We are Christ's incense to God for those who are being saved and for those who are not; for the last, the smell of death that leads to death, for the first the sweet smell of life that leads to life.2 Corinthians 2:15 Jerusalem Bible
Οτι Χριστου ευωδια εσμεν τω θεω εν τοις σωζομενοις και εν τοις απολλυμενοις, οις μεν οσμη εκ θανατου εις θανατον, οις δε οσμη εκ ζωης εις ζωην. και προς ταυτα τις ικανος
Οτι Χριστου ευωδια εσμεν τω θεω εν τοις σωζομενοις και εν τοις απολλυμενοις, οις μεν οσμη εκ θανατου εις θανατον, οις δε οσμη εκ ζωης εις ζωην. και προς ταυτα τις ικανος
When our testimony is pure, that is, when we testify only to the Word of God (both Jesus, and the scriptures that are His written ikon) as it is, nothing added or taken away (by us), nothing twisted, then for those destined to be saved (or saved already) we are the perfume of life, and for those destined to be lost (through their rejection of God) we are the stench of death.
But what happens if we adulterate our testimony to the Word, if we mix it with human reasoning, political correctness, or just the desire to please others (instead of God) in a (vain) attempt to win them over "by hook or by crook"?
We try to cover up the stench of death by using a kind of spiritual air freshener. We don't let the lost really get a whiff of their ultimate end, what they will turn into because their deeds are sinful and they hate God for showing them this. Instead, we "there, there" them into the Kingdom, or try to, soothing not their wounds and healing them, but humoring and abetting them in their sins, making light of them, and deceiving them on earth into a false hope, hiding from them what they really have chosen.
The testimony that we bear to the world must be pure, or else it is worthless and more than worthless, dangerous.
An interesting post, and an interesting photo to conclude it. I share your deep concern over those who preach an adulterated gospel, but don't think that's what this particular verse is talking about. I think the word-picture is of a triumphal military parade with victorious soldiers leading defeated soldiers. Both smell the incense. To one group, it's life and more life. To the other, it's a reminder of their pending execution.
ReplyDeleteIn the same way, in this world the true Christian is an aroma of life to others like him, but an aroma of death to those who are the Lord's enemies.