We Are the Aroma of Christ
Paul pens some amazing words (at least I found them amazing) in 2 Corinthians 2: 14 – 17. It was instructive for me to look at his words in three translations: the New Kings James version (NKJV), the Amplified Bible (AMP), and the Message (MSG). Here they are from longest to shortest:
“But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph as trophies of Christ’s victory and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere.”
“For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ which exhales unto God, discernible alike among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”
“To the latter it is an aroma wafted from death to death, a fatal odor, the smell of doom; to the former it is an aroma from life to life, a vital fragrance, living and fresh. And who is qualified, fit and sufficient for these things? Who is able for such a ministry? We?”
“For we are not, like so many, like hucksters making a trade of peddling God’s Word, shortchanging and adulterating the diving message; but like men of sincerity and the purest motive, as commissioned and sent by God, we speak His message in Christ, the Messiah, in the very sight and presence of God” (AMP, 166 words).
That translation is the longest. Next, the second longest of these verses from Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase ‘The Message’, which I really like. I use it in conjunction with several other translations including the NKJV and the 1984 NIV
“In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, He brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breath in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation — an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.”
“This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No — but at least we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can” (MSG, 144 words).
And the last of the three – the shortest from the NKJV.
“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.”
“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”
“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?”
“For we are not, as so many, peddling the world of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ” (NKJV, 107 words).
I used three translations, not because of their word count, but because they illuminate these important verses from slightly different perspectives helping me understand them better (although you can make a story out of the numbers 6, 4, and 7).
Here is what I take away from these powerful verses:
Paul is writing to those people in Corinth who are “in Christ”. As I have discussed previously, “in Christ” means to be in the sphere of Christ’s activity, presence, and power. It is another way of saying “in the Kingdom of God”. Paul is writing to and writing about Kingdom men and women, then and now.
Paul makes it clear that it is through us that God is making the knowledge of Christ evident to the world. In other words, God is using us to release the Kingdom of God into the kingdom of the world, aka the kingdom of self. We are the conduits through which the fragrance of Christ is being wafted into the world. In fact, we are that fragrance.
We are the aroma of Christ. We give off and carry the fragrance of Christ into the world.
Paul does not describe this fragrance in the passage. I believe he is describing the fruits of the spirit. Certainly this sweet fragrance involves love. Peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control are all wrapped up in this fruit. But above all of them, except love, I place joy. When people see our joy, they are looking at the sweet fragrance, the aroma of Jesus.
How do we carry the message of Christ into the world? Through our love and our holiness for sure. But more than this, at first glance, the world should see our joy.
To those on the way of salvation, it is an exquisite, vital life-giving fragrance; a sweet scent, living and fresh. I think of Isaiah 35 again describing those believers who are on the ‘way of holiness’ journeying toward Zion – Kingdom men and women.
But to those perishing it is a fatal odor, the smell of doom. I like the way Peterson puts it “they treat us more like the stench from a rotten corpse.” That’s bad. Is this why some people find us so offensive? Is this why Christianity is under attack around the world? Even in the Church joy can be a cause of scorn. Is our joy contagious to some and contagion to others? Apparently it is.
We carry the message of the Kingdom into the world. This is a big responsibility. And think about it – your joy, or lack of joy – is a big part of how that message is delivered.
None of us is competent to do this on our own, and for sure we can’t do it apart from scripture, joy or no joy. But we don’t do it alone. “As commissioned and sent by God, we speak His message in Christ, the Messiah, in the very sight and presence of God.”
You and I are the aroma, the fragrance of Jesus Christ to a world choking on the stench of dying souls and broken hearts. We have the message of life. God has called us, empowered His Kingdom people, and authorized us to not only show them the love of God in our words and deeds, but to wrap them in the aroma, the smell of the Creator of the universe – a sweet, fragrance more powerful than the most alluring perfume. Is this why we were created? To live a life of joy and to release joy wherever we go? I believe it is, at least in large part.
But to live this life, we must be joyful, rejoicing people and we can’t make that up. If joy is missing in your life, cry out to Jesus. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” is a good place to start. Are you living in the Kingdom of God? Are you repentant? Do you know the depth of God’s love for you, His presence in your life? And do you know truth – “Christ in you, the hope of glory”? Are you wounded, in need of healing? Joy is not an emotion; it is a person – Jesus. When we cry out for more of Him, when we open our heart to Him and tell Him “to take control”, when we surrender and submit that self-reliant, striving, do-it-myself place in my heart; when we tell Him that there is nothing more to give, “I am all used up”, then He can enter into the deepest parts of our heart and soul, plant the seeds of joy, and watch them grow into a flower of such beauty and fragrance that all the world will know you as His disciple. After all, by your fruit they will recognize Him.
“This is a terrific responsibility, is anyone competent to take it on?”, as Peterson puts it. No, but we must take it on. “We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can.” Not in our own power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives in and breathes life and joy into each Kingdom man and woman. Hallelujah!
Joyfully tonight,
John