There’s something profoundly beautiful about how the New Testament speaks of us—

We are holy incense.

Let’s dive deeper into what that means.

What is the Holy incense?

Just like the anointing oil, God gave Moses a very specific formula for the incense:

“Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred.” (Exodus 30:34–35)

This incense was not just a pleasing smell—it was set apart. It was holy.

“Place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.”
(Exodus 30:36)

The incense was to be burned in the Holy Place, before the veil, on the altar of incense, as an offering before God.

Jesus, the Fragrant Offering

“Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
(Ephesians 5:1–2)

You can see that Jesus was the sweet-smelling aroma. God was absolutely pleased when he smelled Jesus.

You Carry That Same Fragrance

But the story doesn’t end there.

“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…”
(2 Corinthians 2:14–15)

Paul takes the incense imagery and applies it—not just to Jesus, but to us.

We are the aroma of Christ in this world. I like how he uses the word “diffuses”. Imagine a diffuser with the aroma of Christ, we are that diffuser. We carry His presence everywhere we go and His fragrance is released through us. God smells Christ in us.

He is absolutely pleased with us. You are the Holy incense. You are set apart and placed in the Holy of holies, because you are one with Him in the Spirit. You are set-apart.

The Incense Is Already Burning

Here’s what’s important to understand: Paul doesn’t say we are the fragrance of Christ if we behave well, or when we’ve had a good spiritual week. He doesn’t qualify it at all.

He simply says: “We are.”

That’s identity. Not performance.

You don’t become incense by striving harder. You are incense because we are in Christ. We are one, we are the fragrance of Christ. We are to God what Christ smells like.

You don’t have to create the aroma—you’re already carrying it.

You are holy incense because He is holy, and He has made His home in you.