Forgiving The Repentant
Lessons From 2 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
We are continuing our study through the book of 2 Corinthians.
Last week we discussed 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4 and “The Loud Minority.”
Even though the majority of those in the church that needed correction had repented and correct their sins, there was still a loud minority in the church causing chaos for the rest and against the apostle Paul.
The apostle’s dilemma was that if he came to Corinth like he had planned he would have to come with a rod of correction against this loud minority and a rod against those that quiet majority who had not put an end to the loud minorities foolishness.
Paul chose to give the church a little more time to correct this minority and instead write to them about the need for quieting this minority.
That brings us to our text today 2 Corinthians 2:5-11.
5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.
Let’s begin by first looking at…
The Pain Sin Causes
The Pain Sin Causes
The Whole Church Suffers.
The Whole Church Suffers.
Paul begins by pointing out that a single individual person’s sin within a congregation isn’t what kept him up at night and caused him great pain.
2 Corinthians 2:5 (ESV)
5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me…
There is zero doubt that Paul was not happy with individuals within a congregation sinning.
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
However, unless he was present at that congregation, that was not what kept Paul up at night praying, it was the spiritual health of the entirety of the congregation.
28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
And with that pointed Paul would then explain who suffers the most pain by the individual sin of a person within the Lord’s church, it is the local church itself.
2 Corinthians 2:5 (ESV)
5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you.
Paul says, “Listen you guys are the ones that feel the most pain and suffer the most when your members are living in sin.”
Why, because those individuals of that local congregation should have a far better relationship with that individual than a “visiting preacher” should.
When a member of one’s local church is eat up with unrepentant sin, that congregation should have an unbearable pain caused by their sin.
Their brother or sister that they have battled spiritually with against Satan has succumb to sin, considers themselves righteous in their sin or worse knows it’s sin but simply does not care anymore.
There is no scenario where this would cause extreme pain in the local church unless there was no fellowship to begin with.
This fellowship and pain the local church feels for the their brother or sister in pain is why church disciple is the most effective way of getting such a sinner back to righteousness.
1 Corinthians 5:4–5 (ESV)
4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
It is going to be so hard on the once faithful child of God who his now caught up in unrepentant sin to…
Now have his fellow brothers and sisters have “nothing to do with him/her.”
Titus 3:10 (ESV)
10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him
Now have his fellow brothers and sisters “purging him/her from the congregation.”
13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Now have his fellow brothers and sisters “not having any fellowship with him.”
1 Corinthians 5:11 (ESV)
11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
Summary
Summary
The point is that if a brother or sister gets caught up in unrepentant sin it is going to cause pain and suffering for that congregation.
The church at Corinth new this very well and had obviously adhered to Paul’s instructions in disfellowship of the immoral man of 1 Corinthians 5 and wherein necessary of those others living in sin Paul would discuss in that letter.
And thanks be to God, as we mentioned the majority of those living in sin repented, corrected, and came back.
Now the local church had a responsibility the repentant soul.
The Proper Response
The Proper Response
Forgive The Repentant.
Forgive The Repentant.
The punishment that brought the brother or sister back to Christ is no longer needed.
Once God has forgiven we must forgive as well.
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,
There is no longer a need to have nothing to do with them, or keep them purged from the church, or removing our fellowship.
We are to rejoice rather.
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Not only must we forgive them we must also…
Comfort The Repentant.
Comfort The Repentant.
The punishment that brought the brother or sister back was severe on purpose but now the church must embrace and comfort them.
11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Corinthians 2:7 (ESV)
7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
Lastly, not only must we forgive them and comfort them we must…
Reaffirm The Love For The Repentant.
Reaffirm The Love For The Repentant.
Paul is clear here.
8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.
When a brother or sister comes back from sin we rejoice by wrapping our arms around them and show our love for them.
20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Summary
Summary
…
Conclusion
Conclusion
…
Greetings…
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.