2
Corinthians 2: ISV
The
Apostle Paul tells us:
12When I
went to Troas on behalf of the gospel of the Messiah, the Lord opened a door for me, 13but my
spirit could not find any relief, because I couldn't find Titus, my
brother. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
Isn’t it encouraging
that Paul the Apostle struggled as we do to find peace at times! But in those
times we should do as he did and continue on in faith, following Christ!
14But
thanks be to God! He always leads us triumphantly by the Messiah and through us spreads everywhere the
fragrance of knowing him.
15To God
we are the aroma of the Messiah among
those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. 16To some
people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a living
fragrance.
We should be spreading the aroma of the Messiah if we are the ones "who are being saved". Some people will despise our fragrance as deadly. Others will see our fragrance as a living fragrance.
Who is
qualified for this?
·
Instead, we speak with sincerity in the Messiah’s name, like people who are sent from God
and are accountable to God.
As countless numbers
of false preachers and teachers today, Paul had to deal with those who were
commercializing the gospel for money. Turn on the TV and listen to the false
preachers of today. What gospel? It’s about money, money, money and how you can
have your “Best Life Now”. The same lie Satan deceived the first Adam who fell. Praise God the
second Adam, Jesus the Messiah, when tested by Satan said no to this and went to the cross instead.
Jesus now tells us to “say no to the things we want and pick up our cross
and follow him, continually”.
Please note in verse 17, that
these who commercialize God's word are clearly shown to be the opposite of the people
who are sent from God and are accountable to God. They are teachers who do not speak with sincerity in the Messiah’s name.
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