Paul's Dedication and the Defense of the Gospel of Christ
Paul's dedication in proclaiming the gospel of God and his deep love for the Christians at Philippi, is very evident in the opening verses of his epistle. Although writing to them from prison, Paul wanted to reassure these believers that despite his incarceration in a Roman jail, the gospel of God was continuing to be spread abroad. Paul's letter was to encourage them to stand strong in the faith - even in the midst of great trouble and strife. He prayed that their love for one another would abound more and more, and that they would be filled with the spiritual fruit of righteousness - for the glory and praise of God.
The Mission of Defending the Truth
As a result of his ministry, Paul faced fierce opposition and much misrepresentation from those outside the Church as well as within. However, through it all, Paul was quick to recognise that Jesus Christ was exalted and the gospel of grace was being preached. He wanted to reassure these dear believers that God is able to take ALL life's circumstances, both good or evil, and use them to forward His eternal plans and purposes, for His greater praise and glory.
Specifically, regarding those who preached during his imprisonment, Scripture notes: "Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will." The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; whereas the former proclaimed Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, hoping to cause Paul distress in his imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Defending the Gospel vs. A Defensive Gospel
It is important to understand that defending the truth of the gospel is different from defensively rebutting someone’s inaccurate telling of the gospel. One offers the full picture, while the other nails down so hard on the missing piece that the scope is totally lost. It seems like our mission has shifted from defending the gospel to making our gospel message play defense according to what others are saying. What we share is often reactionary to other people rather than foundational to truth.
The Gospel is not fluid like our emotions. It doesn’t bend when we change our thinking or hear someone say something. In an effort to correct what looks like bad theology, we sometimes overemphasize one part of the story. If someone’s whole message neglects Jesus’ love or if someone’s whole message neglects suffering, it’s not the full message.
The Full Scope of Scripture
To avoid a reactionary message, one must gain the full scope of Scripture. The following books provide the foundational narrative of the Old and New Testaments:
| Testament | Books of the Bible |
|---|---|
| Old Testament | Gen, Exo, Lev, Num, Deu, Jos, Jud, Rut, 1Sa, 2Sa, 1Ki, 2Ki, 1Ch, 2Ch, Ezr, Neh, Est, Job, Psa, Pro, Ecc, Son, Isa, Jer, Lam, Eze, Dan, Hos, Joe, Amo, Oba, Jon, Mic, Nah, Hab, Zep, Hag, Zec, Mal |
| New Testament | Mat, Mar, Luk, Joh, Act, Rom, 1Co, 2Co, Gal, Eph, Phi, Col, 1Th, 2Th, 1Ti, 2Ti, Tit, Phi, Heb, Jam, 1Pe, 2Pe, 1Jo, 2Jo, 3Jo, Jud, Rev |
Developing a Gracious Attitude
May we adopt the same gracious attitude as the apostle Paul, when opposed and misrepresented by others. We should rejoice when other doctrinally sound ministries are sharing the truth of the gospel of grace - even when they do so from wrong motives or because of some unfounded jealousy. As Philippians 1:15-18 suggests, despite motives, we can rejoice in the gospel being shared.
A Prayer for the Spread of the Gospel
My Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that the glorious gospel of grace would be spread abroad, despite the evil attempts of the enemy to disrupt the spread of the gospel. May I never forget that You are in control and that You will use every eventuality in my life, whether good or ill, for Your greater glory. Keep me from developing any petty differences with other ministries, even when they are discourteous toward me. May the love of Christ shine forth in my life. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.