When I first learned of the apostle Paul and what his life was like after Christ, I had no desire to be like him in any way. Or to live the life he lived? No thanks! He went through rough missionary journeys, persecuted wherever he went. He was whipped 39 times the bible tells us. He was nearly stoned to death a point in his life. He was imprisoned twice, there were numerous plots to ambush the apostle, and he went through probably the toughest life as a Christian that we know of here on earth. As the title of my blog site says, ‘Fighting the Current, One Wave After Another’ and this is what the apostle Paul went through. Wave after wave of persecution, he was fighting an endless battle against the current of this world in his walk with Christ. I thought to myself, “Why would a person go through so much? What could actually be worth living a life of constantly looking at death in the face and to keep on going?? Paul what is your deal?!” But as a new Christian I quickly found out that the Gospel is our number one goal, and we see that it is Paul’s number one goal here in Philippians 1:12-18. Let’s take a look at this passage…
V12a “I want you to know, brothers,”
I love how Paul opens up with this statement. He wants the Church of Philippi to know what is in the next statement, and he uses the word ‘brothers’ to show this is personal. As we have learned from Philippians 1-11 Paul feels the upmost compassion and affection for this Church. He loves them as his own family and he just continues on with that theme as we continue to read on now in verses 12-18.
V12b “that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,”
Paul here is talking about his imprisonment at Rome as we see early in Philippians 1 and Acts 16. The believers at Philippi might have thought that his imprisonment was a negative thing, but Paul rebukes that thinking! Paul tells them that no, it is not bad that I have been put in jail, but instead God has ‘used’ my imprisonment to actually advance the Gospel, it has actually been even more prevalent now that he is in jail! How can someone advance the Gospel while they are in jail?? Paul what are you talking about? He makes it crystal clear on how God has used him here in following words.
V13 “so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.”
This is where Paul explains how it was not a negative thing that he was a prisoner because the Gospel has been proclaimed! The imperial guard and all that were around him knew that Paul was a Christian. Paul the apostle shows a lifestyle of faith as we see in many references throughout the entire New Testament, and Paul does not fail here either. I mean, the entire imperial guard knew! I am nervous to ask myself if everyone at my work knows I am a Christian. But Paul is not even at work, he is at prison for the very reason of preaching the Gospel, and as we can see he has not stopped.
V14 “And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
Back then it may have been discouraging to see that ultimately the preaching of the Gospel leads to extreme persecution, but Paul makes it clear here that those who have seen him in prison are much ‘more’ bold to preach. We need to remind ourselves that, even though we may be persecuted, God watches over us and keeps his hand upon us as we do his work. Whatever may happen to us when we are doing the Lord’s work, we can know that we have a God who guides our steps and our words and is sovereign. I think Calvin says it better.
“When, however, we see at the same time the hand of the Lord, which makes his people unconquerable, under the infirmity of the Cross, and causes them to triumph, relying upon this, we ought to venture farther than we had been accustomed, having now a pledge of our victory in the persons of our brethren. The knowledge of this ought to overcome our fears, that we may speak boldly in the midst of dangers.” ~John Calvin
I love how Calvin says that the Lord makes his people ‘unconquerable’! We as Christians cannot lose heart because with God we can fear nothing! Not even death itself! We read in Psalm 23:4-”Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” God has taken away all fears including the fear of death itself! Who then shall we fear? Paul has answered this question and that is nobody.
V15a “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry,”
Paul does in fact know that there are people who do not preach Christ because they want to see people get saved. Rather, they preach the Gospel because they have a ‘rivalry’ against Paul, and the ‘envy’ him. The Greek word Paul uses for envy in this case is phthonos which literally means jealousy. See, these people didn’t care about the Gospel, these people wanted to be known, they did it out of competition. Is this really the reason why we should be preaching the Gospel of Christ? OF COURSE NOT! In fact, we should be not be doing it for ourselves at all, but instead because we love those who are not saved. Paul goes on…
V15b-18a “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. What then?”
And that is the key right there, ‘the latter do it out of love.’ We should be evangelizing to the lost because we love them, we should jump into action because we want to see them come to God and worship him! This should be the cause of our proclaiming of the Gospel! This should be the primary reason to echo the words, ‘Repent and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!’
Paul brings the focus back to those who preach the Gospel out of ill will. He reminds us that they are not sincere in their preaching, but rather they do it to ‘afflict’ him while he is imprisoned at Rome. One might ask, “Why would these people not like Paul?” or, “Why would they preach the Gospel if they are doing it for another reason?” But Paul asks a different question, he asks, “What then?” He answers it here at the end of our passage…
V18b “Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”
Now Paul is one of the most magnificent apostles in the New Testament and this is why! He completely over looks himself, I mean COMPLETELY ignores himself and answers the most encouraging/awesome answer that is so appropriate for the situation. Even though these people are persecuting him, even though these people want to see him fall in the end, even those these people are looking to Paul’s imprisonment and find happiness, even in the midst of all these horrible things they wish for Paul, he says, “Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” What a fantastic and amazing answer! Paul can rejoice in his hardest trial as a follower of Christ yet. But why?
The reason is in his answer. He is rejoicing because the Gospel is proclaimed. Paul’s main goal, if you know anything about Paul, is to preach the Gospel of Christ to the gentiles. Paul’s whole life is focused on the advance of the Gospel of Christ, his ENTIRE life. This should be the mindset of all who follow Christ, and this is what we learn from Paul. I personally stand convicted, and I am sure we all do, because we are focused on other things. Sometimes we are too busy with a job in our life. Sometimes it can be family or spending too much time with friends. And still other times it can be out of sheer laziness. I know for me its school here at Moody Bible Institute. But we cannot let these distractions drag us away from our focus here on earth, and according to Matthew 28 that is to preach the Gospel of Christ. Let’s us have the same mindset of Paul and glorify our Father in Heaven!
Lets make advancing the Gospel our number one focus!
