The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 8

Paul Declares our Triumph in Christ

2 Corinthians 2:12-17 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. 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. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 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? 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. KJV

Paul ending his last sentence with the reminder and exhortation to these Corinthian believers and to us to be on guard and always wary of satan’s devices, Paul now declares to them that although he had opportunity to speak forth the truth of the gospel of grace where he was as recorded for us by Dr. Luke with these words here, “After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece” (Acts 20:1-2), yet Paul had no rest or anesis meaning no relief or loosening or relaxing condition in his spirit or inner man because he did not find his brother Titus (who Paul sent to Corinth to check the condition of the Corinthian Church) in Troas when he arrived there. Despite how Paul felt within he now expresses a most sure and confident truth we all have “in Christ” that he had learned by way of experience over and over in his times of stress, troubles, despair, and sorrow as Paul already wrote in the beginning chapter of this second letter in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10.

Paul declares the wonderful and glorious truth that in all and every circumstance and situation, no matter how daunting, desperate, or distressful that at all times God the Father causes us to triumph “in Christ” and this English phrase “causes us to triumph” is translated by the Greek word thriambeuo which means to conquer or to be victorious or to be proven superior in all situations and over all evil that comes against us from the devil or through his demons or any of his human instruments; it has the idea of one making an enthusiastic procession, advance, or forward motion as a conquering army would do when returning from a victorious battle over its enemy. Paul testifies to these Corinthian believers and to us that we are God’s savour or osme meaning His very own smell, odor, aroma, scent, or fragrance manifested or phaneroo meaning rendered apparent or made visible to everyone in every place we are in this world; it has the idea of God making Himself seen visibly in human flesh through each one of His redeemed, regenerated, restored, and resurrected sons and daughters from the death of our sins walking out or living out the new life “in Christ” we have been made partakers of, for it is our strong desire to spread the knowledge of Him everywhere by any and every means available to us.

Paul goes on even deeper to declare us a “sweet savor” even as he declared our Lord Jesus to be so to God the Father with these words, “And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:2). Like Christ was and is a sweet aroma or fragrance to the Father, so are we “in Christ” the same sweet smelling aroma to our Heavenly Father in the earth bearing witness and spreading our fragrance to the fellow believer and the un-believer alike. We are to every unregenerate person the odor or smell of death leading to eternal death that is their hearts are hardened or toughened more when they are confronted with the truth of the gospel of grace and Christ as the only way of forgiveness and heaven, the resurrection of the dead, and the new life in Christ that we are partakers of right now. On the other hand, we are to every sister or brother “in Christ” the aroma of life when we enter into their presence, it is the idea of someone who wears the same cologne or perfume recognizing the scent of it the moment they come into close contact with someone wearing the same fragrance as themselves and so it is with each true believer “in Christ” we disseminate, disperse, and diffuse His Fragrance, Nature, and Life in every place we frequent and when we come across one another, our love for Jesus Christ cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14-16) and the sweet smell of it is discerned by all others who love Him.

None of us are sufficient or worthy or of ability to handle such a lofty responsibility (not even the great Apostle Paul), but it is God the Holy Spirit who causes us to exalt, honor, worship, and adore our Lord Jesus Christ as He told the early disciples the Spirit would do when He said, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you” (John 16:13-15). Finally, Paul declares that we (true followers of Christ) are not like many (false, phony, or pretend followers) who corrupt the word of God. This English phrase “who corrupt” is translated by the Greek word kapeleuo which means someone who is a huckster or peddler going about from place to place making merchandise or selling the Word of God to make money or for sordid gain; one who adulterates the Word of God by taking away truth from it and adding inferior non-truth to gain followers for money and power, easy believeism. However, our Lord Jesus’ true sons and daughters speak the truth in love in every place to every creature no matter race, ethnicity, social status, position, authority, influence, and power or any other human thing, but the truth of the Word of God is proclaimed in sincerity, simplicity, and seriousness always relying on God the Holy Spirit to do His work of conviction of sin in any heart young or old and rich or poor, for with God there is no partiality (Romans 2:11).

“Paul, in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, imagines himself as part of his Master’s procession passing through the world. First he is a captive in Christ’s conquering train; then he is one of the incense-bearers, scattering fragrant perfume; then he conceives of his life as being in itself that perfume. As the captives in a triumphal procession would be divided into two bodies, of which one company was doomed to die while the other was spared, so inevitably all who come in contact with Christ, either directly in the preaching of the gospel or indirectly in the lives of His people, are influenced either for evil or for good.” F.B. Meyer

“We ‘in Christ’ despite invisible enemies or human agents or our own personal sin and failure, are always victorious, triumphant, and joyous as we run this marathon race of faith in Christ, always proclaiming His Truth in every place to all creatures and never desiring to build our own kingdom, but to always be a builder of Christ Eternal Kingdom (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) of rescuing and redeeming sinful men and women.” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…