Who Did You Say That I Am

The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.

In John 8:32 Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Then why, do I have doubts about my salvation? What is truth? What does free mean? How can I know for sure that I have salvation? One cannot be free without salvation! No wonder that many have doubts about salvation. Jesus despised the religious traditions of mankind. He called those who were chained with religion’s traditions, hypocrites. He quoted Isaiah’s prophecy in Matt 15:9, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” In Vain? With no purpose? Jesus was saying, you worship in folly. He was saying to the religious leaders with their man-made rules and to their followers, you shall in no case enter into the “Kingdom of Heaven”. What is your litmus test to obtain salvation? Have you wondered about the rules and laws that you follow? What do the leaders of your religion demand of you? This book is filled with answers and with freedom. Not from my mere writings, but with clarity from the Holy Spirit emblazoned in the Holy Bible. The litmus test as a boy growing up in a church was if you did not smoke, drink, cuss, dance, be with girls, play with cards, gamble, play pool, go to bars, break any of the 10 commandments, miss church service; you might go to heaven. I think, I pretty much flunked. Non the less, that was preached from the pulpit. You will see gratitude for dedicated people who have unbelievable IQ’s in science, but you will find that even some truly great intellects fail to see a need for God. The Living God relationship is needed by every living human which does include all of the Intellects and those of us with less evolution. Included are a few of the personal happenings of my life that are clearly Spiritual. This book reveals only a few of God’s actual involvements in spite of my fleeting fellowship with Him. The mathematical probability of each is prodigious. Why do people say that “God loves us”? If you read carefully, the answer is clear. The definition of grace will be understandable. Faith is explored. Is faith really necessary? How does one know if they have faith? Do you think you are saved and yet you still sin, occasionally? For some us, maybe more than occasionally. If you do, comfort may be near. But most importantly, we are going to die. What, then? The book sometimes may have, some troubling details. Our soul will meet up with our new body and this information is more than sparsely included. What is it like in Hell? The answer is clear. It is for sure that it is not one, never-ending, great big party of like-minded individuals. The book touches on what it is like to live in hell. Eternally, to live there. Do I really exist after I die? Maybe you should get this book. I am as certain as I can be that when you finish reading you will probably think of someone that desperately needs this book.

LIFE Books managing editor, Robert Sullivan, has twice been awarded the Wilbur Award for best religion feature in a national magazine and has authored LIFE's New York Times best-selling biography of Pope John Paul II. He brings to this book his expertise on the subject of Christianity a long with text informed by the world's great scholars, theologians and religious figures. Jesus emerged from nowhere to become, in his short life-perhaps as few as 32 years-a thinker, teacher and preacher whose words and deeds would change the world and become the foundation for the world's largest religion. But the biography as outlined in the New Testament and apocryphal writings only tells us so much. LIFE's editors go, in words and pictures, in search of Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter's son who would one day influence all. The great photographer Denis Waugh once made a thorough, colorful and moving pictorial pilgrimage to the Holy Land exclusively for LIFE, and those images will anchor our quest. We will travel, as well, to the Vatican, to the missions of Africa, to the Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco-to all that has risen in Jesus, name. In the book's final section, we will look at Christianity today: Its still vastly influential place in our tumultuous world.

[This] is the most important question regarding the claims of the Christian faith. Certainly no question in modern religious history demands more attention or interest, as witnessed by the vast body of literature dealing with the Resurrection. James I. Packer says it well in his response to this debate: 'When Christians are asked to make good their claim that this scheme is truth, they point to Jesus' resurrection. The Easter event, so they affirm, demonstrated Jesus' deity; validated his teaching; attested to the completion of his work of atonement for sin; confirms his present cosmic dominion and coming reappearance as Judge; assures us that his personal pardon, presence, and power in people's lives today is fact; and guarantees each believer's own reembodiment by Resurrection in the world to come.' The Apostle Paul considered the Resurrection to be the cornerstone of the Christian faith. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the whole structure, Christianity, collapses. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:14-17, 'And if Christ has not been raised, 'our preaching is useless and so is you faith.' More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God. . . . And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile [emphasis added].' The Christian faith-and its claim to be Truth-exists only if Jesus rose from the dead. The heart of Christianity is a living Christ.

Do you know Jesus as He really is? We can speak in abstracts all day long. We can ponder who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. But he wants our confession. He wants to know, “Who do you say that I AM?” How we answer defines our lives both now and forever. This 8-week study in the “I AM” statements of Jesus will help women move from knowing about Him to knowing Him personally. Guiding them through significant questions Jesus asks in the Gospels—and the answers He himself provides—it will help readers: Realize the truth of who Jesus really is Grow in their ability to trust God and rely on Him fully Find the calm and peace promised in Scripture despite life circumstances Becky Harling has years of experience as a Bible teacher and women’s ministry leader. She empathizes with women and knows how to make Scripture come alive. Who Do You Say that I AM? will draw women deep into the Word for a true encounter with Christ, helping them become more confident, calm, and courageous in the faith.

Millions of people in the world today can identify themselves as Christians and thousands of churches spread across the globe. When one looks at the different and sometimes conflicting tenets propagated by these followers of Jesus it is apparent that not everybody who professes to be Christian truly knows Jesus. This book, But Who Do Say That I Am?, interrogates the individuals relationship with Christ in the context of a personal answer to this question. Some people only follow Jesus the miracle worker, who turned water into wine, and run away from Jesus the suffering servant, who cried aloud on the cross in the midst of excruciating suffering.

"Who do you say that I am?" is the absolute, most important question in your life. Who Jesus is to you shapes everything, from the way you conduct yourself in public to how you treat other people and to how genuine of a person you are. Do you fear what's after this life? Are you sure but not sure about what you believe? Who you say Jesus is, is the linchpin to all the fears and uncertainties that we all face in our lives. Is Jesus your lord and savior? Is Jesus a myth, just the name in a story? I am here to tell you, that is not the case. Jesus can and will remove all fear and uncertainty from your life if you believe. How you answer the question "Who do you say that I am?" sets you up to see glory or see misery and torment. This book is an attempt to get to the heart of the matter, who Jesus is, and not get bogged down by all manner of theology. That so often just muddies the water. Who Jesus is to you decides your eternal destiny, and nobody can answer that question but you.

Out of long involvement with adherents of many religions, Shenk dares to assert that one can be profoundly respectful of people of other faith traditions and still retain the integrity of one's own faith. -- from the Foreword by Wilbert R. Shenk Can we respect other religions and still view Christ as normative for all? Yes, says Calvin Shenk, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Eastern Mennonite University. How? Answers are not simple. However, biblical perspectives on religions provide reliable starting points for the journey. And placing Christ at the center of the quest yields clarity amid complexity. For Christians, candid commitment to the uniqueness of Christ is to be accomplished by the integrity of Christ. This leads to loving witness that includes truly dialoguing with persons committed to other religions. 'Who Do You Say That I Am?' assesses contemporary theologies of religious pluralism as well as several of the world's major religions, yet remains accessible to all thoughtful Christians.