Until we stop relying upon our own efforts, we will be unable to rely upon God. All other religions emphasize man’s duties toward God; Christianity alone offers a salvation which has already been purchased “for” man at God’s own expense. God’s salvation is not only given freely, but it is applied by the Holy Spirit’s living within us. We must turn from all self-reliance to experience life in God.

We must stop trusting in ourselves before we can wholly trust God. 

“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us” (II Cor. 1:9,10). 

 Nothing we can do will produce life; we must draw from God as our source.

 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). 

 Reliance upon religious tradition dilutes the effectiveness of God’s Word.

“. . . Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition “ (Matt. 15:6). 

 Dead works include everything we do without relying upon God, and drawing from His life. Very often these are very religious things, and we do not recognize them as subtle forms of self-effort and dependence upon ourselves. We have no life apart from vital union with Jesus Christ; nothing we can do will produce that life. Throughout Scripture, dead works are contrasted with “fruit” because fruit grows as the result of union with something alive.