2 Corinthians 7: 2-3

” Make room in your hearts for us; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together”.

Paul deeply loved the Corinthian church. In his first letter, he had to correct and admonish them on several issues, but his second letter carries a more uplifting and edifying tone. His love for the Corinthians was sincere—free from hidden motives or personal gain. It came from the heart.

I was struck by these powerful words: “We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.”

Paul’s respect for the Corinthians is evident. He did not exploit, manipulate, or burden anyone. As human beings, we are often vulnerable to the temptation of wrongdoing—corrupting others or taking advantage of them for selfish agendas. But such behavior is not a mark of true love; it is sin.

“When we sin, we not only commit treason against God, but we also do violence to each other. Sin violates people. There is nothing abstract about it. By my sin I hurt human beings. I injure their person; I despoil their goods; I impair their reputation; I rob from them a precious quality of life; I crush their dreams and aspirations for happiness. When I dishonor God, I dishonor all people who bear his image. Is it any wonder, then, that God takes sin so seriously?” (R C Sproul)