The Aroma of
Christ
By
Susan Klein
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us
in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the
fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among
those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the
smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”
2 Corinthians 2:14-16a
In the book of Revelation, the apostle John is instructed by our Lord to deliver His words to seven churches, one of them being the church in Smyrna. Unfortunately, they were a people of great persecution and suffering, yet they remained true to their faith and continued to share the love of Christ.
The name “Smyrna” contains the root
word of “myrrh,” indicating a fragrant aroma. Myrrh was the sap from particular
trees that was harvested and hardened. To use it, you would crush the hardened
resin, causing the fragrant oils to be released, emitting their bittersweet
aroma. Thus, as myrrh suffers, its fragrance is released.
The Christian people in Smyrna were
very familiar with suffering and being crushed by persecution. But, in keeping
with their namesake, they emitted the sweet aroma of Christ even while enduring
hardships. Jesus tells John to let them know they will suffer still more
persecution, but to not be afraid. He says if they are faithful, even to the
point of death, He will give them the crown of life (Revelation 2:8-10).
In 2 Corinthians, Paul again reminds us
that we are to be the aroma of Christ by sharing our knowledge of the
Scriptures. We are not to shrink back fearfully from persecution, but be
diligent in our profession of Christ. He points out that to those who are
perishing (rejecting the Gospel) we are the smell of death, but to those who
are seeking salvation, we are the fragrance of life!
I believe that, like the church in
Smyrna, believers today are going to face more and more persecution, but only
if people know we are believers. If we are not emitting any aroma, we have no
fear of anyone taking notice of us. Persecution in America is not very
prevalent compared to many other countries, yet it exists in more subtle ways.
One of Satan’s greatest tactics is to use persecution to break down the
believer and stop the aroma of Christ from spreading. But God’s Word is more
powerful than any weapon of Satan’s!
Let’s heed Paul’s exhortation, letting God lead us in a triumphal procession,
courageously spreading our fragrant aroma to all around us.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you remembering to share your knowledge of God’s Word with others?
1. Are you remembering to share your knowledge of God’s Word with others?
2. Ask Him to bring someone into your
life who could benefit from your fragrance.
Susan is a We Women Bible Study Coordinator and one of its teachers.She and her husband Mark enjoy tutoring and working with inner-city youth.
