Puffing

1 Corinthians 4:18-21    
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

The proud and boasting ones scoffed at Paul even coming to Corinth to deal with the problems, but he assured them that he was coming.  He also informed them that he was bringing the words of God’s power and authority, not human words of the inflated braggarts.  Therefore, he offered them the choice of who to listen to, choosing to face rebuke or to find gentle and loving correction.  When sin is not dealt with in the church (church discipline), rebuke is needed.  When it is dealt with, restoration in loving and gentle correction can occur.  Unfortunately, many churches want to deal with too much gentleness, too harshly, or not deal at all with issues which leads to eventual severity or to festering of the sin that corrupts the body further.  The goal must be restorative reconciliation by addressing sin.