Proclamation:
“If anyone has caused grief … not to put it too severely …
you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by
excessive sorrow.” 2 Corinthians 2:5-7
(NIV)
Explanation:
These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the
influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Corinth . Here Paul addresses the forgiveness of an
offender. He said that if a brother
offends them, they should forgive him and comfort him. They should also reaffirm their love for him.
(2 Corinthians 2:8) Rejecting him could
cause him to be overwhelmed and they should restore him to the fellowship.
Application:
Forgiveness is very important in the life of a
believer. Here Paul encourages us to
forgive a brother who has caused us grief.
However, he also states that we should forgive a brother who has messed
up in other ways. (Galatians 6:1) Remember,
we all have sinned in the past and were in need of forgiveness. (Romans
3:23) Our Lord and Savior, Jesus The
Christ, said that we are to forgive those who have done us wrong. He said if we do not forgive others, then we
will not be forgiven of our sins. (Mark 11:26)
Having an unforgiving spirit is not Christ-like.
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