2 Corinthians 2:5-11 says...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 2:5-11, which read,
v.5-8 - But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree--in order not to say too much--to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.
In the Corinthian church there was a gross sexual sin that was being allowed to continue and Paul instructed them to deal with this issue of sin. They were to deal with this issue because it was bringing sorrow upon the church by allowing it to continue without an address by the church. There is a place and need for discipline within the body of the Christ when a member is openly and continually defying Scripture that brings unhealthy results to the body.
Apparently the church in Corinth has followed that instruction and the disciplined is now repentant and it is now time for the church to forgive and comfort him. The purpose for any use of spiritual discipline is to see the wandering brother or sister in Christ come back to the trail of truth given by our heavenly Father. It should never be to rid of someone for eternity. If it has that direction then it turns from discipline to revenge or wrath and that is reserved for God and not the church. A repentant follower who has received discipline now needs the know of the love of the church again reaffirmed.
I grant you that this type of spiritual discipline has been mishandled in the past and maybe morphed into something sinful itself. I grant you also that much spiritual discipline has not occurred and brought sorrow onto the church for years. One more grant would be that some who have went through spiritual discipline are still waiting to know of the reaffirmation of the love of the church. Paul is saying there is a place for spiritual discipline and correction and it needs to be followed with forgiveness, comfort, and love when acted upon appropriately.
v.9-11 - For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Not addressing sin in the church brings sorrow and allows more sin to be realized by the church. Addressing sin but not following it with forgiveness, comfort and love allows more sin to be realized by the church. Both of these are Satan's schemes to break down the unity that is to be among the believers. Paul says that if you have forgiven the man who has repented of this gross sexual sin then I forgive him also.
We are to be obedient in all things so that Satan does not have anything to use that we are disobedient in. He, Satan, wants us to be disobedient in not addressing sin. He, Satan, wants us to be disobedient in following through with spiritual discipline in a vigilantly way. He, Satan, wants us to be disobedient in not offering forgiveness, comfort, and love to a repentant sinner. He, Satan, is waiting at the door to pounce on these acts of disobedience within the body of Christ.
Much spiritual discipline hasn't happened, much spiritual discipline has been done with the wrong motive, and much restoration hasn't happened with Christians receiving excessive sorrow instead of the restored love of the church. Paul is talking our language this morning in the life of the church as must as he was talking the language of the church in Corinth.
Will we be a church that does speak the truth, i.e. spiritual discipline if openly defying the Scripture, in love, i.e. with the sole purpose to be able to comfort that repentant heart with the full force of the healing power of the body? This is much to think about this Saturday morning.
"Lord, Paul is asking the church in Corinth to start the process of spiritual discipline but also to complete the process of spiritual discipline. We repent of not speaking the truth and we repent of speaking the truth without love and we repent of not giving forgiveness and love to those who actually repent of a sin against You. May Satan's schemes be thwarted by our obedience to You in all things. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.5-8 - But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree--in order not to say too much--to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.
In the Corinthian church there was a gross sexual sin that was being allowed to continue and Paul instructed them to deal with this issue of sin. They were to deal with this issue because it was bringing sorrow upon the church by allowing it to continue without an address by the church. There is a place and need for discipline within the body of the Christ when a member is openly and continually defying Scripture that brings unhealthy results to the body.
Apparently the church in Corinth has followed that instruction and the disciplined is now repentant and it is now time for the church to forgive and comfort him. The purpose for any use of spiritual discipline is to see the wandering brother or sister in Christ come back to the trail of truth given by our heavenly Father. It should never be to rid of someone for eternity. If it has that direction then it turns from discipline to revenge or wrath and that is reserved for God and not the church. A repentant follower who has received discipline now needs the know of the love of the church again reaffirmed.
I grant you that this type of spiritual discipline has been mishandled in the past and maybe morphed into something sinful itself. I grant you also that much spiritual discipline has not occurred and brought sorrow onto the church for years. One more grant would be that some who have went through spiritual discipline are still waiting to know of the reaffirmation of the love of the church. Paul is saying there is a place for spiritual discipline and correction and it needs to be followed with forgiveness, comfort, and love when acted upon appropriately.
v.9-11 - For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Not addressing sin in the church brings sorrow and allows more sin to be realized by the church. Addressing sin but not following it with forgiveness, comfort and love allows more sin to be realized by the church. Both of these are Satan's schemes to break down the unity that is to be among the believers. Paul says that if you have forgiven the man who has repented of this gross sexual sin then I forgive him also.
We are to be obedient in all things so that Satan does not have anything to use that we are disobedient in. He, Satan, wants us to be disobedient in not addressing sin. He, Satan, wants us to be disobedient in following through with spiritual discipline in a vigilantly way. He, Satan, wants us to be disobedient in not offering forgiveness, comfort, and love to a repentant sinner. He, Satan, is waiting at the door to pounce on these acts of disobedience within the body of Christ.
Much spiritual discipline hasn't happened, much spiritual discipline has been done with the wrong motive, and much restoration hasn't happened with Christians receiving excessive sorrow instead of the restored love of the church. Paul is talking our language this morning in the life of the church as must as he was talking the language of the church in Corinth.
Will we be a church that does speak the truth, i.e. spiritual discipline if openly defying the Scripture, in love, i.e. with the sole purpose to be able to comfort that repentant heart with the full force of the healing power of the body? This is much to think about this Saturday morning.
"Lord, Paul is asking the church in Corinth to start the process of spiritual discipline but also to complete the process of spiritual discipline. We repent of not speaking the truth and we repent of speaking the truth without love and we repent of not giving forgiveness and love to those who actually repent of a sin against You. May Satan's schemes be thwarted by our obedience to You in all things. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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