Shovel Writings: Faith:

“Adding a phrase like ”in Christ“ cannot salvage this flawed concept; for it turns the focus on the ”dependence“ and NOT on Christ.  This is why we ask: how much?  how long?  how sincere?  how dedicated? how accurate? etc.  But faith is understood by what it is dependent UPON.
Consider a tree by a river (a very scriptural picture, by the way).  Its roots have grown deep into the fertile ground — it is dependent upon the soil.  It is the difference between a choice and a factual relationship.  The tree lives in this dependence.  We, too, have been brought into a dependent relationship, for we have been put into Christ.  The mistake is TRYING to live, instead of just LIVING; TRYING to depend, instead of being aware that we’ve been made dependent.  In doing so, we reinforce the false concept that WE created the dependence.  Believing this makes us trip all over ourselves in an attempt to be ”humble“.  Talk about diffusing the sense of the miraculous!!
BOTTOM LINE: If you are one who believes in Christ, then you have been made alive in Him — AND YOU ARE DEPENDENT UPON HIM FOR YOUR VERY LIFE.  It makes no difference if you feel it or even understands it.  The good news of Jesus Christ declares this reality to you for the purpose of bringing confidence to you so that you can live in the awareness of what is already true about you.  Trying to be what you already are will only bring confusion.”

This passage has powerful implications. We do not have to measure our holiness or try to attain it. We just recognize our identity. HUMBLENESS MEANS BEING AWARE WE ARE SIN FREE AND REMINDING OTHERS OF THIS FACT. IT IS NOT REMINDING OTHERS THEY ARE NOT BEING GODLY.