Philipians 1:15-18 mis-understood.

Philippians 1:15-18 is often mis-understood!!!

 

In  responding to a recent email concerning Joel Osteen, a respondent who stated "but we must remember Phil 1:15-18 --- even back in the day, some preached the Gospel from false motives, but Paul's response was to rejoice".

There is an acknowledgment, then the word but.
Where after the word but, he totally dismisses what it was about and lumps the True Gospel being preached with any Gospel being preached.

So in response I sent the following:

Pauls (and our) rejoicing is NOT over a False Gospel being preached...
No! No!
It is over the TRUE Gospel being preached, but with motives that are not centered on God.
They are Preaching this TRUE Gospel out of rivalry to make a name for themselves.

    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 rivalry, 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.    
[To Live Is Christ]
    Yes, and I will rejoice,
(Philippians 1:15-18 ESV)  (italics and bolding mine)

There is the meaning that many do not read, but skip over.

Joel Osteen, is NOT preaching the TRUE Gospel, but a twisted gospel.
And it is NOT that he has not been addressed or warned, or confronted on this.
He is NOT innocently mistaken, he has pride, and that can be clearly seen from many interviews.

So to try and mis-use Philippians 1:15-18 in such a way to defend preachers of false gospels is not only wrong, but conflicts with the rest of Scripture. False doctrine is always confronted and cursed. It is NOT rejoicing over False Preaching, but rather it is rejoicing over the Truth being preached, what ever the motive... There is a complete dichotomy there, and this verse should not be twisted to defend False Preachers.