The spiritual condition of America, politics, culture, and current events, analyzed through the lens of Scripture. Welcome to the Alex McFarland Show. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come.
Well, with that very well-known verse from Second Corinthians five seventeen, I welcome you to this edition of our program. Alex Macfarland here, and this is the first of a two-part series on our identity in Christ, who we are. If you're a believer, your identity in Christ, and just like that verse, Second Corinthians five seventeen, that emphasizes. The exchange, the transformation, and the new identity that believers have in Jesus Christ—that's what we're going to talk about. Not only our identity, but really in praying, in living out God's word, in accepting the powerful word of God and speaking it and living it.
We're also going to talk about our authority in Jesus Christ, because yes, as God's ambassadors, the church, believers—we have authority in this world, and I really believe that the church, especially the church in Europe, the West, and definitely the United States of America, we need to really understand who we are, what our assignment is, the tools that we have at our disposal, and yes, the supernatural abilities that we have as holy. Spirit indwelt, born again creatures of God. Part of the reason that I wanted to teach on this, and I've spent a long time studying and in God's Word. Revisiting a topic that I've known about for thirty years, but always wanted to grow more in the knowledge of this, is our identity in Jesus Christ. Because over the summer, the more than a thousand people in our summer camps, so many people, especially young people.
They have anxiety. They're fearful. They walk in a sense of shame and defeat. Maybe you know what I'm talking about, and you might be a believer, and yes, you've put your faith in Christ, and and you're saved. And if you were to die, you would go to heaven, and yet you you feel depressed.
You feel stressed. You're beating yourself up about long ago decisions or circumstances, or you've been. Verbally beaten down at times in your life, and you just you feel a sense of hopelessness.
Well, I want to talk about the victory that we have in Jesus, and that these are not just platitudes or you know motivational quotes. No, we are a new creation in Christ.
Well, Psalm one hundred and thirty nine, verse fourteen, speaks of the value and the sanctity of life, but even our identity. As the redeemed, Psalm 139 says to God, "You formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise you, for I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows right well." I love the way the Old King James renders that. My soul knows it well, and it's important to be confident and convinced.
That you are valuable to God, you know Fulton J. Sheen. He was a great TV speaker in the fifties and sixties, and he was a Christian bishop Fulton Sheen, and he really was one of the great early religious Christian figures on American television. He said, "God doesn't love us because we are valuable, but we are valuable because God loves us." And not only that, and you know this, I'm sure, but we are, if you're a believer, redeemed.
Now, the Bible uses the word "redeemed" 167 times, 149 times in the Old Testament, 18 times in the New Testament, and there are a number of Greek and Hebrew words that, in English, are translated "redeemed." Maybe you've heard sermon illustrations. About being bought, being purchased, and that is true. But not only bought and purchased with the blood of Jesus, indwelt by the Spirit of God, sealed by the Spirit. In irretrievably in the the hands of Christ, secure in Jesus, John ten twenty eight, but the word for one thing means rescued, and I want to talk about some of the words that the Bible uses in so many ways to talk about our redemption, and for. Words with a number of variants, agarado, ex agarado.
Lutru and Gaal, which is a Hebrew word, G A slash A L.
Now let's talk about these various words because you might think, well, what do these mean?
Well, redemption and the state of having been redeemed. It means to buy or to buy back, to pay a price, to release. Yes, it's the concept of being rescued from a hostage situation. We were slaves to sin and death. We were held hostage, and the basic word agaradza to buy or to buy back.
This is because God loves you. Jesus didn't come after you because you're worthless, and Christ didn't lay down His life on the cross because you don't matter to Him. No, you are of immeasurable value to a holy God, and that's why the Hebrew word, gaal or gaal, not exactly sure how to pronounce that word in Hebrew, g a a l, but it means. To be redeemed by a kinsman redeemer.
Now I'm sure you know the story of Ruth. How Boaz was the near kinsman. He was able and he was willing to give his life and take up the cause of Ruth. And Jesus is our near kinsman. One of the things that I love to do around Christmas is go through the the two New Testament lineages of Jesus.
Christ was born of a virgin. He had no sin nature, but yet he was descended. From the line of David, and on both the side of Joseph. Who was not Jesus's biological father, but Joseph did raise the boy Jesus, and then Mary, who was his mother. Jesus was able; he was of the right lineage.
He had a legal right to be the savior of the world. He had a spiritual right, and not only he was able to be our kinsman redeemer, but he was willing. And so, all of these words that refer to the act of paying a ransom, lutru—that's what that word means—or to release someone from slavery, bondage, captivity—all of these words contain the biblical concept of redemption, and it emphasizes that we've been purchased, and there are wonderful implications. Of this freedom that we have in Jesus.
Now think about this: only three biblical books. Do not contain these words about redemption, Esther, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations.
Now, when we come back after the break, I am going to talk about how the concept of God, God's love, God's salvation, and our identity are in these books. But 167 times across 63 of the 66 books, we get the concept of redemption. Because God loves you, He gave His life for you. Stay tuned. We're going to come back and talk about this further.
Fox News and CNN call Alex McFarland a religion and culture expert. Stay tuned for more of his teaching and commentary after this. Mike Zagorov here, producer of the Alex McFarland Show. Here's Alex talking about prayer. You know, folks, our nation needs a spiritual awakening so desperately.
We need the Holy Spirit of God to sweep across this nation, and prayer is the key. Please, if you would go to alexmcfarland dot com slash united in prayer, we'll send you a weekly devotional. We'll help your family, your church, start praying with power. Alex. McFarland dot com slash United in Prayer.
He's been called trusted, truthful, and timely. Welcome back to the Alex McFarland Show. Welcome back to the program, Alex MacFarland. Here we've been talking about our identity in Jesus Christ, and before the break, I was talking about the fact that of the 167 times the word "redeemed" or "redemption" appears in the Bible, that's in 63 of the 66 biblical books. In fact, the only biblical books that do not contain a word for redeemed are simply the books of Esther, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations.
But I want to talk about that because clearly the notion of God and His love are in these books. My point in sharing this is to try and convey biblically, with a balanced. Biblical, factual, but very compelling word that we have this rich, wonderful, immeasurably precious identity as a born-again believer, and this is bigger than our circumstances, and really, our standing before God is something that we should all rejoice in and celebrate.
Now, in the book of Esther, Esther does not mention the word redemption. Explicitly, and yet there is the sovereignty of God. Mordecai inspires Esther to go in and speak to the king, and the anti-Semitism and the genocide against the Jewish people was stopped by God working through Esther and Mordecai, and centuries later, through those very same Jewish people, Jesus would be born.
Song of Solomon. Which is a love poem. There is not the exact word redemption, but there is absolutely the immeasurable degree to which the bridegroom loves the bride. The Shulamite is the bride of the bridegroom, and so Song of Solomon has long been exegeted and preached upon as being just this incredibly moving love poem about how God so deep. Deeply loves his bride, the church.
Let's talk about Lamentations for just a moment. Only three of the biblical books that don't mention the word redeemed, and yet the book of Lamentations presents the salvation of God and God's faithfulness in the context of suffering. Especially, I think about in Lamentations chapter three, very famous. I'm sure you've heard it preached on. This I recall.
Call to mind; therefore, I have hope. Verse twenty one: It is by the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. One of my favorite hymns comes from that.
Lamentations three twenty three: Great is God's faithfulness. Verse twenty four: The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore, I hope in Him. If you've ever Enjoyed that great song, His Eye Is On the Sparrow. Love that song. I would encourage you to Google the Hopeful Gospel Quartet singing it, or Ethel Waters.
There's a line that says, "For Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He." Well, that comes right from Lamentations three twenty four. The Lord is my portion; therefore, I hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. And then, verse twenty-six: It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Now, what is that word in the original language? The word Yeshua, Jesus, the Yeshua of the Lord, the Savior. Who gives salvation, and the believer walks around as the saved?
Okay, in these passages, even though Esther, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations don't explicitly mention the word redeemed, there is an identity, a role. An authority with God, there is an identity and a role and a standing for the one who has been saved. You think about this. Therefore, in every biblical book, sixty-six books, there is God's sovereign authority, God's identity. And his role or work as our Savior, and then for those who have believed, there is in every biblical book our standing, our identity, and frankly, our role as the ones having been saved.
If you're a born-again believer, you have a role in this world, and I really think that it's imperative to understand our identity in Jesus Christ. Which, by the way, is the central theme of the New Testament: our identity in Christ. Which understanding that, reminding yourself of that, walking in that, your true identity. Not the person you think you used to be, and not the one that you think your circumstances have destined you to be. Know your identity as a believer in Jesus Christ.
Let me give you some some scriptures, and then I want to briefly talk about some of the realities: the exchange, the adoption, the acceptance, and the mission. Of one whose identity is in Christ.
Okay, first of all, the exchange or the transformation and the resultant new creation. Second Corinthians five seventeen. We mention that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come.
Galatians two twenty. Paul writes this: "I am crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives." In me, you know the singer Carmen. He's passed away, but Carmen used to say, "If the devil reminds you of your past, you remind him of his future." You know, Paul said, "I've been crucified with Christ. It's no longer I who live, but now Christ lives in me." So there's been an exchange: our guilt for Christ's righteousness, our deadness for Jesus's life, our bondage for Christ's rescue and redemption.
That's what rescue means. And then the old person that we were, with the fact that we're a new creation. That's part of your identity. Secondly, there is your adoption.
Now we know what adoption means. A child is taken into a family, and they, the child that's been adopted, gets that family's name. But with Christianity, there's even more because there's adoption. Calling, standing, and inheritance.
Now, listen to this. Ephesians one verse five says of our adoption that Christ predestined us for adoption to Himself. As sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will. See, there's God's authority there.
So you've been called to be adopted to Jesus as a believer, and when we come back, we're going to talk further about this. But this is so rich. God wanted you in His family. Your life has value, purpose. No matter what your age is, no matter where you are in the journey of life, no matter how you think the past has its clutches on you, you are a victorious, redeemed son or daughter of the King of Kings, Ephesians two ten.
Created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God, Almighty God. Prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them when we come back. More about your identity in your Savior, the one in whom I hope you've believed, Jesus Christ. Fox News and CNN call Alex McFarland a religion and culture expert. Stay tuned for more of his teaching and commentary after this.
Producer Mike for the Alex McFarland show. Listen to this. Alex is the Christian voice we need right now. I love listening to him and the guests he has on the show are just amazing. I highly recommend his podcast.
Great words, Alex.
Well, we give God the glory. We thank the listeners for kind sentiments like that, but we give God all the glory. But folks, please listen in. Spread the word. You're spreading the gospel.
Tell others about our programming, and we sincerely thank you. Do you have a desire to deepen your faith, better understand Christian apologetics, or to get a biblical perspective on current events?
Well, I've tried to make it simple for you to do just that on my website, alexmcfarland.com. There's a new section called Ask Alex Online. It's simple, it's clean, and you can read my answers to common questions about God, faith, and the Bible.
So visit the website alexmcfarland.com and look for the section that says Ask. Alex online. He's been called trusted, truthful, and timely. Welcome back to the Alex McFarland Show. Welcome back, everybody.
Alex McFarland here. As we are talking about our identity in Christ, I want to thank everybody that's been praying for our ministry this year, supporting all that we've been doing. As we are in the fourth quarter of the year now, it's just been an unbelievably fruitful year. Events, publishing, broadcasting—more than twelve hundred teams. In our youth camps, more than four hundred and thirty decisions for Christ.
We wrapped up our speaker series, conversations that matter. The very famous speaker series that has, over the years, featured Charlie Kirk and Dinesh D'Souza, millions and millions of social media views. We had October third, twenty twenty-six, two former Muslims warning people about the rise of Sharia law in America. A men's Bible study on radio and TV seven days a week. Thousands of pieces of literature shipped out.
I've been on the road all over America preaching the gospel in major conferences. The Billy Graham Cove sold out twice, audiences, and I give God the glory for that. But we're looking at a big, big year in 2027. Already we are booked to go to Huntsville, Alabama, with our Revive U.S. tour in the Florence, Lauderdale Coliseum.
There, we've got Revive U.S. events in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in Arkansas, and twice again I'll be at the Cove with Lauren Green from Fox News. And so please check out thecove dot org. T h e c o v e thecove dot org And then the website alexmcfarland.com for the articles. I give God the glory.
My writing has been on TownHall.com and many other places. I've been doing many many media opportunities. Fox News has had me on three times. I was supposed to be opposite James Talarico from Texas, and three times he didn't show up. But all of these great.
Things and the thousands of people that have made decisions for Christ this year, it takes money, takes resources, and so as this year draws to a close, number one, please keep us in prayer. But number two, please consider supporting Alex McFarland Evangelistic Ministries with a tax-deductible contribution. You may give securely online or by mail. We would be deeply grateful if you would help us. The gospel is free, but it Does take resources to deliver this free message, and so for your involvement in the Great Commission through our ministry, we thank you.
But right now, I want to continue with the time we have left, talking about our identity in Christ, because I just feel like Christians need to be encouraged and empowered. Individuals, especially young people, need to know this great, great. Unique reality that we have. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, before the break, I was talking about how Ephesians one says that we are adopted to Jesus Christ through faith, and then Colossians three three talks about our standing. It says, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Well, what about our inheritance?
Well, Romans eight seventeen says. That we are heirs of God, fellow heirs with Christ.
So, if you're a believer, you've put your faith in Christ. You've been adopted. You've been called. You stand justified before God. You have an inheritance.
I don't know what you have down here on earth, but in Christ, you've got the riches of heaven.
Now, you've been accepted. Your status, for one, Romans eight says there is no condemnation. You stand justified, cleared of all guilt. In Christ Jesus, and you can have assurance of this. We've shared many times.
First John 5:13 says that if you believe in Jesus, you may know K N O W certainty, assurance. Know that you have eternal life, and you're a citizen of heaven. Philippians 3:20. You now, as a believer, and this is God's word. And God cannot, will not lie.
You're a citizen of heaven, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have unity in Jesus. First Corinthians 12:27, one body, individually members, but part of one body. Do you know? Also, not only as adopted. Believers accepted, secure believers, and your status is in Jesus.
Now you have mission, and empowerment, and authority.
So much we could say you've been called. Your life has purpose. Isn't that amazing? This is our identity. You're not a loser.
You're not defeated. You're not guilty. You're not broken. You are made whole in Jesus Christ, and your your identity is risen with the risen Jesus.
So, what is our mission in life?
Well, as the the Catechism would say, to know Him and make Him known. Do you know the Canadian pastor Fred Penny tells the story of a hardworking engineer, who had this note. Taped on the inside of his desk drawer at his office, "This is not my life. This is my job. Jesus Christ is my life." End of quote.
And this particular engineer tragically died in a car accident, but his family found the note in his desk. That work, that vocation, important as it is, it's not our identity. He wrote, "This is not my life. This is my job. Christ is my life, and that needs to be us." Maybe you're in a hard situation.
Maybe you have family members that you feel like don't love you or care about you. You might have been in an abusive situation, but that's not your identity. To be the world's punching bag, no. Your identity, your life, is hid with Christ in God, according to the Bible, and so Jesus is our life.
Now I think about Timothy Keller. He was pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City for 28 years, and I had the privilege of of knowing him a little bit. We. Ate together with Chuck Colson, visited together, and he wanted to talk about apologetics, which we did. But the late Tim Keller, he said this: "If our identity is in our work rather than in Christ, success will go to our heads, and failure will go to our hearts." It's pretty profound, but he went on.
He said, "Religion says my identity is built on being a good person, but the gospel says my identity is not built on my record or my performance. But my identity is in Jesus, who He is and what He did." And so the Bible is very clear. The Bible overwhelmingly affirms that the believer's identity, their true identity, the real you, your purpose, your stability. Is in Jesus Christ, and that emphasizes what He did. He paid the price.
He rose from the dead, and by believing in Him, we're transformed, and we're part of the body of believers, the family of believers throughout history, and we are unified in Jesus. We're secure in Jesus.
Now, next week when we come back, we're going to talk about our authority. Yes, you have authority. You have empowerment, in Jesus Christ.
So rejoice in that, and stop telling yourself lies. You know Oswald Chambers, who, his writings became that great devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest. He said, and this was over a century ago, but he said we must vigilantly believe what is true. And what is true, fellow believer, is that you belong to Jesus, the King of Kings, and nothing can pluck you out of His hand.
Well, thanks for listening. Our website alexmcfarland.com. You can write to us, P. O. Box 485, Pleasant Garden, North Carolina 27313.
In the meantime, remember, Jesus is as close by as a prayer, and if you've put your faith in Him, you are forever His. Alex McFarland Ministries are made possible through the prayers and financial support of partners like you. For over 20 years, this ministry has been bringing individuals into a personal relationship with Christ, and has been equipping people to stand strong for truth. Learn more and donate securely online at alexmcfarland.com. You may also reach us by calling one eight seven seven yes God and the.
Number one. That's one eight seven seven. Yes, God. One. Thanks for joining us.
We'll see you again on the next edition of the Alex McFarland Show.
