Emitting The Fragrance Of Life

On March 15, 2005, Philadelphia NBC News Channel 10 published an article with the following headline: “Couple Sells Candles That Smell Like Jesus.” I want to share a small snippet of what the article announced: “Now there’s a candle that lets you experience the scent of Jesus, and they’ve been selling out by the case . . . Light up the candle called ‘His Essence’ and its makers say you’ll experience the fragrance of Christ. The formula [for the candle] is all spelled out in Psalm forty-five. It’s a Messianic Psalm referring to when Christ returns and His garments will have the scent of myrrh, aloe and cassia.”(1)

I’m here to tell you that the true fragrance of Christ is not emitted from a candle; but rather, it’s to issue forth from His followers. Believers should serve as the aromatherapy of life to the world, emitting the grace-filled fragrance of life in Christ. The lost can’t receive life in Christ unless they first hear about it; therefore, those who have received life in Jesus must be willing to share that life with others. Believers must “pay it forward,” so to speak, and relay the wonderful news that leads to salvation and true life in Christ; because, as Romans 10:14 asks, “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Fragrance of Life, Aroma of Death (vv. 14-17)

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

We find here the statement, “the fragrance of His knowledge” (2 Cor 2:14). The definition of “fragrance” is “the state or quality of having a pleasant odor,” “a sweet or pleasant . . . scent,” and it is “a substance, such as a perfume or cologne, designed to emit a pleasant odor.”(2) A fragrance, simply put, is a good smell.

The fragrance of His knowledge is “good smelling knowledge,” meaning that it’s very appealing. In 2 Corinthians 4:6, Paul declared that “God . . . has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” This good smelling and appealing knowledge is the news that Jesus Christ is God come to earth, in order to become the sinless and perfect sacrifice and lay down His life on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind.

In Philippians 3:8, Paul said, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” He declared that he was willing to abandon everything in this world that meant something to him, in order to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (3:10). For Paul, his main goal in life was “knowing” Jesus, and he craved the “knowledge” of Christ.

Knowledge is defined as an “acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report,” and the term can also be used in an intimate manner.(3) The fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus made Paul want to know Christ more intimately; and we’re supposed to allow the fragrance of His knowledge to be diffused through us so that others will be attracted into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

“The fragrance of His knowledge” in verse 14, is defined as, “the fragrance of Christ” in verse 15. Since a fragrance smells good, then Jesus Christ is sweet smelling to those who believe in Him, or rather to “those who are being saved” (2:15). It’s also possible for Him to be appealing to “those who are perishing” (2:15), or rather to the lost.

In verse 16, the term “fragrance” then transitions to “aroma.” An aroma is “an odor arising from spices, plants, cooking, etc.”(4) An aroma can be good or bad depending on the source. “The fragrance of Christ” was sweet smelling and appealing to both the saved and the lost; however, we read something different about the word “aroma.”

We are informed about an “aroma of life leading to life,” and an “aroma of death leading to death” (2:16). We are not only a fragrance, but an aroma. Our presence can bring the refreshing smell of life, such as in beautiful flowers; or the gut-wrenching smell of death. An aroma is sweet smelling to the saved, but foul smelling to the lost.