2 Corinthians 2 Forgive the Offender

 

2 Corinthians 2, Forgive the Offender

 

The man in the church who had been disciplined had repented of his sin. Therefore, Paul encouraged the believers to “forgive and comfort him” so that he would not be “swallowed up with too much sorrow.” The church can find it difficult to discipline its own, but that may be needed to bring a sinner to repentance. Once that repentance is seen, however, restoration is important. Forgiveness and comfort can return the person to the fellowship so he or she can return to spiritual health and service for God.

To forgive, we must understand what unforgiveness is. Unforgiveness is a set of delayed emotions of resentment, bitterness, hatred, hostility, anger, and fear. It comes about because someone has wounded them psychologically or physically. It consumes a person like a cancer. It is replayed over and over in the wounded person’s mind. Forgiveness is more than just handing it over to God or accepting it and letting the hurt pass. True forgiveness is changed to warm, loving, compassionate, caring emotions from a heartfelt transformation. Forgiveness doesn’t require the offender to change but requires a transformation from the offended. Having experienced God’s forgiveness, we hold gratitude to God and can easily forgive another.

Here are five steps to forgiveness:

1.    Recall the hurt calmly and try to remember objectively what happened.

2.    Empathize, understand what the offender might have been going through.

3.    Give the gift of forgiveness. Remember a time when you might have offended another, and they forgave you. Give the same gift back to the offender.

4.    Make your forgiveness known to the offender.

5.    Hold on to forgiveness, don’t go back to the emotions you experienced but remember the event with grace and understanding.

 

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Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. Through the Bible by J. Vernon McGee.