Amazing things happen when you read the Bible through the lens of grace.
In Scripture, Paul teaches the Christian to "test (examine) yourselves to see if you are in the faith" or "if your faith is genuine." Institutional Christianity infers a meaning here that one should look for sin and sinful behavior and get rid of it, but that meaning is not in the context of the passage. In other words, true faith, according to the Church, is tested by behavior. Well, that's not what Paul says. He says that the true faith that passes the examination he prescribes is actually the belief that Christ is in oneself and is the life and power by which a believer lives...not the will, determination, or effort of the believer.
See for yourself:
"Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is in you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith" (2 Cor. 13:5).
Wow.
In Scripture, Paul teaches the Christian to "test (examine) yourselves to see if you are in the faith" or "if your faith is genuine." Institutional Christianity infers a meaning here that one should look for sin and sinful behavior and get rid of it, but that meaning is not in the context of the passage. In other words, true faith, according to the Church, is tested by behavior. Well, that's not what Paul says. He says that the true faith that passes the examination he prescribes is actually the belief that Christ is in oneself and is the life and power by which a believer lives...not the will, determination, or effort of the believer.
See for yourself:
"Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is in you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith" (2 Cor. 13:5).
Wow.
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