ODM Daily Inspirational Devotional Messages Bible Verse and Prayers ODM
DCLM Daily Manna – Grace for The Fallen Ones
KEY VERSE
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Bible Reading:
2 Corinthians 2:6-11 (KJV)
6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
MESSAGE
In his book, Uncommon Friends, James D. Newton (1905-1999) related the story of Thomas A. Edison, who was working on a light bulb, which took a team of men 24 hours to complete. When he finished, he gave it to a young boy to carry upstairs. The boy held it nervously and mistakenly dropped it at the top of the stairs. The entire team took 24 more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was prepared to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He handed it to the same young boy who had dropped the first one. That was a demonstration of true forgiveness.
Apostle Paul, in today’s text, showed similar forgiveness to an errant member of the Corinthian church. The young man was involved in the egregious sin of sleeping with his father’s wife. News of this incest and the associated scandal so grieved the apostle that he cancelled his planned trip to them and wrote a stern rebuke, instructing them to excommunicate the offender. With time, when the discipline had had the expected effect of godly sorrow and repentance on both the incestuous fellow and the church, the apostle recommended that the man be restored fully to fellowship. The penitent offender needed the forgiveness and acceptance of the church to assuage his agony and recover his spiritual confidence.
This narrative highlights a balanced blend of chastisement and charity. Apostle Paul reasoned that abandoning the excommunicated offender, even after his repentance, would cause him further torture and give Satan a chance to hijack the affair; “… for we are not ignorant of his devices”, he said. Many believers seem to be ignorant of Satan’s devices in this regard. Very often, a fallen Christian is left to rot on the island of banishment. Many such forgotten ones would have traced their way back home to calvary and church, but for the hostile attitude of the believers around them.
If God, Apostle Paul, and the Corinthian church could forgive the repentant incestuous backslider, who are we to keep such fallen brethren away from the means of grace? Let us give Satan no advantage over the church.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
If you can’t keep a brother from falling, don’t keep him from rising up
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
John 8-9
COMMENTARY
1. Church Discipline with a Purpose – The Corinthian church had excommunicated a man for incest. This discipline was necessary to uphold holiness and purity in the church. However, discipline was not the end goal. Its purpose was to bring the sinner to repentance and restoration. When the man repented, the discipline had served its purpose.
2. The Danger of Unforgiveness – Paul warned that failing to forgive and comfort the repentant offender would give Satan an advantage. The enemy thrives on division, bitterness, and rejection. When believers refuse to forgive a fallen brother who has repented, they play into Satan’s hands. The goal must always be restoration, not permanent exclusion.
3. The Need for Restoration – The devotional reminds us that a repentant sinner must be welcomed back with love and acceptance. Without this, they may be “swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” Many backsliders would return to God and the church if they were met with grace instead of hostility. The church must be a place of healing, not rejection.
4. A Balanced Blend of Chastisement and Charity – The narrative demonstrates the importance of balancing church discipline with compassion. Paul did not overlook sin, but he also did not abandon the sinner after repentance. This balance is vital for a healthy church. Discipline without love becomes cruelty; love without discipline becomes license.
5. The DCLM Ministry’s Call to Restoration – The Deeper Christian Life Ministry emphasizes both holiness and grace. Pastor Kumuyi teaches that while sin must be addressed, the goal is always restoration. The Daily Manna devotional calls believers to extend forgiveness to fallen brethren and to ensure they are not left in despair.
About DCLM and Daily Manna
The Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) was founded in 1973 by Pastor Dr. W.F. Kumuyi. From a small Bible study of 15 students in Lagos, it has grown into a global ministry with churches across Nigeria, Africa, and beyond. The ministry emphasizes holiness, prayer, Bible study, and the restoration of fallen believers.
DCLM Daily Manna is a daily devotional written by Pastor Kumuyi. Each edition provides Scripture reading, exposition, and practical application to guide believers in their daily walk with God. The devotional consistently calls readers to extend grace to the repentant.
Prayer Reflection
Lord, help me to extend grace to fallen brethren who have repented. Forgive me for any time I have been harsh or unforgiving. Teach me to balance holiness with compassion. Give me a heart that welcomes the repentant sinner. Keep me from giving Satan any advantage in my relationships. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
