I found this online and though, man, this is good.....
"Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." – Philippians 1:15-18
Just as there were people who used the gospel for selfish ambition during Paul's time, many are doing the same today. Unfortunately, many have left the Church discouraged as a result of this kind of thing, and many more refuse to give their lives to Christ for the very same reason. Of course, it shouldn't be surprising to us that there are hypocrites among God's people, as Jesus made it very clear that not all who profess to have a belonging to Him really know Him
Therefore, the presence of hypocrisy among God's people should not be seen as evidence that Christianity doesn't work, but as proof that Jesus knows the true intentions of the heart and is merciful to allow opportunity for people to turn to Him in repentance.
Listen, even though there are people in the Church who are cold and callous, interested only in furthering their own plans, there are faithful ones too, who love the Lord and His people. Take Paul for example: he was in chains for preaching the gospel, not being wealthy by any measure of the world; yet he was faithful to the cause for which he stood and ultimately died for his faith in Christ. He didn't isolate himself from the Church for fear that he might get hurt by a few bad seeds, but always looked for opportunities to share his gifts with God's people. Indeed, Paul longed to be free from his chains, not because he wanted to indulge an appetite for worldly pleasures, but because he wanted to be a blessing to others, even to those who were his enemies. Now if Paul could foster such commitment to serving the Lord by loving others in this way then why can't we do the same? Is it really too much to ask? Not at all!
Therefore, don't be discouraged by hypocrites; rather, look to Jesus Christ. For He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and He will always do what is best for you. Remember, as long as the gospel is preached that means there's work to be done. And as long as there's work to be done there are precious souls who need to be saved. Wouldn't you like to be a part of that work? Nothing on earth is more rewarding than sharing Jesus Christ with others! But in order to do this effectively we must stop looking for faults and start looking to Jesus Christ, rejoicing in His presence each step of the way. Thus, God will accomplish something wonderful through us, and many hearts will be turned to Him; even hypocrites will turn from their evil ways.
Good read, thanks pappy
Thanks, Jack. Just because there are tares among the wheat, doesn't mean the wheat is no good! -nor the owner/planter of the field! The whole truth will come to light at the harvest!
Jack,
Thanks for the Word !! :bible:
God Bless,
David B.
Very Good Jack!
Mike
Amen!
Thanks Jack, that was a very good read!!!
Great point pappy! Thanks for sharing :jesus-cross: