"And if one has a complaint against another,
forgiving each other."
Paul rightly assumes
there's going to be problems in the church.
Right? You gather a few hundred people
together on a regular basis,
and they're still dwelling in their mortal flesh,
you're probably going to have a problem or two pop up, right?
There's a pretty good chance
that someone's going to have a complaint
as Paul calls it against another.
Legitimate or not,
complaints are going to happen.
If and when they do,
Paul doesn't say just seek to avoid that person
as much as you can.
No, he says, forgive each other.
Have a charizomenoi mindset
with one another.
Be gracious.
Bestow kindness.
Forgive that thing and move on.
Not seperate - move on together.
Don't begrudgingly or mechanically
say the words "I forgive you,"
and yet your heart is still holding on to that thing.
That's not biblical forgiveness.
That's bibilical bitterness.