08-Misreading Paul Again

When Paul challenged the Corinthian believer to examine himself
– ‘A man ought to examine himself’; that is, a believer ought to
examine himself’ – was he implying that the believer gets his
assurance by probing himself as to his progressive sanctification,
looking to see if he has enough evidence to conclude that he truly
is a child of God? Not at all! Although, since the time of the later
Puritans, most believers have been taught that this the way to try
to reach assurance, it is quite wrong; it runs counter to the new
covenant. I have coined a phrase for it: ‘legal assurance’. And this
legal assurance is in stark contrast to the new-covenant way. As
the New Testament makes as clear as noonday, the believer
receives his assurance by the witness (the sealing, the anointing)
of the Spirit, and he gets this witness at the point of conversion