[Jesus warned the crowds,] “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” —John 8:24.
The crucial phrase in Scripture, somewhat disguised by our translations, is: “Unless you believe that I AM, then you will indeed die in your sins.” As John so often does, he grabs a simple phrase, fills it full to the brim with meaning, and leads us to see Jesus in a dramatically fresh way. Jesus is I AM (Exodus 3:13-14 — See Jesus’ seven “I AM” statements in John’s gospel.) Jesus is God with us in human flesh (John 1:14-18; Hebrews 1:1-3). How could God love us so much and come to us as Immanuel, God with us? (Matthew 1:23) We can’t fully grasp the depth of God’s love, but we can surely believe, be humbled, rejoice, and choose to live to bring I AM, the Lord, the glory due him (Philippians 2:6-11).