Articles
I Will Not Spare - 2Cor. 13:2
I Will Not Spare - 2Cor. 13:2
There were many problems in the church at Corinth, all which COULD be and SHOULD be corrected. Such corrections were not only demanded but Paul gave the needed instructions on how they were to change.
As with so many church problems, they boil down to someone not conforming their lives to the teachings and principles of Christ. Discipleship is about being taught “to observe all things that I (Jesus) have taught” (Matt. 28:18-20).
Paul, following the teaching of our Lord, did not immediately and without warning cut off fellowship with those who so errored (read again Jesus teaching in Matt. 18). Rather, he first instructed, encouraged, and warned them. BUT, there comes that point at which it becomes evident that they are choosing to rebel against such teaching.
Paul’s instructions concerning how the church must deal with such has been clearly laid out in these letters. Here, Paul reminds them that such ‘final’ action by the church must be done fairly, righteously, and openly. There were to be 2 or 3 witnesses to prove any accusations. Such witnesses mean that the accusations are made publicly and thus the judgment that follows is public. Read again 1 Cor. 5 and 2 Cor. 7.
There were at least two over-riding aspects of such judgments by the congregation. First, it was to motivate the rebellious one to repent and return to following Jesus. Second, it was to preserve and protect the purity of the rest of the disciples. Evil companions yet corrupt good morals. Or in a modern paraphrase – one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. While the first objective sometimes does not happen, the second one always will. It does work.
The ‘simple’ solution to this whole problem is simply for each of us to examine ourselves and walk even as Christ as directed, making the needful corrections to our own lives before it becomes a public matter. Are you walking in the light or being the problem?
Hugh DeLong
