"I need to identify as an addict to stay humble and avoid pride"
How it sounds in your head: If I stop calling myself an addict, I might get cocky. I might forget where I came from. The label keeps me honest. It's reverse pride to claim I'm anything other than a recovering addict.
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
-- Galatians 2:20Source: False humility teaching that confuses Christ-identity with arrogance and shame-identity with humility.
He's been warned against pride, told that forgetting his 'addict nature' leads to relapse, and taught that maintaining the label is protective wisdom. Claiming wholeness feels dangerous.
Could have boasted in his religious credentials, pedigree, education, and achievements, but called it all 'rubbish' compared to knowing Christ. Didn't identify as 'Pharisee in recovery' - he identified as found IN CHRIST, not having his own righteousness but the righteousness through faith in Christ.
I REFUSE the lie that shame-identity is humility. IT IS WRITTEN that I have been crucified with Christ and it's NO LONGER I who live but CHRIST who lives in me. My identity is not 'addict' - my identity is CHRIST IN ME, the hope of glory. True humility isn't calling myself broken when God calls me WHOLE - true humility is saying Christ is EVERYTHING and I am hidden in Him. The BARAK blessing declares I am BLESSED coming in and going out, and that's not pride - that's COVENANT. IT IS WRITTEN that I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. That's not arrogance - that's TRUTH. I am who GOD says I am.
The Father doesn't want you identifying by your worst moments - He wants you identifying by His BEST WORK. Calling yourself an addict when He calls you His beloved son isn't humility, it's rejecting His gift. He's not afraid of you getting cocky about HIS righteousness in you - He's excited for you to walk in it.