The Ministry of Forgiveness
Book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 2
Only God can forgive sin!
We are to forgive those who sin against us, but only God can forgive that sin against Him!
Isa 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Mat 9:6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,
God could not forgive sin without a proper payment for that sin.
How do we explain God’s forgiveness? Forgiveness is a legal act of God where He removes the charges against us because the atonement for those sins has been made.
We each have a book of our life written in Heaven, and God will open that book in our name and blot out the sin in that book because the Lord Jesus Christ has made the atonement for the sin we committed against our Heavenly Father.
The Lord Jesus paid our sin debt! Our debts were nailed to His cross!
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Forgiveness means we have been set free from the burdens of our sin because of the “Grace” of God the Father.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Forgiveness means we have a daily forgiveness of sin as we serve the Lord.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The Book of John says: Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
We will never have fellowship with God until we deal with our sin debt! We can only deal with our sin debt through the Lord Jesus Christ, The Word.
We should understand that God’s forgiveness is linked to God’s “Grace”; there is nothing we as humans can do; the Lord Jesus has done all that was needed for us to be forgiven.
Our chains of bondage are broken.
Our debt is cancelled.
We have received a pardon.
Our punishment has been cancelled.
We will not see the wrath of God come upon us.
Because of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father has canceled the debt of sin that we could have never paid except by dying and spending eternity in Hell!
Rom_3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
This is what forgiveness means to God!
What does forgiveness mean to each believer?
*****2Co 2:1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
2Co 2:2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
2Co 2:3 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.
We should not doubt that the Apostle Paul loved the people in every church he had planted. Christianity brings Godly love!
We all know the problems in the church at Corinth if we have read 1 Corinthians.
Paul longed to go to minister again to this church but not with controversies and sin surrounding them.
Paul had written to this church urging them to put the Lord Jesus Christ first and end their controversies.
No church will stand very long that does not put the Lord Jesus Christ first; He is the foundation of the Church, of every true church.
In fact, no group that gathers can be a church unless they have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
No Pastor or Preacher can reach God’s people if the message he preaches causes controversy in that church.
That church would first have to recognize sin, address the problem of sinners, and return to the truth of God; then they would be ready to receive the meat of the Gospel and grow in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
A true Pastor will bring joy to his flock because the Gospel is a message of peace to the soul.
Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
*****2Co 2:4 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.
The letter Paul wrote, which is called the Book of 1 Corinthians, was a painful letter for him to write.
Paul did not write to them to cause pain; Paul wrote to them in love, his heart broken for the sin in that church.
Every church needs to understand that God is full of “Grace,” but God has rules that must be followed.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Tit 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
When we reject the truth of the Gospel, we have condemned ourselves, and we can only blame ourselves.
Then once the sin problem is solved, the next step is forgiveness and restoration of those who had committed such sin.
Our forgiveness must be led by the example of forgiveness given to us by God Himself.
We have not forgiven anyone unless that forgiveness comes from the heart!
*****2Co 2:5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
We have not forgiven unless that forgiveness comes from the heart!
Certain offenders had caused grief for the whole church in Corinth.
It could be that man who had taken his father’s wife, or it could be some Jewish ringleader who was trying to destroy the Church and destroy the Apostle Paul’s ministry, or both of them.
It could be this Jew because Paul does not mention immorality in these verses.
Act_14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
Act_17:5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
There were some of these wicked men at Corinth who were attacking the Apostle Paul and stirring up controversy, causing disturbance, and hurting the whole church, and they needed to be run off.
There are times when there must be church discipline.
1Ti_3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
This church had done so to those who were full of immorality.
To run those wicked Jews off, they had to cling to the Word of God they had gotten from Paul, Timothy, and Apollos.
The Church must stand its ground against any and all those who reject the truth of the Scriptures.
*****2Co 2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
We do not know what punishment was given to this man, but we do know that Paul had said to excommunicate that man.
To hand that man over to Satan!
This was done, not to just keep this man out of the church, but to awaken him to repentance and to secure his salvation.
1Co 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
All actions in the Church should be done with the desire to bring salvation to all!
We should note that those who voted to punish this man were only a majority and not unanimous because we see that word many and not the word all.
If I am not mistaken in my church, we require a vote of at least eighty percent before such action as this could be taken.
We never want to divide the church and make matters worse.
There will always be differences of opinion when it comes to church discipline, but there will be times when it must take place.
We see today that major denominations have split, and many of those decisions were made when the vote was a simple majority rather than a high percentage such as eighty percent or at least seventy percent. Fifty-one percent would mean the church is divided, and that church should just make sure to obey the Word of God. Those who reject the Word of God should not be counted.
Church discipline should come without destruction.
Our discipline should come with thought of forgiveness after repentance takes place because this is the way of God.
Any soul that has been disciplined should be welcomed back with open arms once the fruit of repentance is seen in them.
We must repent of our sin and turn toward the ways of God before He will forgive us!
This is the example we are to always follow!
Notice also that the name of this man is not mentioned by the Apostle Paul.
Discipline in the Church should remain in the Church.
We cannot allow the world to dictate the work of the Church.
*****2Co 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
2Co 2:8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
What appears here is that the “many” of this church in Corinth wanted discipline to a lesser degree than the rest of the church members.
Again, all things must be done in accordance with the Word of God!
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
If at all possible, we are to use great effort not to make this person an enemy of the Church.
2Th 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2Th 3:15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
We should understand that if we do not follow the Word of God in Church discipline, Satan is waiting at the door to receive that person who needs Church discipline.
This is the time to show great love to that person and try to lead them to repentance and show that person we are being obedient to the Word of God, the same Word of God that he should be obedient to.
- The entire church must forgive this person.
Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mar 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
- The entire church must be an encouragement to this person.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
1Th 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1Th 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
- This person must repent and turn back to the truth of God.
Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
- There must be assurance demonstrated by the love of the church.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
We must do everything that we can to keep the Holy Spirit working in our churches!
Dead churches are places of misery!
We must accept all the Word of God and not take away from it nor add to it!
*****2Co 2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
There is another purpose of Church discipline.
It shows the Lord that we are obedient to the mission of the Church.
As long as we allow the world to work inside the Church, then the Church cannot focus upon the mission that the Lord has given to us.
We cannot allow controversy and division to rule the Church as it is doing today in many denominations.
If we are to obey the Lord Jesus Christ, then there must be Church discipline!
If the Church is not concerned with obeying Jesus Christ, then it is not a Church to begin with.
Mat_18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
A church is a place where people gather in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
All other places are places of Devil worship!
We must prove to the Lord Jesus Christ that we are faithful to Him and faithful to the Holy Trinity.
Nothing in this world is more important than our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!
We are to be just as forgiving as He is forgiving!
Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Php 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
*****2Co 2:10 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;
2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
The Apostle Paul had given instructions on how to manage this incident that happened at the Church of Corinth, and we know there was more than one incident.
This church was tearing itself apart.
What Paul is saying is that he would stand by the discipline this church had come to because the majority of the church had chosen what they would do, even if they had not followed his exact words.
The important thing was this church had come together and acted in accordance with the Word of God.
By being united around the Word of God, Satan could not claim any victory at this church.
This man had repented and had been restored to the Church.
Satan will use any discord in the Church to get his foot in the door.
In fact, at least one of Satan’s followers attends every church service just waiting for a chance to create havoc.
Satan uses many devices in his attempt to turn God’s children and cause harm to the church.
Everything concerning the Church must be in accordance with the Word of God.
There is a spiritual battle going on around us at all times.
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
We must not give Satan easy access to cause chaos in the Church.
We must beware that He is already causing havoc in many places of worship today.
If we are not willing to forgive a repentant sinner, then what does that say about the Church that is full of repentant sinners that the Lord Jesus Christ has forgiven?
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Satan will do his very best to stop the work of the Church, and we do not need to provide him with opportunities to do so.
Satan hates the Gospel, and Satan hates the Lord Jesus Christ!
Only the Holy Ghost-filled Church can hinder the work of Satan, and we make it far too easy for him.
Only saved souls and changed lives show that Satan the Devil is a defeated foe.
The Lord Jesus Christ defeated Satan on the cross and we can’t allow him to have the smallest victory.
The loving, forgiving Church that is obedient to the Word of God cannot be overcome by the devices of Satan!
Amen