Free Bible Commentary
“2 Corinthians 2:5-11”
Categories: 2 Corinthians“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. 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.”
---End of Scripture Verses---
Paul appears to be writing about the brother who was openly engaged in gross fornication recorded in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. There he had instructed the brethren to “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5). It is obvious that they obeyed his directive, but they had not understood the importance of welcoming and receiving him back once he had turned from his sin in godly sorrow.
We are reminded again of the reason for and goal of church discipline. When an erring Christian refuses to repent, he is to be handed over to his wicked ways so that he can feel the full sting and repercussions of his sinfulness. But, if and when he does repent, he is to be welcomed back with loving arms into the fold of safety. The desired end result of punishment is repentance and restoration, so that an eternal “spirit may be saved.”
When someone has been “delivered to Satan” and then he repents, he will be “overwhelmed by excessive sorrow” if he is not received and restored to his proper place in his spiritual family. Godly sorrow is good and profitable, but the “sorrow of the world” is excessive and unproductive and only “produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Excessive, worldly sorrow is one of Satan’s tools, not the Lords. If we refuse to “reaffirm our love” for a once-fallen brother who needs to be restored, Satan will use that to his advantage to completely discourage such a person in the hopes that he will absolutely abandon his faith.
The long and short of it is this: We need to forgive people when they repent and ask for forgiveness. I am reminded of what Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 18:21-22: “Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’ Again Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
Paul even went beyond forgiveness when he told his brethren to “forgive and comfort him” (verse 7). We need to let a repentant Christian know that we not only ALLOW him back into the fold, but we LOVE him and WANT him back more than anything! “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
The angels in heaven rejoice when a fallen brother returns to his senses and to His God! So should we!
Please read 2 Corinthians 2:12-17 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
