The Book of Life

[bzmomo7]

Ok, I need some help. I understand that all believers have their names written in the Book of Life. I've never really given it much thought, I just thought pertaining to the human race, either your name is there or it's not. Well, I had a friend tell me that everyone's name is written there and then they are blotted out if they don't trust Christ as their Savior. Humph. I was just not so sure about that. I looked up all the passages with "Book of Life", blotted/blot etc. There sure isn't much to go on. Revelation 17:8 and Revelation 13:8 are interesting verses. I was taught early on in a non-IFB church that the names have been written in the Book of Life from the "foundation of the world". I began to think about this business of blotting out names from the Book of Life...............can someone explain why that happens? When were you taught the Christian's name was written in the Book of Life? I am a little confused. I also read the thread about children going in the rapture or not--wow interesting topic! Could this be connected? This seems like such an important topic in some ways. How we view it may effect how we approach our children with the Gospel.

[JerryNumbers]

Re 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Re 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.



Its quite clear, everyone's name is written in this book originally, yet those who have Jesus as Savior will not be blotted out and all others will be blotted out.

[bzmomo7]

Re 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Re 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.



Its quite clear, everyone's name is written in this book originally, yet those who have Jesus as Savior will not be blotted out and all others will be blotted out.

Let me be clear right from the start that I'm not trying to argue, and that I'm trying to understand this position clearly from God's Word--before I start asking questions. I don't want anyone accusing me of anything other than looking for the Truth. If it is true that all the names of humankind are written in the Book of Life, then at what point are the ones who are not saved blotted out? (My friend who told me this did not have enough background to explain it, only the fact she took the teaching at face value. I want Scripture.) Edited August 16, 2010 by bzmomo7

[Crushmaster]

There is no evidence in Scripture to suggest that everyone's names were written in the Book of Life at the beginning, and that the unsaved folks names are later blotted out. The Scriptures declare in those verses from Revelation you mentioned that Christians' names have been written in the Book of Life since the beginning.
God bless,
Joel ><>.
2 Chronicles 7:14.

[anime4christ]

Re 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Re 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.



Its quite clear, everyone's name is written in this book originally, yet those who have Jesus as Savior will not be blotted out and all others will be blotted out.

If the names of the unsaved were written in the Book, but were blotted out, they would still be in there, just with "ink" over them. It says that whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. That means their names were not written there. Now before anyone jumps on me about my views on election, I want to say that it doesn't matter whether you believe in an election or not, but if you believe in an omniscient God who knows the end from the beginning, you have to admit that only those who will be saved are written in the book of life since God knows ahead of time who will be saved. Otherwise, you will be erasing God's omniscience and heading towards open theism/monilism.

[Covenanter]

Exd 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Psa 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Phl 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.

Rev 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.

Rev 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.

Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Rev 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.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.

I submit that the book of life includes references to living sinners who are punished by death. (Exd 32:33 & Psa 69:28)

Otherwise it is the book of all the redeemed, compiled before creation. Verses such as Rev. 3:5 are a promise of protection, not a thread of erasure.

Rev. 22:19 is not a threat of erasure, but a statement that sinners have no part in the book of life.

[bzmomo7]

Exd 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Psa 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Phl 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.

Rev 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.

Rev 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.

Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Rev 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.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.

I submit that the book of life includes references to living sinners who are punished by death. (Exd 32:33 & Psa 69:28)

Otherwise it is the book of all the redeemed, compiled before creation. Verses such as Rev. 3:5 are a promise of protection, not a thread of erasure.

Rev. 22:19 is not a threat of erasure, but a statement that sinners have no part in the book of life.

When you say "living sinners who are punished by death", what do you mean exactly?

[bzmomo7]

I'm surprised that we haven't heard from more pastors on here about this topic. What were you all taught about this in Bible college??

[ptwild]

Is it not possible that the "Book of Life" is a figurative phrase? I don't believe God is standing behind a podeum in heaven with an ink pen in his hand writing down everyone's name at the moment their faith in Christ is manifested. I see it more as we humans' best attempt to illustrate the fact that only those who have accepted Christ will ever receive his salvation.

[bzmomo7]

Is it not possible that the "Book of Life" is a figurative phrase? I don't believe God is standing behind a podeum in heaven with an ink pen in his hand writing down everyone's name at the moment their faith in Christ is manifested. I see it more as we humans' best attempt to illustrate the fact that only those who have accepted Christ will ever receive his salvation.

I'm pretty sure that this one is the real thing. God is keeping track of mankind.....literally.

[ptwild]

I'm pretty sure that this one is the real thing. God is keeping track of mankind.....literally.

Do you believe that God needs a literal book to keep track of us? We are talking about God here. He knows how many hairs are on our heads - I'm pretty sure he can remember if we have accpeted his son as our Lord and Saviour.

[Pastor Matt]

Do you believe that God needs a literal book to keep track of us? We are talking about God here. He knows how many hairs are on our heads - I'm pretty sure he can remember if we have accpeted his son as our Lord and Saviour.

Of course God can keep track, but if God wants to write it down, why can't He? What is limiting God from writing it down?

God could have created the world by just thinking it, He decided to speak it. Does that mean that he could not just think it? No, it is just that God decided not to do it that way. To say anything otherwise would be to limit God.

[ptwild]

Of course God can keep track, but if God wants to write it down, why can't He? What is limiting God from writing it down?

God could have created the world by just thinking it, He decided to speak it. Does that mean that he could not just think it? No, it is just that God decided not to do it that way. To say anything otherwise would be to limit God.

I have a feeling God "could" do anything he so wills.

[bzmomo7]

Do you believe that God needs a literal book to keep track of us? We are talking about God here. He knows how many hairs are on our heads - I'm pretty sure he can remember if we have accpeted his son as our Lord and Saviour.

Absolutely not--God does many things for our benefit as humans. Did God really NOT know what was going on in Sodom and Gomorrah? Of course, He knew.....he was showing Abraham what a personal God He is.

Genesis 18:20-21 "20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know."

[Pastor Matt]

I have a feeling God "could" do anything he so wills.

Exactly, so He can use a book if He wants to. To say anything else is limiting God's ability.