January 31
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THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED NO MATTER WHAT
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brothers and sisters, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from goodwill; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaims Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
–Philippians 1:12-18
________________________________________According to a commentary, Paul here answered a concern of the Philippians. He wanted them to know that God’s blessing and power were still with him, even though he was in prison. He was not out of the will of God, and God’s work still continued. When Paul was with the Philippians, there were amazing examples of the sovereign power of God, culminating in a divine jail-break and their vindication before civil magistrates (Acts 16:11-40). We are not surprised that the Philippians wondered where the power of God was in Paul’s present imprisonment. We also know that all this turned out for the furtherance of the gospel because during this time he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. God didn’t waste Paul’s time during the Roman imprisonment. God never wastes our time, though we may waste it by not sensing God’s purpose for our lives at the moment.
Paul narrates how the imprisonment was a blessing for his ministry because Jesus Christ became well known throughout the guards and everyone else in the prison. This became an inspiration for other men and women believers who preached the gospel, to speak more boldly and without fear. Paul said in this letter that many wanted to preach the gospel and not all of them had the right motives, but he didn’t care so much about their motives. As long as the gospel is preached, he was overjoyed because he knows that the Spirit is at work in all this work going on because it was God who began all this good work in all of them, and he is sure that He will finish it too.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important for all believers to preach the gospel?