The situation at Corinth had deteriorated to such an extent that Paul had to write them a 'severe' letter, now lost, to rebuke them.
As their first pastor and spiritual father, Paul was greatly in distress over their declining spiritual condition.
Writing this epistle was extremely difficult for Paul because he knew what he was exposing. But he wasn't sure what their response would be to the severe reproval he had given them. And so, he wrote the 'severe' letter out of an anguished heart and through a flood of tears.
The NCV provides a helpful paraphrase of 2:2: "If I make you sad, who will make me glad? Only you can make me glad-particularly the person whom I made sad." Paul's joy came in witnessing the joy of fellow Christians who were walking in the Spirit and in truth, having their sins reconciled.
In his final letter, at the end of his long life, the apostle John made a similar disclosure: "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth" (3 Jn.4).
Sin destroys; both physically and spiritually; both vertical relationships and horizontal. Since the Fall of man, there has been severe pain involved in love; for those that truly love biblically.
Out of his love for Christ and love for people, Paul wanted more than anything to see others come to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; and to grow in holiness.
Those who turned away from the truth of the Gospel brought deep pain and heartache to the apostle. Paul knew the only remedy was repentance and reconciliation. To all those willing to repent, Jesus offers forgiveness and full and complete restoration. Love operating. Joy restored.
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