Alright, since we have discussed the identity and function of the "book of life", let us now move on to attend to certains doctrine flying here and there concerning it.
1. There was an Old Testament "book of life."
In the OT the “book of life” (or its equivalents) was a register of the citizens of the theocratic community of Israel. To have one’s name written in the book of life implied the privilege of participation in the temporal blessings of the theocracy, while to be erased or blotted out of this book meant exclusion from those blessings. In other words, this book had reference to the rights of citizenship for the Jewish people. This was recorded in Ex. 32:32.
Also, we have it recorded again...
“So Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin – but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.’ But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book’” (Exod. 32:31-33)
2. Not all of God's "books" are the Lamb's book of life.
The concept of a “book” was also used to portray God’s all-inclusive decree; i.e., the very days of one’s life are ordained and written in God’s “book” before one of them occurs:
“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:16). But this does not appear to be the same as the Lamb’s book of life. There is also the notion of “books” of judgment in which are recorded men’s deeds. They serve as that by which or from which one shall be judged as recorded in Rev. 20:12. But again, however, this is not the same thing as believers having their names inscribed in the Lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the world.
3. The Lamb's book of life lists those who have been (and are to be) saved.
On most occasions where the Lamb’s book of life is mentioned it refers to the register of those who have been chosen for salvation from eternity past. It is not temporal or earthly blessings that are in view, but participation in the eternal kingdom of God as recipients of eternal life. For example:
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect” (Heb. 12:22-23).
“But nothing unclean will ever enter it [the New Jerusalem on the New Earth], nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:27).
4. Only the elect are written in this book.
It would appear from several texts that not all are written in this book, but only the elect. In Revelation, the terminology of “earth dwellers” or “those that dwell on the earth” is a standard designation for non-believers. These are the ones who “worship” the Beast (Rev. 13:8a). They are the ones “whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (Rev. 13:8b). Thus it would appear that to be one whose name has been written down before the foundation of the world is simply another way of saying that he/she is elect (see Eph. 1:4).
5. Paul makes an important reference to this book in Philippians.
The Apostle Paul spoke of his co-workers as those “whose names are in the book of life”. See it here...“I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche, to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life” (Phil. 4:2-3).
This appears to be the grounds on which he makes his appeal that they all learn to get along in love and unity, especially the two women in Philippi who were in some sort of conflict (Euodia and Syntyche). Those who are the objects of divine election, who, in spite of their well-deserved damnation nevertheless have been sovereignly and graciously chosen by God to inherit eternal life, should respond to such an immeasurable blessing by doing everything they can to get along and to work in harmony for the sake of the gospel.
6. All the names written in the book of life were inscribed in eternity past.
We see this in Revelation 13:8 and 17:8. There are two ways of translating Revelation 13:8, both of which are grammatically possible:
(1) “whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (ESV); or,
(2) “whose name has not been written in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain from the foundation of the world.”
The parallel statement in Revelation 17:8 clearly indicates that (1) is correct. There we read:
“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the best, because it was and is not and is to come” (Rev. 17:8).
Also, whereas it can certainly be said that the Lamb of God was “foreknown before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20) and that he was “delivered up [to die] by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23), what can it possibly mean theologically to say that the Lamb of God was “slain from the foundation of the world”? The point of the text is that the people who worship the beast do so because their names have not been written in the book of life.’ That is why they are deceived by the Beast.
7. You don't believe in Jesus in order to have your name written, but because your name has been written. People often ask: “What must one do to have his/her name written down in the Lamb’s book of life? Can someone whose name is not now written in the book do something, such as believe in Jesus, so that his/her name will be written in the book?” The answer to the first question is, nothing. The answer to the second question is, No. Names are inscribed in the book of life before the foundation of the world. This is by God’s sovereign and altogether gracious choice. You don’t believe in Jesus in order that your name will be written in the book. You believe in Jesus because your name has already been written down in the book. To those who do not presently believe in Jesus, we say: “Repent and believe!” If they do, it is because their names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world.
In other words, one does not have his/her name inscribed at some point in human history or as a result of anything he/she may do or believe. Belief in Jesus is the fruit of having one’s name inscribed in the book of life, not its cause.
8. God has not chosen to reveal to us the names written in the Lamb's book of life.
It is none of our business. We are not free to speculate about it. What he has revealed is the responsibility of each individual to repent and believe the gospel. If a person does not believe the gospel, he has no one to blame but himself. If he does believe the gospel, he has no one to praise but God.
None of us deserves to have his/her name written down in God’s book. We all deserve eternal damnation. The only explanation for why a hell-deserving sinner has his/her name written down in the Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world is because God is gracious and merciful and wishes to provide his Son with a Bride that will enjoy his glorious presence and love for eternity. Had God chosen not to inscribe anyone’s name in his book, he would have done no one an injustice.
Amen.
1. There was an Old Testament "book of life."
In the OT the “book of life” (or its equivalents) was a register of the citizens of the theocratic community of Israel. To have one’s name written in the book of life implied the privilege of participation in the temporal blessings of the theocracy, while to be erased or blotted out of this book meant exclusion from those blessings. In other words, this book had reference to the rights of citizenship for the Jewish people. This was recorded in Ex. 32:32.
Also, we have it recorded again...
“So Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin – but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.’ But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book’” (Exod. 32:31-33)
2. Not all of God's "books" are the Lamb's book of life.
The concept of a “book” was also used to portray God’s all-inclusive decree; i.e., the very days of one’s life are ordained and written in God’s “book” before one of them occurs:
“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:16). But this does not appear to be the same as the Lamb’s book of life. There is also the notion of “books” of judgment in which are recorded men’s deeds. They serve as that by which or from which one shall be judged as recorded in Rev. 20:12. But again, however, this is not the same thing as believers having their names inscribed in the Lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the world.
3. The Lamb's book of life lists those who have been (and are to be) saved.
On most occasions where the Lamb’s book of life is mentioned it refers to the register of those who have been chosen for salvation from eternity past. It is not temporal or earthly blessings that are in view, but participation in the eternal kingdom of God as recipients of eternal life. For example:
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect” (Heb. 12:22-23).
“But nothing unclean will ever enter it [the New Jerusalem on the New Earth], nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:27).
4. Only the elect are written in this book.
It would appear from several texts that not all are written in this book, but only the elect. In Revelation, the terminology of “earth dwellers” or “those that dwell on the earth” is a standard designation for non-believers. These are the ones who “worship” the Beast (Rev. 13:8a). They are the ones “whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (Rev. 13:8b). Thus it would appear that to be one whose name has been written down before the foundation of the world is simply another way of saying that he/she is elect (see Eph. 1:4).
5. Paul makes an important reference to this book in Philippians.
The Apostle Paul spoke of his co-workers as those “whose names are in the book of life”. See it here...“I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche, to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life” (Phil. 4:2-3).
This appears to be the grounds on which he makes his appeal that they all learn to get along in love and unity, especially the two women in Philippi who were in some sort of conflict (Euodia and Syntyche). Those who are the objects of divine election, who, in spite of their well-deserved damnation nevertheless have been sovereignly and graciously chosen by God to inherit eternal life, should respond to such an immeasurable blessing by doing everything they can to get along and to work in harmony for the sake of the gospel.
6. All the names written in the book of life were inscribed in eternity past.
We see this in Revelation 13:8 and 17:8. There are two ways of translating Revelation 13:8, both of which are grammatically possible:
(1) “whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (ESV); or,
(2) “whose name has not been written in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain from the foundation of the world.”
The parallel statement in Revelation 17:8 clearly indicates that (1) is correct. There we read:
“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the best, because it was and is not and is to come” (Rev. 17:8).
Also, whereas it can certainly be said that the Lamb of God was “foreknown before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20) and that he was “delivered up [to die] by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23), what can it possibly mean theologically to say that the Lamb of God was “slain from the foundation of the world”? The point of the text is that the people who worship the beast do so because their names have not been written in the book of life.’ That is why they are deceived by the Beast.
7. You don't believe in Jesus in order to have your name written, but because your name has been written. People often ask: “What must one do to have his/her name written down in the Lamb’s book of life? Can someone whose name is not now written in the book do something, such as believe in Jesus, so that his/her name will be written in the book?” The answer to the first question is, nothing. The answer to the second question is, No. Names are inscribed in the book of life before the foundation of the world. This is by God’s sovereign and altogether gracious choice. You don’t believe in Jesus in order that your name will be written in the book. You believe in Jesus because your name has already been written down in the book. To those who do not presently believe in Jesus, we say: “Repent and believe!” If they do, it is because their names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world.
In other words, one does not have his/her name inscribed at some point in human history or as a result of anything he/she may do or believe. Belief in Jesus is the fruit of having one’s name inscribed in the book of life, not its cause.
8. God has not chosen to reveal to us the names written in the Lamb's book of life.
It is none of our business. We are not free to speculate about it. What he has revealed is the responsibility of each individual to repent and believe the gospel. If a person does not believe the gospel, he has no one to blame but himself. If he does believe the gospel, he has no one to praise but God.
None of us deserves to have his/her name written down in God’s book. We all deserve eternal damnation. The only explanation for why a hell-deserving sinner has his/her name written down in the Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world is because God is gracious and merciful and wishes to provide his Son with a Bride that will enjoy his glorious presence and love for eternity. Had God chosen not to inscribe anyone’s name in his book, he would have done no one an injustice.
Amen.
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