2 Corinthians 2:6-8 “This punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 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.”
This was the man mentioned in the first Corinthians letter who was flaunting his sexual immorality. Paul had urged the church to remove him from the congregation as discipline for his actions. They had done so, and this man had repented. Now the congregation was hesitant to receive him back into their fellowship. Paul’s instructions? “Reaffirm your love for him.”
Principle: Restoration, not retribution Is the best goal for an offender.
A friend who heads up a Christian ministry notified his support family about an employee who had embezzled a large sum of money over a one-year period. The employee is a Christian. Her crime was discovered when the organization installed a new donor system. When confronted, the employee readily and sorrowfully confessed her guilt. Furthermore, she made a public confession and statement of repentance to the board members, her own church congregation, and a judge in a criminal hearing. The state allowed her to set up a repayment schedule. She created a budget which included living with the family of the ministry leader and obtained two part-time jobs.
Over the period of a few years, she paid off the debt. The criminal record was removed. She stayed with her church and is now living independently in the community. My friend said, “l believe she is now stronger than ever with the Lord because she faced all this openly in the family of God. So, we learn still more from another example of the redemptive power of walking in the light.”
A felony is an extreme case. A moral failure is a difficult case. Misbehavior is an easier case – or is it? Restoration, forgiveness, and loving encouragement are common to all, but such a goal is not common in this day and age.
Discussion:
1. What is so difficult about forgiveness?
2. Should there be a different procedure in the business world for Christian versus non-Christian offenders?
