First Baptist Church

We are an LBC/GCBC/BASELA cooperating church; working to advance the Kingdom of God by sharing the opportunity for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said unto them, ‘Before Abraham was, I Am!’ Then they took up stones to kill Him.” John 8:58

It is popular among some who haven’t read the Bible to say Jesus never claimed to be God. He did in different ways in several places. This passage is one of the clearest. The way Jesus said it may not be clear to some in translation, but here Jesus is making an obvious claim to deity. “Before Abraham was” comes out of the context of Jesus’ claim to have known Abraham which was a claim offensive to the Pharisees who were ridiculing His teaching. I AM is the translation of the sacred name of God YHWH. He said Abraham rejoiced to see His day because Abraham rejoiced to know the one living God. He is telling them He is God. That is also what they understand Him to be saying because to them it is blasphemy which is why they take up stones to kill Him. The fact they were not able to kill Him at that time demonstrates His sovereignty over the situation. He not only claimed to be the Living God, He demonstrated His deity. When I experience His saving work in my life my natural response is, “My Lord and my God!”

6260 Highway 10 Greensburg LA 70441 US