Authenticity | 2 Corinthians 2:14

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. (2 Corinthians 2:14 NLT)

Fragrance is a tricky thing. The right scent, applied in the right amount, can be pleasant and attractive. On the other hand, the wrong scent—or the right scent applied too heavily—can be an annoyance. You probably know someone who wears too much cologne or perfume. Someone who splashes it on by the handful. Someone who makes sure that everyone they come into contact with walks away smelling like them. You don’t want to be that person.

Paul uses fragrance to illustrate what happens when Christians share our faith. When Christians enter a room—or enter a conversation—the knowledge of Christ can be like a sweet perfume. Under the right circumstances, it draws people a little closer and lingers, in a good way, after we leave.

Of course, different people have different reactions to fragrances. A pleasing scent to one person may be a stench to others. And something that’s a pleasing scent in one context may not be in another. Take garlic as an example. It’s delicious on food and smells good when it’s cooking. But it doesn’t smell so great on someone’s breath afterward, does it?

The same goes with living in a godly way and sharing your faith. Some people will be attracted to it; others will be offended by it. But we can’t let people’s potential reactions discourage us from the task at hand. My responsibility is to live and share the gospel. I must live it because nothing is a worse witness than a hypocritical Christian.

If you’re sincere about your faith, I encourage you to engage people in evangelistic conversations. People are scared right now. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the air. Look at the headlines. Opioid use is up. Alcohol sales are up. Suicide rates are up. People are looking for truth and hope. This is a moment for us to step into that conversation and talk truthfully about the hope we’ve found in Christ.

But let me add something that might surprise you. To some people, I would say, please don’t talk about Jesus. You may think I’m contradicting myself, so let me explain. If you’re seeking to live a godly life, then, by all means, look for opportunities to talk about Jesus. Notice that I didn’t say a perfect life. The truth is, we all fall short. We all will mess up. But if you’re sincere—if you’re really trying to honor God in the way you live—you can make a powerful impression on unbelievers.

On the other hand, if you’re living a hypocritical life, if you’re contradicting what the Bible says in the way you live, please do us all a favor and don’t talk about Jesus. Instead, you should focus on repenting of your sin and getting right with God before you talk to others.

A. W. Tozer wrote, “The world is waiting to hear an authentic voice. A voice from God, not an echo from what others are doing and saying, but an authentic voice.” That voice could be yours.

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