4. Walk By Faith In Who Jesus Is
In Jesus’ day, people referred…
To Him as “Rabbi” more than anything else. After years as a carpenter, Jesus began teaching about the kingdom of God. So the term is a safe assumption.
There’s just one problem.
Rabbis don’t get thrown out of the synagogue for claiming to be the very One all the Scriptures are pointing to.
Rabbis don’t teach in parables to hide the secret to the kingdom of God, much less announce the “kingdom of God is at hand” in His standing there (Mk 1:15).
Rabbis don’t intentionally break Sabbath commandments in front of the religious leaders, recruit dropouts, eat with crooks, or die like a common criminal.
But Savior’s do.
And there lies the profound difference between how people perceived Jesus and who He revealed Himself to be.
They thought the problem with humanity was distance from God caused by disobedience. So, they were looking for a miracle working Messiah who would make the world right through right living, not a lowly carpenter who willingly dies on a cross.
In their minds, the Law of God is something we should, can, and will keep with the right example to follow and practices to walk in. That’s why they thought they needed a Rabbi to be with and become like.
It’s also why they made the devastating assumption that they needed to become capable of doing what Jesus did.
Embracing the Words of Jesus
When you take an honest look at what Jesus said—or an unflinching view of human ability—it’s clear that offering another Rabbi as an example to follow isn’t on God’s agenda. Instead, Jesus announces Himself as “the Son of Man” 81 times—a title of divinity rooted in the One who declared: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” and “I and the Father are one” (John 14:9-10).
In Jesus’ words, “I am the way” versus a way to something more than you are. He is “life” itself versus a means to life. He is the embodiment of “truth” in flesh in whom “all things hold together.” He is the creator and reconciler “of all things.” He is the One who came to give his own “life as a ransom” to “set the captives free” from their delusion of who God is (John 14:10; 10:30; Mark 2:10; John 14:6; Matt 20:28; Col. 1:15-20).
When Jesus shows up, He announces not that He’s a Rabbi to emulate, but that He’s “the Son of Man.”
When they saw Jesus, they didn’t just see a Rabbi to imitate—they saw God “the Father” Himself, showing up where no one expected and saying what no one was ready to hear. He announced that God’s “will” isn’t for you to become like Jesus, but to “believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29).
Now, when you see that, you may quietly rejoice as you think about your spiritual resume. At least until you include your every thought and unrevealed motive, which doesn’t meet the call to “be perfect” Jesus dropped on those who thought they could walk in a righteousness of their own (Matt 5:48).
But that’s why the gospel means “good news.”
Embracing the Essence of Faith
Galatians 6:15 tells us "for neither circumcision [religion] counts for anything, nor uncircumcision [irreligion], but a new creation." So you are free to ditch the idea that your religious practices are needed and your performance “counts.”
The application here? “So from now on we regard no one,” including yourself, “according to the flesh” (2 Corinthians 5:16, ESV).
To get to that place in life is where the "Adam Alarm" comes in—a simple filter designed to cut through the religious noise and help you discern what’s worth holding onto and what’s better left behind with one question: Does this help the old Adam die, or does it help him survive?
Who is the old Adam? He represents the self-reliant, self-justifying, self-protecting part of all of us. The part that hides behind fig leaves of performance, approval, or control. The part that’s terrified of being wrong, being seen, or—God forbid—being dependent.
This Old Adam clings to the lie that freedom is something we earn by becoming more or better. But the reality Jesus reveals is that freedom isn’t earned; it’s given. And it’s only found when we let the Old Adam die, and by faith…
Cling to the new Adam—Jesus—who is our very life.
Shining a neon light on this reality, the Apostle Paul declared: “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam ALL die, so in Christ ALL will be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22).
In both instances of “all” mentioned here, you, me, and everyone else are included. I realize that might sound controversial, given what religion often claims, but you can’t interpret one “all” as meaning everyone and the other “all” as meaning just some.
Yes, it’s true—“for all have sinned and fall short” (Romans 3:23). But it’s equally true that “because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5-6).
The Death That Brings Life
Let’s be honest: the world is full of messages claiming the opposite of sin is virtue. But Scripture tells a different story—the opposite of sin is faith (Romans 14:23). Rather than pointing us to the freedom of trusting Jesus, we’re bombarded with paths that only tighten the chains. Some call it hustle; others call it holiness. Whatever the branding, it’s just the relentless project of self, polished up to look virtuous.
So, when you hear someone speak, read a book, attend a gathering, join a group, or even scroll through social media, try asking yourself:
Does this encourage dependence on Jesus, or on me trying harder?
Does this invite me to be honest and find relief, or to strive?
Does this strip away my illusions of control, or reinforce them?
If the answer falls on the 'or' side of these questions, it’s helping the Old Adam survive—and that’s where the trap lies.
Here’s the irony: true freedom doesn’t come from fixing the Old Adam but from letting him die every day. It’s in dying that we’re freed from the exhausting need to define and justify ourselves. This is what Jesus meant by "taking up your cross" (Matt. 16:24)—an ongoing act of faith that leads to life. And when we live in that dependence, we don’t just find freedom for ourselves; we become a source of relief for everyone we encounter.
A Life of Freedom
The Adam Alarm isn’t a tool for judgment; it’s a lifeline for discernment. It’s a way to keep the Good News at the center of our lives so we can walk in the “freedom” that faith was always meant to bring (Gal 5:1).
So the next time you hear someone speak or enter a space, take a moment to ask the question: Does this help the Old Adam die, or does it help him survive? You might just find that the path to freedom isn’t about what you add, but about what you let go.
For more on this conversation, check out the podcast linked below: