The Book of Life
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:36 pm
So consider me a bit of a soteriologist . . . I can't think of a better doctrine to specialize in. I have yet another "common assumption" that I'd like to challenge. This is an issue I encountered a couple of years ago, and it came up again recently. I defended it in passing in the OSAS debate (wasn't that a classic thread?!?).
Here's the basic question: how does one have his (or her) name written in the Book of Life? The universal answer seems to be, "You are added to it when God saves you." I disagree.
There are eight major places we find the book of life mentioned in Scripture. They are Exodus 32:32-33, Psalm 69:28, Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5; Revelation 17:8, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 20:12-15, and Revelation 21:27.
If I can summarize each of these for space interests, I would say that Exodus, Psalms, and Revelation 3:5 are references to names being blotted out. Philippians (along with the Psalm as well) reference the righteous being written in the Book. Revelation 13:8 and 17:8 talk about those not written in the Book worshipping the beast. Revelation 20:12-15 tell us that those not found in the Book are condemned for eternity, while Revelation 21:27 tells us that those found in the book will enter into Heaven.
Now, the first of these categories, for me, is the most interesting. We are told in four places that a name can, apparently, be removed from the Book. Of these, Revelation 3:5 gets the most attention and is typically written off as a statement of absolute negative to prove a positive point. This is, actually, the most common way to deal with it by those who adhere to the doctrine of OSAS. Jesus isn't actually saying He will blot out the names of those that don't overcome. He's just emphasizing the point that He will not blot out the names of those who do!
Well, given the other three references, I think that's probably not the best interpretation. The plain implication seems to be that a person's name can be blotted out of the Book of Life. God flat says in Exodus 30:32-33 that He will blot out the names of those who had sinned against Him with the golden calf, and in Psalms 69:28, David actually asks God to blot out the names of his enemies.
But wait. How can they be blotted out if they are not written in the Book in the first place? And would David have been inspired by the Holy Spirit to ask God to do something that was theologically impossible?
To me, the best way to overcome all this is to take it that the Book of Life is a record of every person who has ever lived. Simply by being born, one's name is entered into the Book. If this is correct, the question is not whether or not you get written into the Book, but whether or not you stay in the Book. And how do you stay there? By "overcoming" the world. By not "sinning against God." In other words, by being counted as righteous.
Who, then, are righteous? We know that only those who have put their faith in God are counted as such. Therefore, only the righteous will not be blotted out. The moment one is sealed in death and in sin, his name is removed from the Book.
On a final note, Revelation 13:8 and 17:8 may seem to pose a problem for this interpretation, but I submit these actually offer some of our strongest support. In these passages, we are told that those whose names are not written in the Book will worship the beast. However, we should also note that these are the same people who have taken the mark. For these people, there is no salvation (Rev. 14:8-11). Even yet alive, these people's fate has been sealed. But why? The answer is that upon receiving the mark, their names were blotted out. Being blotted out, they worshipped instead the beast, thus sealing their rejection of Christ.
In conclusion, as I looked through these passages, I found it interesting that while there are references to the removal of names, there is never references of the adding of names. We know two things for sure. First, the names of the righteous will be in the Book for all of eternity. Second, the names of the unrighteous will be removed from the Book. I don't see what other conclusion we can be left to come to.
Thoughts?
fakeedit: there are actually about a dozen other references that may have some bearing on this discussion, but they would be very debatable. For an easy way to get to them, search the word "blot" in a KJV concordance. You will find an interesting study in this as it relates to how the word was used and what that implied for the people or things being blotted out.
Here's the basic question: how does one have his (or her) name written in the Book of Life? The universal answer seems to be, "You are added to it when God saves you." I disagree.
There are eight major places we find the book of life mentioned in Scripture. They are Exodus 32:32-33, Psalm 69:28, Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5; Revelation 17:8, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 20:12-15, and Revelation 21:27.
If I can summarize each of these for space interests, I would say that Exodus, Psalms, and Revelation 3:5 are references to names being blotted out. Philippians (along with the Psalm as well) reference the righteous being written in the Book. Revelation 13:8 and 17:8 talk about those not written in the Book worshipping the beast. Revelation 20:12-15 tell us that those not found in the Book are condemned for eternity, while Revelation 21:27 tells us that those found in the book will enter into Heaven.
Now, the first of these categories, for me, is the most interesting. We are told in four places that a name can, apparently, be removed from the Book. Of these, Revelation 3:5 gets the most attention and is typically written off as a statement of absolute negative to prove a positive point. This is, actually, the most common way to deal with it by those who adhere to the doctrine of OSAS. Jesus isn't actually saying He will blot out the names of those that don't overcome. He's just emphasizing the point that He will not blot out the names of those who do!
Well, given the other three references, I think that's probably not the best interpretation. The plain implication seems to be that a person's name can be blotted out of the Book of Life. God flat says in Exodus 30:32-33 that He will blot out the names of those who had sinned against Him with the golden calf, and in Psalms 69:28, David actually asks God to blot out the names of his enemies.
But wait. How can they be blotted out if they are not written in the Book in the first place? And would David have been inspired by the Holy Spirit to ask God to do something that was theologically impossible?
To me, the best way to overcome all this is to take it that the Book of Life is a record of every person who has ever lived. Simply by being born, one's name is entered into the Book. If this is correct, the question is not whether or not you get written into the Book, but whether or not you stay in the Book. And how do you stay there? By "overcoming" the world. By not "sinning against God." In other words, by being counted as righteous.
Who, then, are righteous? We know that only those who have put their faith in God are counted as such. Therefore, only the righteous will not be blotted out. The moment one is sealed in death and in sin, his name is removed from the Book.
On a final note, Revelation 13:8 and 17:8 may seem to pose a problem for this interpretation, but I submit these actually offer some of our strongest support. In these passages, we are told that those whose names are not written in the Book will worship the beast. However, we should also note that these are the same people who have taken the mark. For these people, there is no salvation (Rev. 14:8-11). Even yet alive, these people's fate has been sealed. But why? The answer is that upon receiving the mark, their names were blotted out. Being blotted out, they worshipped instead the beast, thus sealing their rejection of Christ.
In conclusion, as I looked through these passages, I found it interesting that while there are references to the removal of names, there is never references of the adding of names. We know two things for sure. First, the names of the righteous will be in the Book for all of eternity. Second, the names of the unrighteous will be removed from the Book. I don't see what other conclusion we can be left to come to.
Thoughts?
fakeedit: there are actually about a dozen other references that may have some bearing on this discussion, but they would be very debatable. For an easy way to get to them, search the word "blot" in a KJV concordance. You will find an interesting study in this as it relates to how the word was used and what that implied for the people or things being blotted out.
Doesn't need real books.