Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 2:12-17
Ⅰ
The new covenant ministers are conquered by Christ and have become His captives in the train of His triumph—2 Cor. 2:12-14:
A
Paul uses the metaphor of a procession held in honor of the victory of a Roman general to illustrate what he was in the ministry—v. 14:
１
Paul's ministry was a triumphal procession of a victorious General, the Lord Jesus, leading many captives.
２
A person living in the Holy of Holies must be a captive in the train of Christ's triumphal procession, celebrating Christ's victory on the cross—Eph. 4:8; Col. 1:18b:
a
In our experience much of the time we must admit that instead of being captives to Christ, Christ is a captive to us.
b
We should pray, "Lord make me your captive. Never let me win. Defeat me all the time."
B
To be a captive of Christ under God's leading is to be dominated, governed, directed, moved, and led by our mingled spirit—2 Cor. 2:12-13; 7:5-6:
１
Even if there is a door opened by the Lord to us, if we just care for this and not for the Lord Himself in our spirit, we are not very intimate with the Lord.
２
If we are going to grow in life, we should not care for the outward circumstances, but for the inner rest in our spirit—Rom. 8:6.
３
Paul had no rest in his spirit because of his care and concern for the church, his burden for the Body of Christ—2 Cor. 2:12; 11:18-29.
４
To take care of the inner sense of rest in our spirit is to enjoy Christ as the Sabbath rest to us in our spirit for the desire of God's heart—Matt. 11:28-29; Heb. 4:9; Gen. 1:26-28.
５
A minister of the new covenant is one who lives and acts in his spirit, exercising his spirit to live in the Blessed Trinity for the sake of the Body—Jude 19-21; 2 Cor. 2:13; 4:13, 16; 6:6; 7:13; 12:18.
Ⅱ
The new covenant ministers are incense-bearers scattering the savor of the knowledge of Christ in His triumphant ministry as in a triumphal procession—2 Cor. 2:14-17:
A
The apostles, being permeated with Christ, became a fragrance of Christ— v. 15:
１
Others are touched not by something that can be seen or heard, but by a special, spiritual flavor which emanates from the believers who are with them; this is their fragrance, which is the result of a life of submission to the anointing Spirit—S. S. 1:3; 4:10-11.
２
The ministers of Christ, the lovers of Christ, are prepared to give forth Christ's fragrance in all circumstances and in any kind of environment— S. S. 4:16:
a
All problems come from within not from without.
b
If there is a fragrance inside, outward circumstances, whether the north wind or the south wind, will only serve to bring out the smell of the fragrance.
c
We must learn the secret of how to gain Christ, experience Christ, enjoy Christ, and live Christ to be a fragrance of Christ in any environment and in any matter—Phil. 4:11-12, 6-7.
B
A minister of Christ does not adulterate God's word but speaks in Christ and has Christ speaking in him as a man in Christ scattering the fragrance of Christ from place to place for the increase and building up of Christ's Body— 2 Cor. 2:17; 12:2; 13:3.