I Can’t Do This!
Do you have resilience in your life? If you cannot answer that question, perhaps you have not been tested yet. It is during trials, hardships, and obstacles that resilience is tested. We learn to endure. You must reach a point where you shout: “I can’t do this!”
Has anyone in the audience experienced an “I can’t do this” moment? It’s that moment when you want to throw in the towel. This term originated in boxing matches—when the trainer senses the fighter can no longer take any more punches, he throws in the towel to stop the fight.
For some of us, we’ve been going a few rounds with life: cancer treatments, a child walking away from the faith, losing a job with immense financial burdens, another romantic breakup, and the exhaustion of repeated rejection, or receiving another low grade after trying so hard. The list could go on and on … but they all lead us to the same phrase: “I can’t do this!” Have you been there? Let’s shout it together!
I’d like to expand our definition this morning. Resilience is … “The ability to recover quickly from illness, change, or misfortune; buoyancy.” This is what Paul will discuss today in 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:18. Last week, Dave provided an overview of the book. In the remainder of chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2, Paul outlines the challenges of ministry life, including the need to forgive. Now, in chapters 2-3, he will answer the question:
How do you build a RESILIENT life? In this section of Scripture, I suggest he offers three steps: (1) Assess Your SMELL. (2) Source Your SUFFICIENCY. (3) Walk In The SPIRIT. When you take these steps, resilience follows.
Assess Your Smell
First, if you want to build a resilient life, you must assess your smell. Paul states that those who follow Christ will smell like Christ! Later in the passage, he makes the point that, to non-believers, the Gospel is a foul odor. By extension, for those who don’t follow Christ, our lives will be a foul stench. Their minds, and noses, are blinded! We carry a Gospel stench—and that’s a good thing!
Yet, we must preach while trusting God with those souls around us. This is what Paul did at Troas:
When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. (2 Cor. 2:12-13, ESV)
Before Paul delves into his exhortations, he addresses his recent travels in these two verses. He expresses his love and concern for the Corinthians as he recounts his experience after leaving Ephesus for Troas. A door opened for him to preach the Gospel, and he took it. However, his spirit was troubled because Titus was not there. Titus was carrying the “severe” letter to the Corinthians, and Paul wanted to know if they had repented of their sins. Thus, he left this ministry situation in search of Titus.
Despite his discouragement over a missed Gospel opportunity in Troas, Paul gives thanks …
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. (2 Cor. 2:14, ESV)
Notice the word, “fragrance.” This is our first smell word in this section. “The term in verse 14 for fragrance (osmē) is used for both pleasant and unpleasant odors. In verse 15, however, Paul shifts to euōdia, which refers only to agreeable smells, further defining this odor as an aroma of Christ to God.”[1] This shift emphasizes that, first and foremost, our lives must be a pleasing aroma to God himself.
The context of this section of 2 Corinthians centers on Paul’s validity as an Apostle. People were questioning him. Paul’s point is this: some people react to our smell. However, that reaction is more about them than us—it points to their heart. Our goal is to please God.
To further illustrate, Paul draws from a familiar Roman spectacle called the “pompa triumphalis.” This was a victory parade for successful generals. “Over 300 of these events are recorded in Greco-Roman literature. Most commentators and translations agree that this is what this passage refers to. What isn’t so clear is where we fit into this scene.”[2] There were some key components to these “parades.” Imagine seeing this come down Main Street, the center of Basking Ridge, in your town:
- First, a group would carry a picture of the battle, along with a board displaying the names of the conquered cities and nations.
- Second, white bulls were sacrificed to Jupiter.
- Third, the conquered peoples, including key leaders, followed.
- Fourth, came the incense-bearers, wafting clouds of smoke.
- Fifth, at the heart of the parade, was the successful general, ready to receive all his accolades.
- Finally, following the general came two more groups: (1) the Romans he had rescued from the barbarians, and (2) the general’s own troops brought up the rear.[3]
Why does Paul include this scene here? Usually, commentators argue that we belong to one of the groups. How do you discern which one? The answer lies in the next verse:
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. (2 Cor. 2:15-16, ESV)
Notice that in verse 14, it says that Christ leads us in this triumphal procession. We, however, are the “fragrance” and “aroma” of Christ. The combination of these words suggests a pleasing smell to God. Christ is depicted as the victorious general, setting the captives free through his work on the cross. That is a picture of the Gospel! However, we are the ones going before Him, spreading the incense, the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere! To those who are saved, the Christians, this fragrance brings life. But to those who don’t know Christ, the unrepentant rebels, this smell brings death.
Perhaps a real-world example would help. There is a reason the “fragrance industry” is so lucrative. When someone smells pleasing, we are drawn to them. What is your favorite fragrance? Chanel? Gucci? Hugo Boss? Who loves walking into Bath and Body Works? Even they have wearable fragrances. The smell can attract us or repel us.
Now, think about the worst smell in the world. Consider garbage. I have to take the garbage out every night—anyone else? I still have kids in diapers. Let’s just say changing the diaper genie doesn’t make me lean in for another whiff; it puts me on my heels! Good fragrances make us lean in, while bad fragrances put us on our heels.
Poopy diapers… trash… this is how we may smell to non-Christians when we share the Gospel message. We stink like garbage… we have a Gospel stench about us!
This brings us back to the question: How do you smell? Does your life have a Gospel stench? Go ahead, take a whiff of yourself right now. Did you use the Jesus deodorant this morning? Do you smell like life… or death?
Source Your Sufficiency
When you assess your smell, you will know the source of your sufficiency. Remember the context in 2 Corinthians, where Paul was challenged by so-called “Super Apostles.” These individuals attended the best schools and seminaries—they were highly regarded by the world. They looked down on Paul and his meager education. Paul now turns to the proof of his calling, which is seen in the lives he has influenced.
As you read this section, ask yourself, “Who in your life is proof you are a Christian?” Are there people you have influenced for the Gospel? Paul raises this question in 2:16: “Who is sufficient for these things?” However, he continues this thought into chapter 3. Paul writes:
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:1-3, ESV)
When was the last time you applied for a job or a school and did not have to provide letters of recommendation? Most places require up to three recommendations because they want to assess who you are and your skill set. It is very easy for people to interview well, but they may be terrible workers or students. This was also true in Paul’s day. The people in Corinth were questioning Paul’s credentials as an Apostle. “Itinerant speakers, in particular, were expected to carry letters of reference with them as they traveled from place to place. It was often the only means by which they received hospitality and provisions for the journey ahead.”[4]
This is what Paul is doing in this section. Notice that in verse 2, Paul states that this is not a physical letter; rather, it is a letter “written on our hearts. “What does that mean? The term “heart” is used in the Semitic sense—it represents the inmost self and the center of personality.[5] In other words, his letter of recommendation is the transformed lives of the people he has ministered to; it serves as evidence of his calling. His true resume, the one that matters, is the Spirit of God working in the hearts of those he has evangelized. Paul is appealing to a divine reference here.
Now, in the next few verses, he points to this as his confidence:
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor. 3:4-6, ESV)
During our “I can’t do this” moments, when we feel deflated, we often place our confidence in the wrong things. What does Paul say here? We have confidence through whom? Christ! He admits that we are not sufficient to claim that anything comes from us! What an admission. How many of us would be willing to say, “I am not sufficient”? However, this does not mean that God can’t use us. What is Paul doing? He is sourcing his sufficiency. Paul almost shouts to us: Our sufficiency is from God! Church, do you know that today?
Walk In The Spirit
You have the Spirit inside you; now walk with Him! Walk with Him, talk to Him, and trust Him with whatever life brings your way. Paul begins the final section by outlining the implications of this:
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. (2 Cor. 3:12-13, ESV)
Does everyone out there know that we have hope? I’m going to tell you this right now: Satan doesn’t want you to have hope. He wants you to be like a deflated balloon, with the air taken out of your sails. Why? Because bold Christians are a threat to him. If you possess a boldness for the Gospel that comes with unshakeable hope in Christ, you are a threat to Satan.
In verse 13, Paul again refers to the scene in Exodus 33-34, where Moses approaches God on Mt. Sinai while receiving the Ten Commandments. God passed by Moses, and the glory was so overwhelming that Moses could only see His back. When Moses descended from the mountain to the Israelite encampment, his face was so radiant that he had to wear a veil to protect the people. In verses 14-15, Paul explains that the veil symbolizes hardened minds. They are spiritually blind. The Jewish people who have not come to Christ, along with all unbelievers, have a veil over their hearts. They can hear the Old Testament read but cannot see that it points to Christ. Only when Christ saves someone through the power of His Spirit is the veil removed. Verse 16 states:
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor. 3:16-17, ESV)
Verses 16-17 are complex. In the Exodus account, Moses removes his veil, but here it seems God removes the veil. This highlights the tension in Scripture where human responsibility and divine intervention both appear to be active. Verse 17 makes a profound theological point: YHWH God removed Moses’ veil, but now, in the new covenant, the Spirit performs this work. He is indicating that something NEW is happening in salvation history. What is the result? Freedom.
Now, in the United States, we are a freedom-loving country. We often equate freedom with, “I can do whatever I want. No one tells me what to do.” However, that is not how the Bible discusses freedom. The “freedom” Paul refers to is not “inalienable rights.” What is he talking about? He is referring to freedom from death, sin, the law, and condemnation. As Linda Belleville writes, “Here it means to be free of barriers that would impede spiritual understanding. It is the work of the Spirit to remove such spiritual impediments.”[6]
Friends, Biblical Freedom means we are free to live as God designed us. God made us to be ruled by Him. So, when Scripture says we have been set free, it means we are free from the power of sin … so we can live for Christ. Since the Holy Spirit has removed the veil from our hearts, we now have a deep spiritual understanding of the world. We know that God is in control … and we can trust Him. With the veil removed, we can walk with Him.
Three Questions
What does this all mean for us? Throughout this post, we have been discussing building a resilient life in Christ. If we are going to follow Jesus for the long haul, if we are going to stick with Him and not give up, we must instill practices in our lives that strengthen our faith. We must constantly fight against the veil that seeks to cover our hearts. How do we do that?
I suggest that this week we begin to ask three questions during our prayer time—three questions that align with our three points:
- How do I smell? I know this sounds silly, but it is a profound spiritual question. Do people sense the aroma of Christ in my life? We all have good days and bad days, and life is not always easy. However, our lives serve as a testament to Christ working in us. If people notice something different about us, they may become interested in the ingredients. Conversely, if we detect a foul odor in our lives, we should ask the second question:
- Is Christ sufficient for me? I often find that when I don’t reflect the character of Jesus, it is because I am placing my trust in something else. I desire something different or believe I need something else to feel successful, secure, or strong. If I feel off … it is because, in that moment, I don’t think Jesus is sufficient for me. When this happens, the third question becomes crucial.
- Where do I need the Spirit’s help? Jesus tells us in John 6 that he is sending the Spirit as a helper and guide. Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that the Spirit intercedes for us. Friends, many of us struggle … because we are too prideful to ask the Spirit for help. If you are a Christian, he is your power source. Why would you resist him? Ask for his assistance.
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[1] Linda L. Belleville, 2 Corinthians, vol. 8, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1996), 2 Co 2:12–17.
[2] Gary Millar, 2 Corinthians for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2020), 46–47.
[3] Ibid, 47.
[4] Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 2 Co 3:1-3.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid, 2 Co 3:16–17.
