Sometimes the right thing to do is confront bad behavior or attitudes. As a leader there have been times when I have had to call someone on the carpet. It’s never easy and too often that person does not receive the exhortation or even rebuke well. As a leader, my job is to protect and nurture the body. If someone’s actions or words are seriously harming another then I need to step in. Fortunately this doesn’t happen very often but it has been among the most difficult jobs of a leader and I never look forward to it.
Paul faced such a situation. He’s pretty sharply rebuked the Corinthians and was on his way to visit them to see if they’d listened to him when he caught wind that things had gone from bad to worse. The people had originally taken up sides against one another by worshipping certain leaders like Paul, Peter, and Apollos. After Paul’s letter they instead took up against the Apostle Paul by siding with other leaders who were actually “pastors for hire” and not apostles at all.
Add to that a particularly sharp exchange between Paul and someone in the congregation and it was a little like holding a lit match to a barrel of gun powder; one false move and the entire church might explode into nothing, and all of the lives hurt in the process.
So Paul takes a different course. Instead of coming and laying down the law he writes a letter—one filled with personal anguish—like a loving father instead of a stern school master. He’s hoping this indirect approach will wake the Corinthians up so he can see them corrected while maintaining his relationship with him.
1 – 4
You’ve got to give it Paul. He had one of the most difficult ministries of anyone. He marched forward with the gospel despite huge opposition from the Jews and Gentiles. Paul’s main consolation was the encouragement he received from the saints. To have the Corinthians so messed up and now attacking him was almost more than he could bear. So he decided not to come in person but to write this letter.
If he had come he would have been filled with so much grief it might have been too much to bear. It reminds me of Jesus standing before Jerusalem:
Matthew 23:37-38 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem! The city who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, yet you were not willing!
Paul wanted to spend his time getting cheered up in fellowship and in turn encourage the Corinthians. So he wrote the letter—pouring over it with an anguished heart and many tears. He wants them to know that he isn’t so much mad at them as much as worried about them.
Many times a leader’s heart is misunderstood in this way. When people hear something they don’t want to hear they often get defensive as if the leader is purposefully singling them out to hurt them. In a good leader this is never the case. The end is always to restore and heal and cause growth—not hurt.
The New Living Translation says “Surely you know that my happiness depends on your happiness.” How true that is. It brings so much joy when the members of the body are growing and full of joy!
In a way to illustrate this point, Paul turns from the general atmosphere to a very specific incident:
5 – 11
When it comes to church discipline the church often makes one of two errors. Either they are too lenient (the Corinthians earlier) or too harsh (the Corinthians here). Apparently someone had directly and openly challenged Paul’s authority and criticized the Apostle pretty severely. Some others in the body so thoroughly rebuked this guy that he turned to sorrow and grief.
There is a real delicate balance when it comes to dealing with those who have gone “all in” with what their flesh is telling them to do. We have a natural “fight or flight” response when placed in stressful situations. Rather than be open to exhortation, our self-rationalizing brain gets so worked up that we find no other choice but to strike out and hard. That never really works, in fact the Scriptures tell us that:
James 1:19-21 My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for man's anger does not accomplish God's righteousness.
When called on his behavior the man again, instead of seeking to repent and be changed, he withdrew. I have seen this many many times and it grieves me every time.
Pain caused by this guy was not just hurting Paul but the entire body because they are all interrelated and interconnected. This is so vital for us to remember when we find ourselves wanting to strike out.
Now, this isn’t to say that we should never disagree. That’s not it at all. But we can disagree without disapproval—especially if our aim is to reflect the character of Jesus Christ. This was also not a personal vendetta. Calling Paul into question called the gospel into question. We as leaders need thick skin and to focus on the defense of the gospel, not ourselves.
So Paul tells them to show this guy some love—that they’ve done enough to make the point that what he did was wrong.
Just as the Corinthians should obey the gospel that Paul preached, the hallmark of that gospel is forgiveness. Paul wants to join with the Corinthians in extending forgiveness to this person—even though it was he who was wronged. He says “in the presence of Christ” so that they realize everything that we do, even the motives hidden behind our words and actions, are done “in the face of Christ” (the literal Greek).
Anything you say or do or think should be done with consideration that Jesus is right here and listening!
So then at the end here is this incredibly weighty almost aside. If repentance and restoration are not the aim of church discipline, resentment will follow—and that’s just want Satan intends. Satan wants to tempt people into doing things that he can later accuse them of and if he has willing participants, can bring along other church members to pile on. His end is to push the Christian away from God and from each other. God’s purpose is to break, then heal.
Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you won't be tempted also.
Zeal without knowledge can be just as effective a weapon for Satan as sin if it pushes someone away from a relationship with God. Don’t be a party to it.
12 – 13
Troas is a major port city in Asia Minor. Paul had a big door for the preaching of the gospel open to him but was so concerned about his emissary to the Corinthians, Titus, that he left in search of him in Macedonia. Later we learn that Titus met up with Paul and reported that Paul’s “severe letter” had had a positive effect and so he sent Titus back with what we call 2 Corinthians. Titus was Paul’s enforcer in a way—the man you sent into a troubled area to make things right—and apparently he had much success. But this shows just how much the situation in Corinth affected Paul—and the anguish of heart over their condition.
14 – 17
There are some who suggest that beginning here and ending in chapter 7 is another letter entirely because of the abrupt change in tone. Here Paul inserts this praise to God and at first it seems out of place.
One explanation though, is that Paul is saying that no matter what trials or problems or weaknesses confront us, the gospel will be victorious.
The “puts us on display” or “leads us in triumphal procession” is a reference to what the Roman generals used to do in leading their captives on parade through the streets of Rome, while incense burned in great clouds to their god Jupiter.
His point is to focus on the big thing—the gospel. Wherever we go and whatever we do, we as Christians (little Christs) either represent the promise of life or the certainty of death, depending on how you respond to the gospel.
Conclusions
What’s your scent? We would like to be pure, but have you ever walked through a department store perfume area? The sheer number of scents is overwhelming and you can’t pick out any individual ones.
Sometimes as Christians we confuse the scent of Christ with the scent of the flesh or the scent of the enemy as he influences us to use the flesh.
Who’s Using You? You may not like to admit it, but you are going to be used by someone, and it will either be the Lord or Satan. We can unwittingly be a part of the “intentions” of the enemy. How can we tell the difference?
Enemy’s Intentions
Satisfy the self-interest above all
Take revenge for hurts
Be retributive rather than restorative
Let anger/envy/jealousy take the lead
God’s Intentions
Satisfy the needs of the gospel and bring glory to God (imitate Him)
Let hurts pass
Be restorative, not retributive
Let peace/patience/kindness/goodness/gentleness/self-control lead
