The Scandal of Philippians 1: Preaching Christ with Corrupt Hearts

"The most dangerous place for selfish ambition to hide is behind a pulpit."

In Philippians 1:15–18 we find one of the most astonishing yet often ignored passages in the entire New Testament.

"Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from 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 in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice." 1 Philippians 1:15-18

Paul acknowledges that some preachers proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry while others preach from goodwill and love, yet God still uses them both.

To grasp the full weight of Paul’s words we must first understand the situation he was in when he wrote them. Paul had been arrested for preaching the gospel and was sitting in prison as these letters were penned. His imprisonment, though tragic in one sense, opened an entirely new door for the gospel to reach people who had never heard it before, including the Roman imperial guard. Yet his absence also created what could be described as a gospel vacuum. Paul was by far the most influential leader in the early church and God had used him powerfully throughout the region. Once he was imprisoned, many others stepped up to preach Christ, plant churches, and make disciples in his place.

At first glance this seems like a beautiful thing. The gospel was spreading and others were rising up to fill the gap. However Paul reveals that not all of these preachers were motivated by love. Many were preaching Christ from envy and rivalry. Their motivation was not the glory of God or the salvation of souls but the feeding of their own egos. They wanted to build their own following and achieve recognition for themselves. Their hearts were consumed by selfish ambition. That selfish ambition energized them, drove them, and motivated them to preach Christ. In other words, they were doing what Paul calls true ministry, yet their motives were deeply corrupt.

Still, there were others who preached Christ out of pure love. They loved God, they loved people, they loved the church, and they loved Paul. Their hearts saw that Paul’s absence created a need for faithful ministry and they stepped in to continue the work of the kingdom. Their motivation was love. Love for Jesus. Love for the lost. Love for the gospel. It was love that fueled their energy and kept them focused.

What is most shocking is Paul’s response. He does not excuse sinful motives, yet he refuses to let them steal his joy or shift his focus. Instead he rejoices. He rejoices that Christ is being preached no matter what the motives are behind the message. This is not indifference to sin but confidence in the sovereignty and power of God.

There are several truths to understand and apply from this moment.

First, the effectiveness of the Word of God is not dependent on perfect people. The Word is alive, powerful, and unstoppable. Even if it is spoken by hearts that are prideful or misguided, the message of Christ still carries divine authority and accomplishes God’s purposes.

Second, Paul never let corrupt motives from others disturb his joy or derail his focus. He did not spend his energy trying to defend himself, argue his case, or compete with other ministers. He fully trusted that God would handle their hearts and that His Word would do the work.

Third, we see a depth of humility in Paul that few ever reach. He was not obsessed with protecting his name or guarding his influence. He was obsessed with one thing, the progress of the gospel. His joy was rooted in the advancement of Christ’s name, not his own success or popularity. Oh that we would walk in such humility today.

Fourth, we must each examine our own hearts. Purity of motive still matters deeply to God. Scripture makes it clear that He will judge the motives of every heart and the work of every minister. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 4:5) Yet Paul shows us how to remain joyful and pure even when surrounded by impure examples. He did not become bitter or envious. He kept his eyes on Christ.

This passage calls every believer, especially every ministry leader, to evaluate what drives them. Are we serving to glorify Christ or to be seen by people? Are we chasing followers, recognition, applause, or social media attention? Are we building our own name while claiming to build His? If so, let us repent. Let us turn back to Christ with sincere hearts and pure motives.

True ministry begins with love and ends with Christ being exalted. Anything less, no matter how outwardly impressive, is empty. May God purify our motives, cleanse our ambitions, and fill our hearts with joy that is rooted not in our success but in the advancement of His gospel.