A Painful Crisis

2 Corinthians 2:1–11 ESV

1 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. 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.

Inward Contemplation

Paul was determined to not make a painful visit to Corinth

Paul was worried the church would be painful for him to visit

Paul had experienced a painful correction for the Corinthian church at his last visit

Paul knew that his visit last time meant harsh correction

Paul’s visit came with direct and sincere correction concerning the short comings of the church

Paul had a wonderful first visit to Corinth

Many came to know the Lord

For a year and a half he was free from the pain and suffering of persecution

Paul did not want to come in and cause more pain to this church

He had already seen what this church was capable of

He had seen how much joy this church could bring

Paul was extremely hopeful that in this crisis peace could be found

Paul had carefully mulled over the situation at Corinth

Paul’s Letter

This is not reference to 1 Corinthians

This appears to be a reference to a letter of which we do not have a copy

The letter that Paul is referring to was harsh

it was one of criticism and correction

Paul had been aggressively fighting the situation at Corinth

Although the letter had been harsh Paul wants to share

This letter had come from his heart

It had come through tears

Paul cares about the church at Corinth

He cared about the people

He cared so much he was willing to be direct in addressing their issues

Paul wanted to get them to rejoicing not fighting and quarreling

Paul wanted to get them focused on the Gospel not on miniscule arguments

This letter had not necessarily spared them in any way

It had been harsh but it had been sparing that Paul had not shown up

Paul knew correction had to occur in the church at Corinth to get them back on the right track

Out of love he disciplined through his letter

Paul’s letter of discipline was harsh but successful. What made Paul’s harsh letter of discipline successful?

How can you discipline in a loving manner?

Paul’s Reason

Paul then proceeds to give reason for his letter

He desires to correct the action

he desire to get the church on track

he is doing all he can to lovingly correct their actions

Paul is speaking of an individual who has caused pain

we know there were 2 people that Paul had the most concern with

In 1 Corinthians 5:5 Paul ordered for the excommunication of an “incestuous man”

There was also the legalistic, judaizing faction leader

he is anonymous as well

One interpretation was that this was written about the man who was spoken of in 1 Corinthians 5:5

if this is the case that would imply that he was still being tolerated in the church

We see similar issues in today's world

people leading ministries of false gospels

supporting and participating in the very sins of Sodom while carrying out a so-called ministry

We know that Paul had dealt with these issues in Corinth before

he begins to truly address them now

Paul wants to fix the issue

help the people

Paul if referring to the legalizing leader

would have been hoping the words of the letter would have reached into the heart of this man

who would have still been speaking against him

Paul then says the letter was full of truth

not only had he been hurt, but the church as a whole had been hurt

and greater still the church at Corinth had been hurt

the blow from the sins of Corinth had a damaging effect on the church

it seems as though the letter may have had effect

In this letter Paul has spoken again of church discipline that had been encouraged of the church. Why is church discipline an important functioning part of the church?

Why do churches seem to run from the command to uphold discipline within the church?

the church for the majority seems to have sided with Paul

thus turning on the sinner within the church

This punishment would have been by the church

The people at Corinth had listened to Paul’s firm instruction

they had found and understood the seriousness of the matter

they acted and corrected appropriately

While Paul is speaking of the letter he is not apologizing for the letter

he laments over sending it but he also knows it was out of love

the discipline had to occur for the problem to resolve itself

Now knowing that the individual had been corrected Paul turns the other check

He now calls the church to forgive and comfort him

show him the love of Christ

Come alongside him

Paul does not want to throw any soul by the way side

His goal is to increase the Kingdom of God

Thus he tells the church it is time to forgive

To confirm the love of the church toward him

It is to let him know he is freely and fully forgiven

What is the Hardest part of Forgiveness?

Paul was writing to test the church

to see if they were loyal to his teaching

to his instruction

Paul says if you forgive

then I forgive

Paul had no doubt been hurt by this chaos

Paul had probably been hurt in more ways than listed

Someone who had been attacking Paul’s authority would more than likely not take this sitting down

They would have continued to amplify the lies and attacks which could have led to physical injury of the apostle

But Paul states if he has repented

then I can forgive

Paul gives a wonderful lesson on forgiveness here in this Ch.2

What does Forgiveness look like in the life of the believer?