Dealing With Sin
In 2 Cor 2:1-11 Paul wrote to the Corinthians explaining why he handled the matter of the fornicator in 1 Cor 5, the way he did. And then he directed them to forgive the young man since he had repented of his sin. This passage helps us understand matters of dealing with sin.
When Paul wrote to the Corinthians about what to do with the fornicator in 1 Cor 5, he was “in heaviness”. By dealing with sin they could get this thing right in the church. He didn’t want to come to them in heaviness.
To straighten out this problem, Paul made them sorry, first, v.2. By following what he told them to do, they would make him glad, v.2. By refusing to do what he told them to do, he would “have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice”, v.3.
Paul’s confidence was that they would have the same joy in getting this sin out of the church as he would have. That’s why he said, “having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all”.
Paul wrote to them “out of much affliction and anguish of heart”, v.4, not that they “should be grieved”, but that they “might know the love” that he had for them. He also wanted them to know that, though he was grieved, Heb 13:17, he was only grieved “in part”. He didn’t want to “overcharge” them, v.5. That is, he didn’t sadden them more by making extravagant accusations against them.
The Corinthians punished the fornicator by getting him out of the church and breaking off fellowship with him, 1 Cor 5:5-11. Because this fellow repented, this punishment was “sufficient”, v.6. It was time to “forgive him” and “comfort him”, v.7. Otherwise, he might “be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow”.
So, Paul told them to “confirm your love toward him”, v.8. He wanted to prove whether they were “obedient in all things”, v.9. That is, would they first punish the fornicator and deliver him to Satan; and then would they forgive him and take him back when he quit the sin?
They forgave him. Paul said, in essence, “If you forgive him, I forgive him”. And this forgiveness was not only from the congregation, but it was also “in the person of Christ”, v.10. They had punished him “in the name of” and “by the power of” Jesus Christ, 1 Cor 5:3-4, and they forgave him “in the person of Christ”.
We glean some very important truths from this passage about dealing with sin.
Your sin affects others. It causes heaviness, affliction, anguish of heart, tears, and grief.
Heaviness is a burden that never lets up. Affliction is suffering caused by someone else. Anguish is extreme pain and anxiety. Sorrow brings tears. Grief is deep distress caused as if by bereavement. Sometimes people exaggerate this grief to try to make the sinner feel more guilt.
You go through sorrow in dealing with sin in the family and the church. Often people never realize the extent of the anguish others feel or the love others have for them. Others don’t realize the joy they’ll eventually have if they’ll just endure the sorrow when they address it, biblically. And they rejoice and you rejoice when you get the sin out of your life.
Others affected must punish you for your sin. “This punishment, which was inflicted of many, 6”. Inflict is to cause something unpleasant to be endured. The church cut off fellowship with this young man and turned him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.
We are so grieved when we see God’s children messed up by sin; yet we love them so much, we want to do all we can to help them. Many times, the best help is to turn them completely over to God, and even the devil.
Notice that “many” did this. The trouble with others is that they don’t all cooperate with the punishment. And today there are other churches that they just go and join so they never have to deal with their sin.
Read 2 Cor 7:10-11. It’s vital that the others affected by your sin clear themselves like this in the way they handle you and your sin.
Their punishment ends when you repent. Repentance is not just coming to terms with the truth of your sin. And repentance is not you making amends and saying you’re sorry. Real repentance is you turning from your sin completely and being done with it.
The others affected must then forgive, comfort, and love you. We are to forgive because God has forgiven us, Eph 4:30-32. Parents don’t quit loving their kids when they get caught up in sin; neither should we quit loving a brother who has detoured into sin.
You shouldn’t expect or receive this forgiveness, comfort, and love until you have gotten thoroughly right with God in the matter of your sin.
Lest Satan should get an advantage. We cannot withhold forgiveness, comfort, and love. Otherwise, Satan will “get an advantage of us”. And he doesn’t need an advantage.
Paul said, “we are not ignorant of his devices”. He is “as a roaring lion (who) walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”, 1 Pet 5:8. When you don’t forgive, you “give place to the devil” to attack, Eph 4:27. The Bible is clear on this, Gal 6:1, even when the problem is a fault and not a sin.
Conclusion: your sin causes great heaviness, sorrow, anguish, affliction, and grief to others close to you. Don’t expect them to keep hanging on to you. They need to let go of you and let you crash. Repent. Then they can forgive, comfort, and love you. We all need to cut off Satan’s advantage (in your sin and in our response to your repentance).