Do you remember the first issue that Paul talked to the Corinthians about in the last letter? There was a man in the church who was in the midst of sexual sin. In fact, it was incest. He told them that they must discipline the person and not let the sin continue or condone it.

In this letter, he tells them that as he wrote that, he was heartbroken, and there were tears in his eyes as he wrote.

Do you remember how he ended his last letter? Sure. He assured them of his love for them. And here in the second letter, he reminds them of that love. He says, “I didn’t write to make you uncomfortable but to let you know how much I love you.”

And now he tells them that most of them in the Corinthian church have punished the man who was in sin enough. He tells them to forgive and comfort him. Paul doesn’t want the man to be overwhelmed by grief and guilt at what he had done.

Why?

Because Satan could use that guilt and grief to separate the man from them and Christ.

My friend, sorrow and grief are appropriate when we come the realization that we have sinned. After all, it is our sin that made it necessary for Jesus to suffer and die. But the good news is that His sacrifice was sufficient. We don’t also have to suffer and die in order for our sin to be forgiven. His sacrifice was sufficient. It was all that is necessary. The work of Jesus, plus *nothing* brings forgiveness. Not His work plus ours.

When we come to Him and ask forgiveness, we can be confident that He will forgive. And then we can rest in the comfort and peace that He paid for.

Don’t let Satan rob you of that. If we let him, he will. Don’t let him. He’s a liar and a thief.