What then? only that, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
There were in the times of the apostles some who were preaching truth but not in truth, that is, not in a true spirit. Of these the apostle says that their proclamation was not pure but was preached “through envy and rivalry.” Even though they were tolerated who proclaimed the truth without purity of mind, they were not praised, as if to assume that they were preaching with a pure mind. So Paul says of them that, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. Yet he certainly does not imply that Christ may now be denied in order to be later proclaimed.
For as to what some say, as if it tended to favour heretics, that the Apostle Paul declared, "Only every way, whether in pretence or in truth, let Christ be preached".
But to what they allege and say on behalf of the heretics, that the apostle said, "Whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached"
The outcome is very welcome to me: They preach about Christ. They speak Christ’s name. They confess that he is God and the Son of God, even if in a different spirit. For by this celebration, exertion and activity, Christ is proclaimed by all. So I too obtain my wish, which is that Christ should be proclaimed. And if that is so, they are wrong to imagine that they have cast me into grief.
But see the wisdom of the Man. He did not vehemently accuse them, but mentioned the result; what difference does it make to me, says he, whether it be done in this or that way? Only that every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. He did not say, Let him be proclaimed, as some suppose, stating that he opens the way for the heresies, but, He is proclaimed. For in the first place he did not lay down the law and say, as if laying down the law, Let Him be proclaimed, but he reported what was taking place; secondly, if he even spoke as laying down the law, not even thus would he be opening the way for the heresies.
For let us examine the matter. For even if he gave permission to preach as they preached, not even thus was he opening the way for the heresies. How so? In that they preached healthfully; though the aim and purpose on which they acted was corrupted, still the preaching itself was not changed, and they were forced so to preach. And why? Because, had they p...
