God is our source of victory.
Christ ALWAYS leads us in Triumph.
We render Sweet Aroma of God's truth to the world; and to God.
Perishing People think we stink.
Others are attracted.
PASSAGE AND A POINT...
2 Corinthians 2:14-16
(14) Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and maks manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.
(15) For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
(16) To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
FINDING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD
God designed humans to be spiritual and to be godly. We have inherited the sinful nature of Adam, but God enables our fallen human nature to be responsive to God and His salvation. In theology this is called PREVENIENT GRACE, (grace that goes before). God's grace is at work in a lost world and in the lives of wicked people.
While prevenient grace does not saves people from their sins, it is God's way of leading people to saving grace. Saving Grace is present in those who have saving faith. It is this prevenient grace that causes the unsaved to respond positively to Christians, the gospel and to Christ. As an unsaved person hardens his heart to Christ, His message and His servants, resisting God's prevenient grace, the non-believer becomes repulsed by the Christian influence, which eventuates in the rejection of Christ's offer of salvation.
This is why some people find Christianity attractive and some people do not. We must not allow ourselves to be the cause of other people finding Christianity to be a stench. God will conform us to His Son and to His will, as we trust Him for sanctifying grace. If someone is going to reject the gospel, let it be because they will not yield to the gospel, rather than because we have misrepresented the Savior and His salvation.
PASSAGE AND A POINT...
2 Corinthians 2:14-16
(14) Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and maks manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.
(15) For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
(16) To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
FINDING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD
God designed humans to be spiritual and to be godly. We have inherited the sinful nature of Adam, but God enables our fallen human nature to be responsive to God and His salvation. In theology this is called PREVENIENT GRACE, (grace that goes before). God's grace is at work in a lost world and in the lives of wicked people.
While prevenient grace does not saves people from their sins, it is God's way of leading people to saving grace. Saving Grace is present in those who have saving faith. It is this prevenient grace that causes the unsaved to respond positively to Christians, the gospel and to Christ. As an unsaved person hardens his heart to Christ, His message and His servants, resisting God's prevenient grace, the non-believer becomes repulsed by the Christian influence, which eventuates in the rejection of Christ's offer of salvation.
This is why some people find Christianity attractive and some people do not. We must not allow ourselves to be the cause of other people finding Christianity to be a stench. God will conform us to His Son and to His will, as we trust Him for sanctifying grace. If someone is going to reject the gospel, let it be because they will not yield to the gospel, rather than because we have misrepresented the Savior and His salvation.
