傑克是一位哲學和文學教授，頭腦聰明。他在15歲時宣稱自己是無神論者，並在成年後堅定捍衛他的「無神論信仰」。基督徒朋友都想說服他，正如傑克所說：「看來每個人和每件事物都在試圖說明有一位上帝。」但他也不得不承認，聖經有別於其他文學作品和神話。關於福音書，他寫道：「如果真的有神話變成了事實，那應該就是福音書的記載了。」

對傑克影響最深的一段經文是出埃及記3章。上帝呼召摩西帶領以色列人出埃及。摩西對上帝說：「我是什麼人，竟能去見法老？」（11節）上帝在回答時告訴摩西：「我是自有永有的」（14節）。這節經文的含意深遠，表明上帝自始至終永恆的存在。值得深思的是，及至新約，耶穌也同樣宣稱：「還沒有亞伯拉罕就有了我。」（約翰福音8章58節）

這段經文深深打動了這位傑克教授，也就是日後著名的護教家魯益師。這位獨一真神只需要簡單的一句話，表明祂「是自有永有的」，就讓魯益師深信不疑。在那改變生命的時刻，魯益師降服了，並承認上帝就是真神，開啟了他信仰的旅程。

也許我們像魯益師剛開始那樣，很難全然接受基督信仰，或是對信仰不冷不熱。那我們或許應該問問自己，上帝是否確實是我們生命中「自有永有」的主宰。

Jack, a professor of philosophy and literature, had a brilliant mind. He’d declared himself an atheist at the age of fifteen and in adulthood adamantly defended his “atheistic faith.” Christian friends tried to persuade him. As Jack put it, “Everyone and everything had joined the other side.” But the Bible, he had to admit, was different from other literature and myths. About the Gospels he wrote: “If ever a myth had become fact, had been incarnated, it would be just like this.”

One Bible passage became most influential to Jack—Exodus 3. God was calling Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (v. 11). God responded, “I am who I am” (v. 14). This passage is a complex play on words and names but reflects God’s eternal presence from the beginning. Interestingly, later Jesus echoed the same when he said, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58).

Jack, better known as C. S. Lewis, was deeply persuaded by this passage. This was all that the one true God should need to say—simply that He is the “I am.” In a life-changing moment, Lewis “gave in, and admitted God was God.” This was the beginning of a journey for Lewis toward accepting Jesus.

Perhaps we struggle with belief, as Lewis did, or maybe with a lukewarm faith. We might ask ourselves if God is truly the “I am” in our lives.