"Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 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. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?" -2 Cor 2:14b-16
Since I've been saved I have had many opportunities to share my faith and what Christ has done in my life with others. The responses I get from people differ but are predictable, they usually fall into one of these four categories; some don't wanna hear it, they don't want anything to do with Christ so they reject the message. Others will agree with the message and say they believe in Jesus but don't want anything to do with "your Jesus", in other words they're fine with a non-personal, no commitment, nominal, let me live my life kind of "Christianity". Similarly others will hear you out but won't commit to Christ. Yet there are others who do embrace the message of the cross, acknowledge their sin and separation from God, and turn to the truth in faith.
Paul compares the the sharing of our faith as a pleasant aroma or fragrance rising up to God. When we tell others about Jesus we are worshiping God, the Old Testament burnt and incense offerings unto God had the same effect, they were a form of worship and obedience. God is always pleased with our obedience in preaching the gospel, to Him it is a sweet smell, even if to others we stink!
Yesterday we went out street witnessing as an intentional effort to share Christ. The majority of people were closed off, but there were some that were open heard the gospel presented, took the word, and allowed us to pray over them. Sometimes we think we've failed or that we have been unsuccessful in evangelism because we haven't had visible fruit or professions of faith. But that is not true, we are always winners when God is the one we are trying to please, after all it is Him who draws people unto Himself, we are just the smelly vessels He uses to give off a "life-giving" fragrance to those who will believe, or a stench of "death and doom", to those who continue to resist and suppress the truth of Christ. "Who is adequate for such a task as this?" Paul asks. Indeed it is a privilege to be smelly for Jesus as we share the good news with others no matter what the outcome.
Paul compares the the sharing of our faith as a pleasant aroma or fragrance rising up to God. When we tell others about Jesus we are worshiping God, the Old Testament burnt and incense offerings unto God had the same effect, they were a form of worship and obedience. God is always pleased with our obedience in preaching the gospel, to Him it is a sweet smell, even if to others we stink!
Yesterday we went out street witnessing as an intentional effort to share Christ. The majority of people were closed off, but there were some that were open heard the gospel presented, took the word, and allowed us to pray over them. Sometimes we think we've failed or that we have been unsuccessful in evangelism because we haven't had visible fruit or professions of faith. But that is not true, we are always winners when God is the one we are trying to please, after all it is Him who draws people unto Himself, we are just the smelly vessels He uses to give off a "life-giving" fragrance to those who will believe, or a stench of "death and doom", to those who continue to resist and suppress the truth of Christ. "Who is adequate for such a task as this?" Paul asks. Indeed it is a privilege to be smelly for Jesus as we share the good news with others no matter what the outcome.
- HOW CAN YOU GIVE OFF YOUR BEST ODOR WITHOUT USING WORDS? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE BASE OUR "SUCCESS" ON WHAT PEOPLE PERCEIVE OF US?
- “For every Noah there is always a vast multitude who will not believe it is going to rain!” -Ravenhill