2 Corinthians 10:6

Paul avenges disobedience when he condemns it through obedience, destroying it at the same time as he leads those who resist to the faith, in order that unbelief may be condemned by those who used to defend it.

"And being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled." Here he alarmed these also, not those alone: 'for,' says he, 'we were waiting for you, that when by our exhortations and threatenings we have reformed you, and purged and separated you from their fellowship; then, when those only are left who are incurably diseased, we may visit with punishment, after we see that you have really separated from them. For even now indeed ye obey, but not perfectly. 'And yet if thou hadst done it now,' saith one, 'thou wouldest have wrought greater gain.' 'By no means, for if I had done it now, I should have involved you also in the punishment. Howbeit it behoved to punish them, indeed, but to spare you. Yet if I spared, I should have seemed to do it out of favor: now this I do not desire, but first to amend you, and then to proceed against them.' What can be tenderer than the heart of the Apostle? who because he saw his own mixed up with aliens, desires indeed to inflict the blow, but forbears, and restrains his indignation until these shall have withdrawn, that he may smite these alone; yea rather, not these even. For he therefore threatens this, and says he is desirous to separate unto punishment them alone, that they also being amended by the fear may change, and he let loose his anger against no one.

Paul explains why he is being patient. He wants to try to persuade as many as possible to amend their ways. He will punish only those who continue to resist his exhortations.

Here he also frightens the Corinthians. We are waiting for you, he says, so that when you have been corrected by our instructions and have ceased your fellowship with the slanderers, we may subject to punishment only those who are incurably afflicted. Punishment is ready on our part, but since you have fellowship with them, we do not employ it for now, lest the blow strike you as well. With the words "when your obedience is fulfilled," he hints that although they are obedient even now, they are not yet perfectly so. At the same time, he sternly demands that both groups reform and that no one be subjected to punishment. In us, thoughts are first formed through the struggle of the worse against the better, and then exaltations arise in honor of those who have gained the victory, rising up against the knowledge of God, so that they come into a state called agitation, ecstasy. For thinking is a simple and immediate activity of the mind, presenting things themselves rather than proof. And in those deluded by demons there are, it seems, such thoughts, which Paul, and everyone guided by his spirit, takes captive to the obedience of Christ.

The third effect is the correction of sinners; as to this he says, being ready to punish every disobedience, i.e., having the readiness and free will to punish all disobedience: "And two-edged swords in their hands" (Ps. 149:6). This will occur when your obedience is complete, i.e., when you are perfectly obedient, because if you are willing to obey, there will be no reason for punishing the disobedience of others and your own. Or we shall take revenge on disobedience, when your obedience is complete, i.e., when your disobedience shall be destroyed; for contraries are cured by contraries.