SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 2
BIBLE VERSES:
“ But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15)
“Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God” (2 Corinthians 2:17)
FORGIVENESS FOR THE SINNER (vs. 5-11)
The Corinthian church disciplined a man who had caused trouble and grieved Paul. But Paul told them to forgive him so that it won’t give Satan the opportunity to accuse and attack him and make him discouraged.
MINISTERS OF THE NEW COVENANT (vs. 12-17)
Paul described a procession of a Roman Triumph with official parade given to a victorious general when he returned to Rome. The incense carried by the priests meant life to the Roman soldiers but death to the prisoners who would end up on the arena with the wild beast. Similarly, the minister who spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Him will walk in triumphant procession in Christ. To those who are saved, they smell the aroma of Christ, the fragrance of life. But to the unsaved, they smell of death, the agony of eternal damnation.
TROUGHTS:
- A man who is living in open sin and bring trouble to the church must be disciplined and dismissed from fellowship. However, if he confesses and repents, the church must be willing to receive hi back. I Lord forgives our sins, we must also forgive others.
- Since Jesus Christ has conquered the fall through His death in the call, we Christians ride with the triumphal procession sharing His victory. Therefore, every Christian is the incense to spread the knowledge of Christ in and through our life. That is why being a Christian has s serious responsibility because either he is leading people to heaven or to hell.
- There are two mistakes in church discipline that should be avoided: I1)-Being to lenient and not correcting mistakes. (2)-Being too harsh and not forgiving the sinner. Church discipline is to help keep the church pure and help the wayward people repent. Do not let Satan destroy the church by using discipline in unforgiving way. The purpose of discipline is to restore a person and not to destroy him and make him become bitter.
- Paul warned preachers not to peddle the Word of God for profit. Instead, theys hould teach God’s word with sincerity and integrity and never preach for selfish reasons.