Forgiveness and Fragrances

In his second letter to the Corinthian Church, the Apostle Paul called the Corinthians to forgive the same man who was banished from the church in the first letter. 1 Corinthians 5 states that this man was sleeping with his father's mother and that such a sin wasn't found even among the pagans. Paul rebuked him and the church for allowing such vulgar behavior among believers. Everyone knew of his sin, but no one rebuked him.

So, Paul recommended that they "put away from themselves the evil person," and they did. We know that God is holy and commands us to be just as He is. 1 Peter 1:16 reads, “Be ye holy, for I am holy”. Peter quoted this Old Testament scripture from Leviticus because it still applies—we are to be holy before our Holy Father. In the Old Law, when sin or ungodliness was found amongst the Israelites, they were commanded to separate from both God and God’s people until their sins were atoned for. Holiness could not fellowship with unholiness.

The same concept still stands. We are to distance ourselves from ungodly ways and people. We all sin, but as Paul stated, this man’s sin was unusual and wasn’t even found in the heathen world. So, in this extreme case, Paul ruled that excommunication was necessary for the health of the Body of Christ. Yet, in 2 Corinthians 2, Paul advises the church to forgive and restore the man to the fold.

This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.

(2 Corinthians 2:6-8 NKJV)

The grief from sin and excommunication was heavy on the man. From context, I believe it is safe to conclude that the man had repented for his sins. I am sure Paul wouldn’t have recommended restoring him to the body if he had not left the clutches of Satan (1 Corinthians 5:5). The man received forgiveness and restoration from God, but not from the church.

Yet, we know we are to imitate God. If God restored the man, the Corinthian Church was to follow suit. Paul said that the call to forgiveness was a test. Paul wrote, “For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things (v.9). He also wrote, “I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NKJV).

Paul tested the Corinthians' obedience to Christ by asking them to forgive someone that they may have felt was unworthy of forgiveness. We ought to know that if the challenge of forgiveness was placed before believers in times past, it is also placed before us today. Will we be obedient in all things? Will we forgive as we have been advised per scripture?

I am sure that if there is someone you haven’t forgiven, that person will come to mind every time the subject of forgiveness presents itself to you. Whoever the person is that you think of every time you hear about forgiveness is the one you need to forgive. Your test is presented to you. The test of forgiveness lies before us all. Will we pass?

Don’t neglect what Paul said in verse 11. He said that Satan would take advantage of us, and he said this while calling the church to forgive. Paul said he was not ignorant of the enemies’ schemes, and we shouldn’t be ignorant of them either. Our unforgiveness is a scheme that the enemy uses against us. Satan takes advantage of believers by holding them hostage in their own chains—he imprisons us with our very own unforgiveness.

The prison of unforgiveness harms us because it stands in the way of God favorably answering our prayers. In Mark 9:22-26, we read about a beautiful promise to believers. Jesus preached that we could move mountains if we had faith in God. He also said we would receive whatever we ask for in prayer if we believed. Yet, in the same breath, Jesus said, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive them, that your Father in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Satan knows that if we have not forgiven others, we will not be forgiven by our Father. He knows that before we pray before God’s altar, we are first charged to forgive our offenders. Matthew 5:23-24 tells us that if we bring our gift to the altar but remember that our brother has something against us, we are to leave our gift at the altar and be reconciled to our brother. Don’t you see the enemies’ scheme?

Our prayers are unacceptable without forgiveness. We are not to bring our gifts, praise, or petitions before the Lord without first forgiving. If we fail to forgive, we remain unforgiven by our Lord. Unforgiveness hinders favorable answers to our prayers and keeps God from forgiving us of our sins. Without God’s forgiveness of sin, we remain distant from Him. And if we die while still distant from God, we will forever be banned from heaven and His presence.

Using our unforgiveness against us is one of Satan’s perfect plans. It keeps us far from God and could ultimately result in us being cast away from the Lord for all eternity. Our unyielding hearts binds us into a trap that the enemy didn’t even have to plant… Satan binds us with our own captivity. He binds us with our own unforgiveness.

As Paul called the Corinthians to forgive their offender, may we forgive our offender. May we not be taken advantage of by the enemy. Let us remain knowledgeable of his schemes and refuse to stay captive to his plan and our chains. Let us not be ignorant of Satan’s schemes, but let us also not be ignorant of God’s word.

Paul concludes 2 Corinthians 2 by writing that through us, through God’s people, God “diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place” (v.14) Recently, my husband and I visited a brother in Christ, and this brother had a diffuser in his home. His home smelled magnificent. If I recall, he placed lemongrass essential oils in it. The smell was simply divine.

When we believers diffuse the knowledge of God into the world, I imagine we smell even more heavenly than the fragrance emitted from our brother’s diffuser. Paul says that we are to God the fragrance of Christ. How wonderful must the smell of Christ be in the nostrils of God?

Paul wrote that this fragrance, the fragrance of Christ, was the aroma of life. So, I suppose believers wrapped in Christ and professing his name to the masses smell like life. However, Paul also stated that to one, we smell like life, and to the other, death.

“To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.”

(2 Corinthians 2:16)

There will never be a fragrance that everyone likes, which is why thousands of fragrances are sold on the market today. One person might find a scent delightful, while another person may find it dreadful. But for the believers, may we smell like life. If you smell like death to someone, do not change your scent for their offense. Instead, pray that their scent preference will change.

Forgiveness and fragrances were two subjects that Paul knew the Corinthian Church needed to hear. The same subject matter needs to be heard in the church today. May we hear this message and apply it to our lives by the leading of the Holy Spirit. I pray this message has blessed you and that God will keep you. Until next time, take care.

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