I AM

"Who do you say that I am?" 

Matthew 16:15

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again (Rev. 2:8).

We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (1 Jn. 5:20). Since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him (Rom. 6:9). Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living (Rom. 14:9). This is what the LORD says--Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God (Is. 44:6).

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open (Rev. 3:7).

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." -- Matthew 16:19

I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:18). I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open (Is. 22:22). What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man he imprisons cannot be released (Jb. 12:14). If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven (Jn. 20:23).