2 Corinthians 2:1–3:3 (NKJV)
1 But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? 3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. 5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. 14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. 1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
Paul urges the Corinthians to forgive the man who had taken his father’s wife as his own. Paul advised them to hand the man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh “that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:5). Being excommunicated from the church led the man to see the severity of his sin and sorrow over it. Now Paul urges them to forgive the penitent man lest he be swallowed up by excessive sorrow and despair that he is beyond forgiveness. Despair is the first of the devil’s devices of which St. Paul wants the Corinthians to be aware. Another satanic device the Corinthians must watch for is the temptation to become puffed up at the fact that they had not fallen into such a sin and say with the Pharisee in Luke 18:11, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men.” Although despair and pride seem very different they are both unbelief. Despair says, “I am beyond forgiveness for my sin.” Pride says, “I have no sin for which I need forgiveness.” Love for the erring brother is not puffed up nor is it unwilling to forgive if he repents.
The saving knowledge of Christ that forgives sins and offers newness of life is a sweet smelling fragrance that God diffuses through Paul’s preaching. To those who are perishing in their unbelief, the gospel reeks of death by requiring the admission of their sin, repenting their pride, trust in Christ’s death and righteousness, and amendment of life. The gospel is the fragrance of death to unbelievers because it means the death of their old Adam, which many will not tolerate.
But to those who are being saved, like the penitent Corinthian, Paul’s ministry is the fragrance of life. It smells of life because as it puts the Old Adam to death through repentance, it raises up the New Man who is renewed in Christ’s image. The New Man lives before God in righteousness and purity, for where there is forgiveness of sins there is new life and the promise of eternal salvation.
Let us pray: Keep us from pride and despair by true repentance and faith, O Lord, and grant us new life. Amen.
