REJOICING WITH RIVALS

REJOICING WITH RIVALS 
Philippians 1:15-18

Apostle Paul, advances the gospel while being a prisoner for Christ.

He is encouraged to learn that the good news is being preached around the region of Philippi and also rejoices.

But at the same time, being inside the prison cell, he is concerned as to how the gospel is being preached to people outside.

He categorizes four sets of people who preach the good news of Christ:  

1.Preaching out of rivalry and envy,
2.Preaching out of goodwill.
3.While still others, preach good news out of love, understanding that Paul is behind the bars to defend the gospel of God.
4.Still others who preach the good news out of Selfish-Ambition.

Some people preached the word of Christ out of envy to surpass the ministry of Paul and gain people’s attention.

Their wrong behavior/motives/intention was to create a successful image for themselves, striving hard to showcase themselves as God’s appointed and anointed servants.

Their wrong intention was to provoke or to gain a reputation for themselves, to be honored and respected by all.

Those preachers did not preach Christ out of love or sincerity but rather turned the gospel into a preaching contest.
 
The action of self-seekers or selfish-ambitioned people did not upset Paul but the motives turned into good; Christ was being preached.

Paul rejoiced because the word of Christ was preached through both good and bad motives (v18)

According to Paul, when a God’s Servants Masquerade as Servants of Righteousness, their End will Be what their actions deserve (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 2 Peter 2:1-3).

But what mattered the most to Paul was “Christ was being Preached.

In Matthew 24:24 and Matthew 7:15-15, Jesus warned the disciples about the coming of false Christs and false prophets leading astray the people away from Christ; even the elect.

These servants of God encourage us not to be carried away by their sensuality (2 Peter 2:1-3).

We as children of God are being warned by God’s servants like Paul, Peter, Timothy, John (Colossians 2:8, Galatians 1:6-10, I Timothy 4:1-2, 2 Peter 2:1) regarding the deceitful spirits that boasts lies in the name of Jesus Christ.

If Paul had competitors around him, we will also have many around us to suppress our good motives towards the gospel of Christ.

But we are not supposed to be competing against them. But we are supposed to preach the word of God; the truth in the gospel with
1. Confidence
2. Boldness
3. Faith
4. Authority
5. In power through the Holy Spirit
6. With God-breathed scriptures
7. With Divine revelation and Divine prophecies
8. With Conviction
9. Admiration (through Christ)
10. With Assurance

2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

At the same time, we will be offended. Like Paul rejoice that through us Christ is being preached and will be preached around the world.

Prayer: Dear Lord , Help us to preach the gospel not out of selfish ambition, but with a heart that people who hear the word will be saved, transformed and preach the gospel and defend it with the right attitude. In Jesus Name. Amen.