What Matters Most
WHAT MATTERS MOST
PHILIPPIANS 1:15-18
Sadly, it is possible to be active as a Christian from the wrong motives.
It is always difficult for Christians to face rebuff and mean attitudes prompted by jealousy and envy by those who belong to the family of faith. Paul was not spared this experience. He was aware that by giving a public account of his ministry in Rome he was entering on the decisive phase of his apostleship (Acts 19:21; 23:11; 27:24). His trek across Asia and Europe was like the path of a bleeding rabbit across newfallen snow. He might have thought that his imprisonment in the imperial city would win for him enthusiastic support and sympathy from the brothers and sisters in Rome. If this was his expectation, he was keenly disappointed.
Paul has just stated that his imprisonment has encouraged a great boldness for public testimony by the believers (1:14). He now acknowledges that there was a diversity of motives behind this new fervor for evangelistic outreach. Some saw in his imprisonment an opportunity to rub salt into his wounds. Paul traces their motivation to a spirit of envy and rivalry (1:15). His language suggests that these fellow believers had worshiped at the shrine of Eris, the goddess of discord, rather than at the altar of Christ. There was in their manner a crass selfishness which sought to direct glory to themselves, thinking that would afflict the apostle (1:17). In others, who had increased their concern to bear public witness to their faith, Paul saw goodwill (1:15) and a spirit of love which affirmed their partnership with him (1:16; see also 1:5,7). Paul refused to be depressed by this evidence of disunity and immaturity in the church at Rome (1:18). He kept an attitude of being Christcentered and detached from attacks on his own person.