Can the truth be proclaimed with less than noble motives? According to the apostle Paul, the answer to that question is, “yes.” Paul said that some of his preaching peers preached the truth but they did so out of envy and strife (Philippians 1:15).
Surely we all see that such a situation is far from God’s ideal, and would also hinder the effectiveness of the message preached. However, this situation may still exist among those who proclaim the truth.
It’s possible that some preach out of envy yet today. It’s possible that some of the “moral outrage” we hear is really a thin veil for partisan politics.
- When one finds greater pleasure in exposing a politician’s moral failure than he does upholding God’s moral standard in which the politician failed , then his “moral outrage” is more about partisan politics than genuine moral outrage.
- When one is more interested in catching a political party or politician in a moral “gotcha” moment, than he is in defending the truth, then his “moral outrage” is more about partisan politics than genuine moral outrage.
- When one becomes as “silent as the tomb” when politicians in his political party of choice fail morally, but never misses an opportunity to expose the moral failures of politicians in an opposing political party, then his “moral outrage” is more about partisan politics than genuine moral outrage.
Brethren, let’s not use the Bible as just another weapon to oppose our political opponents. Rather, let’s uphold the truth irrespective of who violates it.