To come up smelling like a rose: what does it really mean?

To come up smelling like a rose: What does that commonly heard expression really mean from a spiritual perspective?

On February 10, 2021, instead of looking at the Verse of the Day, we are going to take a look at a common expression as the “Quote of the Day”:

“To come out/up smelling like a rose”

The Merriam Webster dictionary offers this definition:

“to have success or good fortune in a situation in which one was likely to fail, be harmed, etc.”

The Cambridge Dictionary has this to say about the expression:

“to have people believe that you are good and honest after a difficult situation that could have made you seem bad or dishonest”

I thought of all that Jesus Christ endured through his death, burial, and triumphant resurrection. Here is the account recorded in Colossians 2:12-15 (Amplified Bible):

12 having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God, [as displayed] when He raised Christ from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (worldliness, manner of life), God made you alive together with Christ, having [freely] forgiven us all our sins,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside and completely removed by nailing it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.

This passage inspired this poetic response:

Having. . .Having. . .Having. . .Having. . .Having. . .He made. . . 

Having forgiven all trespasses against us:
For every time we tried but failed and missed the mark,
When our flesh faltered, we received new strength within.
Christ, the Lord, washed and cleansed us from the stain of sin.
God made us to be lights that overcome the dark.
He set us free to sing on the wing, as a lark,
Having forgiven all trespasses against us.

Having wiped out the handwriting of ordinances:
The hand that records each failure to keep the Law
Graciously blots out each shortfall and each mistake
And releases us from the penalty, for Christ’s sake.
Through the eyes of love, He looked beyond what He saw
To decree that flesh should not be a fatal flaw,
Having wiped out the handwriting of ordinances.

Having taken it far from us, out of the way:
Guilt and shame removed and replaced with righteousness,
Transformed and fashioned with a new identity,
We stand in His presence, revealing the mystery.
Hurled and buried in the sea of forgetfulness,
The curse of sin has been replaced with blessedness,
Having taken it far from us, out of the way.

Having nailed it to the cross as a bold display,
Turning into triumph what seemed to be disgrace,
Symbolic sign displaying both shame and glory,
Dramatic unfolding of the greatest story.
To show his love for all, Christ took our place
To flaunt the victory right in the enemy’s face,
Having nailed it to the cross as a bold display.

Having disarmed principalities and powers,
Our triumphant warrior defeated every foe,
Crushing at once the head of the deadly serpent
To achieve our victory to the fullest extent.
To perform the greater works of Christ as we grow,
God enlightens and empowers that we might know,
Having disarmed principalities and powers.

He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Coming attractions describe the Spectacular
Super-conquering show:
The captor has been made captive, a prisoner without parole
in his own prison,
The accuser of brethren, once idolized,
now the source of derision,
Stripped, crippled, toppled, and trampled
To be brought ever so low,
A foretaste of the day when every tongue shall confess
And every knee shall bow.
He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Yes, indeed, we recognize and celebrate all that Jesus Christ went through when he endured the cross, despising the shame, and now he is seated in heavenly places at the right hand of the throne of God. As believers, we are also seated with him, having triumphed over sin, sickness, and even death itself.

The expression “smelling like a rose” also reminds us that gardeners recommend fertilizing roses in early spring to prepare for a bountiful, fragrant display of floral gardens that delight the eyes and please the noses of those who pass by. Ingredients in some of the fertilizers include manure, compost, and fish emulsions that may give off an unpleasant scent when applied, but as these elements are absorbed, the foul smell is replaced with a sweet-smelling fragrance. Indeed, we come up smelling like a rose in every situation that appears to be negative and designed to defeat us.

2 Corinthians 2:14 (New Living Translation) reminds us

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.

Michael W. Smith’s powerful song of worship refers to a rose to illustrate that Jesus Christ rose triumphantly “Above it All”:

This morning as our thoughts linger in celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, this passage also comes to mind to reveal the accomplished work of Jesus Christ expressed in Colossians 2:12-15 from the New Living Testament:

12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

This passage was the inspiration behind the following triumphant psalm of praise:

Having. . .Having. . .Having. . .Having. . .Having. . .He made. . . .

Colossians 2:12-15

Having forgiven all trespasses against us:

For every time we tried but failed and missed the mark,
When our flesh faltered, we received new strength within.
Christ, the Lord, washed and cleansed us from the stain of sin.
God made us to be lights that overcome the dark.
He set us free to sing on the wing, as a lark,
Having forgiven all trespasses against us.

Having wiped out handwriting of ordinances:

The hand that records each failure to keep the Law
Graciously blots out each shortfall and each mistake
And releases us from penalty, for Christ’s sake.
Through the eyes of love, He looked beyond what He saw
To decree that flesh should not be a fatal flaw,
Having wiped out handwriting of ordinances.

Having taken it far from us, out of the way:

Guilt and shame removed and replaced with righteousness;
Transformed and fashioned with a new identity,
We stand in His presence, revealing the mystery.
Hurled and buried in the sea of forgetfulness,
The curse of sin has been replaced with blessedness,
Having taken it far from us, out of the way.

Having nailed it to the cross as a bold display,

Turning into triumph what seemed to be disgrace,
Symbolic sign displaying both shame and glory,
Dramatic unfolding of the greatest story.
To show his love for all, Christ took our place
To flaunt the victory right in the enemy’s face,
Having nailed it to the cross as a bold display.

Having disarmed principalities and powers,

Our triumphant warrior defeated every foe,
Crushing at once the head of the deadly serpent
To achieve our victory to the fullest extent.
To perform the greater works of Christ as we grow,
God enlightens and empowers that we might know,
Having disarmed principalities and powers.

He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Coming attractions describe the Spectacular
Super-conquering show:
The captor has been made captive, prisoner without parole
in his own prison,
The accuser of brethren, once idolized,
now the source of derision,
Stripped, crippled, toppled and trampled
To be brought ever so low;
A foretaste of the day when every tongue shall confess
And every knee shall bow.
He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Many songs offered in praise to God also make known the ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ over the enemy, displayed so magnificently in the resurrection and its victorious aftermath. We close with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir singing “Worthy is the Lamb.”

 

Reflections on the Resurrection

The words of Jesus Christ remind us of his unique position as the Son of God, raised from the dead, who is alive forevermore.

This morning as my thoughts turned toward the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, I remembered a poem inspired by the accomplished work of Jesus Christ expressed in Colossians 2:12-15 from the New Living Testament:

¹² For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

 ¹³ You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.

¹⁴ He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

 

Having…Having…Having…Having…Having…He made….

                     Colossians 2:12-15

                        

Having forgiven all trespasses against us:

     For every time we tried but failed and missed the mark,

     When our flesh faltered, we received new strength within.

     Christ, the Lord, washed and cleansed us from the stain of sin.

     God made us to be lights that overcome the dark.

     He set us free to sing on the wing, as a lark,

Having forgiven all trespasses against us.

Having wiped out handwriting of ordinances:

     The hand that records each failure to keep the Law

     Graciously blots out each shortfall and each mistake

     And releases us from penalty, for Christ’s sake.

     Through the eyes of love, He looked beyond what He saw

     To decree that flesh should not be a fatal flaw,

Having wiped out handwriting of ordinances.

Having taken it far from us, out of the way:

     Guilt and shame removed and replaced with righteousness;

     Transformed and fashioned with a new identity,

     We stand in His presence, revealing the mystery.

     Hurled and buried in the sea of forgetfulness,

     The curse of sin has been replaced with blessedness,

Having taken it far from us, out of the way.

Having nailed it to the cross as a bold display,

     Turning into triumph what seemed to be disgrace,

     Symbolic sign displaying both shame and glory,

     Dramatic unfolding of the greatest story.

     To show his love for all, Christ took our place

     To flaunt the victory right in the enemy’s face,

Having nailed it to the cross as a bold display.

Having disarmed principalities and powers,

     Our triumphant warrior defeated every foe,

     Crushing at once the head of the deadly serpent

     To achieve our victory to the fullest extent.

     To perform the greater works of Christ as we grow,

     God enlightens and empowers that we might know,

Having disarmed principalities and powers.

He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

     Coming attractions describe the Spectacular

           Super-conquering show:

     The captor has been made captive, prisoner without parole

           in his own prison,

     The accuser of brethren, once idolized,

           now the source of derision,

      Stripped, crippled, toppled and trampled

           To be brought ever so low;

     A foretaste of the day when every tongue shall confess

           And every knee shall bow.

He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Earlier in the month I had published my Top 10 List of Songs celebrating the Resurrection. Each individual article in the series includes historical information regarding the song along with a video rendition of some of my favorite “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” Many of the songs in the list could be associated with the passage from Colossians that makes known the ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ over the enemy, displayed so magnificently in the resurrection and its victorious aftermath. Click here to read about and listen to some of the favorite songs of this special season.