Restoring a Fallen Person

2 Corinthians 2: 5 – 11

  1. Response to First Letter
  1. The first part of 2 Corinthians is further explaining his first letter or giving further instructions
  2. this is dealing with the problem in 1 Corinthians 5
    1. A man is sleeping with his father’s wife
    2. The church in Corinth thinks that they are super spiritual, but don’t deal with this problem
    3. Paul’s advice was to…
      1. Avoid fellowship with this person
      2. If you do talk with them the subject should be what they are doing
      3. Remove the person from your midst.
    4. Paul is very specific about the fact that he is talking about people in the church.
      1. We are not to judge those outside the church (1 Corinthians 5: 12, 13)

2. Church discipline

  1. Church discipline is never intended to be destructive; it is designed to bring about restoration.
    1. Galatians 6: 1
  2. Paul does commend them for their zeal. (See 2 Corinthians 7: 11)
  3. The point of this part of the letter is that now you must forgive and comfort.

3. He has grieved us all Vs 5

  1. Paul was not personally hurt by the offense.
  2. It can be dangerous to pick up an offense that is not ours
  3. This offense was against the church and Paul takes defending his church personally.

4. Forgive the guilty person Vs 6, 7

  1. A majority were hurt by what this individual did
  2. The word majority means that some supported what this person was doing.
    1. Discipline which is so inflexible ceases to be truly christian.
      1. If we make it impossible to reenter fellowship we are in danger ourselves
      2. Yet we can’t allow wickedness to infect the body
  3. This is the act of binding and loosing in the body of Christ (Matthew 18: 18)

5. Reaffirm your love toward him Vs 8, 9

  1. Don’t let them just come and stare at him
  2. Accept them back into fellowship with brotherly love
  3. This will be a test of their willingness to submit to Paul’s leadership Vs 9

6. Forgiveness spreads Vs 10

  1. Remember condemnation and forgiveness are done in the presence of Christ.
  2. The believer’s life should always be lived as you would have wished at the time of death and judgement
  3. As we forgive in the presence of Christ others will accept them
    1. John 20: 23
      1. Only God can forgive sins
      2. We can free them from the guilt of unforgiveness.
    2. We stand in grace and must give it to others around us.

7. Satan takes advantage Vs 11

  1. Without the spirit of forgiveness, satan gains the advantage.
  2. Any discipline which brings a person only to despair is giving satan rights which are not his
  3. None of us should ever be ignorant of satan’s devices
  4. never abandon the penitent brother to despair; the Church should still be a fellowship of love.