Acts 19:23 – 20:1; 2 Corinthians 1 – 10

Another day, another riot. So much of Paul’s missionary experience seemed to involve violence and trouble. The Jews attacked him. The pagans attacked him. Sometimes only his status as a Roman citizen allowed him to stay ahead of the schemes of men. That’s the way of the world when Satan reigns in the hearts of men.

But, Paul’s thoughts were not on himself and his struggles. He was merely running a race he was determined to finish. As he traveled to Macedonia, his thoughts were on events unfolding in the church at Corinth. With the means of communication available to him in his day, he was receiving news from there and had written at least one letter to speak to those events. Now as things evolved he would write them again.

Even when some questioned his authority and his apostleship, Paul defended himself and defended the truth. He would not back down and he would not give up on his brethren. The divisions there and the shameful embracing of a man sleeping with his own father’s wife were serious enough for Paul to threaten them with an “apostolic stick”. Almost like a parent telling the kids, “Don’t make me come in there!” Paul knew the next step was to back up his threats with actions.

Then came good news. When the church followed Paul’s directive and withdrew fellowship from the offender, the man repented. It worked just the way God designed it to work. True Christian fellowship is such a powerful bond that when it is taken away, it hurts. It hurts badly and it should. The purpose in withdrawing fellowship is not to throw away a sinner, it is to cause that one to choose fellowship over the sin. It worked.

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. 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. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 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. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 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, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

2 Corinthians 2:4-11

Since the purpose of withdrawing fellowship is to bring a brother back into a healthy relationship with Christ and His body, the “welcome home” needs to be more emphatic than the sending away. The humility to return must be matched and exceeded in the humility to not exact a price. Forgive.

Why is this step so crucial? Unity. It all goes back to unity. Satan hates our unity. If he can convince us to be judgmental of a repentant brother then the seeds of new discord are sown in the body. Forgive. Reaffirm love. The more excellent way is the only way.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!