Have you ever wondered about the Lamb’s Book of Life? I
have. I used to think that when someone accepts the Lord as his personal
Savior, then someone—an angel scribe perhaps—writes his name in the Book of
Life. That could be.
But then, I read Scriptures like Revelation 3:5 and 22:19
where someone’s name was blotted out
of the Lamb’s Book of Life. Exodus 32:32-33 also talks about blotting out a
name from the Book. How does that happen?
At the last judgment, some people’s names are in this Book,
and some are not there. (Revelation 13:8, 21:27) The Book of Life contains
Christians’ names. (Philippians 4:3) Those not found there, at the time of the
last judgment will be cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15) So, whether
or not ones’ name is in the Book of Life makes the difference between heaven
and hell.
The Bible says that God is not willing that any should perish, but that
all should come to repentance (2 Peter
3:9b). Jesus shed His blood on the cross for the sins of the world, every
person in the world. And he is the
propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world (1 John 2:2).
This is my theory. (I can’t prove
it, but it makes sense to me.) I think everyone in the whole world—every person
ever born—is written into the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Jesus desires to save everybody.) Until that person has
rejected God completely or has died without Christ, his name is in the Book. If
he rejects Jesus’ payment for his sins, seriously and finally, any time before
his last breath, his name is taken off the list. This is the “unpardonable sin”
spoken of in Mark 3:29. (Now, we can’t judge another’s heart. If even the
vilest of sinners calls out to Jesus in repentance, even in his last moments of
life—like the thief on the cross—he will be
saved. We will never know until eternity what has happened in someone’s heart.)
At the end of time, at the last
judgment, those still written in the Book of Life are those who will enjoy
heaven for eternity, and those who aren’t found there are forever doomed to
hell.
Whether my theory about the Book is
right or wrong isn’t really important. It’s just something I think might be
true. When a person’s name gets
written in the Book of Life isn’t the most important thing.
What is important is the location of your
name. Is it written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Will you have eternal life through God’s Son Jesus Christ?
That whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved
(John 3:15-17).
And there shall in no wise enter into it (the New Jerusalem) any
thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:
but they which are written in the Lamb’s book
of life (Revelation 21:27).
Is your name written in the Book
of Life? If so, is your friend’s name there?
I agree with you. The Scriptures also talk about predestination, which is essentially the same idea. We're all predestined for Heaven, until we rebel against God so badly, He has no choice but deny entrance. Our salvation or condemnation is our own responsibility, not God's.
ReplyDelete~ VT
Thank you for your comment, Victor.
DeleteThat's what I think, too, Lou Ann -- that everyone's names are there until they die without Christ or ultimately completely reject Him to the point that they will never repent.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's so true that what's most important is knowing that one's name is there and won't be blotted out because one has indeed believed on the Son.