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Yellow: Direct Response
Light Yellow: Additional Answer
Celeste: Extra Points
“If anyone commits a sin, we have a helper” (1 JOHN 2:1).
1. What is Jehovah's desire?
Jehovah created humans with freedom of choice. We use that gift every day when we make choices. The most important decision a person can make is to dedicate himself to Jehovah and become part of his family. In fact, Jehovah wants everyone to make that choice. Why? Because he loves people and wants the best for them. He wants them to enjoy his friendship and live forever. —Deut. 30:19, 20; Gal. 6:7, 8.
2. What does Jehovah want those who have committed a serious sin and have not repented to do? (1 John 2:1)
2 Jehovah does not force anyone to serve him. Instead, he lets each person decide what to do. But what happens if a baptized Christian commits a serious sin? If he does not repent, he must be removed from the congregation. —1 Cor. 5:13. But even then, Jehovah earnestly desires that he return to him. In fact, one important reason he gave the ransom is so that he can forgive those who repent of their sins. (Read 1 John 2:1.) Our God is so loving that he reaches out to sinners and encourages them to repent. —Zech. 1:3; Rom. 2:4; Jas. 4:8.
3. What will we see in this article?
3 Jehovah wants us to imitate his view of sin and of those who commit serious sins. This article will help us do just that. First, we will look at how a case of serious sin in the Corinthian congregation was handled in the first century. Then, we will consider the instructions given by the apostle Paul when the sinner repented. And finally, we will discuss how Jehovah views those who commit serious sin.
HOW A CASE OF A SERIOUS SIN WAS HANDLED IN THE FIRST CENTURY
4. What was happening in the Corinthian congregation? (1 Corinthians 5:1, 2).
4 (Read 1 Corinthians 5:1, 2.) During his third missionary journey, Paul heard about something terrible happening in the newly formed congregation in Corinth: a Christian man was having sexual relations with his stepmother. Paul described the situation as “such gross immorality that it does not occur even among unbelievers.” The congregation not only tolerated his behavior, but may even have been proud of it. Some may have thought this showed how merciful and understanding God is about human imperfections. But Jehovah does not tolerate sin in his people. The man was probably damaging the congregation’s good reputation by his brazen behavior. And he may also have been a bad influence on other Christians in the congregation. So what instructions did Paul give the brothers in Corinth?
5. What did Paul write to the congregation, and what did he mean? (1 Corinthians 5:13; see also image).
5 (Read 1 Corinthians 5:13.) Paul was inspired to send the unrepentant sinner out of the congregation. How should faithful Christians treat him? Paul told them to stop associating with him and not even eat with him. (1 Cor. 5:11) Eating with someone usually leads to conversation and spending more time with him. So Paul meant that the brothers in the congregation were not to socialize with the man. This would protect the congregation from his evil influence. (1 Cor. 5:5-7) In addition, it could cause the man to see that he had hurt Jehovah, feel ashamed of what he had done, and be moved to repent.
ILLUSTRATION
The apostle Paul writes on a scroll. By inspiration, Paul wrote to the Corinthians to remove the unrepentant sinner from the congregation. (See paragraph 5.)
6. What effect did Paul’s letter have on the congregation and on the sinner?
6 After sending the letter to the congregation at Corinth, Paul began to wonder how the brothers would react. After a while, Titus gave him some very good news: They had responded well and had followed the apostle’s instructions. (2 Cor. 7:6, 7) Furthermore, some time after Paul sent his letter, the man repented. He changed his conduct and attitude and began to obey Jehovah’s righteous standards. (2 Cor. 7:8-11) What instructions would Paul now give to the congregation?
HOW THE CONGREGATION SHOULD TREAT THE REPENTANT SINNER
7. What was accomplished by removing the sinner from the congregation? (2 Corinthians 2:5-8)
7 (Read 2 Corinthians 2:5-8.) Paul said, “That man already has enough rebuke from the majority .” In other words, the discipline had served its purpose — leading the man to repentance. (Heb. 12:11)
8. What did Paul then say to the congregation?
8 Then Paul told them what to do with the brother who had committed this sin: “You must forgive him kindly and comfort him.” And he added, “I advise you to confirm to him that you love him.” As we see, Paul not only wanted them to allow him to return to the church, but also to show him with their words and actions that they had truly forgiven him and loved him. In this way, the repentant man would feel that the brothers in the church were glad that he had returned.
9. Why might it be difficult for some to forgive the sinner who had repented?
9 Did some of the brothers find it difficult to welcome the repentant sinner with open arms? The account does not say, but it is possible. After all, his actions had harmed the congregation as a whole and perhaps hurt some brothers in particular. It may have seemed unfair to some that the man who had done terrible things should be welcomed with such affection when they themselves had worked so hard to obey Jehovah’s commands. (Compare Luke 15:28–30.) But why was it so important that they show genuine love for the brother who had returned to the congregation?Best gifts for your loved ones
10, 11. If the elders had refused to forgive the repentant sinner, what might have happened?
10 What if the elders had not allowed him to return to the congregation after he repented, or if the brothers in the congregation had treated him unkindly? The repentant sinner might have felt “overwhelmed by being too sad.” He might have thought that he was a lost cause, or he might have even stopped trying to repair his friendship with Jehovah.
11 But that is not the worst of it. If the brothers in the congregation had refused to forgive the repentant sinner, they would have jeopardized their own friendship with God. Why? Because they would not have reflected the attitude of Jehovah—who is willing to forgive sinners who repent—but that of Satan, who is harsh and cruel. They would have become tools that the Devil could use to destroy the man’s spirituality. —2 Cor. 2:10, 11; Eph. 4:27.
12. How could the congregation imitate Jehovah?
12 So how could the Corinthian congregation imitate Jehovah and not Satan? By treating repentant sinners the way Jehovah treats them.Let’s look at what some Bible writers said about God . David told him, “You are good and ready to forgive” (Ps. 86:5). Micah wrote, “Who is a God like you, who forgives error and overlooks offense […]?” (Mic. 7:18). Furthermore, Isaiah said, “Let the wicked man forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, for he will have mercy on him; let him return to our God, for he will freely forgive him” (Isa. 55:7).
13. Why was it the right decision to readmit the man? (See the box “When was the man from Corinth readmitted?”)
13 To imitate Jehovah, the congregation at Corinth needed to welcome the repentant man with open arms and show him how much they cared for him. Paul said that if they forgave the repentant man, they would “prove themselves obedient in all things.”—2 Cor. 2:9. True, it had only been a few months since he had been removed from the congregation, but the discipline had moved him to repentance. So there was no reason for the elders to delay his reinstatement.
When was the man from Corinth readmitted?
It seems that the man mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 was readmitted after a relatively short period. Why do we say this?
Let us consider when Paul wrote the two letters to the Corinthians. He wrote the first one during his third missionary journey, probably in early 55. And it seems that he wrote the second one later that same year.
Let us also remember that in the first letter Paul told them that the Christians in Judea were starving and needed help. Since lives were at stake, it was probably not long before he wrote them his second letter, in which he asked them to have their donations ready (1 Cor. 16:1; 2 Cor. 9:5).
The apostle had another good reason for sending his second letter as soon as possible. Word had reached him that the man had repented. Since it would take a while for a letter to reach its destination in those days, Paul probably wrote his second letter right away to give the congregation further instructions.
In view of all this, it seems logical to think that a short time passed—perhaps only a few months—from the time the elders removed this man from the congregation until Paul told them to reinstate him.
WHAT WE LEARN FROM JEHOVAH'S JUSTICE AND MERCY
14, 15. What can we learn from the way this case of serious sin was handled in the Corinthian congregation? (2 Peter 3:9; see also image.)
14 Jehovah had the account of how this case was handled in the Corinthian congregation written in his Word “for our learning.” (Rom. 15:4) This teaches us that God does not tolerate serious sins among his people. Some think that because he is merciful, he allows an unrepentant person to remain in the congregation. But that is not true. Jehovah is merciful, but he is not permissive or lowering his standards. (Jude 4) In fact, it would not be merciful for him to allow an unrepentant sinner to remain in his people because that would endanger the entire congregation. (Prov. 13:20; 1 Cor. 15:33)
15 This account also teaches us that Jehovah does not want anyone to be destroyed. He desires to save people whenever possible. He shows mercy to those who change their ways and work to repair their friendship with him. (Ezek. 33:11; read 2 Peter 3:9.) So when the man from Corinth repented and turned from his bad ways, Jehovah told the congregation through Paul that they should forgive him and welcome him back.
ILLUSTRATION
At the Kingdom Hall, a sister hugs another sister who has just been readmitted. Others approach with joy. The congregation imitates Jehovah’s love and mercy by welcoming those who are readmitted with open arms. (See paragraphs 14 and 15.)
16. How do you feel about Jehovah as you reflect on how the case of that serious sin was handled in Corinth?
16 Reviewing the example of the congregation at Corinth has helped us to see Jehovah’s love, justice, and righteousness . (Ps. 33:5) Don’t these qualities of our God strengthen our desire to praise him? After all, we are all sinners without exception and we need his forgiveness. We are very grateful for the ransom that makes forgiveness of our sins possible. We take great comfort in knowing that Jehovah truly loves his servants and wants the best for them.
17. What will we analyze in the following articles?
17 What about today? If someone commits a serious sin, how can the elders imitate Jehovah’s love and help the person repent? And how should we react if the elders decide to remove someone from the congregation or reinstate him? We will explore these questions in the following articles.
HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND?
What is Jehovah's desire for all people?
Jehovah's desire for all people is that they reach repentance, and that they not be destroyed, but live forever.
When a man in Corinth did not repent of the sin he had committed, what did Paul tell the congregation?
Paul did not remain silent, but rather, by divine inspiration, he gave them clear instructions on how to proceed. He wrote to them that they should remove the unrepentant sinner from the congregation. Paul told them to stop associating with him and not even to eat with him.
When the sinner repented, what instructions did Paul give to the Christians in Corinth?
The instructions that Paul gave to the Christians of Corinth were that they should receive him with affection and that they should confirm their love for him as brothers.
He told them that they should kindly forgive him and comfort him. Paul not only wanted them to let him back into the congregation, but they also wanted them to show him with their words and actions that they had truly forgiven him and loved him.
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