Verse By Verse Devotional On 2 Corinthians By Pastor Jack #61

Why the World Says, "You Stink!"

2:15-16 "We are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life."

As Paul says in v.14, the aroma of Christ is inherently sweet. However, it does not seem sweet to everyone. To "those who are perishing" is has the smell of death.

This does not come as a surprise (1John 3:13). Jesus Himself said, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you... Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also." (John 15:18-20)

So why does the world hate Jesus? He answers the question Himself in John 7:7:

"It hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil."

The same theme is found in John 3:19-20:

"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

And this is basically the same thing Paul says here in 2Cor.2:16 when he says that to those who are perishing we are an aroma from death to death. Those who are perishing despise the light of Christ because it exposes their sin and reminds them of the judgment of God they know they deserve ("they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death." - Rom.1:32).

This is why Christians smell like death to those who are running from the Light. Christians remind them of their own death: their own impending, eternal death, which they dread and don’t want to think about. Often they lash out and attack those who remind them of it.

Now the fact is that this isn’t the only reason non-Christians think that Christians stink. Sometimes it’s because of our arrogance or self-righteousness or hypocrisy. But even if we are perfectly Christ-like, we will still bear the stench of death to those who are fleeing from Christ.

O Father, how sad it is that men flee from their Creator, from the One who offers them life and hope and forgiveness. Yet, Lord, please help me be willing to be hated for bearing the aroma of Christ. Help me not to compromise Christ-likeness in order to be liked. And when I am hated, help me not to grow bitter or vengeful, but rather be like my Savior, who prayed for His crucifiers and willingly and lovingly laid down His life for the sake of His enemies.