2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV): But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?
Many Christians are amazed and troubled when they are not “liked” by the rest of the world. To many it seems counterintuitive. After all, look at all of the wonderful things that Christians and churches do for society! Who is the first to give aid in times of disaster? The churches are usually among the very first on the scene, and often are the very last to leave. Who were the first to put on soup kitchens and run homeless shelters, hospitals, orphanages, and homes for unwed mothers? The Christians, who did these things even in ancient Rome, to the amazement of the local authorities. Where is the first place many go when they are in need? The churches, who have a long history of helping those who can find help in no other place.
And yet, despite all of this, the vitriol unleashed against the Church and against Christians, is strong, passionate, and loud. And it catches a lot of Christians off guard. Why do these people seem to hold such a hatred against us? Even those who don’t seem to have the same level of hostility against other religious groups?
Paul gives the answer very clearly in these 3 short verses. God uses His people to spread everywhere the fragrance and the knowledge of Jesus. Those who love God, who follow and obey Him, who are the Church, have the very aroma of Christ on them. And from them, that aroma permeates every place they go. What is peculiar about this aroma is the difference in the way it is perceived by those who smell it. To those who are seeking after God, that aroma is the fragrance of life, enticing and attractive, like the smell of fresh, clean air after a spring rain. It is an aroma that draws them in, that shows them the very gates of life, that invites them to eat from the Tree of Life and live forever. But to those who are perishing, those who refuse to bend their knee to God, those who refuse to leave their own agendas behind to worship and serve God, that same aroma is the smell of death. It challenges their worldview and threatens their plans. It invites them to lay down the lives that they so tenaciously cling to. It shines the light of holiness on their darkened hearts and minds, causing them to recoil from its revealing power.
The same exact fragrance, the fragrance of Christ, will actually reveal where a person is spiritually by the way they respond to it. Because of this fragrance that clings to the true believers, we can expect to experience both reactions to our very presence. We should not be surprised when people insult us, persecute us, and falsely say all kinds of evil against us because of our commitment to the cause of Christ. (Matthew 5:11) That is the normal response to the fragrance of Christ from those who have set themselves against God. Instead we should rejoice, because such undeserved treatment is actually evidence that our names are written in heaven.
Father, this makes sense. Help us to never shrink back when the opinions and actions of people are against us, but instead to realize that that mistreatment is merely the response of the spiritually dead to the aroma of life, and push on with our job of saving souls. Help us to pray always for those who persecute us, that they might wake from their spiritual death, so that they can taste of eternal life. Thank You for Your love, Your grace, Your strength, and even Your aroma of life that permeates our lives. Amen.