Forgive and Comfort
–
March 22, 2025
2 Corinthians 2:7 ... forgive and comfort, or else he will drown in his excessive grief.
Not to forgive the repentant is as wrong as it is to tolerate the sin in the first place. What is heaven but a home for repentant sinners? Forgiveness is the medicine that helps to heal broken hearts.
It is not a sign of spirituality to judge harshly, but rather to show compassion for those who have failed and to help them return to fellowship with God. It is only in the spirit of meekness that this can be done. A hard, critical spirit will drive the failing one deeper into sin, making it more difficult to recover. But a loving, tender word, accompanied by a gracious effort to recover, will often save him from further decline.