Q: Doesn't Philippians 1:18 contradict Galatians 1:8?
Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice (Phil 1:15-18).
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed (Gal 1:8)!
A: In Philippians 1, Paul was speaking of some who were preaching Christ "from envy and strife" (v 15). These preaching envied the great number of people Paul had reached with the gospel of Christ. Consequently, they preached Christ from envy and strife, which the dictionary defines as "competition between rivals," and "of contention" (v 16), which is defined as "a striving to win in competition." Like many preachers today, these men thought that reaching the lost was a competition among preachers, one in which Paul could no longer be engaged due to his incarceration in a Roman prison (v 13).
With Paul thus sidelined in prison, these brethren continued to preach Christ, "thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment" (v 16). That is, they supposed Paul also viewed reaching the lost as a competition, and that it would just eat him up inside to hear his rivals were out gaining converts while he could not. It is in this context Paul rejoices that Christ is being preached, for while these brethren were preaching Christ with a faulty motive, they were at least preaching the right message.
That's quite different from Galatians 1:8, where Paul pronounces a curse on all who preach a faulty message, even if their motive is pure and good. God can bless and use the right message when it is preached with an envious spirit, but He cannot bless and use a faulty message, regardless of how pure and sincere the motivation behind it.
Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice (Phil 1:15-18).
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed (Gal 1:8)!
A: In Philippians 1, Paul was speaking of some who were preaching Christ "from envy and strife" (v 15). These preaching envied the great number of people Paul had reached with the gospel of Christ. Consequently, they preached Christ from envy and strife, which the dictionary defines as "competition between rivals," and "of contention" (v 16), which is defined as "a striving to win in competition." Like many preachers today, these men thought that reaching the lost was a competition among preachers, one in which Paul could no longer be engaged due to his incarceration in a Roman prison (v 13).
With Paul thus sidelined in prison, these brethren continued to preach Christ, "thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment" (v 16). That is, they supposed Paul also viewed reaching the lost as a competition, and that it would just eat him up inside to hear his rivals were out gaining converts while he could not. It is in this context Paul rejoices that Christ is being preached, for while these brethren were preaching Christ with a faulty motive, they were at least preaching the right message.
That's quite different from Galatians 1:8, where Paul pronounces a curse on all who preach a faulty message, even if their motive is pure and good. God can bless and use the right message when it is preached with an envious spirit, but He cannot bless and use a faulty message, regardless of how pure and sincere the motivation behind it.
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