When it comes to our engagement with our American Culture these days, we often seem to be engaged in a fight for our rights and political power. We have been used to being the culturally dominant force and as that is fading away, we’ve gotten a bit desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures. As a result, the white evangelical movement has, as a whole, been willing to set aside some previous convictions in return for political access and protection. It has worked in some ways currently, but there have been some serious trade-offs.
Victorious Roman military leaders, after winning a campaign, would return home and take part in a Triumphal Procession where they would parade through the city with their soldiers and also the prisoners they had captured. As part of the procession, there would be people burning incense. The result was a display of the conquered prisoners and you would smell the aroma of the procession all around the city.
Paul grabs this imagery as He considered that he had been publicly conquered by Jesus. He wrote:
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
(2 Corinthians 2:14-15)
We read that “leads us in triumph” as American Christians and we think about being the victors, but that is not the image Paul is relaying. He is seeing Jesus as the victor and himself as the prisoner, being led through the streets, displayed as no longer being free in himself, but a slave to Jesus, and the aroma of the procession is noticeable to all, signifying Christ’s conquest. What did this display of being Christ’s captive look like? Paul explains it.
For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
(1 Corinthians 4:9-13)
There is a lot for us to learn here about how we should see our role in our American culture. We should be on display as Christ’s captives, fully conquered by him, an aroma of salvation. I see too often people who name the name of Christ, including those who are regarded leaders of the church, who ridicule, insult, and mock political opponents and those that oppose us. How opposite of what Paul lived, blessing when reviled and trying to conciliate when being slandered. Imagine the attention we would get if we responded differently to the current political climate than everyone else who is busy trying to be a king instead of a slave of the King. Perhaps then we would have a different aroma to those who don’t know Christ. We need that sweet aroma because the current political discourse of this country stinks.
