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"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16).

We presently have a decomposing odor in our home. At times this is due to the application of organic fertilizer on the fields that surround us but in this case there has been no activity of this type.

Yesterday Brooksyne walked into our utility closet and yelled out to me, "Stephen, I think we have the decaying smell of a dead mouse".

Well that would explain it. We live out on the country and have fought these very unwelcome critters ever since we've lived here, as I have written about before, and also heard from a few who have the same problem in their household. When I set traps finding them deceased is not as hard, although on a few occasions the dying mouse had managed to drag the trap around. But this one must have died naturally and finding it can be quite a chore. I looked last night for the deceased critter but will have to do a deeper dive today. (Brooksyne wants nothing to do with mice, dead or alive.)

Strange as it may sound our odious experience prompts me to consider a phrase in our daily text, "an aroma from death to death".

In yesterday's message we considered Christ's call to be "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). We are all called to share His light.

But we are also called to spread a fragrance, a sweet aroma. Paul uses a rather unusual metaphor in our daily text to describe this aspect of ministry, God "manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place".

Through the years we have developed several messages based on today's text, focusing on how we are an aroma of Christ. Today's passage speaks of followers of Christ as being an aroma of death.

The verse begins, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ". Fragrance, in the form of incense, was common at the Roman triumphal parade. In Paul’s mind, this fragrance is like the knowledge of God, which people could easily inhale as the triumphal parade marched by.

God has ordained that His people spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. The Greek word for aroma is "osme" and is the same word used when Mary washed our Lord's feet with expensive perfume and the pleasant fragrance filled the house.

This "aroma of Christ" is detectable to both the saved and the unsaved. However their reactions are entirely different. To those "who are being saved" it is "the aroma from life to life".

But to "those who are perishing" it is the "aroma from death to death". David Guzek observes, "The scent of incense burnt to the gods in a Roman triumphal parade smelled wonderful to a Roman. The same aroma was a bad smell to a captive prisoner of war in the parade, who would soon be executed or sold into slavery".

For those refusing to believe and accept Christ and persisting in a disobedient and evil way of living the sweet aroma of a true Christian is a reminder of their dead state, although they may not see it that way.

This contrast is similar to a theme found in John 3 regarding reactions to light. Some love spiritual light while others seek to flee from it.

Paul's closing question in this passage is; "And who is equal for these things?" He was aware of the awesome responsibilities placed upon himself and other believers. The same is true for us today and we urge you to spread everywhere the aroma of the knowledge of Jesus. May this be pleasing to God as it releases the aroma of spiritual truth to those around you! For some it is an aroma of life, but to some it will be an aroma of death.

Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13