Thinking About Jealousy and Selfish Ambition in the Church
How Paul reacted to Christians motivated by "selfish ambition."
Luke Taylor wrote an article recently called Competition in Ministry and in the Church.
He pointed out some things that preachers need to be on guard against, as well as members within a local congregation.
Reading what he wrote reminded me of what Paul wrote to the church in Philippi. Jealousy and selfish ambition among Christians are nothing new in our age of “social media influencers.”
A Christian’s motives are not always what they should be.
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. (Philippians 1:15-17)
Paul acknowledged two very different motives behind those who were preaching Christ.
Some were preaching “from envy and rivalry” and “out of selfish ambition.”
Some were preaching “from good will” and doing so “out of love.”
The motives of these two groups were connected to Paul’s imprisonment.
It appears that the brethren who proclaimed Christ out of “selfish ambition” relished the fact that the “spotlight” was finally off of Paul - and that they had an opportunity to become “somebody” in the church. They saw Paul as a “rival” who overshadowed them. They were envious of the attention Paul received. They probably would not have been all that happy to have Paul out of prison and “stealing their spotlight” again.
The other group of brethren proclaimed Christ “out of love” and did so knowing that Paul was in prison and suffering “for the defense of the gospel.” Their focus was not on themselves. They genuinely cared about Paul and desired the best for him. They would have rejoiced when Paul was set free from prison.
How Paul responded.
What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. (Philippians 1:18)
If Paul had the same mindset as the brethren with “selfish ambitions,” then no doubt he would have bristled at the thought of them basking in the glow of the “spotlight” while he sat in chains. Undoubtedly, he would have had something snarky to say about those brethren who thought they could push him out of the way.
But that’s not what he does.
While Paul does not excuse the selfish motives of these brethren, he says, “I rejoice that at least Christ is being proclaimed.”
These brethren were at least teaching the truth of the gospel of Christ - souls were still being saved, and in that, Paul rejoiced. Because it wasn’t about him - it was about Christ and proclaiming the good news.
I suppose few people have cared more about the church than Paul did. He felt “daily pressure” because of his anxiety or deep concern for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28).
Paul’s response to selfish, envious brethren was not the response of someone lacking in his concern for the gospel or the church. It was the response of someone burdened with great care for the Lord and His church.
It was the response of someone who practiced what he preached.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)
So when we observe selfishness or jealous rivalries among our brethren in the Lord’s church, and maybe we are even suffering mistreatment as a result - perhaps we would be wise to take a similar route as the apostle Paul.
It’s not about us. It’s about Christ.
And we are called by the gospel to be like Him.