I’ve thought about a verse in 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 for a long while and how it applies to all I see and all I hear spoken. Especially currently, as so many who proclaim to speak for the Lord voice their opinion rather than God’s word on one who seeks to again serve as President. The Amplified Bible says of these verses, “For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ (which exhales) unto God, (discernible alike) among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: To the latter it is an aroma (wafted) from death to death (a fatal odor, the smell of doom); to the former it is the aroma from life to life (a vital fragrance, living and fresh). And who is qualified (fit and sufficient) for these things? (Who is able for such a ministry? We?) For we are not, like so many, (like hucksters making a trade of pedaling God’s word (shortchanging and adulterating the divine message); but like men of sincerity and the purest motive, as (commissioned and sent) by God, we speak His message in Christ (The Messiah) in the very sight and presence of God.” Pure motives? Sincere? Speaking one’s own motive rather than God’s? That should cause great fear into those truly sent by Him for there is always a place where we will stand before Him and all our words will be laid bare.
These verses basically state we, and what we speak, must be like that pleasing aroma to the Lord like that offered up to Him in Leviticus 1. A sweet aroma. This fragrance should be the essence of the overflow of our intimacy with the Lord. Expressing our knowledge of Him. How is that possible when words spoken cause division and hatred? When lies, cheating, defaming, and basically saying through our tacit approval that one’s actions that are diametrically opposed to His teachings are OK with us. These words we speak or embrace have consequences. We can speak life and do our best to be a living example of what He requires through our love, obedience, sacrifice and thanks or we can embrace the polar opposite of His teaching. One diffuses the fragrance of Him and His knowledge everywhere and is seen in how we conduct ourselves and what we speak while the other brings that fragrance of death. And often it comes in sneakily, concealed in increments, and the rot it is causing is not seen until it may be too late. Agree with just a few things that are not in what He teaches and then the door is open for more. And then death is the fragrance you emit. Not life.
I’ve watched so many that have a platform where they speak for the Lord. They’ve spoken of these very verses in 2 Corinthians. They speak of being an offering to Him through our service and our giving. This has been done throughout time. Say you wish your walk and deeds to be a pleasing offering to the Lord but live contrary to that premise. The prophet spoke to that in Isaiah 1. He said God was tired of their offerings. He said put away your evil doings. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Rebuke the oppressor. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow. Isaiah later tells the people that their princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. That everyone loves bribes and follows after their own rewards. He says the Lord will turn His hand against them and says these people that walk in this injustice and those who align with them will be dealt with together.
I’m reminded of the song by Lynyrd Skynyrd, “That Smell”. It says the smell of death surrounds you. When you align with that marriage of church, service to Him, and the politics of Trump, you make it an act of your will to embrace that odor of putrefaction. Of death leading to death. It’s like people standing to get a view of a large Titan Arum flower. Also called a corpse flower. Yes, interesting to see, but it smells like rotting flesh, an odor it uses to attract its pollinators to the flower that love to feed and breed on flesh. No different than what we see right now from those embracing an evil man in DT who works to destroy the very underpinnings of our democracy and the very fabric of what we say we embrace in our walk with the Lord. David tells us in Psalm 37 to not fret because of evil doers because they will be cut off. The wicked believe they can plot and do evil without repercussion, but the Lord laughs at them for He knows their day is coming. We are to commit ourselves to Him and He shall bring forth our justice. In all this, I say what Paul said in Romans 1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Be that “pleasing aroma” before Him and to all He puts in our path. Blessings.
Stand My Watch 