2 CORINTHIANS SERIES
Sinner Stuff
2 CORINTHIANS 2:1-17
#2corandmore
PERSON FROM CONGREGATION READS 2 CORINTHIANS 2:1-17
READ 2 CORINTHIANS 2:1-17 (ESV)
“For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. 5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. 12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. 14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”
INTRODUCTION
Last week we started our series in 2 Corinthians and I mentioned to you that 2 Corinthians may feel like we are jumping in the middle of a conversation already in progress and add on top of that; we are only hearing the Apostle Paul’s half. I mention this fact about 2 Corinthians again because chapter 2 absolutely picks up on an ongoing issue which we are introduced to in 1 Corinthians 5. It is an ongoing issue that deals with some sinner stuff. The sinner stuff is what we are going to focus on today and hopefully gain some clarity.
I will re-read the portion of 2 Corinthians 2 we are going to focus on a little later, but before that we need to back up a little and get some context into what is going on with this sinner stuff.
TRANSITION
So, what is going on? To know what is going on, we have to back up to 1 Corinthians 5.
THE SITUATION
READ 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1-13 (ESV)
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
When we think about Corinth, I want you to imagine Las Vegas on Viagra and you get a sense of what the overall city was like. There was much sexual immorality in Corinth and in chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians Paul points out that the church was indifferent about this type of sin. In verse 1, Paul uses the word porneia which means sexual acts outside of God’s design. Specifically, there is a believer in the church who is in a relationship with his stepmother. Paul speaks to this situation and the fact that not only are the Corinthians ignoring the situation, but there is some pride in it. They were not mourning this sin, but allowing it. In case you were wondering, there is a “thus sayeth the Lord” on this issue:
READ LEVITICUS 18:8 (ESV)
“You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.”
READ DEUTERONOMY 22:30 (ESV)
“A man shall not take his father's wife, so that he does not uncover his father's nakedness.”
READ DEUTERONOMY 27:20 (ESV)
“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's nakedness.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
The Apostle Paul then instructs the Corinthians about church discipline. The decision to discipline the believer among them is to be done “in the Name of the Lord Jesus” and in the “power of the Lord Jesus.” Paul teaches the Corinthians… and us… that church discipline is to be exercised carefully with the idea that sin be corrected and the body of believers protected from the infection of sin (verses 6-8).
In verse 5, Paul tells the Corinthians to remove the believer from their church for the express purpose that he might come to repentance. We should notice that Paul does not just say to toss him out of the church, but rather toss him out with a plan to try and lead him to repentance. Repentance is the goal. This is complicated because he is a believer. He is part of their fellowship. They love him.
I want you to notice also a very important part of this passage in verses 12-13. Paul teaches us that it is logical, right, and needed for the church to exercise spiritual discipline over members of its fellowship, but it is not the role of the church to judge the unsaved society outside the church. Paul is very specific that those who are outside the church’s communion of fellowship should not hear words of judgmental correction from the church.
Non-Christians are going to act like non-Christians and God is the corrector.
Non-Christians are going to act like Christians until Jesus Christ changes their hearts.
Christians are going to act like non-Christians and God uses the church as a corrector.
Christians are going to act like non-Christians until we repent in our hearts.
Paul ends the passage with a rhetorical question: “Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?” “Yes” is the expected reply. Yes, church discipline is described in 1 Corinthians 5.
ILLUSTRATION
You may wonder how this might look in church today?
Imagine a new minister is hired at a church and in his very first month at the church he discovers that every single one of those who lead worship are single and living together with a significant other. They are leaders in the church and every single one who play music or sing has chosen to live a lifestyle of sex outside of marriage. What does he do? How does he approach it?
Imagine a member has been persistently spreading harmful rumors about leaders and fellow members, causing division and mistrust in the congregation. Despite being lovingly confronted by several women in the church, she continues to stir conflict. Her actions have led to people leaving the church and broken relationships among longtime friends. What should happen? How should it happen?
Imagine a group of deacons at a church are working hard for the Lord. One of them divorces his wife and then starts to self-destruct with excessive drinking and dating. Do they confront him? Do they ask him to step down? Who has the conversation with this man who seems to be stepping away from his faith Monday-Saturday and then shows up on Sunday like nothing has changed?
Imagine a member of a church who pops in one day to volunteer with her friend who is the secretary of the church. She discovers, after showing up unexpectedly, that the secretary of the church is having an affair with one of their close friends who is also a woman. The church secretary is also a member of the church and the two of them have been best friends since kindergarten. What does she do? What should be done?
Imagine a church member has been leading a Bible study in his home where he regularly teaches that Jesus was not fully God. Multiple fellow members have come forward confused and concerned after attending his study. Church leaders have met with him privately, but he refuses to stop or acknowledge the theological error. What is the path forward for the church?
Imagine a church member who is also a business owner has taken money from several members in what he claimed were investment opportunities, but he never paid them back. After investigation, it became clear he misused the funds and was dishonest about the risks. He has ignored repeated requests to make things right and stop targeting church members for business opportunities. What should leaders or members do?
TRANSITION
We now have the situation in view that Paul is speaking to in 2 Corinthians 2. It involves known and obvious sexual sin in the church by a believer, a church member, that is not being dealt with. Paul instructs the church to discipline him for the purpose of repentance. And yet, there is a complication when it comes to church discipline… actually there are several.
THE COMPLICATION
Church discipline is difficult and complicated for several spiritual, relational, emotional, and cultural reasons.
First, it is deeply personal. Church is supposed to be a family and church discipline is difficult because a brother or sister is being confronted. Because people often have long histories and deep relationships it often feels like betrayal, rejection, or judgment. It is very difficult to balance love and correction without damaging the relationship.
Second, there is a fear of being seen as judgmental, harsh, or hypocritical. Pastors and other church leaders and even fellow church members are afraid of being seen as legalistic or unloving or not minding their own business and so keeping quiet is often chosen. Church discipline feels like intolerance or being unloving. This means in the end we don’t really want to do church discipline because it makes us look bad and feel bad.
Third, we don’t talk about church discipline. How many sermons or Bible studies have you heard about church discipline? We don’t want to do it so we don’t talk about it. We don’t have a plan to deal with believers who act foolishly, live a lifestyle of sin denying Jesus, or flaunt their sin for all to see. We let people do what they do. We feel like the Bible doesn’t tell us what to do even though Matthew 18, 1 Corinthians 5, and Galatians 6 specifically talks about it… showing us exactly what to do.
Fourth, and this is a biggie, we are afraid of division or losing members. Many people come to church and just want you to ‘marry them and bury them’ and don’t want you inserting yourself into their sinful choices. Many feel like church membership means they get to use the church facilities for free, but not that the church has any input into their walk with Christ. Discipline can create tension and conflict. There is a big fear the person being disciplined will leave and take others with them and make a big stink. In a nation where there is a church on most corners, ‘going home and taking your toys with you’ is an option. In our culture, people may just go to another church instead of submitting to correction. This is painful for a church family.
Fifth, we live in the United States of America where nobody tells us nothin’! Our culture tells us that “no one can tell us how to live.” Our culture tells us “mind ya business.” That mindset often resists accountability and correction in any and all forms. Church discipline runs against the grain of individualism, privacy, and self-expression which we think is part of Christianity and is in fact NOT part of Christianity.
Sixth, spiritual warfare absolutely exists when it comes to church discipline. Satan hates unity, holiness, and restoration. Satan hates a church that has its spiritual head on straight and encourages members to be faithful and holy. The devil works to confuse motives, stir division, and create fear around the process of church discipline. Church discipline, when done rightly, protects the flock and restores the sinner; so, it is often under spiritual attack.
The overall complication for church discipline is simply this: we don’t want to do it. We don’t wanna. We don’t wanna. We don’t wanna. We don’t want to tell people where they are sinful because we don’t want anyone in our business. The end result is as a whole we are less than holy believers in Jesus Christ. Church discipline is meant to reflect the Gospel.
Church discipline is not about punishment, but repentance.
Church discipline is not about punishment, but restoration.
Church discipline is not about judgment, but patience, humility, and prayer.
Church discipline is not about judgment, but rather accountability, wisdom, and grace.
Church discipline reflects the heart of Jesus bringing truth and love together.
Church discipline is never easy.
BIBLICAL EXAMPLES
Before we get to the resolution of the issue in 2 Corinthians 5, I want to mention times in the Bible where it seems like church discipline occurred:
In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira lied to the church about how much money they gave after selling property. Peter confronted them and they lied again. Both dropped dead after being confronted by Peter. Notice: these two folks refused to repent and God disciplined them.
In Acts 8, a man named Simon Magus became a believer and he wanted to buy gifts of the Holy Spirit so he could do miracles. Peter corrected him and he repented asking Peter to pray for him. Notice: after being confronted, Simon repented and sought forgiveness.
In Galatians 2, the Apostle Peter was hypocritical when he dealt with brothers and sisters in the church who were not Jewish. Peter even led Barnabas to act in the same sinful ways. Paul had to stand up and correct him. Notice: Paul confronted Peter so that sin would not infect the church.
In 2 Thessalonians 3, there were folks in the church in Thessalonica who were being lazy in faith and leading others to sin. Paul says clearly:
READ 2 THESSALONIANS 3:13-15 (ESV)
“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.”
Notice: we regard not as an enemy, but as a brother. That is important!
In 1 Timothy 1, two men named Hymenaeus and Alexander were rejected faith and good conscience which resulted in them being in a spiritual shipwreck. Paul encourages Timothy to continue to “hand them over to Satan” so that they would learn not to blaspheme. Their inability to repent led to exclusion for correction.
Notice: their unwillingness to repent is a big issue.
In Titus 3, Paul instructs Titus on how to deal with some hurtful people he was dealing with.
READ TITUS 3:9-11 (ESV)
“Avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”
Notice: unwillingness to repent is a big issue.
TRANSITION
We understand the situation from 1 Corinthians 5. We understand what it is complicated for them. We understand that discipline happened in the early church. Church discipline is also complicated for us when we think about it. How does the situation work out for the Corinthians? Do we know? In the complicated relationship between the Apostle Paul and the church in Corinth, we do have a resolution of this situation. The resolution comes in 2 Corinthians 2.
THE RESOLUTION
Let’s re-read a portion of 2 Corinthians 2 so we have the resolution fresh in our minds.
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 2:4-11 (ESV)
“For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. 5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”
Paul mentions to the Corinthians that any harsh words he has directed to them or any painful visits he has had with them are because he loves them. Love is the motivator for church discipline for Paul. He wants the best for them in their relationship with Jesus Christ. They evidently obeyed his command to put the man out of the church who was having sexual relations with his stepmother. Verse 6 says the punishment was enough. They obeyed and in verses 6-8 he instructs them to forgive him, comfort him, and reaffirm their love for him because he repented. The best possible outcome in this situation happened. The church took a stand and the sinner repented. The church majority disciplined a member and the member repented. The church then was instructed to restore him.
The circumstances and purpose of the forgiveness and restoration is given in verses 10-11.
First in verses 10-11, forgiveness was given “in the presence of Christ.” The motivator for forgiveness is Jesus Christ. We forgive because God forgave us. We restore because Jesus Christ restores us. The Apostle Paul teaches the same truth elsewhere. Paul lets us know that forgiveness and restoration has its foundation in the forgiveness, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, love, peace, and thankfulness that Jesus Christ gives to us. Our only motivator in church discipline should be to mirror Jesus Christ. Paul says in Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3…
READ EPHESIANS 4:32 (ESV)
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
READ COLOSSIANS 3:12-17 (ESV)
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
If you don’t think Colossians 3 is speaking about correction in the church, I direct you to the word “admonishing” in verse 16 which means “to warn or reprimand firmly;” “to advise or urge someone earnestly;” and “to warn someone of something to be avoided.”
Second in verses 10-11, the forgiveness and restoration was needed to avoid being outwitted by Satan. Satan has schemes against believers in Jesus and wants discord. Satan wants us to have bad attitudes about being accountable to Christ because that tears down the church as a whole. He wants us to get bent out of shape and to quit church when someone brings correction to us. He wants churches to be afraid to keep each other accountable to holiness. Satan wants church discipline to be incomplete and not to have the goal of restoration and forgiveness. Satan wants us to be mistaken that church discipline is vindictive. When we ignore church discipline, Satan wins and Satan wants to win.
CONCLUSION / ILLUSTRATION
We don’t know the specifics of how the man in 1 Corinthians 5 and 2 Corinthians 2 repented and then was restored. I imagine it in this way:
Marcus sat alone on the outskirts of Corinth, staring at the house where he once gathered with his brothers and sisters in Christ. Months had passed since he’d last joined them. He still remembered the day they confronted him. They had not spoke with hatred, but pain. He had sinned publicly, taken his stepmother as his own, and the church had done what the Apostle instructed: they removed him from fellowship. At first, he had been angry. Who were they to judge him? But as the weeks passed, isolation began to wear on his heart. The silence gave space for the Holy Spirit to speak. Shame came. Then conviction. Then sorrow. He realized he had brought dishonor to Christ and harmed the people of his spiritual family.
One day, Marcus saw a fellow member in the market. He said, “Tell them… I am sorry. Truly. If they never take me back, I understand.” The member returned to the church and shared Marcus’s words. The room fell silent. Some were cautious. Others remembered Paul’s recent letter in which he said: “So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.” After that, another member invited him back to worship. The next Lord’s Day, Marcus arrived timidly at the doorway. He was unsure. One by one without a word they all embraced him. He wept openly: “I wronged you… and I’ve repented before God. Thank you… for not letting me stay in my sin.” An elder prayed for him and over him. The church fellowship welcomed him back with words and warmth and joy and fellowship. They gave grace.
PRAYER
INVITATION
