"A Sweet Savor In Them That Are Saved"

II Corinthians 2:14–17

14. 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.

15. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

16. To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

17. For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

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o arrive at an answer to the question posed by our current series, we have investigated many scriptures. Among the questions we have attempted to answer have been: “How is one saved,” “What does it mean to be saved” and “What are one’s responsibilities being saved?”

When we accept salvation, we are given responsibilities in order that we might be examples. If we were given no requirements, we would tend to be grateful for our salvation, but for ourselves, only.

The church is full of people who have joined themselves with a church, but not to the Lord. Because of a lack of interest in souls, people have been known to attend a church for years (sometimes, until their death) and never accept salvation. Professing that you are saved, that you love the Lord means nothing if you do nothing about it.

The people of God suffer, today, from a lack of instruction. For years, it has been taken that if one simply comes to church, he is saved. Many times, this was assumed whether the individual had ever been baptized and filled, or not. Once one comes to the house of the Lord, he must know not only what to do to get saved, but what to expect at the end if not saved, as well.

The church has become populated by those practicing a “pretend salvation.” Surprisingly, this seems to satisfy many, but the charade only lasts until the first test. It is the testing that reveals the “real you.” Besides, what is the benefit in pretension? How and when will one be helped?

Too often, our focus is on if we have a “divine commission” from the Lord. In other words, the emphasis often seems to be on the “call” rather than the “work.” Oh, how greatly the church world would benefit if the people of God were willing to do whatever the Lord asks, as opposed to worrying about what that “call,” is!

We already know that the greatest call upon the life of the saint is the call to be saved. Unfortunately, those professing to belong to Him frequently would be thrilled to answer any call but that. What we seem to ignore is that God cannot be refused anything and we just expect Him to accept it with no repercussions for us.

Another of the things “crippling” the Church is the “fear of failure” resident within many. Being “self-protective” (when we walk in the flesh) we will hesitate to do, say or stand up for anything that we either do not understand or has not been proven to us. The problem with this philosophy in salvation is that in order to “see” anything of God, we must first be willing to trust and there is no proof coming until we are willing to accept. For what can be proven accept through its manifestation?

Of one thing we can be sure—Jesus is triumphant and we cannot fail in Him. Herein lies the key: within the “in Him” lies a world of meaning. One who is “in Him” is “in union with” Him, one with Him. Now, being one with Him not only offers us blessings, benefits and opportunities, but also, obligations. If one is “one,” then he can exhibit no independent operation. In other words, we must follow Jesus and do as He does! This is the only way to begin to affect another’s life and so, the only way to fulfill the obligation our salvation imposes.

The Lord would expect to get a “sweet savor” from our lives rather than the “stink” of our “spoiled brattishness” because He knows that He wants and does only the best for us. Even our trying situations occur only because He knows what it is that we need in order to be triumphant and ultimately, saved. We are saved and come under His care that we might never again fret for or about anything! But, we will come to this understanding only as we reckon all that comes to us as being from the Lord for our learning.

Never doubt that what God has called into existence will work as He has promised it will. No matter how crazy “it” might seem to get; no matter how unlikely it seems that it could ever work out. To “make it through” one has got to be determined not to allow what anyone says or does to make him “miss out” on his salvation. We all must also always remember that that “anyone” includes us!

It is greatly liberating to accept that God makes no mistakes and does no wrong! In that Man is defective, deficient and fallible, he carries into salvation with him his hurts, disappointments and misconceptions. Having entered a life where he must be tested, he pours all of his insecurities onto the Lord and whatever He allows as proving, Man takes as condemnation and cruelty. Without coming to accept that all that God does is because He has only his best interest at heart, that man will live in salvation without the comfort of the Lord and yet, be lost.

We, along with the animal kingdom, are a species that will do whatever we feel to be in our own best interest. However, animals conduct themselves this way out of instinct; we, by choice and an innate desire to protect our flesh. Blessed above all irrational animals, we also are the only ones to whom God sent Jesus—the Only One Who can offer us true protection and redeem a life from being a “stench” to a “sweet savor.”