One of the things that is no doubt quickly learned in the Christian life is that we are all ministers. Now, yes, there are those we call ‘ministers’ who are earning their livelihood in preaching the gospel and are ordained to such ministry, even as William Marshall was ordained here last week. However, we are all called to proclaim the gospel as we go about our lives, and therefore are ministers (in another sense of the word). And, again, this was stressed to me quite early in my Christian life.

With that said, however, what often happens is that such things are learned early and held to throughout life, but what also remains with us are lingering questions regarding such a realization. For example, we might go through life knowing we are to minister the gospel while never knowing exactly how we need to think of ourselves, what we are to do, how we find confidence to go about this task, or how we judge our success as labor. These are questions that 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:3 helps us answer, however. For as we looked at in the first message in this series, Paul gives us more of a look into his own life, labors, motivation, struggles, and reflections in this book than he does any other. Therefore, as he explains his own ministry, how he sees himself, what he is doing, why he is sufficient for the task, and how he judges himself we can then answer these same questions for ourselves.

Therefore, I want us this morning to understand these things relating to all Christians being ministers of the gospel a bit better. Therefore, let’s begin in trying to answer the question of just how we should see ourselves, since all Christians are called to be ministers of the gospel.

We are conquered captives of Christ, who are to bring attention to God’s glory and greatness (2:14)

Paul begins this section thanking God for being who he is, namely, the one who “leads us in triumphal procession and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (14). This imagery is a bit confusing, but our understanding of it can be helped by two things. First, we need to remember what Paul has said thus far in the letter. Prior to this section, Paul has explained the place of suffering in his life, noting that his suffering has been great (as has been his comfort), and helping the Corinthians understand that his life is a platform to communicate God’s comfort to them in their sufferings even as they behold Paul’s suffering and comfort under God’s sovereign hand. Also, Paul has shown them that everything about his life is centered on and wrapped up in the gospel so that all he does is to reflect and remind them of Christ and his work on the cross. Therefore, he has explained his sufferings for Christ as a part of his ministry of reflecting and reminding others of Christ’s work for them.

In addition to understanding what Paul has already said, we also need to understand some background concerning what Paul would have had in mind when he wrote of a ‘triumphal procession.’ In the days in which Paul wrote, it was common for the Roman Empire to have somewhat of a victory parade after conquering their enemies. Involved in this parade was a procession in which they would bring their conquered enemies behind them, parading them in front of their countrymen as a sign of the enemies’ defeat and their glory. They were thus conquered prisoners, paraded through the town and eventually killed, there to serve only to highlight the glory and power of those who had conquered them.

Therefore, having spoken about his suffering and trying to establish the kind of role he has as an apostle, Paul uses that imagery and paints a picture of himself before the Corinthians as one who had been an enemy of Christ but had now been willingly conquered and who sought it a privilege to be led in procession that others might look at what Christ has done in him and glory in Christ’s ability. It is the same kind of language used in Colossians 2:15 as we read: “[God] disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.”

We’ve alluded much to warfare imagery in Sunday School and in our singing lately, and here it is at its best. After the fall, the world became enemy-occupied territory. Death, sin, and Satan reigned and we were their captives, following the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:1-4). However, God sent his Son into this enemy-occupied world to take that which is his. And as we are converted, it is a picture of Christ binding the strong man and plundering his goods, overcoming even our sinful nature which made us his enemies. Thus, Paul sees his calling as a believer to be paraded in procession to bring attention to Christ’s victory over sin and death and his glory in making a people his.

And I would dare say the Scripture gives no reason why Paul (or the apostles) alone should see themselves this way. Rather, we too should see ourselves, who were once Christ’s enemies, as willing and privileged conquered captives of Christ being led about throughout the world in order to draw attention and honor to his greatness and glory. That indeed is our purpose and reminds us again that we have been created and redeemed for the sake of his glory. Our purpose is to glorify God.

Therefore, when we see ourselves as willing and privileged conquered captives of Christ, whose lives are lived to bring attention and honor to his glory and power it becomes quite difficult to think that we might complain about our lot in life, that which his sovereign hand chooses for us. Rather, in whatever we encounter, we should count ourselves worthy to bring attention to Christ’s victory over sin, even over us in our sin. This, I think, is why the apostles could go about rejoicing that they were worthy to have been persecuted for his sake.

How should we see ourselves? – as willing and privileged conquered captives of Christ, going through life in a triumphal procession to bring attention and honor to our Lord’s glory and power.

From here we might ask, however, “How exactly do we bring attention and honor to him in this world? What do we do to ensure that his glory is seen as he has conquered sin and death?” I believe the answer from our text this morning is that …

We are to spread the fragrance of Christ, by proclaiming the gospel, knowing it will have diverse effects (2:15-16a)

Completing the thought in verse 14, Paul writes, “But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (emphasis added). There is a fragrance of Christ that God spreads through those who are now his. Paul writes, “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 of life to life” (2:15-16a).

We are to spread the fragrance of Christ (i.e. who he is and what he has done), and seeing what Paul has written prior to this section and where he takes his writing from here on through 4:6, it is clear that Paul intends us to spread this fragrance through our lives and through our verbal proclamation of the gospel.

Paul has argued thus far that his sufferings and comforts under God’s hand send the fragrance of Christ out in that they remind us of what Christ has done and that we might find comfort because, after dying, he was raised from the dead. And this fits with him saying that we ourselves are the aroma of Christ to God in verse 15. However, because he goes on to talk about their message, it is clear that by speaking of spreading such a fragrance and being the aroma of Christ, he means that they are this aroma and spread this fragrance as they speak the gospel.

God is a God of speaking. He created the world by speaking. And the enemy is an enemy of words as well. His name “Satan” means “accuser” or “slanderer.” Thus, though God spoke openly to create the world and then to Adam, Satan spoke in a very crafty way so that Eve was deceived. And it is that which transpired from enemy’s words that was the fall of humanity. However, God remains a God of speaking, and it is through his word that he is redeeming a people from this enemy-occupied creation. Therefore, if man is to be saved, we must speak the gospel. For it is chiefly through speaking that we spread this fragrance of Christ. For indeed, Paul knew that his very life pictured the gospel, but he also knew that one cannot be saved unless he believes and he will not believe unless he hears and he will not hear unless we speak the word.

So, what is the picture, then? It can be illustrated as follows: We are one-time enemies who have been gladly conquered and made captives of Christ. Then, we have been sent out, on ahead of him, who is coming to judge in order to proclaim his reign and victory and coming judgment (indeed, nothing less than the gospel of the kingdom), pleading with men to respond in faith and be reconciled to the one who is coming to judge his enemies. However, we must know as well that our one message will have dual effects.

For some, as we speak, we will behold the opening of their eyes and hearts so that they believe and they too become willing conquered captives of Christ and go out with us spreading the word of his victory and the need to be reconciled. For them it will be a word that brings them life leading to eternal life when he comes. For others, however, it will be a word of their death. It will be a message of death to them, for they will not repent and will stand firm as an enemy of the one who is victorious. That is to say, there is no doubt who is and will be victorious, the question is merely, are you his child or his enemy? And those who refuse to repent and believe, that message, the gospel of the kingdom, will be a declaration of their death leading to a second death which they will know when he comes. Therefore, though we will preach one message, there will be dual effects. For some we will be a fragrance of life leading to life, and for some we will be a fragrance of death leading to death. However, our task always remains the same, spreading his glory through proclaiming his gospel to those being saved and to those perishing.

But how are we sufficient for such a task? After all, these are eternal realities and having the responsibility of spreading Christ’s glory, who could sufficient for that task? Our answer from this text is that …

We are sufficient for this cause because of God’s work in and for us (2:16b-17)

After declaring that he is spreading the fragrance of Christ to those who are perishing and to those who are being saved, leading to death for one and life for another, Paul asks the question, “Who is sufficient for these things?” Now, you would expect the answer to be, “No one.” And, indeed, that is true on one level. No one is sufficient for this work outside of Christ. However, Paul’s answer in the text is that he is, and by extension (as we will see), we are as well.

There are two reasons why we should understand that Paul’s answer to this question is that he is sufficient for this. The first is that we must keep in mind that he is arguing against the claims of the false apostles who are charging money, bringing recommendation letters, etc. in order to show their sufficiency for the task. And Paul is wanting to show the Corinthians that he not they has been called to this task. Therefore, for him to say that no one is sufficient for the task would not be aiding to his argument. However, there is a second and surer way to know.

The additional reason why it is clear Paul wants the answer to be that he is sufficient for these things is because of the language he uses in verse 17. He writes, “For [i.e. because – and then goes on to show himself sufficient over these false apostles, writing …] 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.” That is to say, Paul declares his sufficiency because unlike these false apostles, he is not speaking and teaching the word just to make a buck. In fact, he ministered to the Corinthians while taking no money from them. In addition, Paul adds, he speaks sincerely (without deception – as the serpent did), as commissioned by God (even as we have been commissioned by Christ), in the sight of God, and in Christ (having been united by faith with the one whom we represent).

Therefore, may I point out as well that what Paul says of himself in order to show his sufficiency is to true of us as well. We speak sincerely. We have been commissioned by our Lord in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 to speak the gospel (spreading the fragrance of him) to all the world. We live and speak in God’s sight. And, we (by faith) have been united with the one whom we represent. Therefore, it might be overwhelming to think that you have been given this task of spreading God’s word, of proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, but know that you have been made sufficient by Christ.

My sisters are five and seven years older than me. And one thing that used to annoy me was when one of them would tell me what to do. I’m sure “You’re not my momma” came out of my mouth numerous times when I was growing up, as words directed to one of my sisters. I mean, why did they think they were sufficient to tell me what to do. However, there was a certain situation in which my response had better be different. It was when my sisters would say, “I am telling you exactly what mom told me to say. I was sent by mom. She can see how you’re responding. And I’m here representative.” In those situations, I better obey my sister’s words and not question her sufficiency for such a task. She was making clear her credentials saying just what mom wanted, having been commissioned by mom, in the sight of mom, and as a representative of mom. That made her quite sufficient. And it is same with us. Because of these realities we need not be doubtful of ourselves. For though men’s eternal destinies are at stake in their response to our message, we are sufficient for the task of spreading Christ’s honor as his willing captives because of him.

Finally, we might ask, “How do we see ourselves as doing commendable labor? What will we point to in order to show that we have been obedient in our calling?” Will we point to our great talents or abilities? Will we point to what others say of us or think of us? No. Instead, Paul says that …

The commendation for our labors will be the lives of those who have been transformed by God because of the gospel (3:1-3)

That is, those lives changed through our obedience to spread Christ’s honor will be our commendation before all, including our Lord. Seeing that Paul is having to go through the foolish steps of arguing for his own sufficiency before a people whose lives have been changed because of the message he brought to them, Paul writes, “Are we beginning to commend ourselves to you again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on human hearts” (3:1-3).

Paul wanted the Corinthians to be able to look at their own lives and realize that Paul was sufficient for such a task. For they should have been able to see how their lives had changed because of the message he had brought them.

Ezekiel had prophesied of a coming day when God would give his people new hearts. He communicated God’s desire and coming work as he wrote in Ezekiel 36:25-27, “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.”

This was work that God would do in the new covenant, a work that would be far greater that the law, which had served to condemn and show their need for transformation. Paul tells the Corinthian believers that their lives are evidence of these new covenant realities, realities that came to them because they believed that which Paul preached to them. Therefore, they are his letters of recommendation, not some letters written with ink.

The same is true of us. As we live our lives reflecting the gospel and speak the gospel to those around us, we will see lives transformed. Even in this community we will see one another’s lives transformed by the gospel and that is what we will point to in order to display the power of the gospel and our sufficiency as ministers of the gospel.

Even as we stand before the Lord our commendation for our labor will be the lives of those to whom we have ministered the gospel. This is what Paul says to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 2:19 as he writes, “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?” Men’s transformed lives will be our commendation. Keep this in mind.

I have written myself a note as a pastor. It reads: “I make this pledge. Should I ever pursue those things which might indeed gain the respect and admiration of others, whether publications, degrees, or a platform where I might share knowledge the Lord has graciously given to me with others, it will not be so that I might be commended before men. Rather, I will continually remind myself that my commendation is those whom the Lord has placed under my care, whose lives are transformed by the Word and prayer. Wherever this road takes me and whatever turns it may involve, may I never lose sight of the letters of commendation that the Lord has given – those letters which are not written with ink and paper but are the very lives of men whose hearts bear words of grace which may be known and read by all. Amen.” May God grant me the grace to hold to that pledge.

So, who are we are ministers of the gospel? What are we to do? How are we sufficient? And what is our commendation? Paul answers: We are willing and conquered captives us Christ who are to spread his honor through spreading the gospel, made sufficient because of him, and seeking our commendation not in anything but the transformed lives of those to whom we minister who are evidence of God’s greatness and grace.

Therefore, may we go out even this week and speak in confidence that others too may come to be themselves captives of the one whose glory is forever and ever. Amen.

SPREADING A FRAGRANCE AS CONQUERED CAPTIVES