2:16
So, if we are faithful to Christ, then we are a pleasing aroma to God, both among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. But we are not pleasing to all people, we will not get a positive reaction from everyone. To some we are an aroma of death. The gospel is not just about being nice! It is a gospel of judgement, it declares that we are sinners. There is life and forgiveness, but we need to acknowledge our sin before we can benefit from that. So to those who refuse to admit their guilt, we are an aroma of death, for we declare that God is against them. But to those who do admit their guilt we are an aroma of life, for we bring news of forgiveness.
2:16b,17
“Who is equal to such a task?” Being a minister of the gospel is a momentous thing, an amazing task, who is up to it? There were many “teachers” and philosophers of all sorts who went around aiming to make money out of their teaching, and there were some who saw the gospel as just another way to make money. But the gospel is a very different matter, and no one is worthy of the task of bringing God’s message in their own right. Paul tells them that they do not speak the gospel in order to make money. They needed to appreciate the radical difference between the gospel and everything else. Paul and his co-workers spoke with sincerity, knowing the were serving God, they were God’s representatives, and so had to answer to Him.
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