August
11th 2
Corinthians 2
1:
But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you
in heaviness. 2: For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh
me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3: And I wrote this
same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of
whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is
the joy of you all. 4: For out of much affliction and anguish of
heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be
grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly
unto you.
(Restoration) Forgive
the man
5:
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part:
that I may not overcharge you all. 6: Sufficient to such a man is
this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7: So that contrariwise
ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a
one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8: Wherefore I
beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9: For to
this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you,
whether ye be obedient in all things. 10: To whom ye forgive any
thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave
it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11: Lest
Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his
devices. 12: Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's
gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 13: I had no rest
in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my
leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
Paul
continues to tell the Corinthian believers of his thoughts. He says l
made up my mind that l would not come again to you in the full weight
of my apostolic authority. Because l if l make you sorry who is going
to make me glad? Except you who were made to be sorry by me. And l
have written this to you so that when l come l will not have sorrow
from those of whom l aught to rejoice. I have confidence in you that
my joy is the joy that you all have in the Lord. It was in much
anguish of heart that l wrote to you and with much tears on my part
not that you would be upset but that you would know the great love l
have for you. Here Paul opens his heart and mind and discusses the
dilemma of the Pastor who loves his people, yet has to rebuke them
sharply for their own good and this tears his heart apart. If any of
you have caused grief l want you to know that you have not grieved
me, except a little. That man is punished sufficiently by you all.
You need to forgive him now and comfort him now so that he does not
become overcome in depression. So please let him that you love him. I
have written that l might know whether you are really going to follow
the Lord. I was looking for evidence of your faithfulness to God. To
show the respect l have for you. I will stand by the decisions you
make. And if you forgive a man then l will forgive that man too.
Satan would love to bring a wedge between us. We are not ignorant of
his tricks. Paul says, I also want to say that when l came to Troas
to preach the Gospel. A great opportunity for serving God was opened
unto me and l had no peace in my heart because Titus my brother was
not there. So l took leave from Troas and came to Macedonia.
- What are Pauls feeling about his disipline of this church?
- What is the ultimate purpose of discipline?
- What are Satans devices?
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