Bible Questions Answered:
“Pastor I don't get 2 Corinthians
2:15, what is this saying? ' For we are unto God a sweet savor of
Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:”
Bernice/ Washington, England United
Kingdom
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
II Corinthians 2:14-17 KJV
14 Now thanks
be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh
manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are
unto God a sweet savor* of Christ, in them that are saved, and
in them that perish:
16 To the one
we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of
life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are
not as many, which corrupt The Word Of God: but as of sincerity, but
as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
*Savor-Greek: Eudia (Yoo-o-dee-ah):
Fragrance, sweet smelling.
God in His great creative wisdom, gave
mankind, five senses. Sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
The Apostle Paul, speaking here is
saying, they came preaching the message of salvation, and to those
who were saved by it, the messenger of God, was like a fresh bouquet
of roses, but to those who rejected Paul's message of the risen
Savior, his message was like the smell of death itself, because they
rejected Christ and His message of salvation.
II Corinthians 2:14-17 NLT
(Ministers of the New Covenant)
14 But thank God! He has made us His
captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal
procession. 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?
17 You see, we are not like the many
hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach
The Word Of God with sincerity and
with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.
II Corinthians 2:14-17 MSG
14-16 In The Messiah, in Christ, God
leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through
us, He brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe
in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet
scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of
salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to
destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.
16-17 This is a terrific
responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No—but at least
we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the
streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we
speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God
and say it as honestly as we can.
The Apostle includes an interesting
line here 17 NLT “You
see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal
profit. We preach The Word Of God with sincerity and with Christ’s
authority, knowing that God is watching us.
Hear
it now, the Apostle says quite firmly, listen, we could sweeten
up our message (Salvation by works- Not by repentance and obedience.)
and everyone would gladly receive it, and we would be much better off
financially too, but we are not hucksters, out for personal profit!
“We preach The Word Of God with sincerity and with
Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.”
Hebrews 12:1,2
KJV
1 Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us
run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus The Author and
Finisher Of Our faith..."
II Timothy 4:3-5 NLT
3 For a time is coming when people
will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will
follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell
them whatever their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will reject The Truth and
chase after myths.
5 But you should keep a clear mind
in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for
The Lord. Work at telling others The
Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
II Timothy 3:1-5
KJV
1 This know also, that in the
last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, truce
breakers, false accusers, incontinent (uncontrolled:lacking
self-restraint;), fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high minded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
The message of
God's love and way of pardon, is before us as a delightful fragrance,
or the very stench of death and judgment, only we decide!
Ephesians 5:1,2
KJV
1 Be ye therefore followers of God,
as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also
hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.
