Forgiving for the Sake of Restoration 2 Corinthians 2:5-11
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 54:50
0 ratings
· 34 viewsFiles
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
5 If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate—to all of you.
6 This punishment by the majority is sufficient for that person.
7 As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief.
8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
9 I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything.
10 Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ,
11 so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Confront the Sin vs. 5-6
5 If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate—to all of you.
forgiveness is not just forgetting about it
The Situation: Someone had wronged Paul in some type of way. We don’t what the offence was nor do we know who the person was. We do know that it was an offence that pain to not only Paul but also to the church as well.
A Few Thing to Note:
it was painful (acknowledge the pain)
Paul purposefully does not bring up this person’s name
our sins do not just effect us alone (the pain effected others)
Church discipline v. 6
6 This punishment by the majority is sufficient for that person.
Whatever the offence and whoever the offender was, the church dealt with it. Paul indicates that the actions the church took were sufficient. We need church discipline to protect the church and to restore the individual.
Forgive and Comfort v. 7-8
7 As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief.
8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
It seems as if the punishment brought about repentance in the individual. Now that repentance had been shown, the offended have a responsibility.
2 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary (b. Forgiveness for the Offender (2:5–11))
The Greek word translated to reaffirm (kyrōsai) was used in the papyri to denote the confirming of a sale or the ratification of an appointment. The confirmation of love for which Paul calls, then, appears to be some formal act by the congregation, in the same way that the imposition of punishment in the first place appears to have been formal and judicial.
forgiveness is not just for the offended but also for the offender, that they might be restored. We for give debt so that the person may do better
excessive grief (he already repented. this could be more about revenge than restoration)
ILLUSTRATION:
Check Your Heart v. 9
9 Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him.
2 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary (b. Forgiveness for the Offender (2:5–11))
What Paul expected was not obedience to him personally, but obedience to the gospel and its implications. It is significant that throughout his letters Paul consistently bases his ethical demands on the first principles of the gospel, not upon his personal authority. It is to the gospel and its implications that believers must be obedient.
the basis/motivation of our forgiveness (and all matters) ought to be on the gospel alone (our selfishness can have us focus on the benefits of forgiveness being for us only)
Remember The Larger Community v. 10-11 (that quarrel can effect others. this one is in the church)
10 Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ,
11 so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Paul let bygones be bygones
he did it for them
the enemy can use this for his gain