The Fragrance of Life

2 Corinthians 2: 14-17

“14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not peddlers of God’s word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.”

The fragrance that Paul refers to is the knowledge of Christ that he and those with him spread about like incense as they traveled from place to place.   

Paul saw many people who believed and many who did not.  For Paul, a believer had the fragrance of spiritual life about them and a non-believer had the fragrance of spiritual death.

As Christians, we offer others the knowledge, teachings, and example of Christ. Paul wrote that we should do this as persons sent from God, standing in God’s presence.  If we do this, then we will always be humble, and always sincere.

And our faith will be the fragrance of life in this world.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)