Scripture
2 Corinthians 2:5 – 11 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Observation
The very tenant of the Christian faith is that we are forgiven. The deep love of Christ dying on a cross for us, bringing with it the most miraculous truth, the forgiveness of mankind! We exist as Christians because of this, our churches are full (Well I hope yours is!) because of this. Yet when it comes to our fellow Christians and our love of them then forgiveness is not so simply given nor embraced.
Paul here does not ask that we blindly ignore people’s sin, no as in the previous passage the errors of people should grieve us, yet there should also be forgiveness and comfort. This should come in time and as a part of a process where healing and remorse are both present. We really should be involved in lives that reflect Christ’s standards, repentance, grace, love, compassion.
Application
Who do you need to give forgiveness and comfort to?
Where in your life have you circumvented the process of repentance and forgiveness, going either to forgiveness without repentance or never moved into repentance?
Prayer
Lord give me the grace to forgive and the strength to demand repentance; in both myself and others.
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