Sweet Smelling Aroma

In the Old Testament, God required the children of Israel to make yearly animal sacrifices. God received those sacrifices as “atonement,” or covering, for their sins for the entire year. It was acceptable to Him if it was a lamb without any imperfections (Exodus 12:5).

Now that Jesus has become the perfect, eternal sacrifice for us, we no longer must perform animal sacrifices. Instead, our old, sin-filled spirit died the moment we received Jesus as Lord. God raised us back to life with a brand-new spirit—just like Jesus rose from the dead. God made the real us—our spirits—acceptable through the Blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10). As a result, God has called us to give our lives—including our bodies—to Him as a “living” sacrifice. We now belong to Him and hold the honor of living holy to honor Him.

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship (Romans 12:1-2, AMPC).

Though we have been born again with God’s perfect nature inside us, we must choose to lay our lives down on the “altar” as a sacrifice to God. It’s not just a spiritual ritual. Considering what Jesus had done for us, it is our “rational” and “intelligent” action of worship toward Him. Jesus set the perfect example of this when He submitted Himself to God’s plan and became a sacrifice (Matthew 26:36-46). God called us to follow that example.

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins (1 John 4:10, NLT).

Depending on what is sacrificed, every sacrifice gives off an odor. Animal sacrifices let off a foul odor, but our life’s sacrifice should give off a sweet-smelling aroma. We choose what it will smell like to God and others by the way we live. If we live a godly life submitted to God, our lives give off a spiritually sweet smell to God. If it is an unsubmitted life that does not represent God’s will and attributes, it gives off a spiritual putrid smell. As a “holy and well-pleasing” sacrifice, putting off a sweet aroma in every area should be our goal:

Our Lifestyle

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:1-5, NKJV).

Our Offerings

Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18, NKJV).

Our Love for Others

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma (Ephesians 5:2, NKJV).

Our Worship

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name (Hebrews 13:15, NKJV).

Our Bodies

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2, NKJV).

We would love to say that we give off a pleasant scent every day. But life situations can test our ability to give off a pure odor. Those situations can be as simple as being grouchy at our family over a messy living room or being frustrated by slow traffic. Other situations can be as big as relationship challenges, health issues, or strong temptations to sin. When we are under pressure, we have a choice to make. We can yield to our spirits or yield to our flesh.

When we follow our born-again spirits, we handle situations with grace that produce a sweet-smelling aroma. That aroma triggers God’s power to help us. But if we give in to our unsaved flesh—our minds, wills, and emotions—our aroma squelches that grace and discourages others. This is why the Bible says to let the Holy Spirit guide our lives, so we won’t do what our sinful nature caves (Galatians 5:16, NLV).

None of us is perfect at giving off a spiritually sweet-smelling aroma all the time. But the moment the Holy Spirit reveals to us “odors” that grieve God, we should quickly repent of whatever is. That repentance brings us back into fellowship with God—and back to diffusing a fragrance that glorifies the One Who made us!

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NKJV).

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31, NKJV).