Paul still has the severe letter on his mind. It had worked – but not quite in the way he had intended! One purpose of the letter had been to urge the church to address an incident of serious misconduct. The person involved needed to be punished. In Paul’s mind the sequence would be: punishment, forgiveness, restoration. The church hadn’t got beyond punishment! They had carried out his instruction but misunderstood (or ignored?) the deeper purpose. The result was that the offender was demoralised and Satan was having a field day (v 11).

Paul says, in effect, ‘Tell him that you love him, forgive him and welcome him back’ (vs 7,8). And is there a hint in verse 10 that beyond forgiveness there is forgetfulness (see Psalm 103:12)? Punishment delivered without love – then and now – will only result in despair. It’s a delicate balance, but if the intention shifts from restoration to revenge, all will be lost. The people involved will suffer, but so will the whole church (v 5) because we belong together. Paul had taught them that earlier (1 Corinthians 12). We really are all in this together (Romans 12:15). 

Begin today by saying the Lord’s Prayer.

In this letter we shall find even more derogatory accusations directed at Paul. As if all his apostolic sufferings were not enough, he has to cope with regular abuse from other believers. People have caused him grief (v 5) – and it hurts. By this time, he had come to expect opposition from outside the churches. From the time of his conversion, Jesus had warned him that this would come.¹ To be wounded by fellow believers, however, was a different matter and infinitely more painful.

This passage describes how the church in Corinth had disciplined one of its members. This is not the same case as that referred to in Paul’s previous letter.² It relates rather to something that happened when Paul made his painful visit – indeed it may have been a major cause of the pain. Someone (a man) had verbally attacked Paul and publicly abused him. We speculate about his motives. The incident was damaging to Paul and the whole church (v 5). Now the church had taken the perpetrator in hand and made it clear that he had acted wrongly. This disapproval was probably all the punishment amounted to (v 6), but it was enough to provoke sorrow and bring redress. Now Paul urges forgiveness and the reaffirmation of love, adding that he too had let go of the offence and the offender, which is what forgiveness actually means (v 10). By letting go of animosity all round, no room is left for Satan, the accuser, to disrupt God’s good work.

Sowing hostility through relationship breakdown is a satanic ‘scheme’ (see v 11). It inhibits the flow of love and trust and happens often, even where it should not. It is a device against which we should continually be on our guard. It is hurtful, an abomination to God. Repentance and forgiveness are the only remedy.

Pray: ‘Search me, God, and know my heart … See if there is any offensive way in me.’³ 

¹ Acts 9:16  ² 1 Cor 5:1–5  ³ Ps 139:23,24