If I should have come and exercised discipline and made you sad, where would my joy come from? he says.
In Paul's ministry to Corinth in the first letter, he went over the truths by which they had been established, adding what was lacking, which was needed to keep them in the path of faith.
We cannot lessen the need for repetition of sound doctrine in the assembly. Individual truths each has its place but should not dominate the reading meetings of the saints; we need all of the truth.
God has made promises and they will be fulfilled. It is only in Christ who is the yea and amen that they can and will be fulfilled.
The apostle was not personally offended by the man who had sinned, only in part.
This man's punishment was now sufficient. About one year had intervened. The important thing for the assembly to discover was, had there been real repentance? Some cases can be restored in a short time, others may take a longer period, each case being different.
The time had come for them to forgive him and comfort him as well, lest he "should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow." We gather that the repentance was sincere with overmuch sorrow. They were now to confirm their love to him. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." The entire assembly should be in the dust and thankful that each was preserved from falling. This is a solemn lesson for the assembly.
Nothing is said as yet as to restoration to the Lord's table, but the brethren should act in unison to show their love to him before he is restored to the table. An individual should not act before the assembly does and before the assembly has discerned his state of soul.
Restoration is important and should be made by all of the saints at the right time lest Satan should get an advantage over them. If they forgave the brother, the apostle would also.
When the apostle arrived at Troas to preach Christ's gospel, there was an open door, but because of his deep concern for the saints at Corinth and having sent Titus with a letter, he could not preach until he got word of the reception of the letter that he had sent with Titus.
There was a custom in the army at the close of a war to burn aromatic drugs in triumphal processions after battle, bringing home captives, some to be set free and some to be slain. The apostle likened his path to one who goes in triumph. Some who hear the gospel believe and some do not. Even though he missed an opportunity to preach when there was an open door, he said now, "Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place."
There was fragrance of life to one and death to another. Paul was unto God a sweet savor of Christ.
Paul was not of some who corrupted the Word of God by bringing in Judaism, unbelief in resurrection, but "as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God," he spoke in Christ.