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And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
(2 Cor. 12:21)
We have already seen that we are to travail in birth again when necessary in order for Christ to be formed in believers.

Paul here said that he would "bewail" many who have sinned and have not repented. We need to make intercession for those who have sinned and not repented.

Corinth was one of the most licentious and immoral cities in that part of the world. The same spirits that prevailed in the city got into the church. When Paul named uncleanness, fornication, and lasciviousness, he was talking about sexual impurities. People in the church had done these things and had not repented.

The Greek word translated "bewail" means to grieve—it is the feeling or the act of grieving. Here to bewail includes both the feeling and the act of grieving. The act of grieving is a response in intercessory prayer.

Worrell's translation sheds light on Paul's meaning:
Lest, when I come again, my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of those who have heretofore sinned, and repented not of the uncleanness, and fornication and lasciviousness which they practiced.
(2 Cor. 12:21 Worrell)
We live in a world and an age of permissiveness and immorality. Many things such as homosexuality, living together without marriage, and all uncleanness along these lines have come out of hiding.

The Church seems to have winked at some of these things. But we are to feel toward sin just like God does.

Sin is a violation of the will of God. God is perpetually at war with sin. We use sin in its broad form that includes iniquity and transgression (1 John 3:4; 5:17).

Sin leads to death (James 1:13-15). Death is separation from God. We are not talking of physical death. We are talking of spiritual sin and an eternal separation from God.

Sin is a hideous thing. Some men of God have expressed their feelings about it in strong language. Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.) said, "I preach and think it is more bitter to sin against Christ than to suffer the torments of hell."

Anselm (11th century) said, "If hell were on one side, and sin on the other, I would rather leap into hell than willingly sin against my God."

Where are the heroes, "Who resist unto blood, striving against sin?" (Heb. 12:4)

"We only know God's estimate of sin by the magnitude of the sacrifice He has provided to atone for it, His Son!" —Reidt
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.
(2 Cor. 5:10-11)
God is love. I preach faith—and faith works by love - so I have to preach love. But if we are not careful, we preach in such a manner that people forget God is also a God of judgment. He is also a God of justice. Sin has a penalty.

Paul grieved over the Corinthian Christians who had sinned and had not repented. No wonder. We should be grieved for those among us who are in the same situation.

Wilford Reidt said, "The awfulness of sin and its consequences should cause us to intercede for men."

Then, too, in the category of sin, God supplied a list in Revelation 21:8. He listed fear and unbelief at the top of the list - even before murder.

Seeing our brethren caught up in these snares of fear, unbelief, doubt, unforgiveness, worry, and so forth should compel us to intercede for them.

Source: The Art Of Prayer by Kenneth E. Hagin.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications

Author Biography

Kenneth E. Hagin
Web site: RHEMA
 
Rev. Hagin served in Christian ministry for nearly 70 years and was known as the "father of the modern faith movement." His teachings and books are filled with vivid stories that show God's power and truth working in his life and the lives of others.
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