"God Is" vs. "I Am Not"

 

"God Is" vs. "I Am Not"

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Item	“God Is”  (Believing God Is)	“I Am Not”  (Denying Self / Without Faith It Is Impossible)
Meaning	Believing God is: acknowledging the unique, eternal God — “I AM WHO I AM.” He alone is reality and Lord over all. Faith’s essence is to believe that He is.	Denying self: acknowledging man’s lack and temporariness, ceasing to be self-centered, and allowing Him to be everything. Faith naturally leads to self-denial.
Fundamental Distinction	Focuses on God’s existence and sovereignty; faith rests on the certainty that “He is.”	Focuses on man’s deficiency and crucifixion (“It is no longer I”); self-denial is the outcome and action of faith.
Examples	— Enoch was taken up by faith (Heb. 11:5); a God-centered spiritual walk. — Moses faced God’s name: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exo. 3:14).	— Paul: “I have been crucified with Christ… it is no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). — Jesus: “Deny himself and take up his cross” (Luke 9:23).
Practical Application	— In prayer and Bible reading, first acknowledge God’s “is.” Seek His will rather than relying on self. — In daily matters (shopping, marriage, work, service), use “He is” to test actions.	— Practice self-denial: ask “Is it me or Him?” and accept the reality of being crucified. — In relationships (marriage, service), lay aside self-glory and let Christ work and love through you.
Spiritual Result / Effect	— Brings God’s pleasure (Heb. 11:6); faith joins man to God, making Him the only reality. — Produces stability by anchoring hope in the eternal “is.”	— True freedom and unity (“It is no longer I, but Christ”); not limited by self in trials. — Purification and maturity in personal life and relationships (marriage, service).
Relation to Eternity	Only “I AM WHO I AM” is eternal and unchanging. All things are temporary; men and things will not last (2 Cor. 4:18; John 3:15–16).	Man’s temporariness drives self-denial. Realizing “I am not” sets hope in Christ’s eternal reality.
Key Scriptures (Expanded)	Exodus 3:14 “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’” Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” John 8:58 “Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’” John 3:15–16 “That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”	Luke 9:23 “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

 

Core Point:

Faith has two inseparable sides: to believe that God is (the eternal, unchanging “I AM”), and to acknowledge I am not (denying self and ceasing from self-effort). True faith both exalts God and nullifies self.

Conclusion:

Only God truly is — the eternal “I AM.” Man, the world, and all visible things are temporary and fading. To believe “God is” means to rest in His reality and sovereignty; to confess “I am not” means to deny self and allow Christ to live in us. Together, this is the essence of biblical faith that pleases God.

 

*Please refer to the June 2025 Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part 3), Chapter 8: Looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Our Faith