Faith vs. Pretending-Collin's Corner

Lately I have been thinking about the difference between faith and pretending. I understand that many of you can draw the lines between faith and pretending very clearly, and many of us might wonder how are they similar at all? Over the past few weeks I have been confronted with the issue of sin(no surprise!). I have encountered people that have seemed to say that if we just believe we aren't sinners anymore we won't sin. Or that if we just believe we aren't sinners that will take care of the sin problem. This is where I started to think about the difference between our faith and pretending. To pretend is usually to pretend to be something you are not. Reality has no place in pretending. But our faith is faith in what God has spoken to us in His word as fact. Faith isn't wishful thinking. It seems that faith is the faith to believe what God has spoken about us IN SPITE of who we are. Faith is the faith to be honest about who we are and yet all the more honest and sure of who God says we are. I am still processing these things, so please join me in this. I would love to hear what all of you think. Again I think that when the New Testament writers use terminology about "new creation" and "identity in Christ" I believe these things whole-heartedly, BUT I don't think the N.T. teaches that just because our "new life" is in Christ, we won't sin anymore. It seems that the new testament is addressing an identity issue. Our identity, in reality we are truly sons of God. Positionally justified and whole in Christ, and yet continually being sanctified into the image of His Son. These two things go together and aren't in opposition to each other. So when we just try to pretend that BECAUSE the N.T. says that we are new creation that we won't sin anymore, I believe this will have a huge hinderance on the heart change that the Holy Spirit wants to do in us. John Owen said (in my own paraphrase): "The more we understand the reality of our sin, to that degree will we understand the beauty of God's grace." It's true. The more we are honest about ourselves and our sin, the more we can be sure of and have faith in the far-reaching love of Christ. There is a solid faith in who Christ says we are in spite of our sin. That's amazing. Yet there is also a call to be honest about this sin, SO THAT we can see the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit at work in us to change to become more like Christ. I am sure this is a bit random in some places, so I apologize, this is just something I am processing. Feel free to comment or email me what you think. There are plenty of N.T. verses that talk about our new identity and yet the amazing reality that we are being sanctified in Christ and through Christ to be more like Him. So let's not pretend to be something we aren't, but have faith in the God who has spoken over us a redemptive word in spite of who we are.