Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice

 Good morning. Continuing with the thought that the brethren had courage to speak the word of God without fear because of Paul’s imprisonment: some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will. That’s hard to believe, that anyone would be preaching Christ from envy and strife. We have, though, seen in other of Paul’s letters that “preachers” were envious of Paul. 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. It’s hard to think of someone preaching the gospel out of selfish ambition, but remember in previous letters there were those who were trying to make financial gain out of preaching the gospel. Paul’s response: what then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Father continue to meet all of the reader’s and his/her family‘s needs.

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