The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe
"He Delighteth (In Mercy)"
Many believe that the failing man of the Apostle Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians is one and the same with the forgiven man of the second Corinthians epistle.
"It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you" (I Corinthians 5:1-2).
"Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him" (II Corinthians 2:6-8).
If this is the same man, he clearly repented of his sin after being challenged by the Corinthians, who acted in faithfulness to Paul's directive of loving discipline. Far more, however, God revealed His grace and mercy that meets both lost sinners and fallen believers in order to redeem and restore.
"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy" (Psalm 103:8).
The Corinthians had to deal with the extreme nature of the man's sin. When he repented, they then had to deal with the extreme nature of the Lord's merciful desire to forgive. "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them… He delighteth in mercy" (Ephesians 5:11; Micah 7:18). Without minimizing the darkness and consequence of unbelief and disobedience, the believer's primary conviction regarding sin must be that Lord Jesus died for it, and desires to mercifully lead the fallen to pardon and restoration. How could it be otherwise? Indeed, what looms larger in the eyes of God? Our sin? Or His beloved Son's suffering sacrifice for it? Paul answers. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned through death, even so might grace reign through righteousness, unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:20-21).
We know about Paul's account of challenging the Corinthians to confront sin, and to forgive it. We cannot be sure, however, that the mandates involved the same individual. This we do know. Of this we can be absolutely sure. God loves to forgive. He loves to pardon. He loves to restore. He loves such mercy so much that He sent His Son to suffer for sins, making redemption possible to all who will avail themselves of His "ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy" heart of redeeming grace (Psalm 86:5). Yes, find the most lost sinner or the most fallen believer. Look carefully and discover even more the Spirit of God moving upon dark waters to once again shine light, this time, the light of mercy upon a sad scene that just may come to glimmer with the glory of God's forgiveness. Such illumination will change us as well, reminding us of the salvation pardon we received when becoming a believer, and the fellowship restoring pardon we receive at times after the new birth. Yes, when pondering mercy for others, we think also of ourselves. But far more, we think of the God not only willing to forgive, and not only desirous to forgive - "He delighteth in mercy."
"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
(James 3:17; emphasis added)
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."
(Galatians 6:1-3)
Weekly Memory Verse
And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
(Matthew 9:10)
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