Book Of Life - What Is It? - Whose In It?

I once heard an evangelist ask this question at a revival meeting.

Is your name written in the Lamb’s book of life?

At the time I did not know or have an opinion.  And it turned out, he did not know either, but he did have an opinion.  He said that we are entered in the book when we make a decision for Christ, and those who do not make that decision are left out, or blotted out, to be eternally condemned to hell.  Then he appealed to the crowd to repent and accept Jesus so that your name could be written in the book of life. So up to the alter I went, an act in which I would repeat almost every time revival services came to town...until I started studying the Bible for myself.

Here is what I think about the book of life after reading all Scriptures, including those which reference that book.

Anyone who is born and is alive is in the book of life (they’re alive).

And anyone who dies is blotted out (they’re dead).

Well that is a bummer isn't it?

Well yes, if it were not for the good news that God is not willing that any should “perish” (stay dead-totally destroyed).

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish (stay dead) but have everlasting life…The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

And so, we have been given the good news to share…

“And I make known to you, brethren, the good news that I proclaimed to you…that Christ died for our sins, according to the Writings, and that he was buried, and that he hath risen on the third day, according to the Writings…Christ hath risen out of the dead -- the first-fruits of those sleeping he became, for since through man [is] the death, also through man [is] a rising again of the dead,  for even as in Adam all die, so also in the Christ all shall be made alive...the mortal must put on immortality…then shall be brought to pass the word that hath been written, The Death was swallowed up – to Victory” (1 Corinthians 15 YLT)

All mankind started out as mortals written in the book of life, and all mankind are blotted out because all mortals sin.  However, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, after he took upon himself the sin of the world, guarantees us that mankind will not “perish”.  He is “the first-fruits of those sleeping” and all others will be raised and inscribed in the Lamb’s book of life, this time righteous, and immortal, so that death can never again blot them out.

“God was in Christ — a world reconciling to Himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses…him who did not know sin, in our behalf He did make sin, that we may become the righteousness of God in him… he is a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world,” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 1 John 2:2 YLT)

Universal Reconciliation

Edward Beecher determined that the doctrine of eternal conscious torment was only taught in one of the 6 main theological schools of early Christianity. He says that in the second century Universal Reconciliation was taught in 4 of those schools. See following link…

(https://books.google.com/books?id=1eCBAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA129&lpg=PA129&dq=Edward+Beecher+six+theological+schools&source=bl&ots=wCunNL2FNE&sig=bDrBxELT5l9c-8meyL7nRySPGd8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj8-YHB8dnSAhWrjFQKHcj2BFYQ6AEIPzAG#v=onepage&q=Edward%20Beecher%20six%20theological%20schools&f=false)

Nevertheless, the doctrine of eternal conscious torment promoted by the school in Carthage, influenced by Tertullian and later championed by Augustine has become the principal dogma of both Catholic and Protestant evangelicals. 

It’s popularity of course does not make it true. Remember that the Law of Moses was defined and refined by the various rabbis in their schools over a period of about 2000 years before Christ Jesus was born. And Jesus had this to say about the predominant views of the most influential rabbis….

“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men” (Matthew 15:7-9)

And the Apostle Paul said this about the teaching of those Rabbis…

“These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility…” (Colossians 2:22)

The Apostle Paul wrote this about those Rabbis after in Chapter 1:20 he had said that God through Jesus will "reconcile to Himself all things"…

“He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and THROUGH HIM TO RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence.” (Colossians 1:3-21)

The members of the early churches had an excuse for following the doctrines of men. Few of them, if any, had a complete copy of the Scriptures, especially those which came from the Apostle Paul. We have no such excuse.

I have read too much of the writings of the Christian apologists (both Catholic and Protestant) who characterize God as a sadistic hedonist (one that gets pleasure from the suffering of others).

I believe the bible clearly teaches that God through Christ Jesus will in his time "RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross".

I read the bible on my own and abandon the doctrines of those men that deny what I read.

Fellowship In The Synagogue

"I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken." (John 12:46-48 NLT)

There are some, like my wife and I, who quit going to church without quitting God, and most of humanity have never gone to a church.  Nevertheless if they trust in Jesus "to save the world", they are not "in the dark". 

It is rejecting the "message" that Jesus came "to save the world" and will succeed in what He came to do that "will be judged".

"For God did not dispatch His Son into the world that he should be judging the world,  but that the world may be saved through him..." ... "For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified..." ... "God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of conciliation"(John 3:17 CLNT; 1 Corinthians 15:22 CLNT; 2 Corinthians 5:19)

This "word of conciliation" is the free gift of salvation to the world which resulted from the blood of the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world.  It is a done deal, whether people in the Synagogue believe it or not. 

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

Failing to obey all the laws and rituals of religious institutions will not be judged, however there will be a judgment that will take place based on the "message" and "truth" about Jesus, the "Lamb of God".  

Again, the message and truth that will be judged is that God sent Jesus to be the "Savior of the world", and He succeeded.  This message first came to the Jews through the Apostle John, then to the Gentiles through the Apostle Paul.

"And we have gazed upon him, and are testifying that the Father has dispatched the Son, the Savior of the world..." ... "Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.." ... "we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.  These things be charging and teaching." (1 John 4:14 CLNT; 1 Timothy 1:15 CLNT; 4:10-11 CLNT)

The "day of judgment" will concern itself with whether this "truth" was believed when heard, and those who do will receive the reward of "the praise of God".  

Judgment is not to condemn anyone to eternal punishment, but to reveal and burn up the heretical teaching of religious men composed of "wood, grass and straw" used to build upon Jesus Christ who is "the Way and the Truth and the Life". 

"Jesus is saying to them - I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one is coming to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 CLNT)

Fire will consume all false teaching.  Those who build with them will themselves be saved, yet what they taught will be "made apparent" and burned up in the revealing fire.  And those teachers of false doctrine, whether sincere or not, will not receive the "praise of God" for their work, regardless of how long they labored...

"For other foundation can no man lay beside that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone is building on this foundation gold and silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, each man's work will become apparent, for the day will make it evident, for it is being revealed by fire.  And the fire, it will be testing each one's work - what kind it is.  If anyone's work will be remaining which he builds on it, he will get wages.  If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

Christians talk of judgment as synonymous with God being Just.  And they teach that a Just God must cast unbelievers into a never ending torture chamber they call hell.  Does a just father torture his children? - of course not, such a father is put in an insane asylum or put to death. The meaning of the Greek and Hebrew words translated "just" in the bible means to do what is "right".  It is right for a loving God to save His sinful children when He has the power to do so, and it would be wrong for Him to punish them forever. 

Such teaching is heresy, pure and simple, not "truth".  The "truth" that will be the basis of judgment is whether people believe that God succeeded in sending His Son to "save the world" from its sin.  

Most Christians believe in Jesus but few will admit that Jesus is the "Savior of all mankind" because of what they hear in the church. And some fear they will be censured from fellowship if they bring it up.  They are right to fear, it happened to me. They remind me of those of the Synagogue who believed in Jesus...

"Many people did believe in him, including some of the Jewish leaders.  But they wouldn't admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.  For they loved human praise more than the praise of God."  (John 12:42-43 NLT)

There was fellowship with other unbelievers in that "synagogue", but God will not praise anybody for attending.

Is that True?

"...faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God..." (Romans 10:17)

Faith does not come from hearing the word of men, but "the word of God".

So how do we distinguish between the two?

If you hear it from another man, or read it in a commentary, it is the word of man. Not necessarily wrong, but just a man's opinion. It may be received with joy, then tested by the "word of God" in a properly translated copy of the Scriptures.

"...they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11)

When I hear someone say "God told me", or "God lead me", or "God impressed on me", I just remind myself that it is his opinion of what he was told, how he was lead or what he was impressed to do. Equating the word of men to the word of God has lead to countless divisions among Christianity over the last 2000 years. Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day...

"...you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down." (Mark 7:13)

It is not the teaching, rebuking, correcting and training from the word of men that is useful. Too much of that is going around these days. However "all Scripture" is useful...

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16)

Next time you hear a sermon, pay close attention to what is read out of the Scripture, and examine closely everything else that is said with this question...

Is that true?

Predestination - No One Left Behind

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with the shout of the chief messenger, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians  4:16-18)

So, how does one get “in Christ”?

“…He chose us in him before the creation of the world...In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace...having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will…" (Ephesians 1:4-11)

OK, predestined, we are all in. 

So what does hearing about it and believing do for me? 

It makes me aware of my inclusion in Christ, the good news of my salvation. And the Holy Spirit (the power of God) within me guarantees my inclusion and salvation.

“…you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit…” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

So all are included "in Christ" as the choice of God "before the creation of the world".  When He gifts us the faith to believe the good news (gospel) we receive the seal of assurance.  It is God's gift of faith that allows us to realize this truth. A few gain knowledge of God's "grace" and "kindness" to mankind in this age. It comes by hearing this good news from others...

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!...So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (Romans 10:12-17)

Few there are who share the real good news in this age, or were ever aware of it. Therefore most will not become believers until the age to come, when, after their resurrection, they hear it from Christ Jesus himself.

“...because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God...” (Ephesians 2:4-8)

It is the predetermined will of God that all die, but no one will be left behind.

"As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, each in its own order, Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at his coming..." (1 Corinthians 15:22-23)

The Fate of the Ungodly

Many Christians continue to insist that God intends to torture ungodly folks for all eternity --- so here is another attempt to remind you of what His Bible teaches on the subject of punishing sin.

“The wages of sin is DEATH…” (Romans 6:23a)

That is not difficult to understand. The Godless hell of Greek Mythology was invented to control the masses, and is accepted without proof by those who deem it unjust for godly people to have the same fate as the ungodly. Again, this is what God says...

"...but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23b)

Ungodly people should be punished by social justice as well as by God. And a just society should put the most wicked among us to an early death for the protection of the rest of us. God has given governments of men that responsibility.  The fact that they often do not is a problem with our liberal do-gooders, not the justice of God. Our prisons are full of repeat offenders who cost the not so wicked free people billions of dollars to house them.  Capital punishment should be expanded, not declared unconstitutional.  

HOWEVER, don't equate death, the just punishment for sin declared by God, with sadistic eternal conscious torment.

Again, the “wages of sin is death”. And we all sin.

OK, what about the common teaching that Jesus paid the price for our sin so we don't have to?  No he didn't.  How many Godly people do you know that have not or will not die?

Jesus died “FOR our sin" because he had no sin of his own to die for. He did not die to pay for our sin so we don't have to, but to identify completely with mankind, and show us what happens after death and give us hope and peace. He took our sin upon himself and died like all sinful people do.  And just as Jesus was resurrected, so all sinners will be resurrected, judged and eventually made righteous because of the truly righteous work of the ONLY man, Christ Jesus, who lived perfectly obedient to God and by his blood will justify and reconcile all condemned sinners to God.

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for ALL men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for ALL men. For as by the one man's disobedience (Adam) the many (all men) were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience (Christ Jesus) the many (all men) WILL BE made righteous”…”God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation… He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (Romans 5:18-19; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21 )

He has committed to us this "word of reconciliation". However, only a few, like the Apostle Paul, seem to understand this good news, much less tell anyone about it.  Despite all the religious commentary to the contrary, only the grace of a merciful God and the righteous faith of Jesus Christ will get anyone beyond death and into heaven. And if even one sinner doesn’t make it to heaven, then none of us do, and worse, if the Mythological Greek hell were real, we would all end up there because…

”…it is written, there is none righteous, not even one." ...”The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.”  (Romans 3:10; Jeremiah 17:9)

It seems "desperately wicked" to invent a god that will supernaturally resurrect the ungodly after death in order to torture them endlessly. Faith that one will be saved from such a fate by various works such as believing, repenting, accepting, confessing, joining, baptizing, evangelizing, obeying, etc. is a religious work to do to join a tax exempt religious group, but it is not saving faith, and it will not be credited to anyone "as righteousness".  Only faith in a God who "justifies the ungodly" will be "credited as righteousness".

"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness." (Romans 4:5)

What motivates God to justify "the ungodly" after they are punished for sin by death?  The LOVE of a Just Father..

"God is love."..."For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the UNGODLY...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."..."Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, IT KEEPS NO ACCOUNT OF WRONGS." (1 John 4:8; Romans 5:6-11;1 Corinthians 13:4-5)  

The "wrath of God" is finished in the death of the sinner. The "wrongs" have received their punishment in the death of the sinner. There is no further record kept of those wrongs and so...

"As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)

After we die, we are "saved" from the "wrath of God" (death) by our resurrection to life by Christ Jesus who is the first fruits to be resurrected, and we should "fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith".  

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God...Christ has indeed been raised from the dead the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  For as in Adam ALL die, so in Christ ALL will be made alive.” (Hebrews 12:2; 1 Corinthians 15:22)