Philippians 1:18

‘whether in pretence or in truth,
Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this’
(Philippians 1:18)

Christ can be proclaimed in pretence. This is an alarming fact, but helpful to be aware of, both with regards to how we perceive others (especially teachers/preachers etc.), and for self-examination too.

Exactly who or what Paul was referring to here is difficult to determine precisely, which is perhaps providential, enabling wider reflection and application? One thing that does seem clear is that the message being conveyed wasn’t significantly incorrect, rather its proclaimers were defective in some way. Paul would have been much harsher had their message been false, for example later in this letter, where he describes such ‘workers’(Philippians 3:2) very harshly. When writing to the Galatians he even called for such people to ‘be cursed’(Galatians 1:8&9), elsewhere referring to them as ‘“vicious wolves”’(Acts 20:29ff., cf. Matthew 7:15). Paul wouldn’t have been so relaxed had that been the situation.

However, before we ever react so harshly ourselves, when considering the words of others about Christian truths, we must be careful, since none of us is ‘perfect’(James 3:2) in what we think or say. There are various debatable ‘opinions’(Romans 14:1ff.) that genuine believers might hold on various issues. We’ll certainly find ourselves differing on some points, perhaps like ‘Euodia, and… Syntyche’(Philippians 4:2ff.) mentioned later in this letter too. In such situations we’re to bear ‘with one another in love, being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’(Ephesians 4:2-3), not become ‘obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles’(1 Timothy 6:4), which are actually a sign of those ‘destitute of the truth’(1 Timothy 6:5)!

Anyway, it seems that here Christ was being proclaimed fairly accurately, yet with some dubious motives, like ‘envy and… selfish ambition’(Philippians 1:15-16) – obviously bad signs though, regarding the spiritual health of those concerned! Possibly they weren’t even Christians at all, rather opponents trying to stir up trouble by highlighting things that might provoke the authorities to ‘add affliction’(Philippians 1:16) to Paul, who was already in ‘chains’(Philippians 1:16). In Thessalonica Paul faced such people, who drew attention to the fact that he was, in a sense, advocating ‘“another king, Jesus”’(Acts 17:7). It seems more likely though that Paul was perhaps referring to partisan Christians prone to ‘jealousy, strife, and factions’(1 Corinthians 3:3) – easy to fall into (even prickly ecclesiastical echo chambers!). We should ‘examine’(2 Corinthians 13:5) ourselves and our churches for such tendencies. Other attitudes that might indicate all is not well include things like loving ‘to be first’(3 John 1:9) and have a platform. Some might even just be going through the motions for some form of personal ‘gain’(1 Timothy 6:5), like wealth, or simply making a living.

Nevertheless, the awareness Paul displays so beautifully here, in this statement: ‘whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this’, is that it’s all about Jesus and His message, not the messenger. Even if someone conveys the ‘Good News’(Philippians 1:17) for all the wrong reasons, or in an unsavoury way, even maliciously, so long as the true ‘Word’(John 1:1, cf. John 6:63) is communicated, it has power. It’s ‘living and active’(Hebrews 4:12), proceeding wherever ‘“it wants to”’(John 3:8), by the ‘power’(1 Thessalonians 1:5) of the Holy Spirit, like ‘“fire”’(Jeremiah 23:29), and is sure to accomplish what God ‘“sent it to do”’(Isaiah 55:11).

So, although Paul no doubt lamented the ‘pretence’ he mentions here, whatever it was, we find him ‘rejoicing’(2 Corinthians 6:10) that ‘Christ is proclaimed’. In a similar way, immediately before this verse he’d expressed delight in ‘the progress of the Good News’(Philippians 1:12ff.) resulting from his own imprisonment even, and also was pleased how others had been emboldened to ‘speak the word of God’(Philippians 1:14) more fearlessly as a result. It wasn’t about Paul, for him, rather the task of ‘proclaiming… Jesus Christ and Him crucified’(1 Corinthians 2:1-2), ideally united with fellow workers in ‘one accord… one mind; doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility… as lights in the world, holding up the word of life’(Philippians 2:2-16).

So we, like Paul, can rejoice when this powerful Word is proclaimed and advances, regardless of the messenger, so long as the truth is being conveyed. If any amongst us are caught up in worldly ‘ways’(1 Corinthians 3:3), we can learn from Paul’s gracious and Christlike tone displayed here, adopting a ‘spirit of gentleness’(Galatians 6:1) towards them. Moreover, we shouldn’t be too surprised (or discouraged) if sometimes preachers of the truth turn out to be deeply flawed, perhaps even not truly ‘in the faith’(2 Corinthians 13:5) at all, whether self-deceived or consciously malign. It’s what they ‘preached’(1 Corinthians 9:27) that matters.

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