A sweet-smelling aroma to God

Wesley Wright

Lighthouse Bible Church

Sunday, January 4, 2026

 

2CO 2:12 — 2CO 3:6

 

A sweet-smelling aroma to God

 

Paul moved from Troas (modern-day Turkey) west to Macedonia, he notes.

Troas comes up several times in the NT.

 

An example: ACT 20:5-12

 

What is Christ’s gospel?

JOH 8:21-30

ACT 10:34-41

1CO 15:1-9

 

After mentioning Titus, Paul makes a powerful point: God causes him (and us by extension) to triumph in Christ.

 

Believers in all ages will triumph in Christ:

ROM 8:29-39

REV 12:7-11

JOH 16:24-33 (Christ triumphed already)

 

The church as a body will triumph, too:

MAT 16:13-20

 

Notice Paul says he and others are a sweet-smelling aroma to God

(2CO 2:14-15).

 

In context, that aroma is good. Here’s the opposite nose metaphor:

ISA 3:16-26

EZE 8:16-18

 

Paul makes a clear distinction between those who corrupted the gospel and his brethren, who did not (2CO 2:17). We must do the same.

 

Who are those who corrupt the word of God?

1TI 6:3-10

TIT 1:7-14

JUD 1:1-8

 

What should we do with these bad actors?

ROM 16:17-19

 

Letters of commendation were common during Paul’s time.

Paul (Saul): ACT 9:1-2; ACT 22:1-5

Phoebe: ROM 16:1

 

Paul says his readers and their changed lives serve as a letter of sorts — they are the proof of the work God did among them (2CO 3:2).

 

No letter needed.

 

Note that Paul makes a distinction between letters merely written on stone and those written on the human heart.

 

Paul appropriately credits God for that work, and that same God we serve made them ministers of a new covenant

(2CO 3:4-6).

 

Old Testament passages point to a new covenant coming for true Israel:

JER 31:31-36

EZE 36:22-38

 

This new covenant is centered around that same Christ:

LUK 22:14-20

HEB 13:20-21

1CO 9:20-23

 

We and all others triumph ultimately in Christ, and by extension are a sweet-smelling aroma to God. That new covenant, by the way, is a superior one.

 

Be wary of false teachers and those who corrupt the gospel. The more readily that you can identify them, the more quickly you can help others avoid them.

 

Next week, we’ll talk more about this new (decidedly superior) covenant, and its surpassing glory.