Tagged: book of life
Erased from the Book of Life
This is another in a series of excerpts from The Book of Life: What the Bible Says about God’s Registry of the Redeemed from High Street Press and available at Amazon. This except comes from Chapter 16: I Will Never Erase His Name: Revelation 3:5.
In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels (Rev. 3:5 CSB).
While the words of Jesus to the faithful in Sardis are comforting reminders of God’s preservation of the saints, we must acknowledge that many passages of Scripture speak of names being erased, or blotted out, of certain books, including the book of life. Following is a sampling of such verses; brief commentary follows.
Exodus 32:32-33 – “‘Now if you would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book you have written.’ The LORD replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will erase from my book.’”
This conversation between Moses and Yahweh occurs after the golden calf incident at the base of Mount Sinai. Sensing God’s wrath against the idolatrous Israelites, Moses offers to perish with his fellow countrymen – an offer the Lord refuses.
Continue reading I Will Never Erase His Name: Revelation 3:5
This is another in a series of excerpts from The Book of Life: What the Bible Says about God’s Registry of the Redeemed from High Street Press and available at Amazon. This except comes from Chapter 16: I Will Never Erase His Name: Revelation 3:5.
“But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy. In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels” (Rev. 3:4-5).
Christ’s letter to the church in Sardis echoes a troubling thought proclaimed in other Scriptures: the possibility that certain people may have their names erased from the book of life. Jesus tells believers in Sardis that “the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life” (Rev. 3:5).
Is Jesus simply reassuring the faithful in Sardis that their names are securely recorded in heaven? Or is Jesus hinting that it’s possible for genuine believers to lose their salvation?
If believers may lose their salvation, how and when might it be lost? Can they get it back? Under what circumstances is the golden chain of redemption, which Paul reveals as God’s saving work across time and eternity, broken (Rom. 8:29-30)? Put another way, is it possible for the redeemed to sever God’s foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification? If so, does human freedom trump God’s sovereignty?
These are challenging questions that confront the doctrine of eternal security. So, we might ask: What point is Jesus trying to make in his message to the church in Sardis?
Continue readingA Festive Gathering
This is another in a series of excerpts from The Book of Life: What the Bible Says about God’s Registry of the Redeemed from High Street Press and available at Amazon. This except comes from Chapter 15: Assembly of the Firstborn: Hebrews 12:23.
In previous posts [read #1; read #2], we spent considerable time exploring John’s vision of New Jerusalem, which the writer of Hebrews describes as “Mount Zion … the city of the living God” (Heb. 12:22). Now, with this setting in view, we may better envision the inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem.
First, we see “myriads of angels.” The Greek word translated “myriads” is myrios. It may mean “ten thousand,” as in Jesus’s parable of the unforgiving servant, who owed his master ten thousand talents (Matt. 18:24). It also may mean a large number, as in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, where he tells them, in exaggerated terms, they may have “countless instructors” (myrios paidagogos; 1 Cor. 4:15). Or it may mean a number so large, it cannot be counted; this seems to be the application in Hebrews.
Angels are created spirit beings who dwell in the unseen realm. Holy angels surround God’s throne in heaven, battle fallen angels in the heavenlies, and come to earth at God’s command as “ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14). In his vision of heaven, John sees a vast host of angels: “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands”(Rev. 5:11). Moses tells the Israelites that God came to him from Mount Sinai with “ten thousand holy ones” (Deut. 33:2).
Continue readingKey Features of New Jerusalem – Part 2
This is another in a series of excerpts from The Book of Life: What the Bible Says about God’s Registry of the Redeemed from High Street Press and available at Amazon. This except comes from Chapter 15: Assembly of the Firstborn: Hebrews 12:23.
The previous post intoduced us to some of the key features of Mount Zion, also known as New Jerusalem. Now, we examine more features of the heavenly city.
New Jerusalem lacks a temple, stellar lights, a closing time, and anything unclean (Rev. 21:22-27)
After a detailed description of New Jerusalem’s exterior, John turns his attention inside the city walls. He notes first the absence of a temple “because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (v. 22).
Historical Jerusalem is known as the city of God because his presence resides there in the temple (1 Kings 8:10-13). The people of God approach him through a mediator, a high priest who offers atoning sacrifices for the peoples’ sins in the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement.
The atoning blood is carried through a thick veil and sprinkled on the mercy seat, above which the Shekinahglory blazes. There, the wrath of God is satisfied, and his mercy is extended to sinful creatures. All this activity inside the cube-shaped holy of holies bears forward-looking significance. The day is coming when God himself provides a sacrifice: the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Continue readingKey Features of New Jerusalem – Part 1
This is another in a series of excerpts from The Book of Life: What the Bible Says about God’s Registry of the Redeemed from High Street Press and available at Amazon. This except comes from Chapter 15: Assembly of the Firstborn: Hebrews 12:23.
The previous post intoduced us to Mount Zion, which stands in contrast with Mount Sinai. In this post, we note several key features of this heavenly city, also known as New Jerusalem.
New Jerusalem is a holy city (Rev. 21:2, 10)
Humans have built many great cities over the centuries, from ancient Babylon to modern-day Tokyo. But New Jerusalem is unique in that it is a city built without hands. The writer of Hebrews tells us Abraham saw New Jerusalem from afar. He may have lived in tents as a foreigner in the Promised Land, but “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10).
New Jerusalem is a holy city because it is the city of God. It is his home, and he invites us to live there forever with him. It is a holy place because God is holy – set apart, unique, perfect, and righteous. God’s otherness sets him apart from all creatures. He is eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere present, unchanging, and transcendent. Wherever God visits creation, that place is holy ground, as Moses and Joshua experienced (Exod. 3:5; Josh. 5:15).
In our future resurrection and glorification, we’re fully conformed to the image of Christ. That is, we are perfected in body, soul, and spirit, prepared to take up everlasting residence in the holy city.
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