By David ReayMonday 21 Nov 2016LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
14-16 Thanks be to God who leads us, wherever we are, on his own triumphant way and makes our knowledge of him spread throughout the world like a lovely perfume! We Christians have the unmistakeable “scent” of Christ, discernible alike to those who are being saved and to those who are heading for death. To the latter it seems like the very smell of doom, to the former it has the fresh fragrance of life itself. (JBP)
It is so sad when Christians are seen as angry reactionaries intent on trampling on the rights of others and denouncing various forms of wickedness, hurling Bible texts at others who don’t measure up.
While we are to speak out on issues, we best do it as those who remind people of grace and mercy. As our text points out, not all will accept this. The gospel will cause its own offence, but woe to us if we are the cause of offence.
Philip Yancey writes of two ways of dispensing Christian truth in terms of ‘spraying’. One approach is of the spray we use on pests. It is directed at such pests in order to get rid of them. The other sort of spraying is that of a perfume atomiser. It dispenses fine spray so as to enrich the immediate atmosphere. It doesn’t change the whole world but does change our immediate space.
In our legitimate desire to exterminate wickedness, let’s not forget to spread the fragrance of Jesus around. May mercy triumph over judgment in our witness.
Blessings
David Reay