being the captives of Christ in His triumphal procession scattering His fragrance

In 1 Corinthians we see that Paul writes to the Corinthian believers who were fleshly and even fleshy that they would aspire to grow in life and be governed, dominated, led, moved, controlled, and guided by their mingled spirit.

In 2 Corinthians we see the apostle’s speaking concerning their ministry and he used five metaphors to describe and illustrate what they were, how they were constituted, and how they were behaving as ministers as the new covenant.

These five metaphors are: captives of Christ (2 Cor. 2:14), incense bearers (2:14-16), letters of Christ (3:1-3), mirrors beholding and reflecting (3:18), and earthen vessels with a priceless treasure (4:7).

Being the captives of Christ

We as believers in Christ and as ministers of the new covenant are captives of Christ – He took captive those taken captive by Satan and now we are His captives (2 Cor. 2:14)! Here this verse means leading men as captives in a triumphal procession (Conybeare).

Christ is a victorious General: He defeated Satan, and He took his captive to be Christ’s! Now we all the believers in Christ need to allow Christ daily to defeat us and subdue us so that we may follow Him as the General in His triumphal procession to scatter the fragrance of Christ everywhere!

A captive of Christ is one who lives and serves in his spirit, caring for the rest in his spirit more than for the outward circumstances and environments. Paul was such a pattern – a door was opened to him in the Lord to go somewhere, but he had no rest in his spirit (2 Cor. 2:13). He didn’t care for the outward circumstances, but for the rest in his spirit.

MY SPIRIT – this is the center of God’s economy! We as captives of Christ should care for the rest in our spirit and we should be a lover of the church! In 2 Cor. 12:14-15 Paul was glad to spend and be utterly spent on behalf of the Corinthian believers’ soul. Regardless how the church treats you, you love the church!

Who is whose captive in your experience?

In our experience we all have to admit that many times Christ is captive to us, and we “defeat Christ” by living in our natural man, in our flesh, and guided by our self. We may not have problems with sin or with the world, but the question is, Who is Whose Captive? This is why we all need to pray, Lord, make me Your captive – never let me win! Defeat me all the time!

The Lord doesn’t need “spiritual giants” but He needs little captives, those who have been defeated by Christ and who are subdued by Him. We need to cooperate with the Lord’s defeating work by praying in such a way, so that He may have a gateway to enter in and defeat us all the time.

Oh, Lord Jesus… We should consider whether we have this desire to be defeated and subdued by Christ – has our self-will ever been conquered? Even in our seeking the Lord, in our reading the Bible, in our meeting with the saints – are we defeated and subdued by Christ or are we opponents of Christ?

May the Lord have mercy on us that we would allow Him to defeat us and conquer us. May it not be He being a captive in our fleshly victory but may it be us who are defeated, subdued, conquered, and captured by Him to be His captives in His triumphal procession…

Scattering the fragrance of Christ

The ones who have been defeated and subdued by the Lord to be His captives in His triumphal procession scatter the fragrance of Christ – they are incense bearers scattering the savor of the knowledge of Christ in His triumphant ministry.

Our knowledge of Christ as captives of Christ is fragrant and savoury – when we are subdued and captured by Him, we bear the fragrance of Christ wherever we are! We will pray like the loving seeker in Song of Songs 4:10-16, Come Beloved in my garden… Awake north wind and come south wind, let my fragrance flow… The Lord uses difficult environments and pleasant environments to help us scatter the fragrance of Christ!

Lord Jesus, You are the General leading us in Your triumphal procession! Oh, Lord, never let us win. Defeat us all the time. Subdue us and conquer us. Save us from defeating You and winning a fleshly victory in which You are our captive. Lord, we are delighted to be just little captives in Your triumphal procession, scattering the fragrance of Christ. May we know You to such an extent that it is fragrant and savoury!

References and Further Reading

• Sharing inspired from, Life-study of 2 Corinthians, msgs. 5, 18; An Autobiography of a Person in the Spirit, chs. 2-3, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, The Focus of the Lord’s Recovery, week 5;
• A lovely hymn on this topic, The new covenant ministers / Are captives in a procession, / Defeated and subdued by Christ / For His victorious celebration.
• Purchase the Morning Revival book online via LSM;
• Picture source: 2 Corinthians 2:14 from online.