His life and ministry is Triumphant
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 · Bob Eckel · Mar 5, 2017
2 Corinthians (2017), No. 09
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926549294453

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

So let's read from verses 14 down through 17 to finish chapter 2 of 2 Corinthians. Alright, 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. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. to the one or 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? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God, that is of sincerity, but as from God we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Okay, powerful verses here. So, let's begin. This section is Randy taught last week? This section is a transition where Paul has just addressed to the believers in Corinth regarding local trials from within, forgiveness, and love. So that's kind of the background of this section. It's kind of a transition, but I think we have to understand from whence Paul is coming for the verses that we're going to study here today. And the question to the class is, is Paul simply reflecting on the fact that Titus and he touched base, verse 13, Or that the church at Corinth had hearkened to the counsel of his first letter?

And or is his joy to go to Macedonia, is that a reality that he's reflecting on here? Or is there a much deeper truth here? Remember now, thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ. What are your thoughts here? What's the motive for this first phrase of verse 14? I've given you three options here. I mean, he and Titus finally touched base. Could it be all three? Yeah, he's on his way to Macedonia, which was a prayer request.

Well, Bob, I don't know whether you noticed, Macaulay sees this as, starting in verse 14, he says, verse 14 through almost chapter 7, he sees that, the Macedonian, he sees that as the beginning of this wonderful section we're going to, you know, with just vital truths for the Christian life that just flow out through. But starting in verse 14, he sees that as significant demarcation because before that it's all about dealing with the issues in the Corinthian church even though he's still in Corinthians but much more focused on the life in Christ.

Right, well that may be true and I don't disagree with that but now thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph. The question is what's he triumphing over? That's the point. So it's a promise from God he always leads us in triumph in Christ and I think a better translation is to triumph. Now thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ Jesus. I mean, in triumph, I think, you know, kind of reflects the fact that triumph will occur and it's in Christ who leads us to triumph. I like the preposition to a little bit better here. Anyway, let's go ahead.

What kind of triumph is this? Do you think it's a triumph over the things that were part of what set this verse up? Or is this setting the stage for sound theology going forward? Got a quiet class this morning. I think it's a break point and he needs to tell them we're moving right along here. So it's transitionary, isn't it? And how is this manifested, this triumph?

I'm going to turn to Gil here a second. I think that gives us kind of a sense of the way that word is used in the Greek. Triumph peculiar to ministers of the gospel who are made to triumph over men and devils, over the world, the reproaches, persecutions, smiles, and flatteries of it over wicked men by silencing them, stomping the mouths of gainsayers, refuting false teachers, and preserving the gospel pure, in spite of all opposition, and by being made useful to the turning of many souls from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and this in Christ." Now, I think Gil covers everything here.

But the idea that you get, and I looked this up elsewhere, it's kind of a victory is what it is. I don't know, is this a victory over our sin nature that we're placed in Christ? I mean, the verse qualifies this triumph in Christ, right? And Paul knows a lot about the exchanged life. But we're looking at a triumph that maybe relates to all of the above. That's why I cited Gil, because it really includes all of the earthly experiences we all face day in and day out.

Colossians 2.15, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. And so that verse, I think, reflects everything Gill reflects here. It's a triumph over every earthly power. It's a triumph over every earthly dilemma. It's a triumph over Satan and his will in our lives. It's a triumph over the old man and the sin nature. I mean, this is victory.

I was wondering, if you look at Christ's life... you know, to an observer not knowing Christ, you would say it wasn't a triumph. He was crucified, right? But we know that crucifixion was God's plan. So what I wonder here is as we say triumph, oh great, that means I'm always going to succeed. I'm saying this facetiously. And we shouldn't think because it says triumph that means it's going to work out maybe for our best in terms of this human walk. be ill, we may lose loved ones, we may do a variety of things, but in Christ we will triumph because that's who we are, and Christ triumphed in his death on the cross. Right, and that's why I've ended this phrase as could this triumph be more than that, simply earthly victories over the power of the world system, the power of principalities and powers.

Gary, your thoughts? Just a footnote here. who always leads us in triumph in Christ. The picture is of a Roman conqueror leading his captives in triumph. Paul gladly considered himself one of Christ's captives, being led in triumph to the glory of Christ. I think the emphasis is the glory of Christ.

Right. Well, keep in mind what Roger just said. Remember, crucified, buried, looks like death is the end of things. But, you know, he's risen. theologically and positionally co-crucified with him, buried with death, with baptism under death, and risen with this newness of life.

What triumph is that? How often do you relate to that on a day-to-day basis? I'll tell you, with this cat whining all night long and all morning, and this dog whining and barking and everything, I'd say, where's this triumph in Christ Jesus? I must admit, you know. I said, Margaret, where are you? Don't you ever leave me like this again.

And you know, what I've said so much in this class and to other people as I fellowship around the Lord Jesus, you know, ultimately, the life we live in Christ isn't intellectual. And here I am, intellectual. Where's that Christ life? Lord, where's this new life, this new creation in Christ Jesus? Anyway, other thoughts? I thought somebody else said.

Yeah, we're good. In our study of Hebrews, Mike on Wednesday night, the thing we hit on this past Wednesday was that the sting of death is not there for the believer, but it is for the unbeliever. And the unbeliever fears death. And I think that's the ultimate. Our emphasis is in the glory of God, and there is no fear of death. Biblically true. Does our faith really wrap that around and really tuck it in? Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. We fall short, we are weak in faith at times in terms of the positional truth that he establishes.

Diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge, and by the way the knowledge is gnosis here, this is not some factual knowledge, it's in fact experiential. A better translation is, makes manifest the savor of his knowledge. Fragrance, savor, kind of the same thing.

Ephesians 5.2, And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. So we are called to a walk that ultimately is going to smell sweet to everyone around us. Now, verse 15, for we are to God the fragrance, so the transition from 14 to 15 is a sweet smelling savor. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Isn't it interesting, a rose is still a rose. Are you a rose? Sometimes I feel like a cactus, right? When he arose, you know, Christ rose from the dead, so I know there's a connection there. He's trying to figure the connection. You sure you want him in the front row? Tom, could you go to the back? Is that what Bullwinkle said, by the way?

Okay, for we are to God the fragrance of Christ. You know anything about that is that's indicative, it's factual. The question is, is this truth positional or conditional? This fragrance we give off as believers. Is this positional truth or conditional? What did you say? I said positional. It's clearly positional. the wonderful position of truths that are to be made, that are to be worked out in our condition, where to believe what it says, and to be worked out in our condition. Well keep in mind that the identification of truths, meaning we're buried with him at Baptistism, that's risen with him in newness of life, I'm crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, it's Christ who lives in me, that's conditional as can be.

But is it always perceived that way? Keep in mind this is to the saved and the unsaved. Boy, The thing is you think about this and you feel like you're falling short, working harder at it isn't the answer here. You don't have to be saved to work at being righteous in the eyes of man. Why the cross if my self-righteousness can ultimately save me?

So this is kind of a spiritual trip. to ultimately realize that this fragrance is His fragrance through us, and the more we try, the more we fail. It's kind of like making a list. I'm going to do better here, do better here, do better here. You're not going to make it. It's a matter of taking that step back and resting and trusting by faith.

That's the way our lives get changed. It gets changed experientially as we continue to fall short and see that the light of the Lord Jesus Christ is brighter. Remember, our old nature becomes more revealed for what it really is. Isn't that so true? Don't you find that true? You know, you think you've got your act together and then it's even uglier than you initially thought. Anyway, the fragrance is positional and as we grow in grace and truth it's more conditional, both to the saved and to the unsaved. And notice how pervasive this is, to the saved being saved and the unsaved.

And remember, we were and are and will be saved. I mean the three verb tenses of salvation is what we're talking about here. And here it says to the saved, and we're the saved but we're still being saved. Not that we're conditionally saved, it's just that process of salvation continues to work itself out in each and every one of us. Let's pause here. Any thoughts about this fragrance to the saved and unsaved? We're a sweet smelling saver, let's say, to others, but they seem to know.

Jack was not the type of person that really does preach, but he was in the cockpit a lot, and everybody knew he was a Christian, by the way of his life. You know the trip we just were on, I think, in fact I know I asked for prayer in terms of opportunities to share the Lord and I did.

There was a Jewish woman who in fact was the couple who leads these trips and the political issue came up and there were a member, this is largely an academic community, and you know where they stand politically. And that came up and it was really a crossroads at times. And I think once people understood where we were at, it's interesting the Jewish couple who leads the trip also are conservative politically. So Elena is Jewish and she kind of came to me frustrated over this whole kind of demarcation between the extreme liberal and also the more conservative viewpoint. And so that was an opportunity to share the Lord with her. The Jew seems to listen. Remember, the Jew, Christ is a stumbling block. But to the Gentile, he's foolishness. And boy, that's so true. It's so true.

Sharing with a Jew is so much easier in my experience. I hang out with a lot of Jews. In academic medicine, there are a lot of Jews across the world. Some of these people are from Israel. But this couple is originally from Russia, emigrated from Russia to Jerusalem, and then from Jerusalem to the United States. But anyway, they sense capitalism for what it's worth from growing up in a communist country because they escaped in the 80s before the Iron Curtain came down.

But anyway, Elena was all ears and asking a few questions. So who knows, it's a seed planted, we'll see if that goes anywhere. So your prayer was answered at least in one regard on this trip in terms of Elena and sharing the Lord with her. But remember this fragrance, you're right, Jack was seen to be a believer and I don't know, I mean, Margaret and I didn't, I think, force the gospel on anybody, but I think they knew kind of where we stood, and we'll leave it up to the Lord, you know? It's up to Him to see how things mature from that. Alright, the odor of life and or of death. Let's look at a couple of verses.

1 John 2.27, But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, And ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. So I think this abiding life is the fragrance that people smell or sense.

1 Corinthians 1.18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved is the power of God.

Galatians 3.21, is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. Remember, that's to the unsaved.

And 2 Corinthians 3.6, I love this verse. Who has made you able ministers of the New Testament? Not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit giveth life. How does the letter kill and what examples are before us? Comment on that a little bit ago. How does the letter kill? Remember we're talking about life and death or saved and unsaved. Think about every religion in the world. Isn't it law based? And works based?

We were exposed left and right to Buddhist temples. In fact, the group went on to Minamaro, Burma, and Boris, the leader of this pack, ultimately showed me some photos at work the other day. Just temple after temple, all gold-plated in a country that has so many poor people, but yet all the gold-plated temples, one after another, just row after row. It looked like the row houses in Baltimore, but they were Buddhist temples. And we were exposed to some of the temples of a thousand years old which started as Hindu but ultimately became Buddhist.

Remember, Vietnam we found out is 40% Buddhist, about 2-3% other including a little bit of Christianity and about 55% nothing. Cambodia is 90% Buddhist and Burma is effectively all Buddhist. So the countries that we were in, the first two, were either the significant minority of Buddhists, nearly all Buddhists and almost entirely Buddhists in Burma or Myanmar. So anyway, all of these religions, and think about even Judaism still, everything is law-based, letter-based, and so the letter kills. Why does the letter kill?

There is no life in the law. I mean, when it says stop, if you stop, there's no promise of life in the law, right? I mean, it just says obey the law or don't. You have two choices. Well, it gets back to the basic fact, too, Roger, that there's none righteous, no, not one. I mean, yeah. Well, it's just that it's the thinking that you can get there all by what you do. You don't need Christ, you just need to follow the rules.

World's View, I was reading the sports page yesterday at breakfast this morning about this guy named Garrett, forget his last name, Bolesome or something like that. He's an offensive lineman for Utah and he's in Indianapolis now for the tryouts. And this guy is the new Garrett versus the old Garrett. And the old Garrett was raised in violence and crime, his family was, you know, alcoholic and everything. And the new Garrett now is a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints. So the new Garrett has got his life together and the Broncos apparently potentially are interested in him because he's among the top offensive tackles in the country.

He's going to be a first-round pick, but they're concerned about his past. Well, now that he's a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, he's got his new life in the Church of Latter-day Saints, which is no more than works, is it not? Just think of the Church of Latter-day Saints. People work their way up based on their works, effectively. And he talks about his mission.

Well, I mean, I'm not going to be critical of his experience, but I'm going to be critical of the truth of his experience in terms of the letter of the law. So the letter of the law kills because no one of us can measure up to the letter of the law. I'll never forget a plane flight many years ago to Sydney, and I sat next to a Jewish man who had a little cap on his head, and he just spent a year at Yeshiva University in New York. And he claimed he was keeping every aspect of the Judaic law.

I wish I could have asked him that, Tom. He should have been there with me. Any further thoughts about this? What are the examples that are before us? I just gave you examples. Every religion in the world is works-based. Every religion in the world. It just gives us such a freedom. The grace that we have, it's just wonderful.

Don't you love it? Christ's prophecy said, I'm going to make you free in what I do, you'll be free indeed. People certainly didn't understand what he was saying, did they? What does the freedom mean for us? Kind of going a little bit tangential to the lesson here. What does the freedom mean for us? Free to sin? God forbid, Paul said, right? No, it's free to live a life free of the power and presence of sin.

Now, we fall short, but we're seen as righteous. We've got to begin with positional truth. So anyway, the law kills. That's what it's there for. All right. Hal, you may be the only Bible people ever see. One of my favorite things that Hal said. And Jack in the cockpit or whatever, each and every one of us have paths we walk down. And keep in mind, everybody's watching. That doesn't mean you put on a show.

It simply means that as that fragrance becomes apparent, that's a Bible that people are looking at. Verse 16, to the one where the aroma of death leading to death. and the other the aroma of life leading to life and who is sufficient for these things? How do you think that people in the death trap, if you will, which we were all in at one point in time, how do people in the death trap perceive the aroma? It's not in your handout, it's just a spontaneous question at this point.

I can think back before I was a believer. I was convicted by Christians. You felt guilty? I felt that I didn't want to touch a Bible. Even though I was given a Bible. I was baptized in a Christian church actually. Disciples of Christ. I was baptized in that church. As a child? Well, 10 or 11. I was given a Bible at that time. I never actually read the Bible. I can remember, I remember there were a group of people talking about something, and I believe they were talking about the gospel, or talking about being saved, but I never was part of that group.

They actually had dances at that time. I went to dances as a young teen. All kinds of dances in my church. I went to these dances. It was kind of interesting. I was a young teen. It was a good place. It wasn't dangerous, but I didn't learn about the Lord. So I can remember back. But were these people who claimed to be saved, were they threatening to you? Not in that environment. But when I met true Christians, I was convicted by that. I actually came across two Christians.

I grew up in a mainline Methodist church and never heard a personal gospel ever. Maybe because I put barriers up, but I don't think so. It was a social gospel, entirely. We've been to the churches in Oklahoma City, Memphis, and they have this wonderful scripture, and they read it to us, and the preacher never touches it.

We go into the environment, and the Lord comes around, and He just tells us. It's kind of funny looking back, there was a youth pastor named Claring, there was a fragrance there that may have cut through that whole thing. Again, the question before the class, how does the world perceive this fragrance, the unsaved? It can be threatening, it can be convicting, it can be actually just darn right obnoxious at times, right, in the way we're perceived. But we'll trust the Lord if we're walking by grace in the new life of the Lord Jesus Christ that that fragrance will be perceived one way or the other.

Death unto death, life unto life, how is this manifested in our daily lives? I think we've kind of touched on that off and on here this morning. And how is this perceived by all who are around us? That's the question we just dealt with. Any other thoughts on that, how this fragrance is perceived? I think it's something that they feel that they don't need that they can do it on their own.

That's a very good point. I think my brother Ed was a man I loved. He was nine years older than I was. I had no father. I mean I had a father but he died young. My mom never remarried so my brother was kind of a father figure. He thought his works were going to be good enough. I can't tell you how many times I shared the gospel. He finally told me don't share it with me anymore. He said, I've done a lot of good things and that was it. So I quit talking to him, but I didn't maintain a good relationship with him until he died.

I'm okay, I'm doing fine. And it's the whole issue, man is basically good. And of course, he, meaning she, falls short sometimes, but basically good. And when you have a conversation with the unsaved, if that's where you begin, that man is basically good, I'm talking about man in terms of generic man, is basically good, you have no conversation really. There's just no conversation. But if you start with, yes, I think man's not so good, then we're starting to have a conversation. So I think you're right there.

The person who is a works-based person, by the way, most of the world, now those who have no faith aren't works-based, but those who feel that there's some merit in having good works, they're doing all they can, that's going to suffice. Gary? Sharing with Peggy's brother, several years ago, asking what a believer was, or what a Christian was, and he said, my good works. And if you hang around him, that's exactly what he portrays. I mean, everything. He's a much better person than I am. As far as his giving and doing things, that's his definition of Christianity.

A lot of people even within the faith will turn to the book of James and say it is works, but actually the book of James is about faith. It really is. We think of it works, but it's really about faith. Ron Merriman's got a whole, I was going to give this to Roger today, but a whole thing, a thesis on removing the theological tension between a faith and good works.

And when Ron Merriman said it just boils down, he really explains what James just saying it in a way that he just tears it apart point by point. Were you perceiving that Roger needed this? No. I was sharing it with Roger. Just a clarification on Ron and how he explained works and faith and how people confuse the two as James taught it.

They're closely tied aren't they? All right. And who is sufficient for these things? I say this is somewhat rhetorical, isn't it? Who is sufficient for these things? How are you doing out there? Are you doing okay by yourself and in power of your own nature? I don't think so. Look, how are you doing?

We're not doing well unless we're integrated into the truths of who we are in the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 3, 5, and 6 now, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, I love this verse, but our sufficiency is of God. Who hath also made us able, ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit, for the letter kills and the spirit gives life. Are these verses next week? No, no, no. Actually, you only get one through three. I'm sorry. We'll take it in small little chunks.

What does the world system measure in terms of each individual's performance? Just think about this. Who are the stars of the world system? Smart? athletically talented, a performer of some sort, an actress or an actor. Those are the heroes of the world. And what's His first say for us?

You think you're doing something good out there? You think the sufficiency is coming from your own abilities? You're mistaken. The sufficiency is of God. Remember, the metric of our performance is upstairs. It's not down here. And although we can look at one another and say that Jack's doing some neat things there, I really like the way the Lord's working through him, we can appreciate that with the final metrics upstairs. because the motives are what really count and the Lord is assessing those. I'm not going to get into the judgment seat of Christ because I don't think it's a negative judgment. Those things that were done will be appropriately rewarded by the Lord when we're there in his presence. Anyway, all the bad thoughts, the lack of things you should have done that you didn't do, etc. I mean, that doesn't mean we should condone that. It simply means that's not the way ultimately our life is measured. It's not like the great white throne judgment, right? That's a whole different ballgame.

Alright, 1 Corinthians 15.10.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with thee." And that's the walk. The foundation of the walk is grace and response to that grace is putting our shoe leather on the path to walk it. And that's our faith. Alright, good.

Verse 17, For we are not as so many, meaning the rest, peddling the word of God, But as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. What do you think peddling the word of God means? It's not a positive. That's why Roger's sitting in the front row. It's not a positive, he said.

Any other thoughts peddling the word of God, Carol? I just think of the people who kind of hit you over the head with it, and they're trying to make you become a Christian when it's not I mean, rather than just presenting it and letting God take care of it, they're saying, you have to believe what I'm telling you, that I can make you believe what's right. Are you perceiving that this is occurring within the body then? Could it be occurring outside the body too?

I think it could be both. Yeah, it could be both. I think it could be both. I was thinking of like, I don't know, it makes me think of like telling evangelists, you know, on TV. I mean, I thought that's kind of bringing up the gospel for money, basically. Yeah, in fact, you're right ahead, I think. Remember what I said about these handouts. We're going to quit giving these handouts away.

By the way, this peddling, this term peddling, it's the only time this verb is used. I always kind of, I think that's kind of, esoteric and kind of trivia, but it's also kind of interesting when you see a verb or a noun used just once. I don't know if that's true here, so you can ponder what that means.

2 Peter 2.3 kind of gives you the same flavor. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. Back to the point that was just made. Whose judgment now of a long time lingered not, and their domination slumbered not. This is kind of like a retailer making money by selling anything. It's kind of a concept. And a neat verse in Isaiah. There's a lot of Old Testament thought forward, we all know that, and the Old Testament is absolutely necessary for us.

Isaiah 1.22, a number of commentators that I was reading shared the same verse.

Thy silver is become dross, and thy wine mixed with water. Isn't that an allegory? An analogy that really kind of fits here? Their silver has turned to dross. and the wines mixed with water. Kind of a diluted, kind of inaccurate, and kind of, what's the best, a tainted message. So the gospel here is being flawed, the way it's being presented, or the truth of the word of God is not being accurately presented.

Who do you think Paul is referring to when he says the rest? And I kind of raised that point already. Do you think this is pointed mostly to the false teachers that were within the body or outside the body who peddle or corrupt, corrupt is another term for peddle, corrupt the word of God. And the TV evangelists were mentioned. Just for conversation, how many of these TV evangelists do you think are unsaved? I kind of sense most of them are saved, don't you? I mean, do you think they're unsaved?

I think it was more of a plan to repurpose and that's where they kind of went down the wrong road and began to really kind of make merchandise. Okay, kind of reflected in the Isaiah verse maybe. I forgot about grace. As your son-in-law often says, the most misunderstood term among Christians and non-Christians is the term grace, right? Other thoughts about this, false teachers are within or outside the body? It's kind of like the example of the expert jeweler who knows what a pure gem looks like so he can sense the false one.

I think the challenge for us is to know the Word of God and be doctrinally and theologically sound. And that's why we come here, I think. Not that this is an elite gathering of believers, but we come here for a reason, and I think we want to rightly divide the word of truth. We're all learning together, it's not like someone's trying to say, I've got the exclusive camera lock. People here, Tom, this is a place where we're learning from one another.

There's no person with an exclusive view of what the truth is. 2 Corinthians 11, 13, for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. These are clearly unbelievers. And this could be some of the TV evangelists. I don't know. Only the Lord knows whether somebody is truly saved or not. But we have to, again, measure what they're saying against what the Word of God says.

Alright, 2 Corinthians 4.2.

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. So that's the truth. This is what the truth looks like. We've renounced hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth. commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. This verse says we speak in the sight of God in Christ. The view from above is infinite and eternal. Again, that's where the metrics are applied, from above.

I remember someone, I won't get into details about whom, but I think he was right here, he said, you know, this idea of everything we do, gee, was that from the old man or was that from the life in Christ in me? That's not the life we should be living. We shouldn't be examining everything we do to see from whence it came.

The life that's of the Lord Jesus Christ in it is lived naturally by our faith. Because when we start measuring what we're doing, then I think we're applying a metric unto ourselves. How are we measuring up? The life of Christ is spontaneous by faith.

It's not something you work at or measure. Everybody okay with that? I mean, that doesn't mean let go, let God. That's not right theology. Because we do all have a responsibility, don't we, to live by faith? That's our responsibility to live by faith. That path of grace is there. but we now have to walk in it by faith.

All right, examples today. Well, we just kind of listed a few of the examples that we have seen on television or on the radio. But as of sincerity, equated with being from God or in the sight of Him in Christ, it's the view from the throne, not ours, that ultimately measures how we're doing. Not like the rest, who are peddling the word of God dishonestly, but us in sincerity, as of from God. 2 Corinthians 12, 19, again, thinking that we excuse ourselves unto you, we speak before God in Christ, again reiterating what the verse says, but we do all things dearly beloved for your edifying.

So let's, we've got a few minutes left, let's summarize today. So we're talking about being in this atmosphere of triumph, and the triumph is over earthly things that are before us, but that triumph also I think is in terms of the walk we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. We're fragrances unto the unsaved and the saved world.

That means We're always a rose. We pray that we smell like a rose. Remember, it's an act of faith. and living by faith rather than working harder at being a rose. A cactus can never be a rose. That aroma is to the saved life and is uplifting to one another as we smell that rose and to the unsaved it is ultimately a fragrance that is condemning and leads to death. Finally we are talking about Being careful with our doctrine, our lives, that we not peddle this as silver withdrawals, but ultimately as insincerity to the Lord directly in Christ.

Other thoughts about today's section? Roger, are you implied on mine next week? You are. Oh, let me check my calendar. Let's make sure Roger is telling the truth. We got you here, we got to make you work. I take advantage of the times you're in town, Bob. I am teaching next week. And the title of next week's lesson is Christ's Life and Ministry as Manifested through the Epistles of Christ. It's a fairly similar title as this week.

But anyway. Any other thoughts this morning? Okay. Gary, close us in prayer, will you please? Father, we just do thank you for your word. impact that it has upon us and we thank you for the identification truths that are evident as we study them and pray that you would continue to give us wisdom in leading us into further truths in Christ's name. Amen.