Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Paul's speaks about satan (v11)
- We are not ignorant of the devil
- A liar
- A prowling lion to devour
- A thief and robber
- To take away hope
- Destroy lives
- The father of lies
- A deceiver
- Comes through false teachers
- The Corinthian church was tolerant of sin - examples
- Satan knows that churches can be destroyed when sin is tolerated
- Paul knows that churches can be destroyed when there is harsh discipline without love
- The church had disciplined an individual (v6)
- 1 Cor 5 and Matt 18 - the process of dealing with fragrant sin
- The Church had now exercised discipline
- People were still being harsh and not loving - despite his repentance
- Paul urged them to reaffirm their love (v8) so that such a one would not be swallowed up in sorrow (v7)
- Overview:
- Paul establishes how much he loves the church (1:23-2:4) - the need to love
- Paul calls the church to forgive and restore the penitent (2:5-11) - the need to forgive
The Need to Love (1:23-2:4)
- To love we need to think how best we can help / we might not be immediately involved
- Example of Job's comforters
- Paul says he will not come straight away - give them time to put things right (v23)
- People had accused him of being double minded
- Paul did not want to come with harsh words - he came no more to Corinth to spare them (v23)
- If you really love - you think when to get involved and when to hold back
- We have all got involve too quickly
- To love others means to never control them
- Paul was a father figure
- Christians can lead and guide but are not heavy handed - it is your conscience before God
- 1 Pet 5:3 - do not Lord it over people but be an example
- Do we have our fellow Christians best interests at heart?
- To love means to take into account your own feelings
- Paul knows his own heart will make him sad
- Hebrews - not to grumble and cause the leaders to be downcast
- Paul does not want to be very sorrowful (v2)
- Paul was happy in many ways - 7:9-11
- We are to love our neighbour as our self
- To love means to consider the whole / welfare of the body
- v3-4
- Paul loved the church and had great joy in them
- How much do we love the church?
- How much is our Christianity our own walk vs the walk of the brethren?
The Need to Forgive (2:5-11)
- Bible commentators have difficulty knowing who Paul was addressing (v5)
- Previous commentators - the person involved in incest (1 Cor 5:1)
- Newer commentators think it might be one that caused Paul great grief
- We do not know - all we know is that Paul is urging full forgiveness and restoration
- Forgiveness is at the heart of Christianity
- Explanation
- If we have known that forgiveness - God remembers our sin no more
- Therefore the church ought to show forgiveness - examples
- Personal example
- Forgive, comfort and reaffirm in love
- Paul tests them in another letter (not in the Bible)
- Do we pass the test for forgiveness?
- We must have a spirit of forgiveness
- Luke 23:24 - "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do"
- Example of Stephen
- Even if people do not repent
- Forgiveness requires we be conscious of our own sins
- Do not be too touchy or pained about things
- Leave things to God
- Seek to have a spirit of forgiveness
- We should not be lax with sin
- Church discipline is required - examples
- Church discipline has a good effect
- People need to be restored and forgiven