The Book of Life
Something to Consider
In the time the Lord has given me, I like to start the first part of my day by reading His Word. During my devotion not too long ago, I came across a particular passage, Revelation 3:5. This, in context, is a letter written to the Church of Sardis. The text reads, Jesus speaking, "The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels." I thought: What can we gather from this reference to the "book of life?" So I began searching through the Scriptures to dig up what I could.
The Lord has Spoken
All those who belong to God are written, in the past tense, in the "book of life" (Revelation 13:8, 17:8, & more). What came to mind is God's sovereignty in salvation, eternal security, and the unbreakable promises attached to them. Revelation 20:11 talks about the Great White Throne Judgment. During this time in the future, books will be opened, one of which is the book of life. Everyone's name written in this book will inherit eternal life and reside with God in His goodness forever in the new heavens and earth. But what about this other book or books mentioned in Revelation 20? At the same time, outside of the book of life, everyone's name found in these other books are the ones "thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). According to Revelation 21:8, this is the second death, the final destination for all those found guilty before God.
To give clarity, God at this time will judge and ensure justice is served fairly to every one according to how they have lived. The names found outside of the book of life will result in a place the Bible describes as eternal conscious punishment. The "second death" is to not be understood as ceasing to exist, as some believe, but rather as a continual ruination that never ends (Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). That's a heavy truth! But what's even more remarkable in weight is understanding when God wrote these names in the book of life. For that understanding, we can go to Revelation 13:8, which reads, "and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written (past tense) before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the lamb who was slain." Did you recognize what that reads? Who are the ones who belong to God? If your name is found, where? Scriptural answer: "In the book of life." When did this happen? Scriptural answer: "Before the foundation of the world." God has spoken! It is done! Who can change what the Lord has made known (Isaiah 40:5)?
Intimately Known
God chose you in eternity past (Ephesians 1:4)! God wrote down your name in the book of life! What an immeasurable assurance of peace and hope we have given to us in God's Word! A promise, coming from God who cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18), these books, unaltered until the time of judgment, will then be opened. "Jesus will declare your name to His Father, and before His angels" (Revelation 3:5). No matter how much doubt falls upon you in life or when you feel like you are alone and abandoned, you can have peace in knowing that God saves completely, to the uttermost, to the very end (Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 7:25). Hear the words of Jesus in John 6:37-40, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose nothing of all that He has given Me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Nothing can snatch you out of the hands of God (John 10:28-29). No power, no opposition, nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). This is peace from understanding the truth of God's sovereignty in salvation and eternal security. Salvation depends not on human will and effort but on God, who has mercy (Romans 9:16). In His sovereign power and grace, we rest! It reminds me of the Gospels where Jesus is sleeping in the stern (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25). Peacefully asleep, though outside the storm was raging, Jesus knew He was secure in His Father's hands. We can have that same confidence now, knowing that before judgment comes, we will be among those standing on God's right side when the books are opened, secured in our Father’s hands for the storm that awaits those who have rejected Him.
Come, you who are blessed by my Father
Matthew 25: 31-46 talks about the final judgment of how the sheep will be separated from the goats. Here is when those on the left, on the wrong side, will be judged according to the book or books that are not written in the book of life. The result of this judgment is found in verse 41, Jesus speaking, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." But all those who stand on the right side will be judged according to the book of life. The judgment here is found in verse 34, "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Very similar language to Revelation 13:8 and 17:8. Another Scriptural reference is found in Daniel 12:1-4 where the context is also regarding the time of the end. Starting at the latter part of verse 1, "But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
Kept by God in Christ Through His Spirit
There are more references to the book of life in the Bible and other passages that will continue to strengthen and sustain you in the Lord. The Bible is a gift given by the Giver to guide us as we pursue the goal of our salvation. It's not an easy road, there will be hills and valleys, hardships and persecutions, but because of God and His faithfulness, you will endure to the very end (1 Kings 20:28; Matthew 5:10-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:3). During your life as God's child, hold tightly to His promises given to us in His Word! When God has begun this good work of salvation in you, the Bible promises that you are secure in Christ (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30; Titus 3:5; Romans 8:15-16; 1 Peter 1:3-5).
The Lord's Faithfulness Endures Forever
I'm constantly reminded of how great our God is and how hopeless I am without Him. I'm so grateful for those reminders! The Lord gives those to me; even though those are difficult times, they are worth it! So I delight in giving you two more passages from our Sovereign's Word. May God bless you! Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you continue to trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." And finally, Psalm 117, "Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol Him, all peoples! For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!"