2Co 2:15-17 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, (16) to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? (17) For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

“For we are not like SO MANY…”. The more we learn about RASN’s (Revilers, Abusers, Sociopaths, Narcissists), the more we understand that they are all in it for the same thing (“it” being existence)…SELF. In its essence that is what the goal of sin is – getting what self wants.

RASN’s are different than your average sinner (as we all were the moment we were born into this world and as a person still is if they are not in Christ). They are different. How? They feed their self by demanding power and control over others. Others exist for them only to feed their perpetual self digesting appetite. Others are nothing to them. They are incapable of even natural human love, empathy, or other such caring emotions.

Now, back to Paul’s words – “For we are not like SO MANY…”. How many narcissists are there in this world, Paul? MANY. SOOOO MANY. And as you increase in your knowledge and awareness of them, the more you realize that Paul was precisely correct. There are SO MANY of them!

Now, where are these to be found? Well, everywhere – but Paul is addressing the Christian church! He says that SO MANY preachers and other “servants” of Christ are fakes because in fact they are – get this – peddlers of God’s Word. They are fakes, self-serving elixir salesmen who blow into town using some “gospel” to line their pockets.

Think of it – what is a “peddler.” Let’s check out the dictionary –

“One who offers merchandise for sale on a street corner or door to door. A hawker. A huckster.”

In other words, Paul says that there are SO MANY hucksters in the churches whose goal is to sell the gospel. And they necessarily must alter the gospel into a non-gospel, or it won’t sell. Why? Because the true gospel is a fragrance to those who believe and the stench of death to those who hate Christ. Something that smells like rotten, putrefying flesh is a hard sell. So it has to be changed.

Religion attracts RASNs, and we really need to wise up to this right now. NO ONE is ever going to get rich preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ, unaltered. Nope. Not gonna happen. When the money and fame and popularity start sweeping in, you can bet that what you’ve got is a peddler with some syrup just guaranteed to fix what ails you. But it won’t. In the end, all the peddler is peddling is – himself.