Triumph In Christ

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. – 2 Corinthians 2.14-17

The imagry here is amazing. Paul uses something that all his readers would have been aware of to teach a valuable spiritual lesson.

Paul draws the picture of the great Triumph Parades of the Roman army. In those parades the victorious army would have a victory parade through cities and town and village. It was a huge celebration with flags and trumpets and fully kitted out soldiers. It is the same kind of celbration parade that we see from great powers in the world today. There were celebrations of glory and success and victory. Being from Corinth most folks would have been well aware of the image.

Now how does that apply in this sense? Paul says that God always allows us to triumph in Christ.

What a minute, we might say, always in triumph? My life certainly doesn’t look or seem or feel that way.

The truth is though that our triumph has already been secured even though it may not always feel like it. Paul wrote earlier that we give thanks for the the victory that we have in Christ. We aren’t to walk around with a spirit of gloom and defeat – our victory is won. The end is already decided.