"Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others for good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice." Philippians 1:15-18 (ESV)
I remember reading that for the first time and being kind of offended and shocked. The righteous indignation that Christ should only be preached when it's out of right motives! But then I began to consider the passages surrounding it.
Paul is writing this as he's in prison and of course the rest of the disciples are concerned for him. But some are seeking to take advantage of him being in prison by preaching and trying to take his spot as a noteworthy preacher... (Cf. "Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry...") But Paul is saying that doesn't matter because Christ is being preached.
So I've taken this as it doesn't matter who or how Christ is preached, as long as he's preached it's good! My thinking about this usually brings me to Joel Osteen. He's a preacher who carries a lot of attention and reaches hundreds of thousands of people yet with a weak message... But it doesn't matter! Christ is being preached! Right?
This makes me think of false teachers/preachers. It doesn't matter right? Because Christ is being proclaimed and preached! It doesn't matter if they're doing it for the right motives, He's being preached. Right?
Mmm, maybe not. Look at what Peter has to say in 2 Peter 2:1-3:
"But false prophets also rose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who brought them, bringing upon themsves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep."
It's not okay to preach/teach a false message about Christ. So how do these two passages work to form a doctrine we should have on preachers/preaching?
Paul puts into question their motivation. Peter puts into question their validity. Motivation is neither here nor there, is what Paul is saying, so long as it is Truth that they are preaching. But, when that message is not true, whether or not they have good motives, they need to be corrected and dealt with.
