christpr.htm

When Christ is Preached

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 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 1:12-18)
Presumably Paul wrote this letter to the church at Philippi from Caesar's palace in Rome where he was under house arrest. We read that even those who preached about Jesus Christ out of hostility, furthered the gospel.

Jesus of Nazareth had a similar experience:: And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.; (Mark 9:38-40)

There is an important lesson for us here; and Paul expresses it this way:: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.; (1 Corinthians 3:5-7)

Many writers state that we shall not enter into the Kingdom of God unless we worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth. And this is so, the Bible teaches this in no uncertain manner.

Is there a contradiction in the Bible then?
Let's look at it this way.
There is one God, made up of three Spiritual Persons and one gospel; one way into the Father's presence - and yet there are over forty thousand "Christian" denominations.
Which one is right?
Yes, they are all wrong and each one will lead you to hell if you follow after them.

A Christian lady acquaintance once asked the Lord whether it wasn't better to stay in a denomination where 99% truth was preached, rather than another, where 66% truth was preached.
She got this answer.
If you bake one hundred bread rolls for a hundred guests and place poison in one of them, one of your hundred guests is going to die and you are responsible for his or her death.

We know what happens to false prophets and teachers; just read 2 Timothy 3, 1 Peter 2, 1 John 2, Jude, etc., and then Jesus of Nazareth also gave us a lesson about leaven, remember.

Nevertheless, without those forty something thousand denominations many billions of people would never have heard of the saving grace of God through the Redeeming Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Someone once said "you can get saved by reading half a page of the Bible" and this is true.

Our youngest granddaughter goes to pre-school on the premises and under the influence of the church that my wife and I came out of. She is learning about "Gentle Jesus meek and mild, look upon this little child." Another grandchild, whose mother doesn't bother with such things, rebelled when we wished to thank the Lord for the food on our table.
Moffat and Livingstone - missionaries to Southern Africa - were they born again? Did they preach the correct gospel? Could they make the heathen understand? And yet the majority of the indigenous male population of this region have biblical names. I have three brothers in Christ named Isaac, Josiah and Solomon.: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?; (Romans 10:13-16)
You see, the work of the denomination is to get the people to "church".

Thereafter it's up to each individual to listen for God's voice.: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.; (Romans 10:17-21)

God calls, even in these denominations and it's up to the believer to see the falseness and to react and get out while there is still time.: A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.; (Psalms 32:1-11); Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?; (1 Corinthians 5:6-12); Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.; (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

So what now?
Okay, now comes the big question; where do these believers go?

My friend, this may be hard for you to understand, but please be assured that your Heavenly Father, who loves you, has plans for you, plans unique for your circumstances - in His time not yours.
You need to believe this.: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.; (Hebrews 11:6)

As an example: At this critical time I was given a vision of the T junction of a narrow, dusty country road. Should I go left or right. It took nearly eighteen months of studying the Scriptures daily to find the faint footpath winding between the grass tussocks on the other side of the T; with the result that this ministry was started.: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it; (Matthew 7:13-14)

God tested Abraham who became His friend, so He is likely to test you.

Many Christians want to become missionaries because they love the Lord God, but the important question is, were they sent or did they went; did they perhaps go off in their own strength?
So don't do anything in a hurry.: And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.; (Luke 24:49)

Spend as much time in the Bible as you can and when you pray, listen for an answer, because this is how the Holy Spirit can gently prompt you as to the action to take. When you feel that He has spoken to you, ask for confirmation - put out a fleece as Gideon did and then hang on for the ride.
You must be prepared to be obedient though,or else all is lost. Even though the Lord shall not ask you to do more than you can handle, be prepared for the unexpected.: But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.; (Philippians 1:12-14)

You will probably sooner or later be led to a quiet group of believers who study God's word and take delight in hearing that "still, small voice" inside them and then sharing with each other.: Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.; (Malachi 3:16-18)
You might even find them in the "church" that you have been called out of, a "secret" gathering of true believers that you may join only if invited, because any gathering that is open to all and sundry shall sooner or later attract a false one or two - and then there will be one more denomination dominated by some "Reverend" person, with a whole lot of dead wood; instead of the oneness experienced through the power of the Holy Spirit; .

If we return to the principles governing the church of Paul's day, gatherings of believers in their homes, we can expect to be blessed in a similar way, not so? Or else the passages of Scripture describing these events can just be removed from the Bible, they don't apply anymore.: How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.; (1 Corinthians14:26); Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.; (1 Corinthians 12:4-31)
: And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.; (Colossians 3:14-16)