Fragrance Of Life Or Death
Fragrance of Life or Death2 Corinthians 2:15-16“Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? “
It is remarkable how the very same testimony can have such dramatically opposite effects on its recipients. A lecture on the scientific evidences of creation, for example, or on the inspiration of the Bible will be received with great joy and understanding by some, provoke furious hostility in some, and generate utter indifference in others. This seems to be true of any message-written, or verbal, or simply demonstrated in behaviour-which has any kind of biblically spiritual dimension to it. It is like the pillar of cloud in the wilderness
Exodus 14:20The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. A Christian testimony draws and wins the one, repels and condemns the other. Some there are who “loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” John 3:17If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister[a] in need but shows no compassion-how can God's love be in that person?Thus the wonderful message of the gospel yields two diametrically opposite results.
John 3:36And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment."
Christ came to bring both unity and division.1 Peter 2:6-8As the Scriptures say, "I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor,and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced." (Isa 28:16 (Greek version) Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,"The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone." (Ps 118:22) And,"He is the stone that makes people stumble,he rock that makes them fall." (Isa 8:14)They stumble because they do not obey God's word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
But the wonderful thing is this: Whether a true testimony generates life or condemns to death, it is still “unto God a sweet savor of Christ.”