"Spotlight"

 "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin." (John 15:22 KJV)

  "But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NLT)

 If this seems right, then it is the truth, and should be handled as that which we stand by, as if there is no denial in our hearts, regarding the message Paul is trying to convey. After all, Paul should no better than most, as he once was one of those offended by Christ, hating the message and the whole idea of why Jesus came! 

 The problem with those who are hiding behind religion, is that they feel protected by something that is actually just a cloke; which, in case that doesn't seem like it might do something, to those that think it does, it is much like a mantle or a shawl, worn over the coat or outer garment as if it provides some sort of protection. In the case of those trapped in religion, it is the sign of anointment or standing as if the type or color of the cloke gives a hint of spiritual purity. 

 That is what Jesus means, as they wear this cloak, or cloke, as if they are protected by the religion that they are a part of; when in reality, there is really nothing protective about it, because once their sin is revealed to them, that sin is within them, not something that is from without! You cannot cover up that which is within you! 

 Isn't that how we come to understand the sins that remain within our lives? The way we hind those sins, which are our own, is by making them shine on others, to take the focus off of ourselves. Just a little Christian secret, something that is obvious and covered over at the same time. When God speaks into our hearts about a certain sin, we instantly ignore that it might be us, thinking upon whom that God might be talking about. 

 The whole point of what we should be about, is to be aware of sin, searching within, asking for God to cleanse our hearts and purify our minds. That life-giving perfume is the anointing that comes from accepting God's grace, and knowing how much we need His mercy! 

 Thank Him when He reveals something hidden within your heart, and plead that He will help you to be rid of it! This is what He reveals those things for, so that we can draw closer and closer to Him...

"You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ's authority, knowing that God is watching us." (2 Corinthians 2:17 NLT)