Yesterday we zeroed in on the fact that as HIS children when we stand on, live by, and live like we really believe HIS precious promises...understanding that in Jesus every promise is YES...this brings glory to God! If you will, God's glory is diffused through us as we walk and live by faith on the promises of HIS Word...trusting and obeying!
Today Paul points to the fragrance of knowing HIM, the fragrance of knowing Jesus that is diffused through us!
2 Cor 2:14-17 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
Let this sink in...TO GOD WE ARE THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST! How can this be? Because of the triumph we have in Christ. Isaiah put it this way in Isa 61:10, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness. Not only has HE clothed us with the garments of salvation and covered us with the robe of righteousness..."HE chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph 1:4) If that was not enough...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8).
As HIS children, IF we will receive this by faith and cry out in desperation for HIM to live in and through us...walking in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit of Holiness...Christ in us the hope of glory...HE will THROUGH US diffuse the fragrance of Jesus Christ everywhere we go!
Gen 8:21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Php 4:18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
If you have ever smelled rotting flesh you know that the smell is strong enough to make you sick to your stomach...right? If that is true...and it is, then we should not be surprised when we see violent reactions from people to the fragrance of Christ in us. Actually, if we don't receive some reaction from people then we must ask the painful question...IS MY LIFE emitting the FRAGRANCE OF HIM, JESUS or the fragrance of the world?
If you have ever done any kind of door to door evangelism you have probably had at least a few doors slammed in your face...I know I have. Think about it...if you opened your front door and the person standing there smelled like rotting flesh you would slam your door too!
On the other hand this explains how two followers of Jesus can meet in a grocery store and experience wonderful fellowship after knowing each other for only a few moments...WHY? You are the fragrance of life leading to life to each other.
One last thought...through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. You will notice that the fragrance diffused through us is the knowledge of HIM or HIS knowledge! HIS knowledge is HIS gospel...it is the Good News that there is freedom from sin, death and Satan in Christ alone. It is a love and a life to be received by faith and then given away to whosoever will receive. The point is we must share the knowledge, we must share the gospel of Jesus Christ for IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION!
My burn, my passion is to be like Paul and to understand that the priority of my life is to know HIM and make HIM known. Oh, to be able to say with Paul..."More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ."
Father in heaven,
In the precious name of Jesus Christ show YOUR glory through us, diffuse the fragrance of Christ through YOUR children...please Father,complete the good work YOU began for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU!
love,
m