What Paul is writing here is that although the smell is the same to both the victor and the conquered, their reaction to the aroma is different. For one the smell of the gospel is absolutely wonderful but to the person who has rejected Christ the smell is abhorrent. It signals their demise and ultimately their final destiny. Paul here is wrapped to be part of God’s victorious church, following in the footsteps of Christ and that overshadows all the pain and heartache that comes with being an Apostle of Christ.