It takes a lot to believe the true meaning of “Before Abraham was born, I am.” See John’s Gospel chapter 8. It takes truth. It takes the kind of faith the apostles had. A true feeling for what Jesus is saying by this. He is. His spirit transcends time, the spirit of Jesus as Christ”. Christness transcends time. Spiritually, in all times, there is Christness. There is a kind of Christ which is beyond limits to a particular time period. Jesus is that. By believing that Jesus is this Christ, you believe the truth in His saying “I am”. Otherwise, you limit Jesus too much and do not believe in Him enough. If you believe He is limited to the period of His earthly ministry, like the Jews did by objecting that Abraham lived outside of Jesus’ timeframe, you do not believe in Him as being the Christ, in spirit being beyond those limits. If you believe He is limited by timeframe then you will not believe He can carry on saving you eternally. Then you die in your sins, by thinking yourself outside of Jesus’ reach and by that kind of thinking you are stopping Him saving you. We should imitate the faith Peter and John had, as their writings reveal. Peter spoke of Christ being manifested in Peter’s own time but of the Spirit of Christ having influenced prophets centuries before that time. The writer of Hebrews in scripture wrote of Jesus Christ being the same yesterday and today, and so on forever.
