You know that man was as contrite as a revivalist's last convert. He said he was all broken up to think I'd gotten a green watermelon. He promised me he would never carry another green watermelon if he starved for it. He was on a downward path, and I rescued him. But all I got out of it was a watermelon.
Some people preach the gospel with the wrong motives.
But they are the only losers. At least the gospel is preached, and it does some people some good. All you get is the watermelon, and you miss out on the growth in character and godliness, and you are in danger of being judged by God as a hypocrite. Another reason that might discourage us from acting and speaking in a godly way is that we are afraid of what others may do to us or say about us. But Paul reminds us that they really don't have the power to harm us in any way that matters.