03/11/18 STRANGE PASSAGE
(about rejoicing when people use the gospel against you).
I will give short comments on five verses in Philippians 1:15-21, then I will give a brief personal observation (plus a link to a specific case), then I will give the passage.
COMMENTS ON FIVE VERSES
COMMENTS ON FIVE VERSES
This is a really strange passage. At least in the following areas.
vs. 15 Christ was preached because of envy and strife.
vs. 16 Some preached Christ because of contention, insincerely, hoping to bring torment to Paul.
vs. 18 Regardless of their motives, Paul rejoiced and would continue to rejoice that Christ was being preached, even in pretense.
vs. 20 Paul knew that even the envious, contentious, strife ridden proclamation of Christ by those who opposed Paul, would bring him release from prison or death, that he would be delivered and his life would magnify Christ.
vs 21 Therefore Paul could confidently assert that to live was Christ and to die is gain.
vs. 15 Christ was preached because of envy and strife.
vs. 16 Some preached Christ because of contention, insincerely, hoping to bring torment to Paul.
vs. 18 Regardless of their motives, Paul rejoiced and would continue to rejoice that Christ was being preached, even in pretense.
vs. 20 Paul knew that even the envious, contentious, strife ridden proclamation of Christ by those who opposed Paul, would bring him release from prison or death, that he would be delivered and his life would magnify Christ.
vs 21 Therefore Paul could confidently assert that to live was Christ and to die is gain.
PERSONAL OBSERVATION
I have often thought that the idea of rejoicing when people preach Christ from evil and ulterior motives was strange, although I understood it basically. What this passage does not say is that Paul was glad for the envy, strife, contention, insincerity and vindictive intentions of those who preached Christ out of malice. But the fact is, some people were proclaiming some truth to some people who would not otherwise hear it. This could produce faith in a hearer.
The same thing sometimes happens today, when a backslidden unsaved, twisted person preaches Christ for some kind of personal gain, rather than from love, perfect love of God or other people. There are people who hear these hypocritical charlatans and get saved. They don't get saved based on the faith or faithfulness of the corrupt witness, but rather because of the portions of truth that are preached by those people. God would rather have the truth preached in love. But it is the gospel message and the work of the Holy Spirit that saves people, and this is what caused Paul to rejoice.
I have seen people take my words, which were the words I took from Scripture, and use those words to make me look like a fool, either because they hated me so much or because they were blatantly mocking God's word. That has hurt me greatly, especially when the person was someone very close to me. First, it hurt because the words of love were spewing from a heart of anger, resentment, strife, and secondly because the message of the words were not even understood or experienced by my own, "Alexander the Coppersmith" (see previous post). It hurt also because there were evil results produced through such malevolent preaching, causing others to turn from me, as a messenger of God and turn from God Himself (by being caught in the web of deceit). It always hurts when people use your own words against you, and more so when the words are not accurately communicated, and especially when the words used actually come from the word of God.
I have seen God use such evil for the good of some people and for His own glory. STILL, IT HURTS TO SEE SOMEONE YOU LOVE, STRIKE OUT IN ANGER AND ERROR. It hurts to have those you have loved turn against you and poison the minds of former parishioners. It hurts to see your love and ministry portrayed as something sinister. It always hurts to lose those you love, for any reason, including the deceptions of Satan. It hurts to have the people I loved (and still love), people I pastored, discipled, married, dedicated their children, prayed with in times of difficulty, led into the ministry, trained to share the gospel turn against me. I only hope that they will turn from following in the footsteps of Alexander the Coppersmith, and come back to reality.
I will give one example of someone retelling my message, my testimony, my relationship with Christ in such a way as to ridicule me and God's work. There are other and different ways that that are happening still today, and it always hurts.
http://pastordlgouldmusings2010.blogspot.com/…/040310-god-s…
Philippians 1:15-21
15 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:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
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.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
I INCLUDE THE PASSAGE FROM MY PREVIOUS POST (but not my previous post).
Paul said,
2 Timothy 4:14-17
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
I have often thought that the idea of rejoicing when people preach Christ from evil and ulterior motives was strange, although I understood it basically. What this passage does not say is that Paul was glad for the envy, strife, contention, insincerity and vindictive intentions of those who preached Christ out of malice. But the fact is, some people were proclaiming some truth to some people who would not otherwise hear it. This could produce faith in a hearer.
The same thing sometimes happens today, when a backslidden unsaved, twisted person preaches Christ for some kind of personal gain, rather than from love, perfect love of God or other people. There are people who hear these hypocritical charlatans and get saved. They don't get saved based on the faith or faithfulness of the corrupt witness, but rather because of the portions of truth that are preached by those people. God would rather have the truth preached in love. But it is the gospel message and the work of the Holy Spirit that saves people, and this is what caused Paul to rejoice.
I have seen people take my words, which were the words I took from Scripture, and use those words to make me look like a fool, either because they hated me so much or because they were blatantly mocking God's word. That has hurt me greatly, especially when the person was someone very close to me. First, it hurt because the words of love were spewing from a heart of anger, resentment, strife, and secondly because the message of the words were not even understood or experienced by my own, "Alexander the Coppersmith" (see previous post). It hurt also because there were evil results produced through such malevolent preaching, causing others to turn from me, as a messenger of God and turn from God Himself (by being caught in the web of deceit). It always hurts when people use your own words against you, and more so when the words are not accurately communicated, and especially when the words used actually come from the word of God.
I have seen God use such evil for the good of some people and for His own glory. STILL, IT HURTS TO SEE SOMEONE YOU LOVE, STRIKE OUT IN ANGER AND ERROR. It hurts to have those you have loved turn against you and poison the minds of former parishioners. It hurts to see your love and ministry portrayed as something sinister. It always hurts to lose those you love, for any reason, including the deceptions of Satan. It hurts to have the people I loved (and still love), people I pastored, discipled, married, dedicated their children, prayed with in times of difficulty, led into the ministry, trained to share the gospel turn against me. I only hope that they will turn from following in the footsteps of Alexander the Coppersmith, and come back to reality.
I will give one example of someone retelling my message, my testimony, my relationship with Christ in such a way as to ridicule me and God's work. There are other and different ways that that are happening still today, and it always hurts.
http://pastordlgouldmusings2010.blogspot.com/…/040310-god-s…
Philippians 1:15-21
15 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:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
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.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
I INCLUDE THE PASSAGE FROM MY PREVIOUS POST (but not my previous post).
Paul said,
2 Timothy 4:14-17
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
