2 Corinthians 2:7-8 – Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.
What a beautiful picture of forgiveness in the Body of Christ. This individual had been confronted with their sin and removed from the body of believers until it had been dealt with. This person had repented and been humbled by the consequences and was ready to be restored to fellowship. Paul’s encouragement to the church at Corinth was to forgive and comfort him instead of labeling him by his sin and constantly pointing out what he had done wrong. Paul encouraged the church to reaffirm their love for him. The punishment was an indication of their hatred of the sin, not the man. Now that the sin had been dealt with, the man remains in need of love and affirmation.
Does this picture represent what you have experienced in the Body of Christ? I hope so. If not, let me tell you that you are not your sin. You are a child of God, perfectly and wonderfully made. That’s the only label that will stand for eternity. That’s the only label that matters.
If there is someone that you need to embrace once again as a brother or sister in Christ, let today be a step in that direction, a step towards forgiveness, a step towards comfort and love. We all need forgiveness.
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