Jeremy L. Berg

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 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” (Phil 1:15-18).

Strange as it sounds, many share their faith with others NOT primarily for the sake of the other, but rather for selfish reasons. They may share their knowledge and experience of God with others in order to “one-up” others, to seem more knowledgeable and spiritual, to feel wise and important. Like political banter at the lunch table or sports talk around the water cooler, these folks are often more interested in spouting their opinions and winning the argument than actually speaking life-changing truth to the other with love and respect.

Pastors, teachers and leaders are especially prone to turning their platform and influence into an opportunity to further their own agenda, gain a larger following, increase their sense of self-importance, and advance their own name as they speak in Jesus’ name. These leaders often draw their own following, more than getting others to follow Christ. Their followers come faithfully to hear THEM PREACH more than to hear CHRIST PREACHED. These followers are sometimes more equipped to defend their favorite teacher than the gospel of Christ.

In this perplexing passage, Paul seems to be caught up in a similar situation where certain influential personalities are “competing” for an audience in Philippi. We know few details, but it seems that a couple popular preachers are using Paul’s time behind bars as a prime opportunity to steal his followers, further their own agendas, and gain a name for themselves. Their flashy sermons draw the crowds, and their showmanship in “the pulpit” captures the attention of their hearers. But their motives, according to Paul, are sketchy to say the least.

Paul realizes that they are preaching Christ for their own gain, rather than for the benefit of their hearers. Yet, Paul is surprisingly low key about it, realizing they are still preaching a pretty solid message when it comes to the core truth of the gospel (contrary to the situation in Galatia) and their smooth deliveries are bringing people to genuine faith! Go figure! Paul’s conclusion, which reveals his great trust in God’s ability to reach people through even sketchy characters, is that at least Christ is being preached. (As a side note, one is more quickly to turn a situation over to God when locked behind bars and unable to take matters into one’s own hands. Can the harsh religious sectarian rhetoric of today be an indication that we don’t trust God to guard His truth, and we must therefore guard it for him?)

Though a selfish man might give money to the homeless just in order to write it off as a tax break, that gift still can provide clothing, or shelter, or a warm meal for someone in need. A senator may give a cold glass of water to a poor widow primarily for a cameo, but that water still quenches that widows thirst. Even though the delivery service may be disingenuous and driven by impure motives, as long as the product being delivered is held intact and arrives in its pure form, Paul isn’t going to lose sleep over it.

The question we must all ask today is: Are we using our influence as Christians to put Christ on display in our lives? Or, are we using our Christian influence and spiritual knowledge to prop ourselves up as someone special?  May we become the kind of Jesus-followers whose lives put Jesus Christ on display!  For, as Paul realized early, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).