry. They were men Paul
thought himself obliged to consider real brothers and they were really preaching Christ – the
gospel was their message – but their motives were bad. In magnanimity Paul says that he is glad
that Christ is being preached, even if from false motives, but that doesn’t mean and shouldn’t
mean that we can then be indifferent about our motives. James says that too often, when we pray,
we don’t receive what we asked for because we ask with false motives. God was not indifferent
to the motives of these men. Paul could be, but God was not.
In summoning his son, Solomon, to a righteous life as the new king of Israel, David was careful
to warn him:
“And you, my son…, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with
wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and
understands every motive behind the thoughts.”
We can fool one another, but, as Paul reminds us in 1 Cor. 4:5:

185. “[The Lord] will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of
men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”
What we have here is the warning, given in many different ways in Holy Scripture, that it is easy
to do the right things for the wrong reasons and that the wrong reasons make our actions wrong.
Christ was preached, but the preachers got no credit for it. Paul could be thankful for it, but the
self-important and envious preachers couldn’t be. They could not be thankful that they were
preaching Christ for themselves. Their selfish motives made it an accident that the gospel was
being communicated to the lost. As William Law wrote in his Serious Call to a Devout and Holy
Life, those preachers in Rome who were proclaiming Christ out of envy and rivalry were both
thieves and liars. They were guilty of stealing because they were taking to themselves what
belongs to God alone – the credit for man’s salvation – and they were guilty of lying because
they were pretending to be something that they were not. They posed as messengers of love but
in fact they were purveyors of hate. They didn’t preach because they loved Christ but because
they hated Paul. What did Christ think of that and what will he say about that at the great day?
And if that possibility in your own heart and with regard to your own actions causes you to
shudder – as it should – what are you to do about that? How can you test your motives to be sure
that they are pure so that your good deeds are good deeds in fact and not simply in appearance?
Well, Paul has given us the answer to those questions. Study his self-denial as a product of his
love of Christ. These men were making life difficult for him. They were trying to worm their
way into the admiration of men and women who were and had long been great admirers of Paul.
They were running Paul down in the only way that they could without bringing reproach upon
themselves. They knew they couldn’t publicly criticize the great Apostle who was known in the
Roman church as Christ’s champion and had been the instrument of God’s grace in the hearts
and lives of at least some people in the church of Rome. So they sought to take advantage of
Paul’s limited access to the church and to opportunities for public preaching. They wanted
everyone to forget about Paul and begin admiring them.
Hard to take. But Paul took it. He was so devoted to Jesus Christ that anything that served his
cause and exalted his name, was a cause of happiness for him. Love Christ enough, care enough
for his name, want enough to see him glorified in the hearts of men and women, and the petty
selfishness of competitors won’t matter at all. When Christ matters that much to you, it isn’t any
longer about you; it’s about him and you find yourself judging your actions and the actions of
others according to their bearing on him, not on you. Every Christian knows that ought to be the
case with him or with her. Keep testing yourself and be relentless in your determination that, the
Son of God being your Lord and Savior, it is always going to be about him and never about you!
This is what Thomas Chalmers famously called “the expulsive power of a new affection.”
Nothing is strong enough to drive out selfish motives accept a love stronger than our love for
ourselves.
The revival in Scotland in the late 1830s and early 1840s broke out in Robert McCheyne’s
church when he was absent on a long trip to investigate the possibility of missionary work in
Palestine on behalf of the Church of Scotland. The interim preacher, William Burns, was the one
upon whose sermons the Holy Spirit fell. Talk about a situation made for rivalry! It will not
surprise you to learn that there were those in McCheyne’s church who wanted Burns to stay.
After all, a church shouldn’t tamper with the power of the Spirit once it has fallen upon them.
More amazing, however, is that McCheyne also thought Burns should stay – his preaching being
as powerful as it had been – but Burns was determined to put pastor and people back together

186. again and get on his way to China. He wanted to be a missionary, like Paul! I’m not sure there is
an incident in the life of those two remarkable men – men who are primarily famous almost two
centuries later not for what they did but for what sort of men they were – I say, I’m not sure there
is an incident in their lives that more magnificently demonstrates their spiritual greatness. It was
not about them; it was about Christ. There was no jealousy or envy or rivalry in a situation tailor-
made to create such things because for those two men it was about Christ not them. And the
proof that it really was so in their hearts was the fact that they were so willing to let someone else
get the credit of God’s people. Christianity is the belief that you are unworthy. There is
something deeply wrong with you. And yet God loved you and gave his Son to deliver you from
yourself. A true Christian, therefore, a faithful Christian, must be a man or woman who thinks it
is all about Christ and not about himself or herself. Of our deserving there can be no thought. To
seek our own glory is to behave as if we never needed Christ as desperately as we did. It is to
deny him. These men, Burns and McCheyne, as the old writers used to say, gloried in the ruins
of their own righteousness, and, as a result it was all about Christ and not about them. And that
purified their motives in a beautiful way.
I want to be a man like that. I want to be like Paul in just this way, the way that made him so
willing to be happy if others got credit, even his enemies, if only Christ got glory. Every good
thing will come from motives like that: a happy heart (for so much unhappiness comes in our
comparison of ourselves with others) and a fruitful life. There is the Christian heart and the
Christian life in a nutshell: a good life proceeding from the love of Christ in the heart. There is
what makes it so hard. There is what makes it so beautiful. There is what proves no one can live
it without the help of God. To be all about Christ and not about ourselves!
DON ROBINSON
It Goes With the Job!
Philippians 1:12-18
• Character or lack of it is revealed when unexpected changes and problems come up.
• Our reactions reveal our spiritual condition; it is God's 'Pop Test' which shows how we
are growing and maturing in Christ.
• When pressures and difficulty comes, what we really are inside comes out. (Soup)
• Contrary to the opinion of some, preachers and pastors are subject to the problems and
troubles just like everyone else...the big difference is that the problems come more often
and come in greater magnitude.
• All of us occasionally get to go up on the mountaintop, but I don't know anyone who
lives there! Ex. Peter wanted to stay, but the work of the ministry and the needs of the
people was below.
The Lord who called us did not leave us without proper instruction. The problem is sometimes
we miss it even when regularly studying, preaching and teaching God's Word.

187. I. Many times the troubles and difficulty 'we experience are a part of God's plan for our lives and
ministry.
A. Paul tells us that it was in God's plan.
(Phil 1:12) "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which
happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;"
1. That verse is saying the difficulty and suffering Paul was experiencing resulted in
the Gospel being furthered.
2. That means it resulted in good!
3. Much like Romans 8:28. "All things work together for good..."
4. He doesn't say that all things are good, but they work together for good in the life
of the believer ... or in our case ... the pastor. : )
5. Paul was in prison ... in chains ... in Rome ... but the Gospel was going forward!
B. How many of us would think things were right on schedule, on course, going
according to God's plan if our missionary (or one of us) writes and says he is a prisoner in
jail.
1. Our first response would be, "We've got to do something! We've got to get him
out!"
2. How often we misunderstand God, and how He chooses sometimes to work.
3. As we study the Bible ... we find that most of the time, God's man found himself in
some kind of trouble or difficulty.
a. Look at the stormy ministry of Moses.
b. In f act of most of the prophets of God in the OT were hated for being and
doing what God had called them to do and say. cf. Heb. 11:36-40.
c. Christ's ministry ... was one of great opposition.
d. They tried to kill Him on many occasions and though clearly they knew
Him to be the Messiah ... they rejected Him and crucified Him on the cross.
e. They killed John the Baptist and Stephen. They sought to kill Peter, John ...
they were beaten and thrown in prison.
f. History reveals that all of the Apostles except John were put to death for
their faith.
g. Paul's ministry was filled with conflict and trouble.
1) I'm not referring to the problems caused by us!
2) We need to make absolutely sure of what is the true cause of our
difficulties.
4. Paul writes to the Philippians and says, "My being in prison is working to the
furtherance of the Gospel."
5. This had been Paul's desire for some time ... to go to Rome and preach the
Gospel.

188. (Acts 19:21) "After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when
he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying,
After I have been there, I must also see Rome."
(Rom 1:15) "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you
that are at Rome also."
(Acts 23:11) "And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of
good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou
bear witness also at Rome."
a. Not only was it Paul's desire, it was God's plan as well.
b. This verse (Acts 23:11) says God was standing with Paul!
c. Note when it was that God told him this ... right after he was arrested, and
placed in custody.
6. V10 says the Jewish religious leaders were so mad that the soldiers had to take
Paul by force from these people to protect him from their tearing him to pieces!
(Acts 23:12-13) "And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded
together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would
neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. {13} And they were
more than forty which had made this conspiracy."
7. Forty men, bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink till Paul was
dead. Yet .... everything was right on schedule ... he was in God's will .... where
God wanted him to be .... doing what God wanted him to do!!
8. Paul's plan was to preach in Rome, but I doubt he had any idea he would be
going shackled to a Roman guard, as a prisoner under guard, to be tried for his
life!
9. Yet, he was right where God wanted him to be.
10. If we are true to the Word of God ... trouble will come!
II. It is all part of the 'Job'.
2 Timothy 3:12, "Yea, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, will "ESCAPE" persecution
and trouble?" Is that what it says? : )
A. When God called us to preach ... persecution and opposition just goes with the job!
Note: Plumber fixing our solid waste lift pump in new building. ($$$$ and smiles)
1. The Mechanic has to contend with grease and grime, the plumber must deal with
sewage, the farmer - dirt, the carpenter - splinters, and the preacher - opposition!
2. The Gospel went around the world in adversity.
3. We have the message of Truth today because others paid the price.
4. Why should we think we should be able to minister in ease?
B. There are many 'perks' for the pastor.
1. I don't need to go into detail here, but we all know what I'm talking about.

189. 2. The some is true for missionaries.
3. Serving the Lord is wonderful and rewarding in so many ways.
4. But along with the benefits come some very unique characteristics of the 'job'.
C. God desires that we will love Him, love the Truth, and love the folks He has sent us to
shepherd.
(1 Cor 16:13-14) "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. {14}
Let all your things be done with charity."
III. Paul's Concern Was Not Over Persecution
A. He knew that persecution was a part of serving the Lord.
B. He had been on the other side of that, and I am sure that he never forgot the events that
day when Stephen was stoned to death.
(Acts 7:58b) "…and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet,
whose name was Saul."
C. Paul's concern is found in V20.
1. "My earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed..."
2. Ashamed, before whom? The Lord!
3. What could he be ashamed of? Paul the great man of God, what?
4. Of not preaching the Gospel .... of not preaching in boldness and magnifying Jesus
Christ our Lord.
D. Paul's encouragement. v28?29
1. And in nothing be terrified of your adversaries..."
a. To them it is evidence of their perdition!
b. But to you ... opposition is a sign of your serving God and doing His will.
2. "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ... to suffer for his sake;
a. Circumstances do not cause one to be spiritual or unspiritual.
b. It is how we respond to them will indicate our level of maturity, though.
c. To have opposition is normal; to have no opposition is abnormal!
Take heart if you are finding serving the Lord difficult. Take your encouragement from God's
Word, be encouraged in the promises of God and of His ability to see you through any
circumstance and use it for His glory. Remember, it is all part of the 'Job' that God has called us
to do.
Good Results From Bad Circumstances Philippians 1:12-26 Part 1

190. We have begun our study in the Book of Philippians. The theme of this book is joy. After the
introduction to this epistle in VV. 1-2 Paul goes on to tell the Philippians in VV. 3-8 that he
constantly thanks God for them in light of their participation in the gospel from the first day they
came to faith in Christ, to the time when he wrote this epistle. This joyous reality produces a
great sense of confidence in Paul. He is fully convinced that they in fact are saved, that they have
a personal relationship with Jesus. But Paul did not take his present assurance for granted so he
goes on to pray for the Philippians in VV. 9-11 “that their love would abound still more and
more in real knowledge and all discernment.” He prayed this prayer in order that the Philippians
would continue to be filled with the fruit of righteousness until the Day of Christ Jesus. He
prayed this prayer in order that the Philippians would be ready for Christ’s return. He prayed this
prayer in order that he would continue to enjoy his present assurance of the Philippians salvation.
Hopefully in light of what we have learned from this passage, we have committed ourselves to
pray not only for ourselves but also for other believers in this very same way. There is nothing
more important for us and for our brothers and sisters in Christ than to finish the race and to
receive the prize.
But now we are making a transition as we come to V. 12. Look at how the verse begins, “Now I
want you to know, brethren,” Paul genuinely desires that his Philippian friends might “come to
know” something. What was it? Let us continue to read the passage, “that my circumstances
have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.” Paul wanted them to know that what he
was personally experiencing had resulted in the greater progress of the gospel. Paul will expand
this thought all the way down to V. 26.
What were the circumstances that he is alluding to in V. 12? Was he being placed on various
radio and TV stations, was he being invited to speak to national leaders about his faith. What
were the circumstances that were producing such good results in respect to the gospel? Let us
read VV. 1214 “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for
the greater progress of the gospel. (13) so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has
become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, (14) and that
most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to
speak the word of God without fear.” He was talking about his Roman imprisonment.
More than anything else, Paul’s desire as a missionary was to preach the gospel. And there was
no other place that he desired to preach the gospel more than in the city of Rome. Rome was the
hub of the Roman Empire. Rome was the key city of it’s day. If Rome could be conquered for
Christ, it would mean reaching millions with the message of salvation. It was critically important
to Paul’s agenda. We see this agenda very clearly spelled out for us in various scriptures.
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While Paul was in Ephesus on his third missionary journey, Luke records for us Paul’s future
plans in Acts 19:21 “Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the spirit to go to
Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I
must also see Rome.” From Corinth Paul wrote in Rom. 1:15 “Thus, for my part, I am eager to
preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.” Paul wanted to go to Rome as a preacher of the
gospel, but instead he went as a prisoner in chains. And what we may not appreciate are the
rigors that Paul endured as a prisoner even before he got to Rome.
How did he become a prisoner in Rome? The record of the events that led to this imprisonment
are contained in Acts 21:17 - 28:31. Paul’s first step in getting to Rome was Paul’s initial arrest
and brief imprisonment in Jerusalem (Acts 21:33 - Acts 23:10.)
But he did not remain in Jerusalem very long. We read in Acts 23:12 that the Jews banded
together and bound themselves under a vow, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they
had killed Paul. After the Roman commander in Jerusalem was informed of this plot, he was
forced to transfer Paul at night under the guard of 200 soldiers and 70 horsemen and 200
spearmen to Caeserea. Paul’s second step in getting to Rome was being transferred to a Roman
prison in Caesarea (Acts 23:23). When Paul was in prison in Caesarea, according to 24:26,27,
Felix “was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for
him quite often and converse with him. (27) But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded
by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Jews a favor Felix left Paul imprisoned.” Paul
languished in the Caesarean prison for two years because he would not pay bribes to be released.
After Festus replaced Felix, he quickly decided to go to Jerusalem and meet with Jewish
leadership. You would think that after two years that the Jews would have forgotten about Paul
but this was far from the truth. Rather they wanted Festus to bring Paul to Jerusalem for trial.
Why? According to Acts 25:3, they wanted him to be brought to Jerusalem so that it would give
them the opportunity to once again ambush him and kill him. But Festus does not accept this
plan and arranges for the Jews to come to Ceasarea for Paul’s trial. This leads us to the third step.
According to Acts 25:10-11 when Paul was on trial before Festus, he made an appeal to Caesar
and requested, as a Roman citizen had the right to do, that his case be reviewed by the courts in
Rome. So the apostle was handed over to Roman soldiers and he was placed on a ship to be
taken to Rome. Paul’s third step in getting to Rome was his appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:10-11).
This forced Festus to make arrangements for Paul to be brought as a prisoner to Rome. This of
course led to a shipwreck near the Island of Malta which delayed their arrival in Rome by three
months. In fact Paul does not arrive in Rome until Acts 28:16.
The Lord wants his children to take the gospel into all the world. But sometimes in our desire to
do this we may find ourselves feeling very limited. Certainly the Philippian Christians could
have viewed Paul in this way. And certainly they could have concluded that Paul viewed himself

192. in that way as well. This perception is not helpful to the cause of Christ. We cannot allow
ourselves to think that our circumstances, whatever those circumstances might be, will prevent
us from playing a key role in the advancement of the kingdom of God. We cannot allow
ourselves to think that our circumstances, whatever those circumstances might be, will prevent
the gospel message from advancing. Paul wants the Philippians to know this.
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God sometimes uses strange tools to help us play a significant role in the advancement of Christ.
In Paul’s case, there are three tools that helped him to spread the gospel in Rome even though he
was in a Roman prison. My hope for this message is that if you in fact have a heart to share the
gospel of Christ and be a part of the advancement of the kingdom of God, that you would be able
to have eyes to see the opportunities that exist for you in respect to the place that God has
sovereignly placed you.
What were the tools God provided Paul that helped him spread the gospel?
Paul’s Chains Let us once again look at Phil. 1:12 “Now I want you to know brethren, that my
circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.” What were his
circumstances? His circumstances certainly included all that we have just reviewed in terms of
his brief imprisonment in Jerusalem, his lengthy imprisonment in Caesarea and his brief but
memorable boat trip, but it also included his present imprisonment in Rome. This was the first
tool that God provided Paul in helping him spread the gospel. But how could the chains that Paul
was experiencing be used in this way?
Let us first of all look at the word “progress.” The word translated “progress” (PROSKOPE)
literally means “to strike” or “to cut” forward. It pictures certain individuals going before an
army cutting a way through forests or over mountains.
Paul see’s his present imprisonment as preparing the way for the gospel to spread. How was this
being accomplished? Paul’s chains were helping to advance the gospel through Paul’s contact
with the unsaved. Let us now read Phil. 1:13 “so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has
become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else.”
Who were the praetorian guard? The praetorians formed the imperial guard. Originally the group
consisted of nine cohorts or in other words 9,000 troops. They were assembled originally by
Augustus in A.D. 27 B.C. At first , to avoid the appearance of despotism, this special group of
men were stationed outside the city and in scattered billets and barracks. In 23 A.D. under the
leadership of Tiberius this force was concentrated in Rome. And over the years the size of the

193. Praetorium guard continued to increased to as many as 16,000 men. They were paid twice as
much as a regular soldier. Because of their numbers and their position, the praetorian guard
wielded a powerful influence in the state. The emperor often courted its favor and on his
ascension would bestow liberal donations upon it.
How did the cause of Christ become well known throughout this particular group. We need to
understand that when Paul came to Rome he was not placed in a typical Roman prison. He was
rather for several reasons placed under house arrest. This is clear from Acts 28:16. Because he
was under house arrest rather than in a typical prison. It was necessary for him to be chained to
various Roman guards 24 hours a day. What particular guards was he chained too? He was
chained to praetorian guards. Each guard was very likely chained to Paul for 6 hours.
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How many guards potentially could have come under the contact of Paul? Four soldiers a day for
two years figures out to be approximately as many as 3,000 different praetorian guards.
And what would you think would be happening as he was chained to these very special, elite
soldiers? They certainly were being exposed to the message of Paul. They certainly were being
exposed to the gospel message, as he shared with him why he was there. As he shared his
personal testimony. As he was writing the various letters to the various churches. As he was
receiving guests such as Epaphroditus and shared with them all that was near and dear to his
heart.
And apparently these Praetorian guards did not keep this information to themselves. How do we
know this? Because the passage goes on to say, “so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ
has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else.” If you had
someone come into your life for an extended period of time who had suffered as many things as
the Apostle Paul had suffered in the cause of Christ. A man of good character who claimed to be
have seen our resurrected Lord. I believe it would be something that you would pass to others.
And they were passing the gospel story to others in their households and social circles. Paul’s
chains was a tool to help blaze a trail for the gospel in the unsaved world. But this was not all.
Paul chains were helping to advance the gospel by energizing the Church to share fearlessly. Let
us read V. 14 “and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment,
have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.” When Paul speaks of the word of
God we should in the context of Philippians 1 consider this to be synonymous with the gospel
Certainly this would be consistent with the way Paul uses this expression in other passages such
as 1 Thess. 1:6, Gal. 6:6; Col. 4:3; and 2 Tim. 4:2.

194. Why would Paul’s imprisonment and Paul’s chains cause this response? Let me ask you this
question. Is it our responsibility to proclaim the gospel? And the answer would have to be yes. 2
Cor. 5:20 call all of us to be ambassadors of Christ, ministers of reconciliation. What might stop
truly born again believers from doing this work? One very real possibility is fear? Somehow
Paul’s imprisonment in the cause of the gospel caused to speak the word of God or in other
words the gospel without fear. Why would this be?
I believe that the answer to this question is Paul’s response to his difficulties. Rather than
becoming discouraged, he was at peace. Instead of being downcast, he was filled with joy. It
communicated loud and clear to the Roman Church that whatever the world might do to them,
they had nothing to fear. If there was any question about that, all they had to do was to look at
Paul. It is not Paul’s imprisonment that makes them bold to preach the gospel; it is Paul’s
response to his imprisonment.
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CONCLUSION
What were the tools God provided Paul that helped him spread the gospel? The first tool was
Paul’s chains. Paul’s chains helped to advance the gospel through Paul’s contact with the
unsaved. Paul’s chains helped to advance the gospel by energizing the Church to share fearlessly.
The same God that used Paul’s chains used Moses rod, Gideon’s pitchers, and David’s sling.
Little did the Romans realize that the chains they affixed to his wrists might bind Paul but would
release the gospel! Even as he wrote during a later imprisonment these words in 2 Tim. 2:8-9
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, (9)
for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not
imprisoned.”
Sometimes God puts “chains” on his children to release the gospel in special ways that would not
be able to happen in any other way.
Young mothers may feel chained to the home as they care for their children, but God can use
those “chains” to reach people with the message of salvation. Certainly this was true of Susannah
Wesley who was the mother of nineteen children, before the days of labor-saving devices and
disposable diapers! Out of that large family came John and Charles Wesley, whose combined

195. ministries shook the British Isles. Fanny Crosby could have felt chained by her blindness but
used those chains to release the gospel. In time, she became a mighty force for God through her
hymns and gospel songs.
The secret is this: We need to look at circumstances that we cannot change as God-given
opportunities for the furtherance of the gospel; and rejoice at what God is going to do instead of
complaining about what God did not do.
Good Results From Bad Circumstances Philippians 1:12-26 Part 2
We have begun our study in the Book of Philippians. The theme of this book is joy. After the
introduction to this epistle in VV. 1&2 Paul goes on to tell the Philippians in VV. 3-8 that he
constantly thanks God for them in light of their participation in the gospel from the first Day they
came to faith in Christ, to the time when he wrote this epistle. This joyous reality produces a
great sense of confidence in Paul. He is fully convinced that they in fact are saved. He is fully
convinced that they have a personal relationship with Jesus. But Paul did not take his present
assurance for granted so he goes on to pray for the Philippians in VV. 9-11 “that their love would
abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.” He prayed this prayer in
order that the Philippians would continue to be filled with the fruit of righteousness until the Day
of Christ Jesus. He prayed this prayer in order that he would continue to be assured of the
Philippians salvation. Beginning in Phil. 1:12 Paul transitions from his prayers on behalf of the
Philippians to his own personal circumstances. More specifically Paul wants the Philippians to
know how his present circumstances have contributed to the advancement of the gospel. Let us
read V. 12 “Now I want you to know, brethren that my circumstances have turned out for the
greater progress of the gospel.” The importance that Paul places on the Philippian Church
knowing that his present difficult circumstances have been used to advance the gospel is
illustrated by the fact that this section of scripture extends all the way down to V. 26.
The biblical principle underlying Philippians 1:12-26 is that human circumstances lie in God’s
hands and that God will use those circumstances to advance the gospel.
What was the first circumstance that the Lord used as a tool to advance the gospel. The first tool
were Paul’s chains. Let us read VV. 12-14 “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my
circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel. (13) so that my
imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian
guard and to everyone else, (14) and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my
imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.” Paul may have
been chained but the word of God was not. Paul may have been chained but Christ had become
known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else. Hopefully each of us here
this weekend, who know the Lord and want to make Him known, will take encouragement from

196. what Paul shares with us here in Phil. 1:12-14. We may be chained by various circumstances that
are beyond our control such as Paul was experiencing in his imprisonment but the word of God
is not chained and will continue to go forward.
Is what I have shared with you true? I believe that the answer to this question is absolutely. And
it remains true even if those who are sharing the gospel are personally messed up. Some people
have the mistaken belief that if a person is sharing the truth of gospel and is at the same time
practicing sin that the gospel which he has shared is somehow robbed of it’s power. This is not
true. The gospel of Christ cannot be robbed of it power.
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Paul, in Rom. 1:16, tells us “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for
salvation to everyone who believers ......” It does not say “It is the power of God for salvation to
everyone who believes as long as it is shared by a Spirit filled believer.”
Practicing sin in our lives may cause us to stop sharing the gospel. Practicing sin in our lives may
cause others not to want to hear the gospel. But if the gospel is shared and if the gospel is heard,
the gospel is the power for salvation, even if the gospel has been shared by someone who is
practicing sin. This is a truth we can rejoice in. This is a truth I can rejoice in.
The first time I heard the gospel was in a Baptist Church in Compton, Calif. The first time I
heard the gospel I responded. The person who shared with me I later learned left his wife for
another woman. As a young believer the question went through my mind. Was he having an
affair with this woman while he was sharing the gospel with me in this Baptist Church? And if
he was did his sin in some way diminish the work of the gospel which he had shared with me?
And the answer is absolutely not. He may have been messed up but the gospel that he preached
was not and I was saved.
We will see the truthfulness of what I have just shared with you demonstrated in the passage we
will be studying this weekend as we consider another circumstance in Paul’s life that the Lord
used as a second tool to advance the gospel.
What is the second tool that God uses in this passage to advance the gospel? Let us read Phil.
1:1518 “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from
good will; (16) knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; (17) the former
proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me
distress in my imprisonment. (18) What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in
truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.” The second tool that God

197. uses in this passage to advance the gospel are Paul’s Christian opponents. PAUL’S CHRISTIAN
OPPONENTS We learned from Phil. 1:12-15 that most of the church in Rome had been moved
by Paul’s chains to preach the gospel of Christ fearlessly. It was not Paul’s imprisonment that
made them bold to preach the gospel; it was Paul’s response to his imprisonment. If Paul while
in chains showed defeat and discouragement and despair, the Roman Church would very likely
would have wilted. But when Paul manifests victory and triumph in the Lord over the
circumstances, these timid brethren take the attitude that, though they may end up in prison, they
will have the peace of God and the joy of God and the contentment of God and the presence of
God. These brethren without doubt have been counting their own lives dear to themselves. Not
putting themselves at risk. But when Paul accepts his sufferings as he does, they no longer count
their lives dear, but are willing to hazard them for the gospel’s sake. They know that if a prison
cell were their destiny they would find the Lord there, and they would find the Lord’s joy there,
and the Lord’s peace there. But even though most of the church at Rome was personally
challenged to trust in the Lord because of Paul’s imprisonment, trusting in the Lord was not their
sole motivation for sharing. Another motivation for sharing were their feelings toward the
apostle Paul.
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Some Roman Christians who had been personally challenged by Paul’s imprisonment had good
feelings toward Paul and others had bad feelings toward Paul. And whether their feelings were
good or bad toward Paul both groups were being motivated to share the gospel of Christ because
of those feelings (V. 15). This is clear from Phil. 1:15. Let us read this verse “Some ( of those
who are sharing without fear), to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but
some also (of those who are sharing without fear) from good will”. Both groups because of
Paul’s chains are preaching Christ fearlessly but from different motivations. Let us first look at
the Roman Christians who were preaching Christ out of good feelings toward Paul.
We see them first alluded to at the end of V. 15 where it says, “but some also from good will.”
The word “good will” (EUDOKIA) literally means “to think well”. The word refers to good
motives and well wishes from which an action comes. But who was their “good will” directed
toward as they were preaching? Certainly toward the Lord but in the context of this passage it
specifically relates to the apostle Paul. How do we know this? All we have to do is to consider
the second reference to this group in V. 16. Let us read verses 15&16 together. “Some to be sure,
are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out
of love (love for whom? Listen to the last phrase) knowing that I am appointed for the defense of
the gospel”. This latter group, the group that was preaching Christ out of good will was doing so
out of their love for Paul knowing that he was appointed for the defense of the gospel. This
group of believers knew that Paul was not in the place that he was and doing what he was doing
by accident. They saw him as God’s agent faithfully dispensing his work and they loved him for
it. And this love, not only for the Lord and the gospel, but also for the Apostle Paul stirred them

198. up to proclaim the gospel of Christ without fear. This group of Roman Christians were preaching
Christ out of pure motives. Certainly as the gospel went forth from such righteous Christians
Paul would rejoice........ We would rejoice. This is the way the gospel should be preached but
what should be and what actually happens may be two different things.
There was another group that Paul introduces to us at the beginning of V. 15 who were preaching
Christ out of impure motives. Let us read V. 15 “some to be sure, (Some of those who are
preaching Christ without fear) are preaching Christ even from envy and strife ......”. This is in
sharp contrast with those who were preaching Christ from good will and out of love.
What does the word “envy” mean?The word “envy” (PHTHONOS) is a feeling of displeasure
produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of another. Certainly I would
think that all of us at some point in time have felt a feeling of displeasure when seeing or hearing
of the advantage or prosperity of someone we personally know ........ (EXPAND)...... Where does
this feeling come from? Certainly it does not come from the Spirit. In Gal. 5:21 it is listed among
the fruit of the flesh in contrast with the fruit of the Spirit. If you are here this morning and you
presently have this feeling toward another individual you need to confess it and forsake it.
It we fail to do this it will invariably lead to other things. Let us again look at V. 15 “Some, to be
sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife ....” What is the second impure motive that
Paul identifies? It is strife. The word “strife” (ERIS) is best understood as rivalry. We know that
this has occurred when the person we are envious of rejoices we become sad and then the person
we are envious of is sad we rejoice.
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Why would we do this? Because they have become our rival. We have entered into a conflict
with them even though they may not have ever done anything to personally wrong us. Where
does this come from? Certainly it does not come from the Spirit. In Gal. 5:20 it is listed as a fruit
of the flesh. If you are here this morning and you presently have this feeling of rivalry toward
another individual you need to confess it and forsake it.
But who did these individuals in V. 15 envy? Who was their rival? From V. 17 we would have to
conclude it was the Apostle Paul. In V. 17 it says “The former proclaim Christ out of selfish
ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.”
Clearly from the context we would have to conclude that it is Paul that they were envious of and
it is Paul who they considered their rival.
Paul’s opponents were envious of his authority. Paul’s opponents were envious of his position.
Paul’s opponents were envious of his ministry. This led them to become Paul’s rivals. Yes, the

199. chains of Paul were motivating most of the church to preach the gospel without fear but they
were not all motivated to do this out of goodwill and love toward Paul, there were some who
were motivated by envy and strife. In the case of these individuals Paul’s imprisonment looked
to them as a perfect opportunity to build a personal following at Paul’s expense and even to
cause him distress.
The word “distress” (THLIBO) means to suffer affliction, to be troubled, it has reference to
sufferings due to the pressure of circumstances or the antagonism of persons.
These Christian opponents of Paul like the Corinthians were truly messed up.
Did their failure diminish the power of the gospel? Did those who heard the gospel from them
and who had responded to the gospel have to fear that their salvation was some how
compromised by the messenger? And the answer is absolutely not. A messenger of the gospel
who is sinning does not diminish the power of the gospel to save.
How do we know this? Listen to the response of Paul to his opponents to evangelize. Let us read,
Phil. 1:18 “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is
proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.” Does Paul believe that the power of the
gospel to save is diminished by the presence of sinful motives and the answer is absolutely not?
Paul knows that even though his opponents were proclaiming the gospel in order to cause him
distress it did not diminish the power of the gospel to save. Because of this anytime the true and
only gospel is shared under any circumstances we should be able to rejoice.
Let me ask you a question, “Have their been Christians during the course of your life who had no
feelings of good will toward you? Who actually might have delighted in your distress? And I can
honestly tell you that I have. But I also know that some of these individuals who have not been
particularly happy with me and who have sinned against me have been used of God to advance
his kingdom through their faithful proclamation of the gospel and in this I need to rejoice.
How can we do this? We can do this when we desire one thing more than anything else and what
is this thing? Let me share with you a story.
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Twelve years ago we had a Japanese College student stayed in our home. Her family were
Buddhist by tradition but she had no personal religious faith. She became our Japanese daughter.
Over these past twelve years she would periodically communicate with us. Several months ago

200. she called and wanted me to perform a western wedding ceremony for her and her new husband.
The planning and the carrying out of her wishes again gave us an opportunity to share the gospel
with her one more time. I asked her how our discussion about the gospel made her feel and she
said it made her feel bad. Because she wanted to respond to the gospel to please Lynn and I but
she knew that she truly did not believe. And then she went on to explain how there is not one
single Japanese Christian in her life using the Japanese language that might help her understand
the things that we were explaining. I told her that we would pray that a Japanese Christian might
come into her life. And she thanked us.
Hopefully she will write back to me one day and tell us that her prayers have been answered.
That the gospel of Christ has been explained to her clearly and reasons for believing in Christ
have been explained clearly and that she has placed her faith in Jesus....... Let me ask you a
question. If I were to receive a letter from her and she told me that a Japanese Christian had
explained the way of Christ more fully to her and that she had received Christ. Would I rejoice!
Yes! Would I rejoice no matter what Japanese Christian might have shared with her. How can I
do this. Because there is one concern that transcends all my other concerns and what is that
concern? Her salvation.
We can rejoice when the true gospel is shared under any circumstance, by any individual,
accompanied by any motivation if our concern for the salvation of people transcends all other
concerns. And if this is true then we will say with Paul in Phil. 1:18......
God is going to use circumstances to advance his church. The first circumstance in Paul’s life
that God used to advance the gospel were his chains. The second circumstance in Paul’s life that
God used to advance the gospel were his Christian opponents.
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Good Results From Bad Circumstances Philippians 1:12-26 Part 3
We have begun to examine Phil. 1:12-26 which briefly outlines for us various circumstances in
Paul’s life. The underlying principle of this section of scripture is that human circumstances lie
in God’s hands and that God will use those circumstances to advance the gospel. Hallelujah!
How do we see this demonstrated in Paul’s life?
The first circumstance in Paul’s life that God used to advance the gospel were his chains. We
saw this in VV. 12-14. Let us read these verses, “Now I want you to know brethren, that my
circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel (13) so that my

201. imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian
guard and to everyone else, (14) and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my
imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.” God used Paul’s
circumstances to make the name of Christ known through the whole praetorian guard and
everyone else. This is a wonderful testimony to the power of God to use circumstances to
accomplish his purposes. Hopefully this will be personally comforting to us as we suffer under
circumstances that might appear to us to limit our ability to proclaim Christ. Hopefully, we will
understand that though we may feel chained, the word of God is not chained.
But this is not the only circumstance in Paul’s life that God used as a tool to advance the gospel.
He also used Paul’s adversaries. Let us read VV. 15-17, “Some to be sure, are preaching Christ
even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; (16) The latter do it out of love,
knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. (17) The former proclaim Christ out
of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my
imprisonment.” Yes Paul’s chains had stirred up the Church of Rome to preach Christ fearlessly.
But some of those who were preaching Christ fearlessly were preaching Christ out of envy and
strife. They were jealous of Paul’s influence on the church and they wanted to inflict pain on
him. This is another terrible circumstance in Paul’s life but Paul was able to see that God could
even use this circumstance to advance the gospel. How do we know that Paul was able to see
this?
Let us read V. 18 “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is
proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.” Paul could have become discouraged by
his mistreatment, especially because it was not coming to him just at the hands of the world but
also at the hands of some in the church. But he didn’t, “Why?” Because he saw that God was
using his adversaries whoever those adversaries might be to advance the gospel of Christ.
Some people may find Paul’s perspective very foreign to them. When they feel chained by
circumstances the only thought that may cross their mind is how those chains have robbed them
of the opportunity to secure what they want or desire. When they feel under attack the only
thought that may cross their mind is how painful those attacks may be on them. If this describes
you, then may I suggest that you begin to meditate on what is really important? And you might
say, “And what is that?”
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Let us read Phil. 1:18 once again, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in
truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.” The proclamation of
Christ, the proclamation of the gospel of Christ needs to be more important to us than our
personal comforts or people’s responses to us. Can you say Amen? May God give us the grace to
respond in this way to whatever circumstances come into our lives knowing that God controls
those circumstances and that he will use those circumstances to advance his gospel.

202. There is another circumstance in Paul’s life in addition to Paul’s chains, in addition to Paul’s
Christian opponents that we find in VV. 19-26. But we are not going to consider that particular
circumstance this week. Rather I would like to go back to this last circumstance in VV. 15-18
and examine several very important questions Paul has shared with us. What is the first
important question that we need to address? Let me ask you this question.
DO MOTIVES MATTER WHEN THE TRUE GOSPEL IS PROCLAIMED?
How would you answer this question? Hopefully you would answer, YES! Motives matter. Just
because Paul encourages us to rejoice when the true gospel is proclaimed, whether in pretense or
in truth, he is not encouraging us to be indifferent toward improper motivations in regard to
ourselves or others. Why is this? This morning I will give you two different reasons. First of all
........ we need to consider our motives if we hope to be commended as a faithful steward of
Christ’s gospel (1 Thess. 2:1-4.) If there is any doubt concerning this let us consider 1 Thess.
2:1-4. In this section of scripture Paul is presenting himself as a faithful minister of the gospel.
Let us read this section of scripture and as we read let us ask ourselves the question, “how did
Paul demonstrate himself to be faithful?” “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to
you was not in vain, (2) but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you
know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.
(3) For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit, (4) but just as
we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men
but God, who examines our hearts.” Let us go back to the original question “How did Paul prove
himself a faithful steward of Christ’s gospel in 1 Thess. 2:1-4?”
HE PROVED HIMSELF FAITHFUL IN RESPECT TO HIS MANNER OF MINISTRY (VV.
1,2). What was Paul’s manner of ministry? He was persevering. We saw this in VV. 1-2. “For
you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain (or in other words empty
of purpose,) (2) but after we had already suffered (been beaten) and been mistreated (or in other
words ridiculed) in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you (at
Thessalonica) the gospel of God amid much opposition” (We were still even after all that we
experienced at Philippi, to engage the enemies of the gospel in an intense contest or struggle).
Paul and his companions were clearly persevering. When less faithful stewards may have quit,
Paul continued on. Perseverance is at the heart of faithfulness. How else did Paul prove himself
faithful?
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HE PROVED HIMSELF FAITHFUL IN RESPECT TO THE MESSAGE OF HIS MINISTRY
(V.3). Let us read V. 3 “For our exhortation does not come from error.....” What specifically was
this exhortation? When Paul speaks of “our exhortation” he is specifically referring to the gospel.
We see this in V. 2 where he identifies the “exhortation” as the “gospel.”
And what does he say about this “exhortation?” He said that this “exhortation does not come
from error.” Or in other words he believed that the gospel, that he was preaching, was true! He
was convinced that the gospel that he was preaching was true! God had entrusted to him the
gospel and he had not in any way corrupted it. The gospel he was proclaiming was true.
How did Paul prove himself faithful? He proved himself faithful in respect to his manner of
ministry. He proved himself faithful in respect to the message. And lastly he proved himself
faithful in respect to the motive of his ministry.
HE PROVED HIMSELF FAITHFUL IN RESPECT TO THE MOTIVES OF HIS MINISTRY
(V. 3). We must understand that even though we may be persevering in sharing the true gospel
we must also share that true gospel with pure motives if we are going to be considered a faithful
steward.
Look at V. 3 “For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity .....” Or in other words
preaching the right message with the wrong motives. What are some examples of wrong motives
that we might be able to point to?
The lust of their flesh (2 Tim. 3:1-6). Could this even be possible? Let us read 2 Tim. 3:1-6 “But
realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. (2) For men will be lovers of self,
lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, (3)
unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, (4)
treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; (5) holding to a
form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these. (6) For among
them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins,
led on by various impulses .....” Can this actually happen? The answer is yes. There have been
many men associated with the ministry of the gospel who have played with the affections of
women in the guise of being servants of Christ. Why have they done this? They have done this in
order to satisfy the lust of their flesh. Yes, they may have a form of godliness but they have
denied it’s power and have proclaimed the gospel for the wrong reasons.......... But this is not the
only impure motive.

204. The lust of the eyes is another (1 Thess. 2:5). Let us read 1 Thess. 2:5 “For we never came with
flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed - God is witness.” There are many
so-called Christians today who see Christ as a means to an end rather than as the end. They look
upon him as the means to get whatever their eyes might desire.
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What is so disturbing about this, is rather than being ashamed of themselves, they actually preach
this gospel of greed and lust to others. If you removed from these individuals the hope of earthly
riches as the product of their gospel proclamation it is very doubtful whether or not they would
preach the gospel at all...... But this is not all.
The pride of life is still yet another (Phil. 1:15-18). And to what passage of scripture might we
go to illustrate this particular problem? There is no better place to go to illustrate this problem
than the passage that we have been studying over the past several weeks, Phil. 1:15-18. Why
were these individuals preaching the gospel? They were preaching Christ from envy and strife.
They were jealous of the Apostle Paul and seeking to bring him distress in his imprisonment.
Can this actually happen in our lives and the answer is, “Of course!”
Paul in V. 3 is sharing with the Thessalonians that his preaching did not come from “impurity.”
He in essence was telling them that he was not being motivated by the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes or the pride of life. He was telling them that his motives were pure and this was
important to Him because he wanted to live a life pleasing to the Lord. He wanted to be a faithful
steward. Are motives important? Yes! If we desire to live a life pleasing to the Lord we cannot
be indifferent to our motives for doing what we do and certainly this is true when it comes to the
proclamation of the Gospel. But this is not the only reason why we cannot be indifferent in
respect to motives. Not only will an indifference to motives lead to problems in being able to
please the Lord. An indifference to our motives can also lead to hindering the ability of people
the hear and respond to the gospel.
We need to consider our motives if we do not want to be a hindrance to the gospel (1 Cor. 9:11-
12). Again we turn to the life of the Apostle Paul to illustrate this point. We know that in
Thessalonica, Corinth, and probably Ephesus, Paul worked with his hands to supply for his
needs. Why? Let me read for you 1 Cor. 9:11-12 “If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too
much if we should reap material things from you? (12) If others share the right over you, do we
not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things, that we may cause no
hindrance to the gospel of Christ.” Why did Paul choose not to ask for money from these various
churches? He was fearful that this action would be interpreted by those in the church wrongly.
He was fearful that some might interpret that action to mean that he cared about their money
more than he cared about them. If they interpreted his actions in that way it would become more
and more difficult to minister the word of God in their lives effectively.

205. Jim several weeks ago shared with you that we are being watched. And as we are being watched
there will be times when people will speculate about our motives. Hopefully, we will commit
ourselves as the disciples of Christ to remove, as best as we can, anything that would cause
people to conclude that our ministry is being performed out of impure motives. Lest we might
cause by our actions a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
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CONCLUSION
Just because Paul encourages us to rejoice when the true gospel is proclaimed, whether in
pretense or in truth, he is not encouraging us to be indifferent toward improper motivations in
regard to ourselves or others. Clearly we see from other scriptures written by Paul that our
motivations our important.
We need to consider our motives if we hope to be commended as a faithful steward of Christ’s
gospel (1 Thess. 2:1-4).
We need to consider our motives if we do not want to be a hindrance to the gospel (1 Cor. 9:11-
12)
Can God continue to work as his true gospel is proclaimed even if our motivations our impure?
And the answer is “Of course he can?” This is why Paul was able to say in Phil. 1:18 “What
then? only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I
rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.” Paul would not be able to say this apart from God being able to
work around whatever circumstances might present themselves as the true gospel is proclaimed.
But hopefully we don’t want God to have to work around our lives; we want God to be able to
work through our lives. Therefore let us look at our lives and let the Spirit of God search us so
that any impure motives for ministry on any level might be revealed to us so that we might be
able to confess and forsake them.