But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
—2 Corinthians 2:5-11When discipline is administered in the home, a father and mother do so to correct their children and keep the home in good order. Discipline is for the good of the children so that they learn to live within the boundaries of God’s law and the rules of the home. In the Corinthian church, discipline also needed to be exercised in order to remove sin and bring the offender to repentance. That is the goal of Christian discipline from Scripture as well as from church history. So often, church discipline is viewed in a negative light as harsh and unnecessary, but it is actually a healing measure for the church as well as for the individual involved. We often look at the front end of discipline—the negative consequences—and we say, “Is it really worth it?”
But we are forgetting what the goal of Christian discipline ought to be: the joyous restoration of a sinner with God and with his fellow believers. We miss the important work that comes when someone does repent of sin and ask for forgiveness. That work is forgiveness in the church. Paul reminds the Corinthians, and us today, of every congregation’s duty when a person repents of sin and seeks reconciliation. The Word of God commands us to forgive that person.
Thus Christian discipline has two aspects: there is the discipline itself, but there is also the receiving back of a penitent sinner into fellowship. This sermon on 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 seeks to address this important duty of forgiveness within the church. The Word of God gives us guiding principles that we can apply specifically to life in the church, but also to every sphere of our lives.
But before getting into the reasons for forgiveness we need to define what forgiveness is. The word that Paul uses again and again in this passage for forgiveness means to “forgive as a gracious act.” The forgiveness that Paul speaks of here is not so much the canceling of a debt, but reflects more the attitude of the heart. It is a generous pardon granted towards the person who asks for forgiveness.
The Reasons For Forgiveness
Paul writes this letter to the Corinthians to impress upon them the need of forgiveness within the church. Without it, they would be open to division, strife, and the harassment of the devil.
There are several reasons that the Word of God highlights for us why we need to show forgiveness to one another in the church, especially in the case of church discipline where someone has come forward, repentant and sorrowing over sin.
The first such reason is public repentance. In verses 5-6, Paul writes to the Corinthians, “But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted by many.” There was a certain case of discipline that yielded the fruit of public repentance. Whether it was the man who committed incest with his father’s wife or someone who offended Paul in his ministry at Corinth, the church there seemed unwilling to forgive the man. There was overkill in the discipline inflicted by the majority. They continued to shun the man who had made public confession of his sin, and Paul seeks to correct this unforgiving attitude.
Thus the principle is laid down upon each one of us. When there is public confession of sin and repentance, there must also be public forgiveness of sin. The penalties of church discipline must cease when there is public repentance. Sin is now done and covered in the sight of God; the same must be done in the midst of the congregation as well.
That is what Proverbs 28:13 also teaches, “Whoso covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” When a brother or sister repents of sin, we must extend mercy to him or her in the same way that God extends mercy to sinners.
The second reason is personal wholeness. Paul is concerned for the personal wholeness of the brother who has repented. He says, “So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow” (v. 7). Excessive discipline can crush a person with the shame and sorrow of sin. Public shaming has a way of reducing even the strongest person to shreds, and Paul urges the Corinthians to forgive and comfort the one who has publicly repented.
You see how other-oriented we ought to be in the church. Church discipline is not intended for personal gain or personal hurts to be avenged; its primary aim is to correct and restore a person who has publicly repented of sin. Let us heed the counsel of the Word of God and forgive a person who has offended in the past, rather than continue to carry grievances and bring shame upon that person. What fulfillment is there if a man’s humanity is stripped from him and past sin is continually thrown into his face? What do we gain if a repentant person is literally swallowed up by sorrow over sin so that the gospel is lost sight of and the church is set on the course of ruin? We must not leave a brother drowning in sorrow over sin. We must restore him. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).
“We must contrariwise forgive and comfort them,” says Paul. It goes against our flesh. Grudges are easier than forgiving the sins committed against us. But God’s Word is clear and commanding: “We must forgive and comfort.” It is not enough only to forgive; we must also build up a repentant brother or sister so they can again function within the body of Christ.
The third reason for forgiveness in the church is purposeful testing. Paul says in verse 9, “For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” The Corinthians had been obedient in laying down church discipline and cutting off this brother from the church. Perhaps they had been a little too zealous in continuing discipline after sin was acknowledged and confessed, as Paul’s words imply in verse 6, “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment.” But now Paul is testing their obedience from the back-end of church discipline: the forgiveness of the brother in question.
The call for forgiveness in the church is really a test of our obedience in all things. Perhaps we were zealous in administering church discipline and standing behind the elders. Our tendency is to say, “Serves that person right.” We forget that we have our own sins to deal with. When someone under discipline confesses sin, we are slow to respond with forgiveness. But our obedience is being tested in the forgiveness we grant—or refuse to grant—to a repentant brother or sister. God is testing us to obey His command to forgive seventy times seven and to put sin in the sea of God’s forgetfulness (Micah 7:19). That means when sin is forgiven, we can’t call it up. It’s gone. It’s done. End of story. There are consequences to sin, but rehashing or using previous sin against a repentant person should not be mentioned among us.
The fourth reason is that forgiveness is a practical defense. When exercised, forgiveness is God’s gift of defense for the church against Satan. Paul says in verse 11, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” Paul appeals to the people of God in Corinth to consider what their lack of forgiveness could mean. The devil could have entrance into the church and create more havoc and strife than there ever had been before. God’s mercy and power was evident in the offender coming to repentance, and yet the Corinthians were giving the devil opportunity to enter in, even though they were aware of his devices.
Will that be said of us? Will Satan have an advantage over us because we refuse to forgive a brother who has repented of sin? No, we must forgive him lest Satan should get an advantage of us. We can’t afford not to forgive someone who has confessed sin. Satan works subtly, trying to destroy the foundations of the church, and one of those foundations is forgiveness. That is why children of God must forgive—because of the forgiveness that God has freely granted you in His grace. Satan hates it if we display that same Christ-like forgiveness to others. Knowing that, should it not motivate us to forgiveness and give another blow to Satan’s devices to ruin the church?
The Root Of Forgiveness
Paul tells us why we should exercise forgiveness of sin within the church, but he goes deeper than that. He reveals the root of forgiveness.
He shows from where our forgiveness ought to flow. He points the Corinthians—and us—back to Christ.
First, he points us back to Christ’s command. In verses 7-8, Paul issues the command to forgive: “Ye ought to forgive him…. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.” He does so in the place of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20), calling the Corinthians to reaffirm their love to this brother by forgiving him freely. Furthermore, Christ Himself has also commanded forgiveness. He commands us from Matthew 6:14-15, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” When Jesus dialogues with Peter, He says that we must forgive “[n]ot only seven times, but seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:20).
The apostle commands each one of us to heed Christ’s command to forgive and affirm our love for our repentant brother or sister anytime they repent of sin. We are commanded to confirm our love by forgiving one another even as Christ has forgiven us and to ratify our love through forgiveness. We demonstrate our love for God’s children by forgiving them when they confess sin. This ought to happen not only in cases of discipline, but also in cases where we sin against one another in church life. Our lives and attitudes must be clothed with gospel forgiveness. God has forgiven us much for the sake of Christ; therefore, we ought also to forgive much for the sake of Christ.
Second, Paul points us back to Christ’s countenance. He counsels the Corinthians in verse 10, “To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ.” Paul offers the Corinthians a living example of love and forgiveness in his own person and how he views forgiveness. Paul’s forgiveness and ours must be done in the person of Christ or, more literally, in the presence of Christ.
As we go about our daily lives within the church, we must be aware that we do so in the presence of Christ. It is His body that we are part of if we profess to believe in Him by faith. Our forgiveness then is done in His presence. He has forgiven us our sins if we are His children. He made the sacrifice for sin so that our sins could be forgiven. If we profess to believe in the gospel, we must wear the coat of forgiveness. We must be as ready and willing to forgive as Christ is. He is the King of His church who will forgive us if we forgive others—but will not forgive us if we do not forgive others. This is clear and unmistakable justice on God’s part. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and we must model that same faithfulness and just character. Paul points us back to Christ because He is not only our example but also our empowerment. And that empowerment is found in Christ’s cross.
Third, Paul points us back to Christ’s cross. He does not do this explicitly, but the cross is also implied in these words of verse 10: “In the person of Christ.” In the mercy and goodness of God, Christ has provided a way for sinners to be reconciled to Him and to others. Paul says in Colossians 2:13-14, “And you, being dead in yours sins and the uncircumcision of the flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of the ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” If this is how Christ has dealt with us in our sins, how can we not then deal likewise in mercy with a brother who has repented? Let’s look at our own history and then look at the cross. My sins—nailed! My brother’s or my sister’s sins—nailed! They are removed and washed in the blood of Christ.
Our forgiveness must ultimately be centered on Christ and His cross. Without Him, we will never be able to effectively carry out His command. Friends, this shows that our reconciliation must be with God first of all. There can be some reconciliation on a human level without a relationship with God, but there can be no real Christian forgiveness and peace experienced unless we have been born again. This applies to all of life. It applies to the church, to marriage, to family, to school, and to employment. We first need to experience the forgiveness of God before we can rightly forgive those who trespass against us. How you and I need Christ’s cross to stand between us and God! Let us therefore turn to the foot of the cross, bowing there for our own forgiveness of sin and then, seeing what Christ has done for sinners, turn and forgive our brothers and sisters who trespass against us.
The Response Of Forgiveness
What does forgiveness look like then in the life of the church and in the lives of God’s people? John MacArthur writes that
[f]orgiveness is freeing, liberating, peace-giving, joy bringing. Scripture gives at least seventy-five word pictures of forgiveness. Here are a few. To forgive is to turn the key, open the cell door and let the prisoner walk free. To forgive is to write in large letters across a debt, “Nothing Owed.” To forgive is to pound the gavel in a courtroom and declare not guilty. To forgive is to shoot an arrow so high and so far that it can never be found. To forgive is to take out the garbage and dispose of it, leaving the house fresh and clean. To forgive is to loose the anchor and set the ship to sail. To forgive is to grant a full pardon to a condemned and sentenced criminal. To forgive is to loosen a strangle-hold on a wrestling opponent. To forgive is to sandblast a wall of graffiti, leaving it looking brand new and no memory left of what was there. To forgive is to smash a clay pot into a thousand small pieces so that it can never be reassembled. Forgiveness is a marvelous, virtuous, liberating, loving attitude and act. [1]How do we get to that point? I will conclude with four key words to assist us in practicing forgiveness towards one another.
The first key word is cover. Forgiveness has the element of covering. This is how God dealt with sin in the Old Testament: the Ark of the Covenant had the mercy seat upon which blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. That action was symbolic of God forgiving the sins of the people. Their sins were covered with the blood of the atonement. That is how forgiveness looks for us. We must cover sin even as our sin is covered in the blood of the Lamb, Christ Jesus. It’s like painting over a blemished wall; one by one, the blemishes are covered by the paint.
Sin brings shame but we need to cover that shame. Proverbs 12:16 states, “A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.” Rather than reacting in anger and saying someone does not deserve our forgiveness when they ask for it and demonstrate sorrow for sin, we must cover their shame and forgive them. We must bring their sins and our own to the blood of Christ for forgiveness. Have you ever done that? Rather than dwelling on the sin that has been done against you, have you brought it for covering to the blood of Christ for forgiveness on behalf of that person? This is what Christ prayed on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” This is what Stephen prayed when he was being stoned, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” Have you done that today? Let’s forgive sin by covering it.
The second key word is comfort. Paul says in verse 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.” The word comfort here is the word used for the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete. We are to come alongside the one who has repented, lest he drown in the sorrow that sin has caused. Rather than stand at a distance and forgive from a distance, show your forgiveness is real by coming alongside someone who is broken by sin and its effects. Strengthen them with your presence and your acceptance. Let your disposition be, “Here, but for the grace of God, go I.” Repentant sinners need strengthening and comfort. Sin bruises and leaves a person weak, vulnerable, and lying in the dirt. Think of the father of the prodigal son when he returned. Did he send him away again? Did he leave him pounding at the door asking for forgiveness? No, he ran to his son. He embraced him and clothed him in the best robe and the best sandals and gave him a ring and killed the fatted calf. There was a feast of rejoicing given in honor of his son who was dead but was now alive—was lost and is now found. That is how God receives sinners, and that is how we ought to receive sinners.
Let us not ignore someone who is humbled by sin and seeks forgiveness, but let us keep our eyes out for those who are returning and let us run, clothe them, and rejoice, for they have come home to our heavenly Father. If God comforts a grieving sinner, how much more we ought to pray for and build up a grieving brother or sister!
The third key word is confirm. We need to confirm our love towards a penitent person. Paul says in verse 8, “Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.” This means that we ought to reinstate a brother or sister who has been forgiven. They’ve been cut off through church discipline, but now we restore them to full fellowship. We extend to them the right hand of fellowship; there is no more need to hold them under probation. So often we qualify our reinstatement of an offender. We say, “Let’s first see fruits worthy of repentance.” But that’s not forgiveness. Jesus said in Luke 17:4, “And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” Is this not how God forgives a sinner? He confirms His love for them. He brings them into the family of God. He justifies them. He sanctifies them. He preserves them and restores them.
Let us confirm our love towards our penitent brothers and sisters. Let them know that you have forgiven them. This is the real test that we face as Christians. The test is not really whether we fellowship together; the world does that, too. The real test is whether we forgive one another and reaffirm our love for one another. The only way to do this is to recognize that, before God, we are utterly unworthy of His forgiveness. That puts us on the same level with the one who seeks forgiveness. The censure is over. The sanctions are ended. We need to confirm our love to those who sin against us.
The fourth key word is contend. In demonstrating forgiveness in the church we are called to contend, to fight. Paul concludes in verse 11, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” So often we think forgiveness is for weaklings. Somehow we think we are vulnerable when we forgive. In a certain sense, we are making ourselves vulnerable to other people, but we are actually vulnerable to Satan if we fail to forgive. We open ourselves up for his attacks. Satan comes and says, “Justice has not been done. You deserve more than this. Are you going to sit down and take this? Remember what that person did against you?” Satan tries to magnify the sin and choke any possibility of forgiveness. So when we forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us, we are actually fighting against the devices of Satan, which we are called to do if we have tasted the forgiveness of God.
Satan’s device is to slander the character of God, so we must contend for the character of God. If we are unwilling to forgive, what are we saying about God? Are we saying that God is unwilling to forgive us and our brother or sister? God has the far greater sin to forgive; we have blatantly sinned against Him and we still sin against Him after grace. If you have tasted of that forgiveness, don’t you see how good and merciful and just God is in forgiving sin through Christ? When we forgive others we contend for God’s character. We show who God is when we forgive within His body, the church. We are a witness to the world.
Satan tries to minimize the power of the gospel. We must contend for the gospel. We destroy the very foundation of the gospel if we refuse to forgive others, having received the forgiveness of God in Christ ourselves. We say that God’s forgiveness is less than what we can offer to penitent sinners in the church. If we refuse to forgive, we cast a negative light on the gospel. Satan will stop at nothing to divert attention from the cleansing blood of Christ and reconciliation offered in the gospel. We must contend for it through forgiveness.
Satan also tries to cause division in the church, so we must also contend for unity through forgiveness. Forgiveness achieves unity. Without forgiveness, disruption and God-dishonoring division continue. Through forgiveness, unity is attained through the forgiveness offered in the gospel. Forgiveness is a way of contending against the devices of Satan to cause disunity in the church.
Satan downplays the grace of God in a penitent’s life. He wants us to focus on the sin and on our offender’s faults and flaws rather than the grace of God which leads sinners to repentance. We must fight against this through forgiveness. Forgiveness allows us to see the sin in our own lives and forgive someone else. It allows us to overlook the faults of others by keeping us focused on our need for God’s grace.
This is how forgiveness ought to look in the church. It ought to deflect self, center on Christ, be oriented toward others, and resist Satan. Anything less than this and penitents can be crushed, God can be dishonored, and Satan can wreak havoc. Our duty has been clearly set out from the Word of God: we must forgive in the person of Christ. We must do it for the good of our brother or sister, for the glory of Christ, and for the victory of the church over Satan.
Notes
- John MacArthur, “The Blessings of Forgiveness, Part 3,” http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/47-10_The-Blessings-of-Forgiveness-Part-3. Accessed September 17, 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment