THE Answer in Two Words
From the moment humanity first gazed at the stars or contemplated the sunrise, one question has echoed through every age, every culture, and every heart: Why are we here? What is the origin of existence itself? Science, philosophy, and religion have each tried to provide answers, and though they offer pieces of truth, none seem to fully satisfy the deepest longings of the soul.
But tucked within the pages of Scripture is a profoundly simple phrase—a name, in fact—that may be the most complete, most transcendent answer ever given: “I Am.”
The Limits of Human Knowledge
Modern science has made remarkable progress in understanding how things work— Theory of Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Structure of DNA, Human Genome Project; the list goes on. But when it comes to the origin of life and existence itself, even the most prominent voices in science admit their limits.
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has stated:
“The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.”
And when asked what was before the Big Bang, he replied:
“We don’t know. Nobody knows.”
And when asked what was before the Big Bang, he replied:
“We don’t know. Nobody knows.”
Famed atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins admitted:
“The origin of life is one of the great unsolved mysteries of science.”
These aren’t the words of ignorant men. These are some of the most vocal defenders of naturalism, and even they acknowledge that when you peel back all the layers of the known universe, you are left with a void of speculation, not certainty.
The Mystery of the Beginning
While the brightest human minds humbly admit they don’t know where life or matter ultimately came from, the Bible offers an answer of simplicity and majesty.
When Moses encountered God in the burning bush and asked for His name, God replied:
“I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14).
When Moses encountered God in the burning bush and asked for His name, God replied:
“I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14).
It was more than a name. It was a declaration of eternal, uncaused, unchanging being. Not “I was.” Not “I will be.” Just “I Am.” Pure existence. No origin, no progression—only presence. Only being. While science searches for a beginning, God declares that He never began—He is.
The Power of Presence
“I Am” speaks to more than origin. It speaks to presence. We often think of God as distant, abstract, or theoretical. But the God who says “I Am” is always present. He is not trapped in the past or locked in the future. He is the God of now, which has profound implications for how we understand suffering, joy, meaning, and purpose.
You are not alone. You are not abandoned. The God who is, is with you. In the silence of doubt and the ache of loss, in the celebration of love and the discovery of beauty—He is there.
You are not alone. You are not abandoned. The God who is, is with you. In the silence of doubt and the ache of loss, in the celebration of love and the discovery of beauty—He is there.
The Answer to Identity
In recent years especially, it seems that identity dominates culture. Who am I? What defines me? Where do I belong? The world offers answers that shift at every turn, but the Bible roots identity not in performance or preference but in relationship, with the One who simply is.
When Jesus declared in John 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I Am,” He was identifying Himself as the eternal God—the same “I Am” who spoke to Moses. In doing so, He tied all truth, all identity, and all purpose to Himself. He wasn’t just giving a theological answer. He was saying, "I am the answer."
And His words carried divine authority and power.
When Jesus declared in John 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I Am,” He was identifying Himself as the eternal God—the same “I Am” who spoke to Moses. In doing so, He tied all truth, all identity, and all purpose to Himself. He wasn’t just giving a theological answer. He was saying, "I am the answer."
And His words carried divine authority and power.
The Words That Knocked Soldiers Back
In John 18, when a detachment of Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, He stepped forward and asked, “Whom do you seek?” They answered,
“Jesus of Nazareth.” And Jesus replied, “I Am He.” In the original Greek, this verse is more literally translated as: “I Am.”
What happened next was stunning:
“When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” (John 18:6)
These were trained soldiers, armed and prepared for resistance—but at the sound of those two words, they were thrown backward. His identity was not a theory or a title—it was raw, divine power.
“I Am” is not just a theological concept or a poetic metaphor; it is the name of the One whose presence causes men to fall, creation to form, and hearts to awaken.
“I Am” is not just a theological concept or a poetic metaphor; it is the name of the One whose presence causes men to fall, creation to form, and hearts to awaken.
The Answer You’ve Been Searching For
“I Am” is the declaration that someone exists who is not a part of the created order but the author of it. He is not defined by time, space, or matter—but all time, space, and matter are defined by Him. The universe finds its meaning not in a theory or an equation but in a Person.
From the greatest minds of science to the deepest questions of the human heart, one truth remains: we are all searching—for meaning, for identity, for answers. But what if the answer has already been spoken?
From the greatest minds of science to the deepest questions of the human heart, one truth remains: we are all searching—for meaning, for identity, for answers. But what if the answer has already been spoken?
“I Am.”
Not a theory. Not a guess. Not a myth.
A name. A presence. A Person.
Not a theory. Not a guess. Not a myth.
A name. A presence. A Person.
To the Christian: Let this be your comfort and confidence—you are not adrift in chaos. The God who says “I Am” is not just the beginning of existence—He is with you now. In your struggles, your joys, your fears—He is. He is enough. He is near.
To the seeker and the skeptic: If even the most brilliant voices of science confess “we don’t know” about the origins of life, then you owe it to yourself to consider the one answer that has stood unchanged for millennia: “I Am.”
You were made to know the One who is. You were created not by accident, but on purpose—by a God who never began, never ends, and never leaves.
Come to the One who is the answer.
Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I Am.”
He is not just the answer to the universe.
He is the answer to and for you.
Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I Am.”
He is not just the answer to the universe.
He is the answer to and for you.
Author Bio:
Guest blogger Paul Varnum, Senior Video Producer for Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, has worked with ministries such as Focus on the Family, where he was involved in series such as That the World May Know and Answers in Genesis, where he was responsible for getting the video department up and running and directed the award-winning Demolishing Strongholds film series. He now lives between Maine and New Jersey with his wife, Holly, and loves to spend time with his children and grandchildren.
Guest blogger Paul Varnum, Senior Video Producer for Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, has worked with ministries such as Focus on the Family, where he was involved in series such as That the World May Know and Answers in Genesis, where he was responsible for getting the video department up and running and directed the award-winning Demolishing Strongholds film series. He now lives between Maine and New Jersey with his wife, Holly, and loves to spend time with his children and grandchildren.
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