Aroma Of Christ To God

What keeps our fire burning for God is the courage that comes from growing in the grace, that is, obeying God in doing what we cannot do without God’s divine empowerment, His grace.

So, why are there people who call themselves Christians who do not do what God wants them to do? These are people who want something apart from God. Maybe they became aware of the good they ought to do by reading their Bible or in prayer, but instead of obeying God’s plan for their gifts, they put God out of their mind and went the other way. Maybe they weren’t willing to quit leaning on their favorite crutch when God called them to be free of its burden. Maybe they were afraid that they were not good enough to do what God called them to do. 

The result of disobedience is dullness. If we fail to turn everything in us over to God for His glory, then we lose the power of God’s grace in our lives to bring joy from obedience. If we refuse to give ourselves fully to God, then the Bible only reminds us that we have been defeated. This is a shadow of what is to come. How we relate to the Word of God now, gives us a glimpse of how it will be on Judgment Day.

2 Corinthians 2:15 ESV - For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

Several questions come to mind when I read 2 Corinthians 2:15:

WHO IS THE AROMA OF CHRIST TO GOD?

We find three groups here: those who are being saved, those who are perishing, and those who spread the aroma of Christ in the triumphal procession.

WHAT IS A TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION?

Imagine this: We won! The general returns from battle to find everyone enjoying a holiday to celebrate victory. We're having a triumphal procession! We fill the Roman streets, wear the best uniforms we have and watch the parade of priests carrying burning incense with soldiers as well as the prisoners who lost the battle and were taken captive. 

The captives in the parade will think of the smell of the incense as the smell of their doom. They might be soon killed; they are slaves now. Either way, the life they once had is gone. They fought with the losing side. The aroma is to them the smell of defeat.

The priests who carry the incense spread the sweet smell of victory to the whole crowd. 1 Corinthians 15:57 reminds us to give thanks to God who gave us the victory through Jesus our Lord. 

So I ask, "who are you?"

Are you actively spreading the sweet smell of the good news that Jesus overcame death so that all can be saved from death everywhere you go? Where is your incense burning apparatus?

2 Corinthians 3:5 NLT - It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.

2 Corinthians 5:9 ESV - So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.