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What do we smell like to the saved?
What do we smell like to the lost? 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 ESV For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, (16) to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? What do you smell like? We who are saved and walking with the Father are a sweet smelling fragrance or aroma to God. We have fulfilled His will in faithfully proclaiming the Gospel, and fighting against sin both inside us and outside of us. The knowledge of God through our Lord Jesus Christ is made manifest by the ministers of the Gospel, because we are a sweet aroma. It's not that we have the sweeet fragrance in ourselves, for we have the same corrupt hearts and natures, and outside of Crist we are nothing. We who are saved are all 5 minutes away from the eating out of the garbage can when we walk away from the Father's sweet grace. As we receive and walk in God's gifts and graces we manifest His fragrant and sweet smelling aroma. Song of Solomon 1:2-3 ESV She Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine; (3) your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. The example or type here is Aaron and the priests under the law, who were anointed with the anointing oil, which was poured upon their heads, ran down upon their beards, and descended to the skirts of their garments, so that they were all over a perfume, a sweet smell, fragrance and aroma before God and man. Psalms 133:1-2 ESV A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! (2) It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! The importance of the picture of the oil in Ps.133:1-2 was the aroma, the smell, and the fragrance. This is what happens when brothers walk together in God's unity. Those separated in 2 Cor.2:16 by the fragrance, the smell, the aroma was separated by faith. To them that go on the right hand and embrace faith and God's ways, "the aroma is life." But to them that go on the left hand and reject faith and God's ways, "the aroma is death". And on a side note: Are we commercializing or peddling God's Word? 2 Cor 2:17 ESV For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
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Anyone studying the Word for any time knows that when Adam sinned he died spiritually.
Because Adam died spiritually, we also carried spiritual death until we were "quickened" to life by the Person of the Holy Spirit. We had death in Adam, but... We have MUCH MORE life in Christ than we had death in Adam. Rom 5:17-18 (ESV) For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. Death is not a PERIOD, just a COMMA.
I have seen and heard professing Christians view death with fear and statements that all is lost. My dad accepted the Lord Jesus Christ three years before his death and I rejoiced at his death because of the pain his body was in every day. I happen to believe that he immediately entered before the presence of all the true believers that had gone on before him and before the presence of God the Father and King Jesus. I am really concerned about the heart of faith in those who are professing believers yet walk in so much fear, especially fear of death. Lord, I pray for those Christians who have not understood that nothing in this life or the next life can separate them from your love. May the truth of Your Word build a stronghold within them that will bring them to Your PEACE. Paul says in Rom.8:38 that he was PERSUADED, or convinced. I pray that for you today. I pray that you are no ALMOST persuaded, but FULLY persuaded. Romans 8:35-39 ISV Who will separate us from the Messiah's love? Can trouble, distress, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or a violent death do this? (36) As it is written, "For your sake we are being put to death all day long. We are thought of as sheep headed for slaughter." (37) In all these things we are triumphantly victorious due to the one who loved us. (38) For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor anything above, nor anything below, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is ours in union with the Messiah Jesus, our Lord. |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
March 2021
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