BOOK OF LIFE, THE LORD’S REGISTER
[By Robert Arthur]
A Bible Class Booklet No. 27
INTRODUCTION
“And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another
book was opened, which is the
book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works.” Rev 20:12
The Scripture
mentions two (2) different and separate books which were
opened at the throne of God in Heaven. One book is simply referred to as ‘the Books’, from which each one of us is
going to be judged, according to what is written in that book. There is
absolutely no doubt the “books” here is talking about the Scriptures or the
Bible. John 12:48, Eccl 12:13-14.
The other book mentioned
is ‘the Book of Life’. This book will likewise contain records
of the names of all God's people in all generations. The following verses
confirm this point. “And whosoever
(speaking of a person) was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire”. Rev 20:15
Since this book
belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ, and He has that sole power to keep such
records of names in the Book of Life, the book is also referred to as the Lamb's Book of Life. Revelation 21:27 reads “but they which are written in the Lamb's book of
life. Read Rev 13:8
Therefore I can
perfectly conclude by giving this explanation that “the Book of Life” is “God’s
register book kept in Heaven, which contains the names of all the saved (believers, saints or the
children of God) who have overcome sin (Satan) through faith in
Christ Jesus, both the dead and the living in all generation”.
WHEN ARE OUR NAMES
WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?
The Word of God has
all scriptural answers to all scriptural questions. Let me show two scriptures
which directly answer this important question.
1. Christ Jesus
revealed to John when names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship
him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world”. Rev 13:8
2. Revelation 17:8 also
reads “The beast that thou saw was, and is not; and shall ascend
out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the
earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life
from the foundation of the world …….”
The phrase
“foundation of the world” appears several times in the New Testament, and in
some cases it has references to the ‘regeneration of the Christians’, ‘rebirth/born
again of the child of God’ – John 3:3-5, 1 Pet 1:23.
Let us listen to
what Paul said in Eph 1:4-5 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”
Before the ‘foundation of the world’ in context;
the Apostle Paul is saying that we were chosen at the time we were saved by
grace through faith in Christ. Eph 2:8
In 2 Tim 2:19 Paul also
exhorts us, “Nevertheless
the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that
are his. And, Let everyone that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity”.
DOES GOD KEEPS
SEPARATE BOOKS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS?
The Psalmist in speaking the mind of God acknowledged the fact
that God keeps separate books for both the righteous and unrighteous in Heaven prayed
for the unrighteous names to be removed in God’s register book of the living
(life) or they are kept separately.
Psalm 69:27-28 reads “Add iniquity
unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of
the living, and not be written with the righteous”.
Two
points are noted in these verses.
1. David
used a part of speech called ‘preposition’. “not
to be written with the righteous.” Which means ‘not to be among’,
‘mix with’, ‘together with’, ‘not to include’, ‘to write elsewhere’ etc.
2. Again, in context David was perfectly right to choose, refer or
call God’s register, ‘book of the living’ instead
of our ‘book of life’. He knew that those who are obedient to God/Christ are
the “living in Christ” (meaning they have eternal life here in this life and after
life – Ps 34:11-15, Pro 8:35-36). This confirms the statements Christ made. John
3:15, John 11:25
ARE THERE SOME NAMES
ALREADY IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?
The following scripture proves that YES there are people whose
names are already written in the Lamb’s book of life.
The Apostle Paul who had the greatest opportunity to take a trip
to Heaven of course mentioned one dear Christian disciple, Clement and certain
unnamed Christian women in the Philippian’s church, whose names were in the book
of life. “And I
entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with
me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.” Phil 4:3
DOES GOD FOREVER
WRITES OR HE ALSO ERASES NAMES FROM THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE?
There are some Christian churches who do not believe that God
sometimes removes or erases some names that already written in His book. This
belief goes back to the doctrine of “Once Saved, Forever Saved”, call it
“Eternal Security of Believers”. This doctrine teaches that once you are saved
from your past sins, your salvation is forever secured no matter what lifestyle
or sins you may commit afterwards your conversion.
But yet the Word of God has a lot to say about God erasing names
from His register book. The scriptures also give us information of what to do
to secure our registered names.
1. On one occasion the Lord’s servant Moses pleaded for his name
to be cancelled (blotted out) from the Lord’s register. But just listen to what
the Lord had to say “And
Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great
sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin;
and if not, blot me (erase, cancel, remove), I pray thee, out of thy
book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever
hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” Exo 32:31-33
2. John gives
another reason why our names could be removed from God’s register book in Revelation
22:18-19. “For
I testify unto every man that hear the words of the prophecy of this book, If
any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues
that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of
life, and out of the holy city, and from
the things which are written in this book.”
3. In Revelation 3:5,
Christ gave us an assurance by telling us how our names are secured in
the book of life. “He
that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot
out his name out of the book of life”.
This promise is for
the
faithful unto death Christians – Rev 2:10, those who will endure with Christ unto
the end – 1 Pet 1:13, Heb 3:14. They are the only legitimate children
to have their names untouched in the book. On the other hand those who could not
finish the race – 2 Tim 4:7-8, quit following the Lamb – Rev 14:4, of
course were blotted completely out from the Lamb’s book of life according to
the scripture.
HOW IMPORTANT TO
FIND YOUR NAME WRITEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?
Let me bring you to the following texts to see how important to find
your name written in the Lamb’s book of life.
1. Christ Jesus called it the greatest joy. “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the
spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are
written in heaven”. Lk 10:20
2. Those have access
to enter into the Holy City. When John was describing the beauty of
the Holy City of God and its occupants thereof. He said the entrance to the
city was only opened for those whose names were in the book of life.
“And they shall bring the glory and honor of the
nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defiles,
neither whatsoever worked
abomination, nor make a lie: but
they which are written in the Lamb's book of life”. Rev 21:26-27
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