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I. THE ELEMENTS FORMATIVE OF IT.

1. An imperfect apprehension of Christ's mission.

2. A total absence of Christ's Spirit.

3. Thought and sympathy, narrowed by early prejudice and preconceived ideas.

4. Christ made subservient to the doctrines, ritual, and history of a system.

II. THE RESULTS INSEPARABLE FROM IT.

1. The cross degraded into a rallying point for party strife.

2. The basest spirit indulged under the pretence of fulfilling a sacred office.

(1)  "Envy" — displeasure at another's good.

(2)  "Strife" — selfish rivalry which seeks to gain the good belonging to another. Christ preached merely to advance a party.

4. Zeal for propagating a creed, greater than to save a lost world.

III. THE GERM OF IT.

1. May exist in those who zealously preach Christ.

2. Consists in a moral contradiction between the heart of the preacher and the theme of his discourse — contentiousness and Christ.

3. Produces impurity of motive in Christian work — "not sincerely."

4. Biases the judgment to expect results which are never realized — "supposing."

5. Inspires aims which are unchristian — "to add affliction."

(G. G. Ballard.)

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KJV: Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

WEB: Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.