Always in triumph
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (II Corinthians 2:14). It amazes me how many who teach “in Christ” truths emphasize a conditional or negative slant to what is in reality the most positive thing in the world. The word translated triumphal here is only used twice in the New Testament, the other occasion being in Colossians 2:15 where it speaks of God triumphing over the principalities and powers that had kept humanity in bondage. In both cases it is God who does the action and in both cases we are participants because we are “in Christ”.
Today, as a believer, you are being lead “in triumph—as trophies of Christ’s victory” (Amplified). Moffatt has this insightful paraphrase, “Wherever I go, thank God, he makes my life a constant pageant of triumph in Christ…” Or for those who like the Message paraphrase, “In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade.” Are you getting the truth? God makes your life triumphant! When you woke up this morning you were already triumphant. Wherever you go or went today, you went as a triumphant conqueror.
This is not philosophy or psychiatry; this is reality! God said it, that settles it! Say it, “I am triumphant in Christ. I am not a victim of the world I see; I am a victor in Christ.”
And because I thank God daily for making my life victorious, others get a touch of “fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere”. Yes, “Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance” (Message). The fragrance is a sweet-smelling odor, a pleasant incense, and when people find out what God can do for them, they are drawn by this exquisite fragrance. No wonder Romans 2:4 says “the goodness of God leads to repentance”.
I’ve found the “Pearl of greatest price”,
My heart doth sing for joy,
And sing I must, for Christ I have—
Oh, what a Christ have I.”
A hymn possibly adapted from John Mason (1645-94).
July 12th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
I am finding that just a hair of difference in seeing a truth makes all the difference. The article above made me think of the fruit that one sees in their life when they believe they are truly one with Christ - Vine and branch. Before, I used to say to myself, “IF I am in Christ and He in me, then I SHOULD be bearing fruit.” I really believed I was doing well to hold on to that truth, but did not see fruit in my life. Then, the Holy Spirit helped me to see I was missing the real truth just by a hair. He has taught me to say, “Since I am in Christ and He in me, I HAVE fruit in my life.” Waiting to see evidence was sitting in unbelief, declaring the truth of what is a fact even though I don’t see it in the natural is Faith.
August 5th, 2008 at 12:59 am
Yes, that is the new creation reality!
We are conditioned to believe what we see with our 5 senses, yet the Word describes things beyond what we see. We tend to judge ourselves by what evidence we see but God tells us to see things as he does–recognizing our true identity and relationship. We are his sons and daughters and we ARE in him. Out of our identity comes our actions–and out of our actions comes fruit. But just as we learn not to use the senses as our indicator for truth, we can be sure that it is the same for measuring fruit. God is the husbandman, and as surely as he works in our hearts to will, he will also DO to produce fruit in us.