IS YOUR NAME FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?
In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, chapter 20:11-15 it is written:
“And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 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. And the sea gave up the dead, which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead, which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The Word of God shows us here what will once happen with every unbeliever after death: a confrontation with the Judge on the great white throne, where he shall be judged according to all what he has done, and unless his name is written in the book of life, he will be cast into the lake of fire.
Therefore the heading of this text is a very serious question!
All the more where we read in verse 10 of the same chapter that the devil is also there, “and shall be tormented day and night, for ever and ever.” Really a terrible place this lake of fire.
In Romans 3:23 we read:
”For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Mind you: All! Without exception.
Every body is a sinner in the eyes of a Holy God, which means that we all shall be cast into that lake of fire, also called hell.
Somebody may ask: how can you say that God is love if He will allow these things?
It is true that God is love, but it is only half the truth, for God is also Light, that means Holiness. Nothing is hidden for Him. The consequences of God being Holiness is that, if God in His love should turn Himself to man, this Holiness would consume man immediately.
For this dilemma now, God in His Love towards us has found a solution.
In John 3: 16 we read:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
He has given His only begotten Son and He, the Son of God, who came on this earth, was the only Man without sin.
Let us suppose that somebody, standing for the great white throne would ask the favour that he should be punished instead of his child or his friend. The judge will answer him that it is impossible, for he himself shall be declared guilty for his own sins.
Only a sinless Person can say,” take me in his place.”
That is why the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Man without sin is the only one, who can be the substitute for somebody else. And that is exactly what has taken place on the cross of Golgotha, where He has taken upon Him the guilt of everybody who believes this. Everybody who sees and accepts that he is a sinner and who confesses his sins to God, believing that the Lord Jesus has suffered and died also for his sins, his name shall be written in the BOOK OF LIVE.
Behind his name in the books - (the books of Rev. 20:12 wherein all the works we have done and all our sins are written) - God will write down, “his sins have already received the punishment. My Son has been punished in his place,” and He will refer to the book of life.
Perhaps it is even more scriptural to say: “his name is blotted out of these books. “It will be covered by the blood of the Lord Jesus.” And not only his name but all the things, the sins he has done are no more to be found in the books.
In Romans 5: 1 we read:
”Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This is said from those whose names are written in the book of life. They are justified, and have peace with God by faith.
This is the position now of those who were once lost sinners, condemned to be cast into the lake of fire. They are now justified, have peace with God by faith! That means: not by doing good works, or keeping the 10 commandments, by being baptised, nor any other religious duty.
God in His love and grace is offering eternal life by faith, and this is the very opposite of eternal death. God is offering itnow, today!
2 Corinthians 6:2 says“...behold now is the accepted time; ..........behold now is the day of salvation.”
There are not many things one can be sure in this world. In fact only one thing is sure as is written in Hebrews 9:27:
”... it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment.”
Death is the only certainty we have in this world, but not the date of our death, and therefore the word now is so important.
Dear reader I finish with a part from 2 Corinthians 5:11: ”Knowing the terror of the Lord...” and continuing with verse 20“..... we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
May today for you be the day of salvation. The moment your name is written in the Book of Life, there will be joy in heaven.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
(The Bible - Ephesians 2:8-9)
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
(The Bible - 1. John 1:8-9)
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God"
(The Bible - 1.Peter 3:18)