The Nose Knows
We are the aroma of Christ…. (II Corinthians 2:15).
I have to be honest: some of the most unpleasant, obnoxious, and mean-spirited people I have ever met are church people. There, I said it! I know it sounds harsh and judgmental, but it’s true. Perhaps you’ve met some of these people too. What makes this especially difficult is that these noxious personalities are often biblical in their theology, passionate in their spirituality, and impressive in their ministry. They appear to be credible witnesses of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But something isn’t right. You can feel it. Or perhaps I should say; you can smell it.
When it comes to assessing spiritual authenticity, we typically put the emphasis on what someone knows (knowledge) and how someone acts (behavior). If someone knows their Bible, practices spiritual disciplines, and is involved in ministry, we assume they are faithful followers of Christ. And if they do these things with zeal and passion, well, the issue is settled. Right?
I’ve begun to realize there is another dimension to Christian discipleship that is just as important as what one knows and how one behaves, perhaps even more important. I’m talking about how one smells. It takes more than eyes and ears to discern the truth about someone’s walk with the Lord. We also need to learn to rely on our sense of smell. The nose knows.
Corinth Community Church gets the prize for being the most dysfunctional church in the New Testament. By the time Paul writes his second letter to this troubled congregation, the situation has become toxic. Certain “super-apostles” are creating a sensation with their impressive knowledge and hyper-charged gifts of ministry. And yet, something doesn’t smell right. They are preaching Jesus, but not the one described in the New Testament. And they are proclaiming the gospel, but not the same one that Paul is preaching (see II Cor. 11:4-5). Paul knows the fragrance of authentic Christian ministry, and this aroma is sadly lacking in the lives of these spiritual superstars. Thus, he is forced to call these ministers what they really are: “false apostles” and “deceitful workmen” (II Cor. 11:13). To help the Corinthian believers recognize the truth, Paul urges them to use their noses! And he dares to use himself as an example of what the aroma of authentic gospel ministry smells like.
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. (II Cor. 2:14-16 NLT).
A Roman “triumphal procession” was somewhat similar to a ticker-tape parade in Manhattan. It was thrown in honor of a Roman general who had won an important battle and was a multisensory experience. Government officials typically led the way, followed by trumpets. Then came the priests from the local temples, with censers. Ah, the aroma of victory! Next came a long line of wagons displaying the spoils of war (gold, jewels, works of art, etc.). Then came the soldiers, marching proudly through the streets as the crowds cheered wildly with delight. Finally, the Roman general himself appeared. Riding in a chariot, holding high the Roman scepter, and wearing the wreath of victory. Last of all, at the end of the parade, came the prisoners of war. The crowds would boo and hiss as they were led through the streets, on their way to the arena, where they would be slaughtered as a form of public entertainment.
The point Paul is making is that Jesus Christ has won a great victory over the powers of darkness and is displaying his trophies of war for all the world to see. As an apostle, Paul wants everyone to understand where he sees himself in this triumphal procession: at the end of the parade, among the prisoners of war! He was once Christ’s enemy, leading a rebellion against King Jesus. But thanks be to God, he lost that battle! And now Jesus is putting him on display for the world to see what grace can do in the life of a wretched sinner like himself.
9 I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike. (I Cor. 4:9 NLT).
Paul models his ministry after the cruciform life of Christ! As King Jesus laid down his life for others, so Paul has the privilege of doing the same thing. Death is at work in him so that life can be at work in others (see II Cor. 4:12). You can be sure that the aroma of such a ministry is distinctive. People either love it or hate it.
Make It Personal
Dear friend, let me ask you an important question. How do you know whether or not your minister is the real deal? Your eyes and ears are helpful in discerning the truth, of course. But I want to encourage you to use your nose as well. At the risk of oversimplification, the aroma of an authentic minister of the gospel can be captured in three adjectives that should describe everything he, or she, does:
Self-denial. His rights, his happiness, his career, his future are all surrendered to the lordship of King Jesus. You’ll not hear him demanding his rights or insisting “My way or the highway!”.
Other-oriented. Her focus is always outward towards others; their needs, their hurts, their questions, their hopes, their fears, etc. She lives by the motto, ‘It’s not about me.’
Status-renouncing. Even as Jesus emptied himself of the perks and privileges that come with his divine status, so a true minister of the gospel turns his back on personal success so that he can devote himself completely to serving others.
The real question, of course, is not about your pastor, but you! What do you smell like? What is the aroma of your life? Because you can’t smell your own stink, you may need to ask those around you to help answer that question! If we are ever going to reach the world for Christ, it is going to take more than our words and our actions. Perhaps the key to world evangelization hinges on how we smell!
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