2 Corinthians 2:5-8 - Reaffirm your love for him

2:5,6

We now come to the offender. He is often identified with the man guilty of incest in 1 Cor 5, though this identification is not universal, and it may be referring to some other case, of which we have no details. The point that Paul is concerned with here is that it is not just Paul who has been grieved by this man’s sin. The issues at Corinth were tending to focus on Paul, but he is not the real issue. Earlier Paul, while not ignoring the complaints relating to himself, has focused the Corinthians’ minds on the gospel, and on avoiding a worldly outlook on life. Here Paul stresses that it is the whole church that has been affected by this man’s sin, he is not personalising the issue. Paul also says that the punishment was sufficient. There are two traps that we can fall in the church when someone sins against God. The most common in the West is to not treat it seriously enough. The other is to never forgive. Punishment needs to be made, but the purpose is to restore the individual. Although in the outward form of the church there far too little discipline in most churches, inwardly we know that sin is serious, and we have a tendency not to forgive. A properly functioning church takes sin seriously, but also is looking to forgive and to restore.

2:7,8

So, the man having been punished, Paul urges them to forgive and restore the man. Forgiveness is the oil that stops the church from seizing up. “Excessive sorrow”. There is a proper balance to be had, both in the corporate attitude of the church, and in our attitude as individuals, and about ourselves. Sin must be taken seriously, for it is destructive, both for ourselves, and for others. But we must not condemn ourselves or others beyond hope. Jesus died on the cross because sin is so serious, and because His “remedy” is so effective. We need to hold these two aspects in balance. The seriousness of sin and the completeness of God’s forgiveness. So Paul urges the church to show love to the now repentant sinner.