People can Smell that! (2 Corinthians 2:14-16; John 12:3; Ephesians 5:2)

Everyone has entered a room where only moments before, sharp contention, disagreement, harsh words, and vile speech has been dominant, and the very atmosphere is thick with the pungent "aroma" of those hateful, killing words. It is most uncomfortable, and the natural reaction is to retreat and withdraw from the reach of the destructive, distasteful, presence of the evil spiritual condition, thick with its repulsive nature, that has been created.

By contrast, entering the presence of the Father God, in intimate worship, where praise and blessing has created the most pleasant, pleasing place, defined by a strong, inviting climate, that is safe and secure for all who enter, so that all those interacting with the Father, are not only comfortable, welcome, and embrace the strong feeling of being at home, rather than being repulsed, adverse, or suffering a distasteful experience, they embrace the strong pleasant presence of God, never wanting to leave or to have the experience end.

 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 says, "Now thanks be to God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place. For we are to God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savour of death to death; and to the other the savour of life to life..."

SAVOUR

The word translated 'savour', is (osme), 3744, literally just meaning 'smell', or more properly, 'odor', which could be a pleasing aroma, or an unpleasant fragrance. It is derived from (ozo), 3605, where the English word 'ozone' comes from. The word is only found 6 times in the NT (John 12:3; 2 Cor.2:14,16 [2x's]; Eph.5:2; Phil.4:18), of which, John 12:3 provides the best visual imagery, where Mary took, "...a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment"

SWEET SAVOUR

Interestingly enough, 'sweet savour', is one word in the Greek, (euodia), 2175, which is a combination of (eu), 2095, 'good', or 'well', and (ozo), 3605, 'scent', or 'aroma', but with the idea of something that fills the atmosphere. This compound word is only used 3 times in the NT (2 Cor. 2:15; Eph.5:2; Phil. 4:18). It is derived from the practice of animal sacrifice, where the indication is that the pleasing aroma of the offering of worship, enters into the nostrils of God, and it is a sweet smell that is pleasing to Him. Christ was the ultimate sweet smelling sacrifice to Him, because it was an offering of love, "...as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour" (Eph.5:2).

2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-16

This passage of scripture presents the historical imagery of generals returning in victory from battle, with slaves paraded in front of their chariots, and their army marching behind. During this procession, wreaths of fragrant flowers were draped from spears, armor, and chariots, while pleasing incense was being burned in the temples along their pathway. At some point during this visual drama, punctuated by the fresh fragrant aromas, the leaders of the defeated armies were pulled aside from the captives, and executed, in their ultimate defeat. Thus, the pleasing incense became both a strong evidence of victory to the conquerors, and those delivered from a potential, similar fate of slavery, as well as a foreboding sign of death and defeat, to all who knew the common ritual of the procession.

SMELL like CHRIST

We "smell" like Christ, to our Father, and carry that aroma of His presence into every situation and circumstance we encounter, bringing the life of God, and like Mary, filling the room with the pleasing fragrance of the Saviour of the world. We are the scent of life, and we give life to all who will receive the costly, yet, free gift of Christ.

You Are God's Best and God's Best is Yours