Christians smell!

2 Corinthians 2:14-17

'But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.'

"We are the aroma of Christ"

As christians we should smell of Christ, stand out, have a significant odour of Jesus. Smelling of God!

What does that mean? 

When someone wears; perfume, aftershave, or even steps in poop, you notice. 

The aroma stands out. 

We sense it, we recognise that it's not an everyday, commonplace aroma otherwise we'd not notice it. 

We all have associations with smells. A certain washing powder might remind you of someone, the whiff of mulled wine may remind you of Christmas. Even unpleasant smells like the smell of a public toilet have connotations. (It makes my nose crinkle just thinking about it!)

But I think this is what this passage is about. 

As christians, we smell! 

To some people it'll be a pleasant aroma, something attractive and compelling. To others it'll be like a public toilet, something they DO NOT want to be around! 

If we are christians, we should smell! 

We shouldn't be neutral or commonplace. 

We should stand out. 

So, what is the 'aroma of Christ?'

The passage says it's the, 'knowledge of him'. 

Of who? 

You guessed it -Jesus.

This speaks of knowledge, it's not just an idea, an opinion, a faint hope, it's KNOWLEDGE! 

To gain knowledge, you need to read up on the facts. You need to be informed and active. Acquiring knowledge requires motivation and work. We have to apply ourselves, study the word, spend time with Jesus,  that's how we gain knowledge. 

THEN we will smell. 

We will walk life with the fragrance of Christ hanging off of us and people will notice. 

We will not please everyone but we will be spreading the smell of God!