Anyone who wants to become a true Christian must live by intelligent faith, not an emotional one based on feelings and sensations.

Emotional faith is easily manipulated by the devil and drives a person away from God, despite bringing them closer to religion. One of the strategies most used by evil to manipulate emotions is to take verses out of context. This is how the “doctrine of grace” was created, which preaches that it would take no effort to enter the kingdom of God because His grace is sufficient for us.

In order to support this idea, many people use this verse to back up their argument:

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Bishop Edir Macedo clarifies what the verse refers to: “The apostle Paul was suffering from a great problem, which was due to the glorious revelations he had received from God. Paul went up to the third heaven. Paul saw things he could not even speak of. He was granted access to extraordinary things. However, in order not to fall into the sin of pride and of being puffed up, God allowed him to have a thorn in his flesh sent from Satan. Paul didn’t know that. He was struggling with that thorn. He prayed three times for God to remove it, but God did not do so.”

It was at this point that God said that His grace was sufficient for that specific situation.

Bishop Macedo explains the verse within its context: “God said to him, ‘My grace is sufficient for you. My favour is enough for you. Keep that thorn there so that you will stand in the faith and by faith, take possession of eternal life.’”

The “weaknesses” Paul mentions had nothing to do with sin, as Bishop Macedo makes clear: “Paul was not living in sin as a cause for the thorn to come. No, Paul was in an excellent spiritual condition. However, in order for him not to get puffed up or proud, God allowed the devil to put that thorn in his flesh.”

In other words, there isn’t a slightest similarity to the situation of those who want to use the grace of God as a free passage to continue giving in to sin.

Bishop Macedo also reports that, even if a person wants to deceive their conscience, the filth of sin contaminates their inner being and, as a consequence, brings them sadness and spiritual dejection.

“Most of those who claim to believe in God say, ‘Oh, God knows me, He knows my situation, He knows my weakness,’ as if God tolerates their sins. This is why these people are fallen, downcast, discouraged, sad, and demotivated. Their source does not exist. What they have in them is a well of perdition and sin. It is a well of rotten, stagnant water, full of bugs.”

And he adds: “When one is living by emotional faith, their small sins remain, but concealed, all the while sweetening their emotional faith. Then they end up conforming to their ‘little sins’ and ‘big sins’, and their lives go downhill”.

For this reason, many who believe they have already guaranteed their place in heaven are walking a long way to hell. Using biblical texts out of context in order to lead people into error is an old strategy of the devil. That’s exactly what he did when he tempted Jesus in the desert. And if he did that to the Lord Jesus Himself, he will certainly try to repeat the same strategy with those who want to follow God.

Therefore, it is important to be attentive and to use intelligence in order to understand what is written, using reasoning so that we may know what it means. Using rational faith, and never emotional faith, is the only way to understand the word of God.

The Bible clearly demonstrates that the grace of God does not authorise us to live in sin:

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12.14

In other words, separating oneself from sin is a prerequisite for the salvation of the soul. The point is that, in order to lead a life of sanctification, it is necessary to sacrifice one’s life and to renounce one’s own wills.

In the words of the Lord Jesus, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him (Mark 8.34). Three levels of sacrifice.

However, Bishop Macedo shows us the main problem: “A person who has an emotional faith doesn’t have faith to sacrifice their life. They don’t have faith to sacrifice their sins. They like the sensation of well-being, which is false and will cause them to lose their salvation.”

In order to fix yourself, you must decide to obey God and sacrifice your entire life. There is no other way. Perhaps these are hard words to hear, especially for those who are used to the illusion and false sensation of well-being that is welcomed by “grace”, those who are living in disorder and following their own heart.

However, it is better to hear the truth while there is still time. As Bishop Macedo concludes: “The truth hurts, the truth is painful but the truth sets us free”.