February 09, 2025

RIGHT WAY LIVING: 2 CORINTHIANS 2

February 09, 2025

Derik Idol

Conflict. It is something everyone deals with, whether it is big or small, inside the family dynamics of parent-child or spouse-spouse, or outside the family with friends, employers, school, —in other words, any situation involving more than yourself can have conflict (and truthfully, we can even cause conflict in our own thoughts!). It is all around us. How do we resolve it? We see there can be positives and negatives to ending conflict, but is there a right way to resolve it without dissolution of a relationship? Yes. Today our sermon involves the church at Corinth, where Paul was working with the congregation to take a conflict that had almost divided the church and was trying to come to a peaceful conclusion. Join us—we will find even the conflicts in our homes can learn from this scripture as well.

Focal Passages: 2 Corinthians 2:1-17, Hebrews 12:11, Luke 17:3.

There can be wrong way living in a right way church:                                                                                                                 

  • Read 2 Cor. 1:23-25-2:1-2. Keep in mind these verses are a paragraph, not punctuated into two thoughts. Does anyone recall what had happened in the church? Why did he wish to make another trip to see this church? What had been the original result of the church discipline? When he corrected them for their behavior after the repentance, what was the outcome? What was the sorrow?
  • Why is he speaking of sorrow here in verse 1? Why does he use the word “again”? Paul was not enjoying the correction he had to administer, was he? Why? Matthew Henry puts it like this: [Paul seems] to be saying that he would be even more sorry if he visited them and found them still sorrowing, because their sorrow is his sorrow, just as his joy is their joy. How can we phrase this so that it is easier to understand?
  • Read verse 3-4. Why is that so vital? Why is it so hard for Paul to discipline these people? Read Heb. 12:11.
  • As parents, why do we find discipline difficult? Is this how Paul felt?
  • Why does he want them to understand he wants them to be walking in joy?

Right way churches discipline and FORGIVE wrong way living:

  • Read verse 5. The bottom line with Paul is that the church at Corinth had a problem, which Paul confronted. They corrected the person who was in sin, but after the sinner repented, they did not forgive him and restore him to fellowship. Now Paul is trying to get them to see they must do that. Why? Break this down to your home again: if you discipline a child and they repent in truth, but you don’t forgive them, what are you showing them? How will they react? What was Paul’s concern?
  • Read verse 4. Who is Paul speaking of? Who is he saying has been hurt or shamed by the sin of the person who was the offender?
  • Read vv. 6-8. What did he say could happen if they did not forgive the offender?
  • Read vv. 9-11. What made church discipline so much different in Paul’s time than it is today? How did the isolation of the member who was at fault affect the offender, rather than like today when he could just leave there and go to another church?
  • The original Greek calls for the church to not only forgive but also comfort. Why is that so important? Why does living the right way involve forgiveness and comfort?
  • Why is this statement true: ‘We don’t pay back others for what they deserve, because God didn’t pay us back for what we deserve’?

Right way living starts by saying “Yes” to Jesus:

  • Read vv. 12-13. What is happening here? What happened to his plans? What was the Corinthian church saying about him not coming? Read 2 Cor. 1: How does the anguish Paul reveals here indicate how upset he was that he could not do what he had told them? Has that ever happened to you? Can you share?
  • What should he have done? How have you handled these occasions?
  • Read vv. 14-17. (Ladies:) Have you ever stopped a lady or even said as you walked by, ‘Wow, you smell so good’? Is this what Paul is saying in a spiritual sense? Can anyone describe the Roman victory marches through the cities after winning a battle? What did the incense do as the people marched by? Behind the triumphant military procession, who walked in shackles? What kind of aroma does Paul say we should be to the world? What would ruin that aroma?

Take Aways:

Take sin seriously.
Remember right way living involves forgiveness.                                                                                                                       Say yes to whatever the Lord asks you to do.

Close:

As we leave this difficult passage—not the concept, but the wording—we take away the truth that a believer’s behavior taints the entire church. The Bible speaks in many places that sin in the church hurts its reputation, its integrity, and the name of God. So, it has to be dealt with. In fact, place this same situation in the home, and how a rift between siblings destroys the peace in the home.  If the offender is repentant, forgive and comfort them. When we enter a church where everyone is trying to be so loving they become tolerant of sin by believers, we need to remove ourselves unless the leaders act Biblically. It will affect us if it is not taken care of by the leaders.

We must stand firmly on our faith, our prayer life, and Bible reading, filling our spirit with God so we are able to carry out the commands God has given us.

By Sandy Day
February 09, 2025

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