Sweet Aroma or Offensive Smell?

 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. Second Corinthians 2:15

The LORD has created a world where there are many aromas. Once you catch a whiff of something cooking in the oven, you know immediately what is in there. Beef stew? Roast? Bread? Surely the pleasure of such smells is part of the reason we can enjoy life so. Of course, if the cook is careless, and leaves the food on the stove too long, the offensive stench of burnt food is a warning that if we don't do something quick, the next call will be 911! 

Thus it is with our spiritual lives. The Bible tells us that if any man be in Christ, he has become a new creation, that all of the old things have passed away, and the new life has taken hold. Where before, our aroma was that of death, now we have become sweet smelling. The fruit of our lives, which was formally "Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, heresies, envying, murders, drunkness, revelings and such", now has become "Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance". This has not been the result of our labor, but that of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. 

However, this new life is offensive to some. We must understand that though we are being changed, "From one degree of glory to another", that change is bringing the presence of Christ into contact with those who do not want anything to do with Him. We are being changed, but not for the better, in their eyes. Jesus said, "If they hated me, they will hate you". This has been the history of the true Church throughout the centuries. Darkness hates the Light, and will go to any measure to suppress it. 

So, brothers and sisters, let's not give in to discouragement. If they hated Him, they will hate us. But for those whom God is calling to be saved, we will be that sweet, sweet aroma of the Jesus that saved us, and is calling them. 

Amen.