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Day 16: The Fragrance of His Knowledge (SoS 1:3a)

"Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointments poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you." Song of Songs 1:3

Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:15 says we are to diffuse the fragrance of the knowledge of God. This means that we must have an accurate knowledge of God and then express it to others. Both in the Old and New Testaments, the Bible states many things God is but Hebrews 1:3 says Jesus is:

"...the exact expression of God's true nature- His mirror image.." (TPT)

Meaning to know God is to know Jesus. However, there are many things we can know about the Son too, but there is a knowledge of Jesus that is foundational for every other thing we can know about Him. Matthew 16 tells us what this foundational knowledge of the Son is. Verses 13-18 say:

"When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Many said different things about Jesus which was information they had gathered but Peter by revelation said two things about Jesus:
  1. He is Christ:
Christ simply is an office Jesus occupied. It was a job description just like you might be a doctor, a lawyer,  an interior designer... Christ means the same as Messiah which just expresses that Jesus is the Savior of the world.
  1. He is the Son of the living God:
Now, this is His identity, who He really is. It's what is constant about Him, what remains if you strip Him of His job and all that He had on earth.

When Peter gave this answer Jesus acknowledged He had received an accurate revelation of Him and said it is upon this rock that He will build His church. He wasn't talking of a physical rock, He was referring to Himself as the rock, the foundation of our faith. There is no salvation or Christianity without Jesus. So Jesus was saying it is upon that foundational knowledge of Him as Christ the Son of God that He will build His church. And as the church is made of people He was indirectly saying our individual faith and lives must be built on this knowledge of Him if we desire stability and strength.

Throughout the book of Acts, the Apostles preached Jesus as both Lord and Christ sometimes in slightly varied terms. That was the knowledge of Him they had and diffused.

At salvation, we declared Him Lord and Savior, but many believers after that do not live as though He is Lord. They live with the consciousness that He is the savior but the utmost benefit of Christianity comes by also knowing Him as Lord: one who has authority over us.

To experience Jesus as a savior only and not Lord is like trying to make concrete with sand and water without cement. It will fall apart. When you go beyond knowing Jesus as Savior to submitting to Him as Lord, it is then you will experience stability in life and your walk with the Lord. Until you experience Christ as Lord, one who has authority over your everyday decisions, you cannot know true intimacy with Him. That is the fragrance of His knowledge we are to have and diffuse to others.

PRAY WITH ME:
God, I ask that you will fill my heart with the accurate revelation of Jesus as both Lord and Savior. I acknowledge again Christ's Lordship over me and I submit to His ways and commandments. Amen.

REFLECT AND ACT:
  • Examine yourself, have you truly submitted to Christ's authority or you're with Jesus only for the benefit of knowing Him as your savior?
  • Note areas of your life you haven't submitted or you should submit more to His lordship and make adjustments today.

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