I’m focusing on a 3-part series with the theme “Becoming God Magnets”. In last week’s blog I looked at the Christian’s sphere of influence – your “magnetic” field. This week I want to build on the metaphor of the magnet and look at a Christian’s active power to influence – your pulling power. Last week I asked the question, “How much of an impact does our relationship with Christ have on the people around us?” A followup question on that would be, “How active and effective are we in drawing people to Christ?”
Jesus was a magnet, the disciples were magnets, the early church was a magnet. The plan of the Father is to shape us into God magnets where we, like the early church, become transformed lives producing transformational encounters.
Magnetism of God magnets
One of the phenomenas of magnets are their ability to magnetise other non magnetic material. God magnets are contagious and effective agents of change wherever they are.
The great apostle Paul had such an effect wherever he went. Hi story in the book of Acts has him either creating a revival or a riot everywhere he went. In every city Paul found himself in, he never failed to attract attention and then deflect it to Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. His life was truly a God magnet. Even when his movements were restricted, it didn’t change the way he drew people to Christ. In Philippians 1:12, writing from prison, Paul pens these words:
Philippians 1:12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.
He speaks of current events that have happened to him – “Everything that has happened to me here..”. It has been quite an eventful couple of years for Paul from Caesarea to Rome. He witnessed to the highest officials in Jerusalem and Caesarea – Governors Felix and Festus and King Agrippa. King Agrippa upon hearing Paul’s testimony confessed that he was almost persuaded to be a Christian.
Acts 26:28 (NKJV) Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
Paul’s journey to Rome was perilous, shipwrecked in Malta and finally arriving in Rome. Throughout the journey God manifesting His power with miraculous signs and wonders through His servant Paul. Imagine a prisoner of the state, yet having the freedom to preach the Gospel under the watchful eyes of Roman guards. He arrives in Rome and is placed under house arrest for two years.
Acts 28:16 (NKJV) Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
Acts 28:30-31 (NKJV) Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
So writing to the church in Philippi, Paul testifies that his chains are actually helping him in spreading the Gospel – “For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.” His effectiveness to preach the Gospel also gave other Christians the confidence to do the same.
The Roman church was known for their infectious faith. Paul, writing to the Roman Christians years before he stepped foot in Rome, speaks of their faith that had a global effect.
Romans 1:8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.
As we look at the early church and the apostles, we must ask ourselves a very soul-searching question – do we draw people to Christ or do we repel them away from Him?
Aroma of life vs aroma of death
Another way of looking at our effectiveness as Christians in our community is to look at it in light of being a fragrance. Paul uses the metaphor of a fragrance to describe the follower of Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14 – now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.
Paul says that a Christian creates a distinguishable aroma wherever we go. He calls us the “fragrance of Christ” and says that when we interact with the world, we create either an aroma of life or an aroma of death.
When we are among people who are “being saved”, the atmosphere that we create around them is an aroma of life. In other words, when we among them, the lives we live in Christ becomes a source of strength, encouragement and life to those on their faith journey. Our faith journey can become an inspiration to other believers, providing them with a distinct experience which draws them closer to the Lord.
On the other hand, the presence of a follower of Christ can permeate the atmosphere around those who are not in Christ, creating a distinct fragrance that enables them to discern an aroma of death that lingers in them. A good example is wound odor, a quick and immediate method of assessing wounds. There is a range of assessments from no odor when the dressing is removed, to strong odor when the dressing is still intact. This method is only possible when in an environment where a foul odour is easily discernable – like in a sterile hospital setting.
There are times when the aroma of a Christian lifestyle can help someone discern the foul odor of areas in their lives and help them make right choices towards healing and restoration. A non Christian who hangs out with a Christian man who loves his wife as Christ loves the church, notices the sacrificial love the Christian shows his wife. That lifestyle becomes an aroma, a fragrance for the man who might be careless or even abusive towards his wife. Seeing the effects it has in the Christian’s marriage may cause the man to long for a relationship he sees in the other and be drawn to the fragrance of sacrificially loving his wife too. In this way, the fragrance of the Christian created an atmosphere for the other man to discern the foul odour in his way of treating his wife.
To some however, this distinct fragrance that a Christian produces can be offensive and they may choose to reject the gospel lifestyle. The history of the church and our own experience tell us that the Christian message isn’t always received well. In that way the fragrance of Christ can be an aroma of death to some. We must however be extra vigilant to ensure that people are reacting to the fragrance of Christ and not the stench of our humanity.
Are we a fragrance or a stench?
The Gospel message is too important to allow it to be trivialised through our careless lifestyle. It is crucial that we ensure our lifestyle is not the reason why people are turning away from Christ. I am suggesting three lifestyle choices we continually make to ensure we are diffusing “the fragrance of Christ” and not the stench of our humanity:
1. Reposition: “all things to all men”
One of the ways to ensure our humanity does not get in the way of our Christian message is to ensure that we constantly reposition ourselves so we do not present ourselves as superior to those around us. Spiritual pride is the most repelling odour a Christian can emit. The apostle Paul maintained a consistent attractive lifestyle by repositioning himself as a servant to all.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NKJV) For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
Paul was a great soul winner because he constantly repositioned himself in relationship to the other. He never saw himself better than the other, nor did he portray himself as better than others. It wasn’t that he compromised his values or his Christian lifestyle. What he did was to come alongside those he was reaching out to, meeting them where they were and guiding them towards Christ. If we want to be the “fragrance of Christ”, we need to ensure we do not emit the odor of spiritual pride that makes us think we are better than those around us. Reposition ourselves means making ourselves servants of all – enabling them to know Christ.
2. Rephrase: “speak what is good and right”
Matthew 12:33-37 (NKJV) “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Jesus identified one way of revealing if a person’s actions were from a “good tree” or a “bad tree”. Our words. What comes out of our mouth is an indication whether we are having a good effect or a bad effect in others. Good talk which produces good fruit comes from the treasury of a good heart, while evil talk that produces destruction comes from an evil heart.
If we desire for God to diffuse the fragrance of Christ in us, we need to watch our conversations. Our words have good or bad effects. We need to be aware of our ways of speaking seeking always to rephrase the moment we know our words are not producing good fruit.
3. Repent: keep your conscience clear
1 Peter 3:15-16 (NKJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
Repentance is not a one time act. Neither is it “forgive me” a mantra to say everyday. The apostle Peter isencouraging us to “sanctify the Lord God” in our hearts. In other words, we are told to make it a lifestyle to keep our hearts in a repentant posture so we ensure we are always living a life that is set apart and Christlike. A repentant life is a life that has a routine of daily maintenance of our soul. Am I living a Christ like life? Keeping our conscience clear. A lifestyle of emptying our trash regularly. It is a habitual life of staying fixed under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Keep a clear conscience. Live a good life.
This then is how we ensure we are defusing the fragrance of Christ.
Reposition: We are not better than others. Lets make ourselves servants of all.
Rephrase: Our words produce life or death. Draw from the treasury of a good heart. Speak what is good and right.
Repent: Stay fixed under the lordship of Christ. Empty your trash regularly. Keep a clear conscience. Live a good life.