PHILIPPIANS 1:18

“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But not only that, I also will rejoice,”

Sometimes people’s motives for doing something is outweighed by the result they have. Case in point – today’s verse. We’ll get there in a second or two. “The end justifies the means” is NOT what Paul is saying here. That is an unbiblical statement. We can’t do anything we want any way we want as long as we point to God. I could name examples I know about, but I shall refrain from doing so. That in itself would do exactly what I am saying we should not do.

Many scholars say this about what Paul says here. “Of course, this rejoicing does not refer to the impure intention of the preachers, but to the objective result.” These Jewish believers in question were preaching Jesus but were holding the Gentiles to the Mosaic Laws regarding festivals and ordinances. They were attempting to “steal away” Paul’s followers and build their own. BUT they were preaching Jesus as the Messiah Who had come to save all mankind. For that, Paul is rejoicing.

APPLICATION

Matthew, Mark and Luke all use the word for “pretense” when they quoted Jesus as He taught against the Pharisees and Scribes. Luke 20:46-47 says, “46 ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love personal greetings in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive all the more condemnation.’” (See also Matthew 23:14 and Mark 12:38-40)

Notice Jesus wasn’t condemning their prayers. He was condemning their motives for the prayers. Perhaps there were those in the synagogues who were moved by their prayers, the mentioning of the name of Yahweh or the recitation of God’s Word in their prayers. Jesus didn’t say they shouldn’t pray. He warned of their motives.

How can we apply this to our lives? Don’t judge the eternal results of someone’s ministry. That’s for God to decide. We should be careful whom we support to ensure they are not teaching false doctrine or anything that would lead someone away from Christ. We have way too many Christian denominations with way too many traditions and teachings. Not all line up with the Word. But if someone of another denomination leads someone to Jesus, let’s celebrate that. Let’s rejoice in Christ as Paul did.

Father, help me ensure that I focus on the eternal results of anything I teach about Jesus.