Steve Nearman A sinner saved by grace. Fredericksburg, VA

In Rev 17:8 we find that The Book of Life is from the foundation of the world.

The Saved are in the book of life, there names WILL NOT be blotted out.

Phil 4:3 Clement and fellow laborers (Christians) - names are in the Book of Life.
Rev 3:5 The saved, those "clothed in white garments", names will not be blotted out of Book of Life (those that are in Christ Jesus).
Rev 21:27 but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (will enter "the holy city, New Jerusalem")


The Unsaved names are not in the book of life, they have been blotted out of the book.

Ex 17:14 I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 
Ex 32:32-33 Whoever has sinned against Me (rejected), I will blot him out of My book. 
Rev 20:12 another book was opened, which is the book of life (at the great white throne)
Deut 29:20 the LORD would blot out his name from under heaven. 
Psa 9:5 You have blotted out their name forever and ever. 
Psa 69:28 blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous. 
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life (is cast in the lake of fire, second death)
Rev 22:19 God shall take away his (rejecter of God who tamper with His word) part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 

So we see names are in the book of life. We see names being blotted out of the book of life. We never see any names being written into the book of life. Therefore we can conclude that all names are in the book (from the foundation of the world). Those who’s names are in the book have a place with God. To have your name blotted out you must reject God’s plan of salvation.

For a person to reject God they first have to be able to understand they are a sinner and God has a plan for their redemption. Children and the mentally handicapped do not have the capability to accept or reject something they do not understand. God does not hold us accountable for what we do not know. (Gen 20:1-6, 1 Tim 1:12-14, Rom 7:7-11) The age of accountability for each individual is know to God. Everyone is accountable for what they know. Jam 4:17 It is his Spirit that delivers the message of salvation. He knows who and when each person accepts or rejects Him and those who do not have the comprehension to do so do to immaturity or impairment. The only unforgivable sin is rejecting God’s message, blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. Mark 3:29, Luke 12:8-10 You have to understand before you can reject.

Those who reject have had their names blotted out of the Lamb's Book of Life. They will stand before God at the "great white throne" judgement. Those who are innocent or saved are not blotted out. They will not be at the great white throne judgment.

Perhaps someone has heard the Gospel several times but has not made a commitment to accept or reject God’s offer of redemption. Not accepting or believing is the same as rejecting salvation. John 3:18 There is no one that will be able to say; "I never knew God had a plan." Rom 1:16-21, Psa 19 God, at some point in everyone’s life, makes Himself known in a way they understand.

August 07 2014 • 8 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Anthony Clinton Teacher in China

Firstly for a person to be written in the Book of Life they must have had an experience that gave them such a privilege. When the 70 had returned from their missionary journey they were demonstrating their joy over their power given by Christ to cast out devils. Then Jesus told them not to joy over their power over devils but to be joyful that their names were written in heaven. Luke 10:20 

This must be referring to the Lamb’s Book of Life and only those who have experienced the rebirth can have such a privilege because in Revelation 22 : 19, 
Rev_22:19 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. 
It shows us that those who are written in that book they have a part in the “new Jerusalem” which is the Holy City we know as heaven and all the promises therin.

To be blotted out of the Book of Life is to lose your initial destiny to be in Heaven. No unbelievers are written in there because if they were written in the Book of Life, they will go to heaven and would not need the Gospel.
Revelation 21:22 Describes Heaven and God and the Lamb are the Temple and anyone that is not in the Book of Life shall enter that place. So we can conclude firstly only Christians can only be recorded in that and that Christians can lose the privilege of being written in that book. 

I would like to refer back to Revelation 21 : 19 and elaborate on certain facts in the verse. This scripture is not written to fake believers or unbelievers but written to true Christians whose names are written in the Book of Life. How do we know that? Because they are already in that Book and will lose that privilege if they commit the serious crime of adding to or taking away from it. What it boldly declares is that if you commit that crime you will lose the destiny you once had. It is the same idea of being blotted out of the book of life and in Revelation 3 : 5 anyone who did not overcome in the Church of Sardis would be blotted out (eradicated) from that book. Unlike popular doctrines such as eternal unconditional security, the truths of people being blotted out remain. 

Judas was written in the Book of Life but “Judas by transgression” lost his place in that Book. In Matthew 19 : 28 Jesus addressing the twelve Apostles declares to them, which included Judas, that they would be judging the twelve tribes in the New Jerusalem and sitting on twelve thrones. Judas had left all to follow Christ and had all the same privileges of that calling but Judas lost that position and was blotted out of the Book of Life. 

Moses in Exodus 32 : 32 33 said, 
Exo 32:32 "Please forgive their sin; but if you won't, then remove my name from the book in which you have written the names of your people." 
Exo 32:33 The LORD answered, "It is those who have sinned against me whose names I will remove from my book." 

So there are certain sins that can be committed to have you lose your privilege for eternal heaven. One of the sins is to add to or take away from the prophecy written in the Bible. If you dared to do such you would be removed from the Book that only those who remain recorded in it will be allowed into heaven. 

The certain sins that can cancel one's position in Christ are mentioned and one of them is the sin of failing to abide continually in Christ, another would be the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and another the sin of apostasy mentioned in Hebrews 10. And in summary, the sin of removing holy truth or adding words to the Holy Scripture is another. 

A final word to make sure there is no confusion and that is that a Christian struggling with sins in their life is not going to lose their salvation unless those sins turn them away from abiding in Christ, and even if a person stops abiding in Christ at some time are not immediately broken off and cast into the fire. They can repent and go on to abide in Christ.

August 05 2014 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Derrol PORTER Emancipated by the Liberating King

It seems that God's book of life has every name of every person who has ever been conceived.Only those who receive eternal life remain in the book,as recorded as in the Lamb's book of life. Those who do not become born again by faith in Jesus the Lamb are blotted out and will experierence the second death as stated in Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 21:8. Jude 1:12 talks about being doubaly dead. I believe God wants all to have life, but knows who will accept eternal life and who will not.

April 02 2018 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

Good question, Anthony! 

Revelation 13:8 [which Jennifer Rothnie already referred to in her comment] says: “And all who dwell on the earth will worship [the beast], everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

I memorized Revelation 13:8 when I was younger.

To me it teaches that anyone found written in the book of life will not worship the Beast. Those not written in it, will. God's power will continually keep the righteous ones in there. His sovereignty will. He won't let you fall. He won't let you apostatize. I agree with John Piper:

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/can-i-be-blotted-from-the-book-of-life

(8 minutes)

It's a serious warning. I rejoice that my name is recorded in Heaven (Luke 10:20)-- "Nevertheless," Jesus replied, "Do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but REJOICE THAT YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN" (He told His disciples) --another good verse to memorize, btw. I have told others personally about this. But this only happens because the Lamb (Christ) was "slain from the foundation of the world" for you! You gotta respond to that personally though (Matthew 10:32).

December 17 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

BRIAN TORRES

This thread is five years old but, of course, very relevant for today. I just wanted to say that I know many have doctrinal baggage that they bring to the scriptures. Exegesis teaches that in order to read the scripture as it should be read we need to reject the practice of eisegesis and allow the scripture to says what it says in context without muddying our understanding of it with man-made ideas or opinions. 

That said, much of what is being argued here is based not on what is actually contained in the text, but based on a certain systematic. Steve's points, though some may see them as threatening to a certain orthodoxy, are more consistent with a proper exegesis of the text.

December 15 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report