Observations on the Book of Life
The Book of Life presents the contemporary student of scripture with a problem. To first see this problem, we have to investigate resurrection. According to 1st Corinthians 15:22-26 the resurrection of the body of man follows a strict sequence. The sequence is; (i) Christ first, then (ii) “those who are His at His coming”, and finally an “end” where death is defeated by all men being resurrected (as verse 22 says, and seeing as all men proceed from Adam). Searching further into this matter brings to light a sold confirmation of this sequence.
Further, it is to be observed that whenever this Book appears in scripture, it is always connected TO WORKS. In;
Exodus 32:33, “… the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” It is WORKS that get a Jew banned from it. Implied also is the fact that he must already be in it to be blotted out.
Psalm 69:27-28, “Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.” It is again WORKS (iniquity) that gets a man blotted out of this Book. Implied again, is that he must be in it from some earlier point.
Philippians 4:3, “And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.” “yokefellow”, “labor” and “fellow-laborer” is all about WORKS. Here it is openly stated that they are already in it.
Revelation 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.” Here, the Lord talks to Christians. Implied is (i) that they are in the book, but (ii) can be blotted out. And here again WORKS are required
Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Here it plainly states that some people are not written in this Book from the beginning. Again, WORKS cause this. “Worship” is something one DOES.
Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Here, the whole plot is confirmed. These are unbelievers, their WORKS are in view, and SOME are written IN the Book and SOME not. Their judgment is based on other Books of their WORKS.
There is a modern saying; A good lawyer never asks a question he doesn't know the answer to. So I do admit having studied this subject, and I do have an already formed opinion. But I still propose, for discussion, the fact that;
The Book of Life presents the contemporary student of scripture with a problem. To first see this problem, we have to investigate resurrection. According to 1st Corinthians 15:22-26 the resurrection of the body of man follows a strict sequence. The sequence is; (i) Christ first, then (ii) “those who are His at His coming”, and finally an “end” where death is defeated by all men being resurrected (as verse 22 says, and seeing as all men proceed from Adam). Searching further into this matter brings to light a sold confirmation of this sequence.
- Christ was resurrected in about 30 AD
- The Church will be resurrected “at His Coming” - His “Presence” in the clouds (1st Thess.4:14-17)
- Israel will be resurrected at His “Revealing” from the clouds (Danl12:2; Matt.24:31; Ezek.37)
- Revelation 20 then informs us that 1,000 years go by and then “the rest of the dead” are resurrected.
Further, it is to be observed that whenever this Book appears in scripture, it is always connected TO WORKS. In;
Exodus 32:33, “… the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” It is WORKS that get a Jew banned from it. Implied also is the fact that he must already be in it to be blotted out.
Psalm 69:27-28, “Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.” It is again WORKS (iniquity) that gets a man blotted out of this Book. Implied again, is that he must be in it from some earlier point.
Philippians 4:3, “And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.” “yokefellow”, “labor” and “fellow-laborer” is all about WORKS. Here it is openly stated that they are already in it.
Revelation 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.” Here, the Lord talks to Christians. Implied is (i) that they are in the book, but (ii) can be blotted out. And here again WORKS are required
Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Here it plainly states that some people are not written in this Book from the beginning. Again, WORKS cause this. “Worship” is something one DOES.
Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Here, the whole plot is confirmed. These are unbelievers, their WORKS are in view, and SOME are written IN the Book and SOME not. Their judgment is based on other Books of their WORKS.
There is a modern saying; A good lawyer never asks a question he doesn't know the answer to. So I do admit having studied this subject, and I do have an already formed opinion. But I still propose, for discussion, the fact that;
- The Book of Life is a decider on WORKS
- The Book of Life does not have to do with HAVING eternal life (which is had by faith - Jn.3:14-16)
- Whether Christian, or Jew, or Gentile, SOME are in this Book from the beginning - and can be cast out, and SOME can be written in - based on WORKS
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