“There is a striking similarity between Paul’s attitude here and Luther’s quoted words from the preface to the Letter of James in his German New Testament of 1522: ‘That which does not teach Christ is not apostolic, even if Peter or Paul taught it. Again, that which does preach Christ is apostolic, even if Judas, Annas, Pilate, or Herod did it.” What matters most is the content of the preaching, not the identity of the preacher.”- F. F. Bruce, Philippians
“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry . . . out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing they can stir up trouble for me while I am in prison. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice.”- Philippians 1:15, 17-18 (NIV)
Randy Frazee concludes Principle #3 of The Joy Challenge as he notes that over a span of two years, Governor Felix, on a routine basis, sent of Paul from his prison cell. To converse with him. As a result, each time Felix and Paul talked, Paul presented his case. Consequently, that forced court officials to study the doctrines and claims of the Christian faith.
Most significantly, Paul’s response to his circumstances emboldened the witness of fellow believers. Hence, the Romans possessed no clue that the chains they affixed to Paul’s wrists actually released his to accomplish his mission. Rather than binding him.
In conclusion, Randy exhorts:
“Paul saw his imprisonment as a multiplier. As an individual, he could only get so much done. His circumstances motivated others to step it up, which exponentially expanded the work. To Paul, this was a good thing. . . .
Paul . . . simply looked for the good around [him], rather than looking for what was wrong. If we want joy despite our circumstances, we would do well to do the same. . . . As you go through the day, find [irritating] situations where you can apply Paul’s famous question, ‘but what does it matter?’ The opportunities abound.”
Today’s question: Do you agree that the content of the preaching matters more than the identity of the preacher? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The telescope and the microscope”
