II Corinthians 2:(5)-11 “But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.”
In these passages, it is quite clear that Paul is referring to the man who had committed “fornication” in taking “his father’s wife” (I Corinthians 5:1). Paul had instructed them “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (I Corinthians 5:5); that is, turn him out of the Church until he became grieved over his sin and repented. Paul told them that “he hath not grieved me, but in part”; that is, the man’s sinful behavior was not a personal grief to him, but it was a grief to him because it troubled the Church; furthermore, the Church was “puffed up, and” had “not rather mourned” over the man’s behavior (I Corinthians 5:2). Anytime something like this happens in the Church, it is a time for mourning, grieving over the situation and praying and lovingly laboring with the errant member. Then, he explains, “that I may not overcharge you all”; that is, he is about to instruct the Church to lovingly take the man back, because failure to do so would compound their sin and grief and shame by not forgiving the man. A Church that is to harsh and cold to an errant member is just as bad as a Church that is “puffed up”; that is, too arrogant to deal with the problem. We live in a world that is filled with sin and confusion which sometimes entices the Children of God to sin. As Paul instructs us, the Church must be firm in such cases, but it is also imperative that we be kind and gracious to lovingly forgive and restore the errant member when the member repents. Let us pray that such loving Grace will abound amongst us!