THE BIBLE ANSWERS 
                                                                                                                By HAROLD SMITH
QUESTION: What are your thoughts on 2 Cor. 2: 15-16

ANSWER: Here are the verses; For we are unto 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 unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.

The key to this is in V.14, where we read, Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.  The word “triumph” was used of a general who came back from the battle with his men. He rode in a chariot drawn by white horses. His army rode ahead of him and the captives (enemies) behind.  His army celebrated the victory, but  his captives were later put to death.
  
This word  is only used again in Col. 2:15, where Christ was victorious of the enemies of God, Satan and his cohorts; in doing so He led a victory for us, but death to his enemies. This General led all the redeem to life and His enemies to death.
  
2 Cor. describes all Paul’s persecutions, hardships and enemies  (See 11:23... ) So in 2:14-16  he  uses this word  picture of a triumphing general as being himself and his co-worker as something that went up to God as a sweet smell and that led his workers and us  onward to more victories in Christ and at the same time showing that those enemies who rejected his message would eventually perish.  To the saved a savour of life unto life (more abundant, John 10:10) to the lost, a savour of death unto death, which meant, that because they had heard the message and rejected it, they were heaping wrath upon wrath in the day of judgment Rom. 2:5   But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15:57

Dear saved or lost,  do you have this victory in Christ? Are you saved? Do you have victory in your life?
 

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Uploaded July28th 2008 by Harold Smith