"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exodus 3:14).

In answer to Moses' question in verse 13, "What is His name?" God clearly states His name to be I AM.

The scribes and Pharisees of the New Testament were astounded when Jesus used this name in reference to Himself. In their way of thinking, it was to be used only of God. In fact, it was so revered that they dared not even speak it, substituting another name for God in its place.

But, since Jesus is fully God, He has every right to use this name. And so He did!

John 8:24--"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." (The "He" is not in the original Greek text.) Jesus stated emphatically that if a person did not believe in His deity (I AM), he would die in his sins. A sobering thought.

John 8:28--"When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He." God became flesh, died for our sins, and desires to be our Savior. Is it any wonder that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

John 8:58--"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." In this statement Jesus is declaring His preexistence from eternity past.

John 13:19--"Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am He." Jesus predicted the betrayal of Judas to give evidence that He shared God's attribute of omniscience, that He was all-knowing. The deity of Christ is one of the cardinal doctrines of the faith. The full revelation of God is Jesus Christ. The I AM of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New Testament. NPS