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The Ministry of Health and Healing
you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.”
2
Corinthians 2:4
. “For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I
do not regret it; though I did regret it. ... Now I rejoice, not that
you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. ...
For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner:
What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves,
what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what
vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this
matter. ... Therefore we have been comforted.”
2 Corinthians 7:8-13
.
“I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.”
Verse
16
. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in
every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your
fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident
of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will
complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to
think this of you all, because I have you in my heart.” “Therefore,
my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand
fast in the Lord, beloved.” “Now we live, if you stand fast in the
Lord.”
Philippians 1:3-7
;
4:1
;
1 Thessalonians 3:8
.
Paul wrote to these believers as “saints in Christ Jesus,” but he
was not writing to those who were perfect in character. He wrote
to them as men and women who were striving against temptation
and who were in danger of falling. He pointed them to “the God
of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great
Shepherd of the sheep.” He assured them that “through the blood
of the everlasting covenant” He will “make you complete in every
good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in
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His sight, through Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 13:20, 21
.
How to Help the Erring
When people who are at fault become conscious of their error,
be careful not to destroy their self-respect. Do not discourage them
by indifference or distrust. Do not say, “Before giving them my
confidence, I’ll wait to see whether they’ll hold out.” Often this very
distrust causes tempted ones to stumble.
We should try to understand the weakness of others. We know
little of the heart trials of those who have been bound in chains of