How the Congregation Reflects Jehovah’s View of Sinners

1. What does Jehovah want for all people?

JEHOVAH created humans with free will. You use that gift regularly when you make decisions. The most important decision that any person can make is the decision to dedicate himself to Jehovah and to become part of His family of worshippers. Jehovah desires everyone to do so. Why? Because he loves people and wants the best for them. He wants them to enjoy a friendship with him and to live forever.​—Deut. 30:19, 20; Gal. 6:7, 8.

2. How does Jehovah feel about unrepentant wrongdoers? (1 John 2:1)

² However, Jehovah does not force anyone to serve him. He allows each individual to decide what he will do. What if a baptized Christian breaks God’s law, committing a serious sin? If he does not repent, he must be removed from the congregation. (1 Cor. 5:13) Yet, even then, Jehovah fervently hopes that the wrongdoer will return to Him. In fact, that is an important reason why he provided the ransom​—to make forgiveness possible for repentant sinners. (Read 1 John 2:1.) Our loving God warmly appeals to wrongdoers, urging them to repent.​—Zech. 1:3; Rom. 2:4; Jas. 4:8.

3. What will we discuss in this article?

³ Jehovah wants us to adopt his attitude toward wrongdoing and wrongdoers. This article will discuss the way we can do that. As you read the article, look for (1) how a case of serious wrongdoing was handled in the first-century congregation in Corinth, (2) what direction the apostle Paul gave when a wrongdoer repented, and (3) what this Bible account reveals about Jehovah’s attitude toward Christians who commit a serious sin.

HOW SERIOUS WRONGDOING WAS HANDLED IN THE FIRST CENTURY

4. What situation had developed in the first-century congregation in Corinth? (1 Corinthians 5:1, 2)

⁴ Read 1 Corinthians 5:1, 2. During his third missionary tour, Paul heard disturbing news about the newly established congregation in Corinth. A brother in that congregation was having sexual relations with his stepmother. Such behavior was shocking and was “not even found among the nations”! The congregation not only tolerated his behavior but also may have been rather proud of it. Perhaps some thought that it demonstrated how merciful and understanding God is toward imperfect humans. But Jehovah does not condone wrongdoing among his people. With such a brazen course, the man was surely damaging the good reputation of the congregation. He could also have been influencing other Christians who were associating with him. So, what did Paul direct the congregation to do?

5. What did Paul tell the congregation to do, and what did he mean? (1 Corinthians 5:13) (See also picture.)

⁵ Read 1 Corinthians 5:13. Under divine inspiration, Paul wrote a letter directing that the unrepentant sinner be removed from the congregation. How were faithful Christians to treat him? Paul told them “to stop keeping company” with him. What did that mean? Paul explained that this command included “not even eating with such a man.” (1 Cor. 5:11) Sitting down to a meal with someone can easily lead to having further association with him. Clearly, then, Paul meant that the congregation should not socialize with that man. This would protect the congregation from his corrupting influence. (1 Cor. 5:5-7) Additionally, their avoiding close contact with the man might cause him to realize how far he had strayed from Jehovah’s ways, and he might feel shame and be moved to repent.

6. What effect did Paul’s letter have on the congregation and on the wrongdoer?

⁶ After sending his letter to the Christians in Corinth, Paul began to wonder how the congregation would react to it. Eventually, Titus brought news that delighted him. The congregation had responded well to Paul’s letter. (2 Cor. 7:6, 7) They had followed his instructions. Furthermore, during the months that passed since Paul sent the letter, the wrongdoer had repented of his sinful course! He had changed his conduct and attitude and had begun to follow Jehovah’s righteous standards. (2 Cor. 7:8-11) What would Paul now direct the congregation to do?

HOW THE CONGREGATION WAS TO TREAT THE REPENTANT SINNER

7. Removing the wrongdoer from the congregation produced what good result? (2 Corinthians 2:5-8)

⁷ Read 2 Corinthians 2:5-8. Paul noted that the “rebuke given by the majority [was] sufficient for such a man.” In other words, the discipline had served its purpose toward him. What purpose? To lead him to repentance.​—Heb. 12:11.

8. What did Paul next tell the congregation to do?

⁸ Paul therefore directed the congregation: “Kindly forgive and comfort” the erring brother, and “confirm your love for him.” Note that Paul wanted the congregation to do more than merely allow the man back among Jehovah’s people. Paul wanted them to assure the repentant man by their words, manner, and actions that they truly forgave him and loved him. They would thus make it clear that they welcomed his return to the congregation.

9. Why might some have been hesitant to forgive the repentant wrongdoer?

⁹ Did some in that congregation feel reluctant to welcome the repentant sinner back into their midst? The account does not tell us, but it is possible. After all, his actions brought trouble to the congregation as a whole and perhaps shame to certain individuals as well. Some might have felt that it was unfair that the man should be so warmly accepted as a brother when they were the ones who had fought so hard to remain morally clean. (Compare Luke 15:28-30.) Why, though, was it important for the congregation to show genuine love for their returning brother?

10-11. What could happen if the elders refused to forgive the repentant sinner?

¹⁰ Imagine what could happen if the elders refused to allow the truly repentant man back into the congregation or if after his return, the congregation refused to show him love. He could be swallowed up by “excessive sadness.” He could easily feel that his situation was hopeless. He might even give up in his efforts to repair his relationship with God.

¹¹ Even worse, if the other brothers and sisters in the congregation refused to forgive the repentant sinner, they would put their own relationship with Jehovah in jeopardy. Why? Because they would reflect, not Jehovah’s forgiving attitude toward repentant wrongdoers, but Satan’s harsh and merciless attitude. They would, in effect, become tools that the Devil could use to destroy the man spiritually.​—2 Cor. 2:10, 11; Eph. 4:27.

12. How could the congregation imitate Jehovah?

¹² How, then, could the congregation in Corinth imitate Jehovah, not Satan? By following Jehovah’s way of dealing with repentant sinners. Note what some Bible writers said about Jehovah. He is “good and ready to forgive,” said David. (Ps. 86:5) Micah wrote: “Who is a God like you, pardoning error and passing over the transgression?” (Mic. 7:18) And Isaiah stated: “Let the wicked man leave his way and the evil man his thoughts; let him return to Jehovah, who will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will forgive in a large way.”​—Isa. 55:7.

13. Why was it appropriate to reinstate the repentant sinner into the congregation? (See the box “When Was the Man in Corinth Reinstated?”)

¹³ To imitate Jehovah, the congregation in Corinth had to welcome the repentant man back and assure him of their love. By following Paul’s direction to welcome back the repentant sinner, the congregation showed their “obedience in all things.” (2 Cor. 2:9) True, only months had passed since he was removed, but the discipline had successfully led him to repentance. So there would be no point in delaying his reinstatement into the congregation.

REFLECTING JEHOVAH’S JUSTICE AND MERCY

14-15. What have we learned from the way the case in ancient Corinth was handled? (2 Peter 3:9) (See also picture.)

¹⁴ The account about the way the case in ancient Corinth was handled was written and preserved “for our instruction.” (Rom. 15:4) From that account, we learn that Jehovah does not tolerate serious wrongdoing among his people. He does not take the view that wrongdoers who are unrepentant should be “mercifully” allowed to continue associating with his faithful worshippers. Jehovah is merciful, but he is not permissive; nor does he lower his standards. (Jude 4) Indeed, to do so would not be merciful at all because it would endanger all in the congregation.​—Prov. 13:20; 1 Cor. 15:33.

¹⁵ Still, we learn that Jehovah does not want anyone to be destroyed. He wants to save people whenever possible. He shows mercy to people who have a change of heart and want to repair their relationship with him. (Ezek. 33:11; read 2 Peter 3:9.) Thus, when the man in Corinth repented and turned away from his sinful course, Jehovah used Paul to explain to the congregation that the man should be forgiven and welcomed back.

16. How do you feel about the way the case in Corinth was handled?

¹⁶ Our review of the way the case in Corinth was handled has helped us to see Jehovah’s love, righteousness, and justice in action. (Ps. 33:5) Are you not moved to give our God added praise? After all, we are sinners​—every one of us—​and we need his forgiveness. Each of us has reason to be grateful to Jehovah for the ransom, which makes forgiveness possible. How comforting, how reassuring, to know that Jehovah truly loves his people and wants the best for them!

17. What will be discussed in the following articles?

¹⁷ What, then, about handling cases of wrongdoing today? How can congregation elders reflect Jehovah’s desire to lead a wrongdoer to repentance? How should the congregation react when the elders decide to remove or to reinstate a person? These questions will be discussed in the following articles.