"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light." John 1: 1-8
It was very important to Jesus to make it clear to His disciples (and to anyone else who would listen) that He was the Son of God. That message is central to John's Gospel as you can see in the verses below:
John 8: 12, 9:5 - "I am the light of the world"
John 8: 58 - "Before Abraham was, I am"
John 10:9 - "I am the door"
John 10:11 - "I am the good shepherd"
John 11:25 - "I am the resurrection and the life"
John 14:6 - "I am the way, the truth, and the life"
John 15:1 - "I am the true vine"
With the eight-fold use of the phrase "I AM" Jesus is identifying Himself with God, the "I AM" of the Old Testament.
That is a very bold statement!
As Josh McDowell has stated in his lectures and writings, "When Jesus claimed to be God there are three possibilities: (1) He is a lunatic; (2) He is a liar; or (3) He is who He claims to be."
You ultimately must choose which of those you believe and whichever one you choose will shape your life and your eternity.
I have no problem declaring Him as the Son of God!
If you want to call Jesus a lunatic, go ahead.
If you want to call Him a liar, it's up to you.
One day you will get a chance to stand before Him and explain your choice. You may want to consider that before you make your final decision.
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