What Manner of Preaching?

Phil 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

Paul under house arrest, was chained to a Roman soldier, a guard. He shared the gospel with these soldiers of the kings guard who shared with others.

Phil 1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

The gospel even spread throughout the Kings palace. Nero was the King, he had poisoned his mother to remove her from power. When Rome burned, he was reported to be singing and playing a harp. He reconstructed a large palace and gardens after the fire. He was suspected of starting the fires so he had a new sect, the Christians blamed . They were killed by animals in the arena and used as human torches in the night. In these times of great persecution, the good news spoken through Paul by the Holy Ghost had power to bring others to Jesus Christ, even facing death. Persecution was used to spread the gospel to other lands as people fled to find new safe places to live.

2 Tim 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
2 Tim 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Tim 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Phil 1:14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Those brethren who were people of faith perhaps would not speak in his presence, but they grew more confident knowing that Paul was imprisoned. Some were not as gifted as Paul at teaching, but in his absence they began to teach, even no doubt to many churches that Paul had established. Praise God for them. They will increase as they are faithful and hear and preach the word. No fear in Christ Jesus.

2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Tim 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

Phil 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

Some preached Christ even of envy and strife. Seeking to look better than another, seeking personal glory; debate and strife and name calling. This sounds like many of the Christian chats. Can Jesus be honored from envy and strife? Thankfully, even in the midst of envy and strife, some preach in good will. Have you been in chats of arguing and strife. With many people clamoring and have seen one person posting the word of God? One stands out from the rest, preaching from good will, with love in his heart. Those seeking God are drawn to the one of good will. Those who like to argue join in with the strife makers. Some churches teach against other denominations, a negative sermon, from strife and envy. We need to preach the truth in love.

Phil 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

Some preachers spend more time preaching against other preachers, then they do preaching the gospel.

Prov 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
Prov 22:10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.


Contention: matstah, debate and strife, perhaps even preaching against the teachings of Paul, as some do today, adding afflictions to Paul by doing this. If we preach to hurt someone, we are not of God. His Spirit is not to destroy, that is of the devil. Jesus came to seek and to save. To encourage and to build the church.

Phil 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

Others preach of love, respecting the work of Paul. Paul wrote epistles to the churches while he was under house arrest, he was not defeated in his afflictions, but serving in the Spirit to edify the church. Paul wrote the Books of Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians during his imprisonment in Rome.

Phil 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

Paul was not going to be upset; it was not about him, but the gospel that is important. So long as Christ is preached; whether in mocking pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. A preacher of the gospel rejoices when Christ is preached. If I am no longer able and if I am able to share, I rejoice in seeing others speaking the word of faith. Our preaching is not to make a name for ourselves, but to make His name known in the world and in the church.

It is not good when the name of Jesus is used for another spirit, another Jesus, not of God. This is the antichrist spirit that is growing in the world and in many large churches. The new age church speaks of a universal christ, a cosmic christ in every heart. This is not the Jesus who came in the flesh to die for our sins.Some came glorifying themselves and preaching against Paul and preaching another Christ. In Corinth, I see others coming in dressed up in fine apparel with excited voices preaching another gospel, one of great Charisma, but preaching in error.

2 Cor 10:17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
2 Cor 10:18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
2 Cor 11:1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2 Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
2 Cor 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2 Cor 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
2 Cor 11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
2 Cor 11:6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.
2 Cor 11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Phil 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Phil 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

Salvation will be complete when Jesus calls us to be in his presence. We hold onto our faith, we keep going, praying one for another in the Spirit. Keep on believing, keep on preaching, being bold in His Spirit, so that by our life Christ Jesus is magnified, in this life and in eternal glory, amen.