Our Motives

“Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife…The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely…What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice.”—Philippians 1:15–18

Paul knew there were differences within the early church. Among believers there were different motivations. Some people were inspired by genuine goodwill. But others focused on themselves. A few were not even sincere.

Writing from prison, Paul realized that the most important thing was that “Christ is preached.” The key was not receiving credit but proclaiming the Gospel, not winning awards or getting attention but spreading the knowledge of Jesus.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus had said, “If I am lifted up from the earth, [I] will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). Reflecting on this perspective, Paul was glad whenever Jesus was lifted. He might have had differences with some people but had learned to rejoice whenever Christ was preached, “whether in pretense or in truth.”

The Bible urges us to be vigilant about our faith and committed to the purity of the Word. We also are called to recognize that He might use people with whom we have disagreements. We must realize that believers are not perfect.

Focus on spreading the Gospel and lifting the name of Jesus. Do not focus on your personal ambitions but on building His Kingdom. Dedicate yourself and your resources to serving Him. Pray for churches and ministries around the world. Pray that the Gospel would be preached to the ends of the earth and that men and women everywhere would know Jesus.

Reflection Question: Compose a prayer for your church and specific missionaries.