2 Corinthians 2:10 Archives - Word of Grace Studies

Being Gracious Towards Others

In English the word “forgive” is defined as, “to stop feeling angry towards or blaming someone, or to stop requiring a payment for something”. This is not equal to how Scripture uses the word “Forgive.” The main meaning of the word “forgive” in Scripture is “to send away”. It can be used for a husband and wife, or not leaving anything behind; however, when it comes to sin it is specific to only God Who is the One forgiving, for sin is only against God.

And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce (send away) him. – 1 Corinthians 7:13

You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left (sent away) nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. – Hebrews 2:8

Therefore, leaving (sending away) the discussion of the elementary principles of the Christ, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, – Hebrews 6:1

Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. – Psalms 51:4

Unlike in the Old Testament, which only offered the covering of sins (atonement), the blood of Christ forgives (sends away) our sins. And without payment for sin there is no forgiveness.

And almost all things are cleansed by blood according to the law and apart from shedding blood forgiveness does not come […]

The Methods of Satan – An Unforgiving Spirit

Among the saints, holding each other accountable for our actions is important. We are one body and when one part suffers, we all suffer. When you wrong one of the members, you wrong them all. Unfortunately, in this day and age of the Laodicean church which only serves God in name, many will not take this act of love and just move to another assembly that will not hold them accountable. However, for those who do accept the correction and repent (change their mind), we, as an assembly, need to be gracious to them.

In the first letter to the assembly in Corinth, Paul had to deal with a situation where the church was boasting about allowing one within their members that was doing something so heinous that even the Gentiles would not do – and that is setting the bar really low.

Actually, it is heard among you a fornicator and such a fornicator that would not even be named among the Gentiles, so that someone to have the wife of the father – 1 Corinthians 5:1

Paul rebukes that assembly for not dealing with this situation properly and even boasting about it.

And you are high-minded and not rather mourn in order that he should be taken out from your midst, the one doing this work – 1 Corinthians 5:2

Having followed Paul’s instructions and rebuking this one and not permitting him to assemble with them anymore, after this one repented – that is truly change the mind and therefore ceased the sin, they refused to allow him back. Paul then addresses this issue in the second letter to the assembly.

This punishment to such a one was sufficient, which [punishment] was by […]