The Book of Life

It is written in Psa 69:28: Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous . It is also written in Rev 3:5: He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels.

From the scriptures above, there is a particular book in heaven. King David called it the book of the living, meaning the righteous, for God is a God of the living and not the dead (Mark 12:27). Why? Because if anyone dies in the Lord, though he were dead, yet shall he live (John 11:25). Our Lord Jesus Christ called it the book of life. Is it not written that out of two or three witnesses shall every word be established? So then, there is a book. And in this book the names of the righteous are written. Who are the righteous? Everyone that confess Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior? No. It is anyone that already does this confession and lives that way, without sin today, not yesterday. He is righteous, for righteousness is not only of faith as some may say but also of works (James 2:21-26). Is this not also written in the scriptures in Rom 6:20? That when ye were servants of sin ye were free from righteousness? That all sinners (irrespective of belief in the Lord) are unrighteous before a holy God? Who is a servant of sin, some may ask? Anyone that commits sin. Is this not also written in John 8:34? So if you are in any sin today, you are not righteous before God and that is the way he sees you. He counts you with the wicked whether you believe it or not. You must confess your sin today, and then forsake them so you have no record of sin at any moment before the Father. Having done this, then you are righteous before God.

When did this book come into existence? Before the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8). It was prepared to be a record of the redeemed even before the beginning (Rev 13:8, 17:8), not that names of all men that will be eventually saved in the end of days were put as far back, but that the plan to have such a book was made then. Now, the puzzle is that the scriptures say people’s names can be blotted out of this book (Rev 3:5, quoted above by our Lord himself); so that on a particular day, a man’s name can be in it at sunrise, and no longer written therein by sunset. Names of men can and will be blotted outof it when sin is committed. God himselfsaid that this would happen (Ex 32:32-33, Psa 69:28, Rev 3:5, 22:19) and He must be relied upon and believed. His Words, not man’s, is definite, not doubtful, and universal, and eternal in application.

The book of life was first mentioned in the scriptures in Ex 32:32-33 and it was mentioned as the book wherein all the names of the righteous are written. It is referred to in all scriptures under various terms, being called: the book of the living (Psa 69:28), the book (Dan 12:1), thy book, and my book (Ex 32:32-33), and the Lamb’s book of life ( Rev 21:27). The fact that book of life does not appear in these passages explicitly does not mean that the reference is to another book. Just as we have several names for the bible e.g. the Holy Scriptures (Rom 1:2, 2 Tim 3:15), the oracles of God (Rom 3:2, Heb 5:12, 1 Peter 4:11), the word of God (Mark 7:13, Rom 10:17, Heb 4:12), the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17), and others; so we have several names for the book of life. The scriptures teach plainly that God blots the name of sinners out of His book (Ex 32:32-33). King David also prophesied this to happen concerning Judas (Psa 69:20-28). Our Lord Jesus Christ himself warned of this regarding all men who would not overcome sin but continue in it (Rev 3:5, 22:18-19).

Therefore, if the names of men who are now sinners and have never known the Lord Jesus Christ at any time in their lives are blotted out of the book, when then were they written in the book in the first place so that it is then blotted out thereafter? By the Holy Spirit, we understand by the Word of God that the book of life is a registration of all men that are born into the human race. When our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the direct agent of the Father, who also created and formed all things (Col 1:16-17) creates a soul, and this soul is subsequently born into the world by a woman, at this time the name of that child becomes written in this book, the book of life. This child’s name will remain in this book until the age of accountability when he/she is capable of committing sin against God. If he does so, his name is blotted out and remains out until he confesses his sin and forsakes them by faith in the atonement made by the blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ. He must then continue to walk with God thereafter in all holiness.

Is there any among you that still refuse to believe that names can be blotted out of the book of life? We beseech you by the mercies of our Lord to believe this truth lest Satan deceive you with a lie and subtly draw you back unto perdition. Even Aaron’s name was blotted out of this book at some time and then re-written after he had repented and Moses also had made intercession for him. That his name was already written in the book before he sinned is proved by reason that he was born again (Deut 32:18), he was holy (Ex 19:6, 22:31, Lev 11:44-45, 21:6-8), he had his name written in heaven (Ex 32:32-33), he was a prophet and a miracle worker (Lev 7:1-17), and he had seen God (proving he is holy) and had eaten with God on Sinai (Ex 24:1-11). Aaron was in God’s grace and favor until he sinned in the matter of the golden calf, for he was in charge of all Israel at that time (Ex 24:14, 32:1). That he sinned is plainly stated in Ex 32:1-6, 21-24, 30. And since God already said he would blot out the names of all that sinned against him in the manner of the golden calf, it is very clear then that he blotted out Aaron’s name along with names of others who sinned at that time. Even both God and Moses said Aaron sinned (Ex 32:7-10, 30-33). God eventually forgave Aaron and others in Israel after much intercession by Moses, and after atonement was made and sin acknowledged (Ex 32:11-14, 30-33, Deut 9:12-21). After his name was blotted out and written back in the book of life, he continued as high priest for about 38 years (Ex 39:1-43, Lev 6:9, 8:1-36, 13:1, 16:1-23).

Brethren, blotting out mean a clear and complete cancellation. A name blotted out of the book of life means that it is no longer in the book. Is your name in the book today, this moment? If the rapture does happen this moment can you say with all grace and confidence that you will hear the trumpet sound? Ah! Brethren, the trump of God shall soon sound, for the Most High himself shall blow his Golden Trumpet. Are you ready? Are you really ready and waiting for Him? We tell you the truth, the end of all things is at hand, for we have only declared what He has told us, him the Lord. If you are in any form of sin today, hear the voice of Him that has come in the Spirit of Elias; Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand! Prepare ye the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight! The coming of the Lord is at hand. It is even at the doors. May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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