"He Smells"
07-08-2007

Column 909, July 6, 2007

“Provoking Christian Insights” series



Part 9



“He Smells”

“Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in his Heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from lhis youth; nor will I again destroy every living this as I have done,” Genesis 8:20, 21.



The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians; “… not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.



Even though the old sacrifice system was done away with the New Covenant, the apostles had needs and God used others to supply them.



He who gives to support God’s work receives fruit (credit) to his account before God (v.17). A gift given and accepted in love is a sacrifice that is pleasing to God (v.18). Through Christ God will supply every need of His generous people (v. 19). We cannot out give God. (Philippians 4:17-19)



HOW DO WE GIVE AN AROMA PLEASING TO GOD IF WE NO LONGER GIVE SACRIFICES?

In the Old Testament a special group of priests was appointed to do nothing else by praise and thank the Lord (2 Chron. 31:2). Jesus shed His blood as a sacrifice for our sins in the New Testament, still.



1.We are to thank Him for His work in creation. David reminds us concerning this area of thanksgiving in Psalm 100. Later, John the apostle tells us we will thank God for his work in Creation through out all eternity. Note the words from Rev. 4 in this praise song; “ You are worthy, O lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.”

2. We are to thank Him for His work in redemption. John also informs us that our second song in heaven will feature thanksgiving for God’s work in redemption; ”And they sang a new song, saying; ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals’; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood.’” (Rev. 5:9)



We can offer up a sacrifice of praise.



“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are 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’ but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” (2 Corinthians: 15-17).



It was not Paul who changed the lives of the Corinthians. He had been made sufficient for this life-changing ministry only by the power of God. The new covenant: foretold by Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31-34) involves the work of the Holy Spirit. The letter of the Law of Moses kills because it only shows our failures. The Holy Spirit gives life by making us like Christ (John 16:13-16).



“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.”(Eph. 4:1,2)

Walking in the Spirit is an aroma pleasing to God. Be filled with the Spirit is a command to be obeyed, not an option for the Christian. Be filled is a present tense meaning “go on being filled with the Spirit.” It is plural; all believers are to be filled. The Spirit-filled Christian is so given over to the Spirit’s leadership that other conflicting influences have no place. The image is a cup so full that there is no room for anything else.



We want to be a pleasing aroma. We don’t want to grieve the Holy Spirit, push him away, ignore Him, or cause Him to grieve by rejecting His counsel.



The next most important question is, how can someone be filled with the Spirit? The prerequisites are simply confession of sin and yielding to God. The believer, who chooses to obey in these areas is filled with the Spirit and enabled to manifest Christ-like character. This obedience may be accompanied by prayer but is not necessarily so.



This certainty of being filled with the Spirit may be confirmed by the Believer’s faith and life.



INSPIRATION: “Awake you who sleep. Arise from the dead. And Christ will give you light,” (Eph. 5:14, Is. 26:19; 60:1).

Write: croneis@earthlink.net