Confession time: I have not been living in triumphal procession, but rather surviving the next crisis. Time to repent as this is not the way of God.
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things”
He ALWAYS leads us in triumphal procession. ALWAYS.
After a great victory, there is often a parade. We saw this in the US when the military returned from WW2. There was great celebration, famous moments, and triumphant procession. Throughout history there has almost always been triumphant processions when there has been military victory.
In Christ, a great victory happened. Jesus defeated death and sin upon the cross. We are no longer under the tyranny of sin and its consequences. We are free to live, laugh, and love in the life that God gives us in His son.
NOTHING overtakes that victory as long as we stay in Christ. We are triumphant because of Him.
It’s easy to be overcome by life’s troubles, challenges, difficulties, and worries. That has been me.
This verse then is a rebuke. We are always triumphant.
For some, we are the fragrance of life.
For others, we are the smell of death.
It doesn’t matter. Our victory is certain in Christ. My victory is certain in Christ. If you are in Christ, your victory is certain.
Let’s live it.
Now Paul does add a side note. He wants them to know that he isn’t saying these things for profit or to falsely build them up. Rather, it is because he he is commission by God, and in the sight of God speaks in Christ.
“For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ” (v. 17).
The Corinthians can test this. His motives are without corruption. His message in Christ is true.
We are triumphant.