Who Is Adequate For These Things?

“14But 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. 15For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16to 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 Cor 2:14-16

We stink. And I love it. May we ever be a ‘fragrance of Christ to God’. To both those being saved and to the lost. I am ‘enjoying the aroma’ when I read the Word, worship, hear sermons about the Love of Christ. When singing in church, not only is God worshipped, but we Christians are blessed, are lifted up; we enjoy the ‘fragrance of Christ to God’.
And not only in church, but everywhere (in every place as mentioned above) we gather and talk, encourage and share among other Christians what God has done for us. It is Sweet.
And yet there is the essence of cold clay evident in us also. By being alive to Christ, we have put to death the old man, the old nature, and to those who are perishing, that is their entire existence. That nature is all that they have, and to hear that it need be put to death brings condemnation upon them for the very reason we rejoice: Christ, Who died for us, rose again and has redeemed us from Sin and Death.
It is no wonder that those who are perishing put up such defenses as they have to keep from hearing the Gospel or facing God. I know that I put up those defenses as an unbeliever, but Christ’s Love broke through
just like in the Keith Green song.
“The aroma from death to death.” One doesn’t have to be a goth Marilyn Manson fan with tats from ankles to eyebrows to embrace Death. Just go on living your life as if God has no part in it. Be your own man or woman-no Christian, no Book, no God is going to tell you how to live!
If Christians make you nervous, if being around Christians makes you uncomfortable, if hearing the Gospel expounded makes you grimace and want to cover your ears…I’ve got some Good News for You.
You don’t have to remain an enemy of God. The fragrance you can’t stand now could someday be as sweet to you as honey.
Jesus Christ made it possible for you to be restored to a right relationship with God; it is a Gift, which you cannot earn or achieve on your own. Freely you can receive what was bought at a great price.
And that is the ‘sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him’. To know Him is to Love Him. And to know Him is to be Loved by Him. Sweet indeed.