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Rightly Dividing
the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15)
Established
November 2008 Published weekly on Friday
This is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men (and women) to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:3-4)
2 Corinthians 2:1-7 Lesson 04
Happy New Year!
I pray your
Christmas holiday season was filled with wonderful memories of time spent with loved ones both family
and friends. In this fast-paced world, the
gift of time is often overlooked when
people are searching for “that special gift;” the thing people really want but
don’t seem to presently have.
In this age it’s
easier to go to www.whatever.com to purchase a gift for someone and then have
it sent to their address and I’ll admit when they live far away this is essential.
But when they reside in the same zip
code as you, the gift of time is much
more valuable than anything bought on-line or in a store, and it will be
remembered for years to come because you came with the gift. You offered yourself and your gift of time and not just tokens of affection
purchased from the internet or the mall.
Offer to prepare an
elegant meal for a loved one
Offer to run
errands for an elderly relative who can’t get around
Offer to baby-sit
for a couple who need a night out on the town
Offer to do
yard-work or house-work for a relative or friend who is ill
Husbands, date your
spouse on a regular basis
Fathers, date your
daughter(s) to demonstrate how it should be done
Hold a game night
regularly and invite family and friends – rotate homes
********
Since we’ve been apart
for a couple of weeks, I thought it would be a good idea to begin this week’s
lesson with a brief Bible review.
For some reason Bible
commentators and theologians alike can’t agree on how many visits Paul actually
made to the church in Corinth, Greece. However,
this chapter refers to a “previous letter” and a third, somewhat painful visit
to these folks (12:14; 13:1). This visit
isn’t recorded in the book of Acts but it probably occurred sometime between the writing of 1
Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. The one
thing they agree on is Paul spent a lot of time
and ink responding to this church’s needs because of his love and devotion for them (2
Corinthians 2:4).
In this chapter
Paul continues the discussion of the subject which he introduced
previously. He had stated the reasons
why he chose not to visit this church at
this particular time, and when all is said and done it comes down to one
specific reason. The church was in utter chaos, spiritually
speaking. If he came to them in that condition
he would have felt compelled to discipline them severely. Therefore, instead of traveling there wielding
a disciplinary rod as an “apostolic avenger,” he chose to send
them a friendly letter (2:4, 13:2).
Therefore, as we
study this next section (2 Corinthians 2:1-8), we need to bear in mind this
letter was written to them, in love, rather
than paying them a visit at this time, when so many were so defiant. I prefer to let this book do the talking
whenever possible, so here’s Paul’s own words:
For this reason I am writing
these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in
accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and
not for tearing down (2 Corinthians 13:10).
********
Please
open your Bible at 2 Corinthians 2:1-2.
2 Corinthians 2
1: But I determined
this for my own sake – this seems to imply that Paul did not rely on the Holy
Spirit’s insight, or guidance, about this matter. He had mentioned before, several times in
fact, how the Holy Spirit was his guide or led him in his decision making,
which included his travel plans (Acts 16:9-10, 18-21; Romans 1:10, 15:32; 1
Corinthians 4:19), but here we don’t find any specific guidance in his decision
not to come to Corinth, indicating this
may have been Paul’s decision solely.
That I would not come to you in sorrow again – Paul mentions a
third visit to these Believers in 12:14 and in 13:1 but the book of Acts does
not record this troubling visit.
The
word again in verse 1 relates to the
word come. When Paul first came to Corinth he faced much
bitter opposition (Acts 18). He said, “I was with you in weakness and in fear and
in much trembling (1 Corinthians 2:3a).
But as you continue reading this verse he mentions his preaching, “and my message and my preaching were not in
persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, -
Paul was under a great deal of pressure in
Corinth. He admitted to being weak, but his message was not. Thus his first
visit resulted in great spiritual victories in this pagan city.
Then
Paul’s second visit came about, the one that is vaguely referred to in this
letter, the one that had brought sorrow to
this church and to Paul. Along with the
distress came confrontation or conflict between a minority of the
Believers there and Paul. Thus, rather than visit them now and risk
negative results again, he felt led
to write to them instead.
Let’s
go to verse 2.
2: For if I cause
you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?
Now,
after all the time and the ink Paul
has invested in this church, the argument from his “side of the fence” is he should
be rejoicing or glad re: their spiritual progress and restoration, however, he’s
not seeing that. Instead, there’s an
underlying stubborn attitude of disobedience for the desire to continue living
in a worldly way is strong within
them. This being the case, they should
expect his reproof; which causes them
sorrow; but who then makes him glad but the one whom I
made sorrowful?
Since
his reprimand discouraged them, obviously,
who would encourage him? It goes without saying this encouragement
could only come from those who had been made “sorry” by him. But it did not follow that if he made them
“sorry” by constantly reprimanding them they would recognize their mistakes; and
begin to follow Christ, making him glad.
If
Paul traveled to Corinth, again, and
encountered the “same sinful behavior
“in the church, i.e. division, fleshly lusts, indulgences in worldly pleasures, and strife he would
again suffer sorrow from those over whom he ought to rejoice. The only thing that would satisfy Paul is
their joy in Christ, thus he
writes: my joy would be the joy of
you all (v3). Paul’s goal was the elimination
of that which had not only grieved him, but had brought sorrow to them all and that would be their prideful attitude and sinful
behavior.
Now
I don’t know about you but when someone tells me something has to be removed from
my life there’s some measure of “suffering” involved in the process. It doesn’t matter whether that “something” is
a tooth that has to come out or if my doctor just told me I have to give up
eating ice cream and cake. That tooth is
deeply rooted and I’m here to tell you so is the habit of eating ice cream and
cake; removing either one is going to cause some degree of pain, but I endure
the loss of such things because I know it’s for my own good.
Our
Apostle Paul was attempting to curtail if not eliminate the Corinthian’s sin of
pride and their other sins and encountering problems because their wrongdoings had
become deeply rooted – a part of
their lifestyle. This not only grieved him, but had brought sorrow
to them all. This church had one
foot in the world and the other foot
in the church. Every now and again it appears
this church had both feet in the world,
but Paul was saying changes had to be
made. Sin had to be removed from their
lives for the common good.
It’s
a well known fact that people resist change
even if it’s for their own good; and no one likes being disciplined but God
basically says we need to “get over it”
(Hebrews 12:4-11). It has been said
people in the church express the desire to grow spiritually, yet they resist
the steps required to get there because these steps take them outside of their comfort zone. Contrary to popular belief, achieving
spiritual growth is not about “feeling” spiritual. Overcoming resistance to spiritual growth
requires the practical application of thought, word, and deed. It requires above all, practice, which
requires organization. After all, when
are you going to practice and think things through if you don’t organize your
life and set aside some quite time to
be spiritual?
As
the saying goes, “You play like you
practice.” If you heard me play my
guitar lately, you’d know immediately what this means. Since the move to our new home the priorities
have shifted. This Bible study,
unpacking boxes, and getting settled are at the top of my list; guitar practice
is merely on my to-do list. Think this
through. If you do not practice your
golf swing, or your hook shot, take batting practice, keep up with your voice
lessons, or practice your piano lessons will you meet your goals? Bottom line:
either your spiritual life is important or it’s not. You’re not going to realize your spiritual
goals if you do not practice being spiritual.
Please remember: “That which you resist will forever exist.”
Let’s
go to verses 3-4.
2 Corinthians 2
3: This is the very
thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow
from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all
that my joy would be the joy of you all.
This is the very
thing I wrote you
- considering the circumstances, Paul wisely understood a letter was better
than a personal visit at this particular point in time. A letter could show Paul’s true heart, yet would
not present as great an opportunity for the deterioration of their relationship. It would also give the Corinthians precious time
to reflect on his words and for the Holy Spirit to convict them of their sin.
so that when I
came, I would not have sorrow – As I pointed out
earlier, no one likes discipline; this includes the one receiving it and the
one administering it. Paul hoped that
his letter would get some, if not all, of the painful work out of the way, so
when he traveled to Corinth again, it would be a pleasant visit. Paul hoped to persuade them to exercise discipline
on their own by choosing to rid themselves of their sinful habits before he
arrived.
from those who
ought to make me rejoice – since this was the largest church Paul had planted, in the
most god-forsaken city in the Roman Empire, there were more than a few reasons
why this church should make Paul rejoice. However, the bad conduct of the saints in
Corinth was all the more troubling considering how they should have treated
Paul since he had given them so much of his love and time. Thus he writes in the confidence that my joy would be the joy of you all. Paul never gave in or gave up on these
Believers. He was confident they could and would turn things around, making the
church in Corinth a shining beacon of Light not just for their city but also
for the surrounding region.
Let’s go to verse 4.
4: For out of much affliction
and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you
would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love
which I have especially for you.
Never
lose sight of the fact these folks were saved out of a culture steeped in
paganism. What does a pagan know about
the one true God? Nada, nil, zilch, nothing! What's more, these Believers are not that far
removed from where they started, which means they have a tendency to “slip back”
back into their former lifestyle and this is what grieved Paul.
Paul
didn’t enjoy correcting or confronting these Believers about their poor
decision making abilities. It was a
difficult task, which is why he did it prayerfully with many tears. Above all,
he wanted them to know his aim was not
so that you would be made sorrowful, but instead that they would know the love which I have especially for you. It has been said of Paul, when he wrote
to this church instead of using ink he used his tears.
My
mother was and is a prayer warrior for us children. I know she often prayed longed after we were
put to bed and before she woke us for school.
How many parents out there can say the same thing? How many mothers and fathers are fervently
praying for their children’s faith in the Lord to develop and for their
protection from the wiles of Satan and this world they send them into each and every day - in tears?
Let’s
read verses 5-7.
2 Corinthians 2
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. In case you missed it, Paul never exposes
this individual’s name in either this letter or in first Corinthians,
exhibiting genuine apostolic compassion and wisdom. Why drag this man’s name through the “mud”
for centuries?
Sufficient for such
a one is this punishment which was
inflicted by the majority – from this statement we know church
discipline was imposed on this man as Paul instructed in 1 Corinthians 5. After receiving the punishment, this
individual was convicted of his sin
and he changed his ways, but here’s
the thing, the Corinthians would not forgive
him or restore him, i.e. welcome him back into their
fellowship.
Who
was this man? In Corinthians 5, Paul
rebuked these Believers for their casual attitude towards this individual and
his immoral sin. I’m aware that people
of all ages are tuning in to this website and reading these Bible lessons, so I
need to be sensitive to young minds and their thought process. Therefore, I will merely say this man was guilty
of incest; only his sin was much worse than that. This book says it was an immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles...
Paul
commanded them when you are assembled…
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 (1 Corinthians 5:4-5). In other
words, the man was to be put outside the spiritual and social protection of the
church family until he was convicted of
his sin, demonstrating how church leaders and members of the Body of Christ
should exercise discipline within God’s one
church. But here’s the thing I want
y’all to note, nowhere do we find malice or undue harshness of speech in Paul’s
writings; what we do find is evidence of loving concern and sorrow. The proper church discipline, applied with
love by some of these folks, helped this individual overcome his immoral
lifestyle
I
say “helped” because it’s the role of the Holy Spirit to convict people of sin. Even the lost may be aware that the wages of sin is death (Romans
6:23), they may know that no immoral,
impure, or greedy person… may inherit the kingdom of Christ (Ephesians
5:5). Yet having this knowledge, they
continue to go their way living a sin-filled life, which means they have a
basic understanding of the consequences, but they’re far from being convicted of their sins. If a person experiences nothing more than a
pang of conscience, a brief moment of anxiety at the thought of the judgment to
come, or an academic awareness of hell fire and brimstone, then they have never
truly known the conviction of
sin.
The
word convict in the Greek language is
Elencho, (pronounced: el-eng’-kho), Verb, Strong’s Greek #1651,
which means to convince someone of the
truth; to reprove; to accuse, refute, or cross-examine a witness. You see the Holy Spirit acts just like a
prosecuting attorney who exposes the wrongful things an individual does, He
reproves evildoers; He convinces people they need a Savior.
To
be convicted is to feel the sheer
loathsomeness of sin because this is how God views sin (Psalm 5:4). In addition, many people believe they find
the Lord and their own salvation when they’re ready but this book says
otherwise. The Bible teaches us that all
people are, by their very nature, “rebels;” against God; and hostile to Jesus
Christ. They are dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:8). Jesus Christ said, “No
one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him (or her) –
John 6:44. Without a doubt, therefore, part
of being “drawn” to Jesus is the conviction
of sin.
The
church discipline worked. The man was
put outside the church, the Holy Spirit convicted
him of his sin, and he chose to make the appropriate changes. The problem arose
when he wanted to return to his church family.
The Corinthians didn’t want anything to do with him. This is why we find our Apostle Paul telling
the Corinthians to restore the man to their fellowship: forgive
and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow (v7-8).
Forgiveness
carries the implied additional meaning of forgetting one’s trespasses (Psalm
103:12; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a). What these
Believers weren’t understanding is they were just as wrong in withholding
forgiveness and restoration from him when he had clearly changed as they were to welcome him warmly in their midst when he
was living a life boasting of incest. Instead
of treating him harshly, i.e. rejecting him, they should have been seeking his “highest good.” We find one example of it here when Paul commanded
them to do more than forgive him; he also told them to comfort him.
Unfortunately,
the type of forgiveness we’re seeing in God’s church today has a judicial
aspect about it; brings to mind a courtroom setting complete with a judge,
jury, and every now and again you may meet someone whose willing to be an
executioner, i.e. off with their head – kind
of thing. Even though your sins (past, present,
and future) have been paid for by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, at the Cross,
and your heavenly Advocate declares you “not guilty” each and every time Satan
(our accuser) shows up in God’s throne room saying, “Do you know what he or she just did,” there’s a lingering stain of guilt from the past on one’s conscience
because of the way some people in the church treat Believers. God has
removed your sin and He’s taken away the guilt as well, but some people can’t forgive and forget. This is demonstrated
by the way they gossip about you in the church classrooms, in the break area,
and in the hallways until you arrive that is, following the example of the
Corinthians:
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.
This
gentleman was overwhelmed by excessive
sorrow because these Believers were “piling on,” as it were; they wouldn’t forgive and comfort him. When this man
needed his church family’s encouragement, love, support, and their prayers, they
gave him the “cold shoulder” instead. I’m
not saying the whole congregation acted badly, I am saying no matter where you
go you’re going to find a few “bad apples.”
There were some (a minority) behaving badly, just as there are
today.
Here’s
something I want y’all to take away from this:
there but for the grace of God go
you and I… Please turn to the book
of Galatians, chapter 6:1-2:
Brethren, even if
anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in
a spirit of gentleness; each one looking
to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby
fulfill the law of Christ.
Paul
means to say, anytime you treat someone unfairly, in a harsh manner, in your
church family or even outside God’s one
church, what are you in effect doing? Setting yourself
up to be the next one to fall! None
of us are immune to Satan’s schemes.
Therefore we all need to heed the instructions of Paul. If anyone if caught in a trespass, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Remember to seek the individual’s highest
good. You do this by going beyond restoring the trespasser in a spirit of gentleness; comfort them with the love of Christ or as Paul put it Bear one another’s burdens, and
thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
(To
be continued)
©
Copyright 2011
GJ
Heitzman’s Ministry
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Rights Reserved
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