2 Corinthians 2:15 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. There is a fragrance that is the result of the presence of Jesus in our life and it is a sweet smelling fragrance as written in the above verse. It is the fragrance of faith. What does this fragrance do in our lives? We live a. more pleasing life to God. Paul wrote this to the church in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. 2 For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
This striving toward a more pleasing life to God is the result of a fragrant life that is centered in Jesus alone. This born again life fragrance compels us to want to please God in every area of our life and thus the result of that change is a changed life. Paul goes on to say this in the following verses. 1 Thessalonians 4: 3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— 5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. 6 Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
If we lived this pleasing life with a sweet fragrance the result would be a sweeter fellowship in the church and a stronger fellowship within the bonds of our fellowship. If satan can keep this "utopian" type of fellowship from happening he will do it, and he has been all about destroying the true fellowship of believers that God is wanting. We continue to let him do it also because our pride is out of control and we "stink" at fellowship. A true church will be a united church and their fellowship will be a sweet fragrance to all who are around them and the lost will be wanting what we have got and that is Jesus. It is not any accident that Paul writes these words in chapter 4 because in chapter 5 he reveals some great truths about the return of Jesus and what will happen when He comes.
We are in the last days and we need to be emitting that sweet fragrance mentioned in the verses above, but that fragrance doesn't come from competition within the fellowship of believers. All of this should be a "natural" result of knowing Jesus. Paul continues on in the next verses to say this 9 But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. 10 Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more. 11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
What do you smell like? Is it that sweet fragrance of Jesus in your life? If not, time to get back to pleasing God and not yourself and you will like the new fragrance that only the Holy Spirit can emot through you. It is the Fragrance of Faith!!
Vesselogical Out,
David Warren
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