II Corinthians 2:14

II Corinthians 2:1-3

“My joy is the joy of you all”

The Christians in Corinth had a problem with sexual immorality. Their sexual immorality was so bad that they things some unsaved people do not do. Proverbs 6:32-33, “But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.”

The world has such a lack of understanding regarding the way of a man with a maid, the honour of marriage, and its undefiled bed. There is great shame and destruction of the soul in such lasciviousness as sex out of marriage. It will take the joy out of your life. Sex out of marriage will ruin your mental, emotional, and physical health. Adultery, whoremongering, and fornication destroy’s relationships and ruins the joy that should exist between people. In talking about Christians that had fallen into the dishonour of sex out of marriage the Apostle Paul kept in mind the importance of Christian fellowship and how to handle such a delicate situation in the church. If you understand the damage that sexual immorality causes then you will know to handle it the way Paul did: not “in heaviness” or, “sorrow.”

2 Corinthians 2:1-2 says, “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?” The word used here for heaviness and sorrow means the suffering and pain of a woman in child birth. The damage caused by sexual immorality is compared to a woman in the pains of child birth. Those who fall into sexual immorality and are repentant of their sins with a godly sorrow have a lot of sorrow, shame, and emotional pain to deal with. Such a person needs Christian fellowship: encouragement, comfort and consolation, a renewing of the joy of their salvation. To do anything otherwise just may very well damage their faith in Christ.

Sexual immorality causes emotional mutilation. Just as a physical mutilation takes time to heal it takes time to heal spiritually and to grow again in your faith in Christ from sexual immorality. Proverbs 6:23-35, “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.”

Sex out of marriage destroys both the soul of man and it can even destroy a nation. Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” A whoremonger is a pimp and a whoremonger is a person who goes to prostituted women. No whoremonger hath an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:1-3 says, “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me. And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.” There is great sorrow in sex out of marriage. The solution to restoring such damage in a church is for those that fall into sin to repent of their sins to Christ and to regain their love in the Spirit one for another though the Word of God.

2 Corinthians 2:1-3 says, “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me. And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.” These verses in 2 Corinthians explain something very important about human relationships that you will probably never hear from physiatrists. There is a joy that should exist between mankind especially amongst Christians. A person who is not selfish will be like the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul found joy when other Christians had joy. Therefore He knew that he would have no joy if he caused his brothers and sisters in Christ sorrow. This is why he said my joy is the joy of you all.

Most people in this world think joy comes in getting what they want out of their selfish desires. This is one reason sexual immorality is so dominant in the world today. Sexual immorality destroys relationships. Persecution cannot destroy a relationship. It is much better to be persecuted than to be sexually immoral.

Proverbs 6:34 says, “For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.” In chapter 1 of 2 Corinthians Paul said he did not go unto Corinth so as to spare them. Paul waited because of the sexual immorality that had crept into the Church at Corinth. When Paul did visit them it was after there had been a godly sorrow and repentance of sin to Christ. What a shame it would have been if the Christians at Corinth had not repented. They would have missed out on an opportunity to learn the Word of God from the Apostle Paul.

“My joy is the joy of you all.” 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” A relationship between two people should be based on truth. This is where joy begins between two human beings. Without Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life relationships are not based on truth. My joy is the joy of you all. If you fall into sin, if fall into sex out of marriage and whoremongering repent of your sins and turn to Christ who paid the debt for your sins on the cross of Calvary. “My joy is the joy of you all.”

___________________________________________________