"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT OBEDIENCE, FORGIVENESS, AND SATAN'S SCHEMES"
2nd Cor 2:9 I wrote to you as I did to find out how far you would go in obeying me.
2nd Cor 2:10 When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive him (for whatever is to be forgiven), I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit,
2nd Cor 2:11 so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes.
Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:
1. Paul as an apostle and the pastor who had founded that church, was very concerned that the believers in Corinth would be walking and living in obedience to Jesus Christ. He had been given the authority by Jesus to speak to them, and to direct them and to instruct them by Jesus Christ. He had also written them at least two letters prior to this one, in which he was guiding them into obedience into a matter involving sexual immorality.
2. They needed to be forgiving towards one of their members who had sinned, and now had repented of his sin. They were slow to do this, but were finally coming around. But, Paul adds ( see 2:10 above ) that he also would forgive this man. So, both the church body and the apostle Paul were moving in the direction of doing what was right to do forgive someone who repents of their sins, and welcome them back into the church body as it were.
3. Forgiveness, is commanded by Christ. Remember how He told us to pray for forgiveness for ourselves, and for those who had sinned against us in what we call the Lord's prayer. Forgiveness is a concept that God created and has commanded us to do, and to walk in. But, being a forgiver is for our benefit also, not just for the one who had sinned. It's good for us to be forgivers. It frees us greatly. And, it protects us from our enemy Satan.
4. Please notice what Paul says in 2:11 so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes.
You see, by being forgivers, we outsmart Satan, and he does not outsmart us. Satan is not as smart as God, but, he is smart. And, unless we abide in God's Word and armor, and are obedient, he can outsmart us easily. Forgiveness is one of the great defenses against Satan. When we forgive, it keeps Satan from outsmarting us. You say, how so? Unforgiveness, opens the door for Satan to have more influence then he should in our lives. He can gain an advantage over us. He can really disturb our walk with the Lord, our growth in the Lord, and our effectiveness in the Lord. God wants His children to walk around and reflect the grace and mercy of God, and that is centered in Jesus who came to save and to forgive, not to condemn and hurt sinners.
5. Satan has schemes. He is a schemer. See 2nd Cor 2:11 so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes. There you have it. Paul was saying, we are not unaware or unfamiliar with his schemes and methods, or devices. God's Word sheds great light on the tactics and goals of the enemy of our souls. We know how he operates by reading the Bible and studying it. He has evil purposes, he thinks about ways to distract us, to deceive us, to lead us away from Christ and obedience to Christ. He has a mind, and he thinks about this kind of thing all the time, this is his purpose, this is what he devises, and that is to ruin the work of God. Which is all centered in the great love of God. God is love, and we are commanded to love God and to love one another, not hate or be unforgiving.
A prayer:
Father, we shudder to think what our lives would be like, if we were left to our own ways, and were the victims of Satan's plans and purposes and schemes. But, Lord You are our Savior, and You have given us light and understanding about the importance of being obedient to You, and to be forgivers of others, and thereby stand firm against our enemy the devil. Our obedience, and our forgiveness, are like a wall that satan cannot penetrate into and through.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
