2 Corinthians 2:6-8

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. - 2 Cor 2:6-8

Everyone likes to see justice finally come to someone who has done something horribly wrong. There is a need within us all to believe that every bad deed will be punished and every criminal will be repayed for his crime and when we see that about to happen, something within us rejoices. In Corinth, there was a man who had sexual relations with his own mother and had claimed the freedom in Christ to defend his actions. This was wrong and Paul instructed the church to cast him out of the church "so that his spirit might be saved." This they did, and it had the intended effect; the man repented and desired to be forgiven. However, the church wasn't doing that. This man was desiring to be restored but the church didn't want to restore him. This poor man was filled with sorrow and repentance and yet those who most closely represented God would not forgive and restore him! This was a horrible example of the love and forgiveness of the Father! While his sin had been great, his repentance was real and deserved to be responded to. This is why Paul instructs the people to now forgive and restore, lest the man turn from God in his sorrow. God does not turn His back on anyone so long as their repentance is real and honest, and neither should we. As Jesus taught in Luke 6, "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you... Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." (31, 36-37) If there is someone who has hurt you or sinned against you, shows repentance, and desires to be forgiven and restored, do not withhold that from them. If you don't, you will become a living demonstration of God's nature and you yourself will receive the forgiveness and restoration you so badly need from the Lord as well!