Book of Life

Again, I very much appreciated last week's seminars. Mr. McNeely, Mr. Dunkel, came and presented various material to us. As Mr. McNeely went through the churches of Revelation, he focused primarily on three churches, that of Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, because those churches, as we can see in Scripture, have mindsets, attitudes that would seem prevalent at the end of the age, at the time leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. The letters to all the churches point out things we need to be aware of, and things that are actually set before us as well as a reward to those who would overcome. But Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea are really worth noting as the end-time church. As Mr. McNeely was walking through, he was going through the church of Sardis, something caught my attention. I thought, you know, I don't think I've ever given a sermon on that specific point. I've mentioned it from time to time, but never really gone to it in depth. And so today, I thought I'll go back and pull out something that he read across, and bring it to life if I can for us today in this sermon. Let's begin in Revelation chapter 3, and just quickly consider this admonition to the church of Sardis. Revelation chapter 3, this is Revelation from God the Father to Jesus Christ, which is then to His angel, to John, passed on to us in this writing. So all of us who have ears, let's see what it says. Revelation chapter 3 verse 1, to the angel of the church of Sardis, write, These things says he who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, saying, I know your works that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

In other words, you're alive, but your pulse is very, very weak, and nearly in danger of flatlining. But there is life, and the admonition is now let's stir up what remains, and let's be vibrant as a church again. Verse 2, be watchful, he says, and strengthen the things which remain, which are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

Remember, therefore, how you have received and heard. He says, hold fast, repent. Okay, two very poignant points for us to consider. We must do this at all times on our knees before God. Hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. Verse 4, he says, you have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. To walk with Jesus Christ in white means to receive eternal life and to walk forever with him in righteousness. And he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. And so today, brethren, I want to explore what the Bible has to say about the Book of Life. Here again, it's something that could be read over quickly, but it's an essential element to salvation.

Jesus Christ says, again, he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life. What is the Book of Life? What is it? How do you get your name there? Can your name be removed from the Book of Life once it is written within the pages of that book? When is it written into the book? And what does it really matter anyway?

There's actually a lot of verses, probably close to a dozen or more. Others, if you take in ones that are referring without calling it Book of Life directly, quite a number of verses cover to cover in the Bible. And frankly, it is there because it is, again, an essential key to our salvation. If our name is written there, if it is written there, life will be ours. So again, these are very important questions then to ask and answer as we consider what is the Book of Life. Because in reality, brethren, the Book of Life is the determining record for all those who will be in the kingdom of God and those who will not. That's essentially what it boils down to. The Book of Life is the determining record of those who will be in the kingdom of God and those who will not. And the lesson I want all of us to take from the message today is that you want your name written there, and you want it to remain there until the end. That's the message for today.

If you ever had an experience where you signed up for an event, maybe you received an invitation and it said RSVP. So you RSVP and you send it back, or maybe there's a registration that you register for and you're excited. You've marked it on the calendar and the day has come. And you know, you've gotten ready. You've put your clothes on that are specific for that event. You're up in time, you're out the door, you arrive, you stand in line, and you get up to the front where the person has the listing of people who are registered. And you give them your name and they say, what was that name? How do you spell it? They say, I'm sorry, your name just is not here.

You're like, but it's supposed to be there. Well, I'm sorry, your name's not here, and you've been turned away. I don't know if you've ever experienced that for yourself. I have. It's a disappointing thing to walk through, honestly. But my name should be there. Well, it's not.

Years ago, when the kids were small, we were out on a road trip. I think it was maybe one of our Orlando trips. Afterwards, we were going up to Georgia to visit some relatives. And it was late at night, probably around midnight. I had made reservations before the trip at a hotel. It was before the days of online internet registration. So you pick up the phone, you call, you make a reservation, give them your credit card number. Walked in the door about midnight. We're all tired, wanting to now check into the room. And the person says, okay, what was your name? And I give them my name, and they type on the computer. And then they say, how do you spell your last name? And I'm sorry it's not here. And I said, well, I made a reservation. And they said, I'm sorry.

Your name's not in the registry. I said, well, okay, I'll book a room anyway. What do you have? And they say, I'm sorry, sir. We're full. And simply had to, you know, turn and walk out the door.

Fortunately, we could find accommodation somewhere else. It was a temporary inconvenience, but we don't want this to be our experience with the Book of Life. Okay? Because that experience is not a temporary inconvenience. The results of this is eternal. In Revelation chapter 20 in verse 10, we find a time following the return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the saints. This is also a time following the thousand-year millennial role of Christ. And in Revelation chapter 20 and verse 10, we come to a point where there is a judgment now that is taking place on two specific groups of people. And what we're going to notice is that a central fixture to all of this is the Book of Life. Revelation chapter 20 and verse 10 says, The devil who had deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were. R has been inserted by the translators. The beast and false prophets were physical beings. They were cast into the lake of fire at the return of Jesus Christ and consumed. But Satan now and his demons are thrown into the lake of fire. They'll be tormented day and night forever and ever. Verse 11 says, Then I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And it says, And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. So there's a few things going on here that are important to take note of in verse 12. First of all, there's a resurrection that's being described here. Okay, you have the dead, small and great, standing before God. It's a resurrection unto physical life. This is what in the Church of God we have typically called the second resurrection. The first resurrection, as you'll recall, is at the return of Jesus Christ, where the saints at the sound of the seventh trumpet, the saints rise and meet Christ in the air. That's a resurrection unto spirit life. This is a physical resurrection, okay? And another resurrection unto judgment. These will live and stand before God. Now for this group, in this resurrection unto physical life, there is a judgment as well that we see taking place. It says books are opened, okay? And in the Greek, this word books is biblia. Biblia, b-i-b-l-i-a, it's a plural word. It means books. It's these books. It's the Bible. It's the books of the Word of God by which life is to be ordered. These books are opened. And when we see in this context the books being opened, we need to understand it's now access to these books in terms of understanding. It's a period of time where these individuals have come up in a physical resurrection and the books of God's Word are opened and they have now understanding and insight into these words just as you and I have.

The veil is removed and God allows, again, mankind to have insight, to have understanding. What do these words mean? Who is God? Who is his Son Jesus Christ? And what is God offering in terms of salvation? All these individuals who have ever lived and died without knowing God and truly knowing Him, knowing what it is that he has to offer, will gain an understanding at this time. So these books are opened then to their understanding and they're given an opportunity to live it for a period of assessment and ultimately a period of judgment. And how do we know that?

Well, we know that because, again, another book is opened, which is the book of life.

An opportunity for their name to be written in. Understanding the God's Word and the book of life are both open, which, by the way, describes the same kind of judgment that you and I are under today as the Church of God. We won't turn there, but 1 Peter 4 verse 17 describes that. 1 Peter 4, 17 says, the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. We're under judgment today because these words have been opened up to us today by God's Spirit. He's given us insight and understanding. You know, what else has been opened up to us as the firstfruits today, the book of life? Again, the opportunity for our name to be recorded. And that's why Peter declares that judgment is on the house of God today because we stand in evaluation of these things. And the question remains, will our name be written in there forever? So we have this group, then, that has come up.

And the books are open, and the book of life is open to them. Now, if we move into verse 13, we see another category of people who will be resurrected and judged. It says, the sea gave up the dead who were in it. The sea at times, as well, is a reference not just to, say, a watery grave, but to the nations. You recall earlier in Revelation, the beast comes out of the sea, comes forth from the nations. Okay, so Revelation 20 verse 13, the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one according to his works. All right, so what you're going to notice about this grouping of people who are resurrected is that it does not say the biblia are open, that the books are open to them, nor does it say the book of life will be open to them either. It merely states that they will be resurrected, and they will be judged according to their works. And that's because our understanding of this is that this is a resurrection unto condemnation. It's what the church has traditionally termed the third resurrection, is a resurrection unto judgment, and it's comprised of those who have already had the Word of God and the Book of Life opened to them previous to this. And yet that opportunity was dismissed, let go, refused, even perhaps, and they now stand at a place of judgment by the works based on, frankly, what they knew, again, what had been opened to them in this life.

And so there is no future opportunity offered, as it would appear in this verse, for those who come up in this resurrection to be written in the Book of Life again. And frankly, brethren, this is a sobering warning, but it also should be a positive motivator for us as the people of God today as well.

Verse 14 says, then death in Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

And so this is very much where the rubber meets the road in terms of the Book of Life and the weight that it carries. The clear description of the Bible is that a person will be either all the way in to the kingdom of God or all the way out. There will be no middle ground. There will be no, oh, maybe your name was written in, but it's kind of, I don't know, the page is kind of sunbleached.

I can't really, can't really see. Or maybe it was a race, but not quite all the way. That's not how this works. Again, it is an offer unto eternal life as a member of the family of God. And we will either be all the way in or all the way out based on whether or not our name is found in the Book of Life. All humanity at this point will either be changed into part of the spirit family of God or they will be destroyed if they refuse and reject God into the Lake of Fire.

Anyone not found written in the book is cast into the Lake of Fire. So again, it's a sobering reminder, but it's very clear and very important for us to understand as well. And we say, well, maybe my name was written in there. And if it's written in there, once upon a time, could the judgment be different if it was perhaps removed?

Could we plead our cause? Well, again, there's time. God is long suffering and He gives us time. Time to come to repentance, time to always be reconciled, but there comes a time where a judgment is made. Not to minimize the situation, but just maybe give an illustration. A number of years ago, our family went to the feast in Port of Vallarta. And I know a number of people in this area have been to the feast in Port of Vallarta.

What happens when you check in at the front desk? At least back in 2014, they put this bracelet on your hand, right? And that bracelet was the key to the good life, wasn't it, during the feast, if you're at the resort. It got you into all the restaurants and got you up to the grill at the beach, you know.

You want to get some chicken strips or a burger or some food down at the beach. You want to get a drink, it got you up to the bar and a drink, you know. You had, as long as you had that bracelet on, that was your ticket. But what happened when the feast was over and you checked out? I remember that morning the gal at the desk bent over, picked up a pair of scissors, and snipped that bracelet off, right?

And we're waiting for the transport bus to come now and take us back to the airport. It was about a 45-minute wait, and I remember just kind of sitting there. And it's kind of hot, it's kind of humid, and I thought, huh, I wonder. Margarita sounds kind of nice about now. I mean, one just before you head off for a plane flight. So I wandered over and I'm just like, hey, my friend!

And he says, hey, my friend, you know, we've known each other for a week. And I said, well, you know, it's not here, but any chance a margarita before I zip out? Oh, I'm sorry, my friend, no bracelet, no drink. I said, well, but there was a bracelet. See, here's the tan. I've been in Mexico for a week. Here's the tan, the bracelet's been here.

He said, I'm sorry, my friend, no bracelet, no drink. And that was, again, not to make light of the situation, but that is simply the result. Perhaps even if our name was written in, the record of Scripture is it could be flotted out. So clearly, the takeaway from all this, brethren, is that you and I want our names to be written in the Book of Life, because our eternal life depends on it.

The concept of the Book of Life can be found in a number of places again. It's first mentioned specifically in the Book of Exodus. So let's go back to Exodus chapter 32, because here we see an incident involving Mount Sinai, the golden calf, and God's servant Moses.

Exodus chapter 32, in verse 25, again, the first mention of the Book of Life here in the Bible, it says, Moses, when he saw that the people were unrestrained, for Aaron had not restrained them to their shame among their enemies, Moses comes down the mountain, remember, with the tablets of stone, God's commandments. The people said, we will do all that the Lord has said, these commandments of stone, of God's commandments. And he shows up to this debauchery. Moses stood in the entrance of of the camp, verse 26, and he said, whoever is on the Lord's side come to me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. And he said to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, let every man put his sword on his side and go out, and in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. This is not indiscriminate killing going on, but this was honestly a judgment being laid upon those who were open in idolatry and sexual immorality and all kinds of wickedness that was going on here in the camp. Verse 28, so the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and about 3,000 men of the people fell that day. Then Moses said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that he may bestow on you a blessing this day for every man has opposed his son and his brother. Now it came to pass, verse 30, on the next day that Moses said to the people, You have committed a great sin, so now I will go up to the Lord. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin. Moses saying, I'm going to go and I'm going to approach God and see what can be offered on your behalf here to cleanse, to cover this egregious sin. Verse 31 says, Then Moses returned to the Lord, and he said, O these people have committed a great sin, and they have made for themselves a god of gold. Yet now if you will forgive their sin, Moses is pleading, God please, if you will forgive their sin, but if not, I pray, blot me out of your book which you have written.

Blot me out of your book which you have written. Moses here is willing to have his own name removed from the book of life, if it would move God to extend mercy to the children of Israel in this case. You know, that's quite a gesture. Moses was quite a humble servant. Moses said, I will forego eternal life. Blot me out from your book, but God, extend your mercy to these people.

So clearly, even in the book of Exodus, we see that God was keeping a record of his faithful servants. Moses knew that there was a book of life, and he knew that his name was in it. But let's notice God's response to his offer. Exodus 33 verse 33, the Lord said to Moses, whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book. God says, essentially, this isn't a bargaining chip.

Salvation can't be offered or removed in place of someone else. And indeed, other places in the Scripture tell us that we can't get into the kingdom of God on someone else's coattails. We all stand or fall before God on our own account. Additionally, God's answer to Moses shows us that it is possible, again, to have your name removed from the book of life after it has been written in.

And so it's important to understand from the beginning that once God writes your name into the book of life, that doesn't mean it's written in permanent ink. Not until the time of final evaluation and judgment. When your name is written into the book of life, it's not written in in permanent ink. It can be blotted out. It can be removed completely. And the reason that God offers for that action is sin against him. Again, verse 33, whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. I say, well, we all sin. And that's true. But this is talking about unrepentant sin.

Talking about willful sin in a heart that does not desire to be reconciled to God again. David desired that. We read all through the Psalms. David's sins are laid out all over the place for us, but his zeal for God and his desire to be right with God once he confronted his sin is ever before us as well. So those who would sin against God blatantly and willingly after being written in the book and not even care to reconcile again, that person's name will be blotted out of the book of life.

Again, Jesus Christ, in his letter, in his words to the church in Sardis, told them they were in danger of having their names blotted out of the book of life because of their stupor, because of their inaction and their lack of zeal. He said, wake up, fire off, strengthen the things that remain and overcome. And your name will remain. Another example, the Bible says, another example the Bible gives us for someone who could have their name blotted out of the book of life is found right at the very end of the Bible, Revelation, chapter 22. I think it's rather interesting at the last book at the end of scripture that we have recorded Revelation chapter 22, verse 18. This stands as a warning and a warning as to how specifically we would approach God's Word. Revelation chapter 22 and verse 18 says, for I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the book of life, from the holy city, which is the new Jerusalem, and from the things which are written in this book. And so the lesson here, brethren, is that we must take God's Word very seriously. We don't ever want to be found tampering with it, twisting, attitude, taking away, misrepresenting the Word of God, because you see, man's ability to have eternal life is dependent on living it for what it says, for what God has instructed. And so the bar is set very, very high, and frankly, the warning and consequence is very high as well. For those who would tamper with the Word of God, the result would be their name removed from the book of life. And so again, the point is, our names can indeed, in various circumstances, for various reasons, it could be blotted out from that book after it is written in.

Now, if we continue, we get a little further insight as into who it is that then God writes into the book of life. Let's notice Jesus Christ's interactions with His disciples. It's revealing. Luke chapter 10 and verse 1.

Luke chapter 10 and verse 1. Let's kind of establish a little bit of a set of parameters here for who exactly is written in, because there's a lot of ideas out there. Some religions teach that you're born, you're written into the book of life. But the Bible discounts that idea. Who is written in and when are they written in? Luke chapter 10 and starting in verse 1, it says, After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them out two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. So Jesus Christ selects the seventy and sends them out to preach the gospel before Him to do miracles, various signs, accompanied their message that they brought. Drop down to verse 17 now. Luke chapter 10 and verse 17. It says, Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name. Their mission was a success, because at least they felt like it was. They went out and they preached and they encountered these things. Christ had earlier said, you know, heal the dead and you're going to cast out demons. You're going to perform these things, not because they were so righteous per se, but by the authority that Jesus Christ had given them. And they said, you know what, even the demonic spirits are subject to us in Your name. And imagine that was pretty thrilling for them. Verse 18. And He said to them, well, basically, don't you know who I am?

I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I was there. I witnessed him being cast out. Verse 19. Behold, I give you authority to trample over serpents and scorpions, again, these demonic powers, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Jesus Christ said, great, you did these wonderful things. It was by His authority. But don't rejoice in that. Rejoice because your name has been written in heaven.

And the inference is, it's been written in the book of life.

Verse 21. In that hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit. And He said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you've hidden these things from the wise and the prudent, and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seems good in your sight. All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. And He turned to His disciples, and He said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear and have not heard it. And so what we find is that being written in the Book of Life has to do with our mind being opened to the truth of God. Having God's Spirit working with us, and then responding in obedience to God. Again, what we would call it today would be in our terminology conversion. All right? It's walking in a manner that is worthy of Jesus Christ, and it's conversion.

It's conversion through repentance, baptism, receiving a God's Spirit. Your name is written into the Book of Life. The Apostle Paul also acknowledged this concept pertaining to certain individuals who assisted him in the Church, the fact that their names were in this registry.

Philippians chapter 4 and verse 1.

Philippians chapter 4 verse 1. Paul says, Therefore my beloved and longed for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand in the Lord beloved.

He says, I implore Eodia and I implore Sintiki to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the Gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the Book of Life.

Apostle Paul is acknowledging that there were those who were his fellow workers in the faith for the kingdom of God who also had their names written into the Book of Life. It is a very high calling. And frankly, brethren, it is a blessing.

It is a blessing that is extremely rare if I may be so bold in this day and age.

The Book of Life is the registration and identifier of the faithful people of God, both of the Old Testament and the New, and our time today.

You know, the Bible says the Lord knows whom are His. He does. And their names, if they've been faithful to the end, are recorded in that book. God knows who are His.

And all those who have come under the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and received God's Holy Spirit today have gone from death to life.

And there are so many scriptures that point that out to us. And as a result, we have had our names written into the Book of Life as well.

If we've entered into that covenant relationship with the Father through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God says, okay, you're into the deal. You repent of your sins. Come under the sacrifice of my Son and live according to the books that have been opened to your understanding. And I will grant you my Holy Spirit, and I will grant you eternal life as members of my family.

That's the covenant that we've made with God.

Those who are in the registry and remain faithful until the end will remain and be a part of that inheritance. Hebrews chapter 12. I want us to notice how then the book of Hebrews describes the standing of the Church of God overall in this perspective. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 18.

It says, for you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and burned, that was burned with fire, into blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. It says, for they could not endure what was commanded. And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow. And so terrifying was the site that Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and trembling. This was talking about Mount Sinai that the brethren, the people of Israel, approached, okay, and God's thundering from the mountain. And he says, you and I have not come to that mountain, okay, not in this covenant, because as the church, he has brought us somewhere even greater than that. Verse 22, he says, but you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, brethren that is who you and I are, those called out of the world. We are the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are registered in heaven, and to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. This is describing a very special relationship whereby the church of God is that body of believers that God identifies as his called out ones. We are Zion today in the spiritual sense, and our names are written in the book of life. They are registered in heaven, which is what this reference is to, the general assembly and church and firstborn, who are registered in heaven, and that is an incredible calling, brethren, and we must never take the value of that lightly. Indeed, we've read from the book of Revelation just how valuable that registry is to have your name inserted and your name recognized before God. We must never diminish that. Take that lightly. For those who know about these things, who read God's Word and say, yes, this is true, I believe it. I know that this is what God has offered, but they have not yet committed to baptism. My question for you would be, what are you waiting for? What are you waiting for? Because what God has to offer each and every one of us is life.

And he's called us to that now. And sometimes I think we're a little hesitant, like, maybe I'm not perfect enough then to be in God's family. Well, the fact is, none of us are perfect apart from the sacrifice of Christ, and that's why we have to go through baptism and come into that relationship. It is the blood of Christ that opens the door before us. And so, again, my question would be, if we understand these things and we're of the maturity to make a decision and we haven't, what are we waiting for? Because we don't ever want to be caught in a position as well of seemingly refusing God. Because there's accountability to what it is that God has given us to understand. We want to... He's offering us life, eternal. We want to embrace that wholeheartedly. That's step one, right? Baptism. Step two is to live the remainder of your life in such a way that your name stays recorded in the Book of Life. Because you are an overcomer. You are someone who, yes, does indeed stumble in sin, but when you do, you acknowledge it before God on your knees. And your desire is like David, take not your spirit from me. You desire to be right with God and reconcile again. It is those whose name will be in the Book of Life. And it's the admonition that Jesus Christ gave to the church at Sardis as well overcome. And your name will remain in that book. Now, a question that sometimes arises is, does God's record record more than simply our name in the Book of Life? You know, do you flip to it? Here's a page, you know, page 3,927, line 12. It says, Paul Moody. And is that all it says? Is there more to it? Well, notice David's words in this regard. Psalm 56, verse 8. Just what is it that God writes into his book? Psalm 56, verse 8, just the one verse. David says, you number my wanderings, you put my tears into your bottle, are they not written, excuse me, are they not in your book? So let me read that again. He says, you number my wanderings, put my tears in your bottle, are they not in your book? David says, God, you know my goings out and my comings in. You know what it is I experience in this life. And you know my tears of joy, you know my tears of sorrow. Aren't those things recorded as well in your book? It does appear, brethren, that God sees our circumstances in life. He sees our responses to those things, and he keeps a record. It's a record by our name of who are you and why are you in this book of life? You know, my faithful, the one who has my spirit, the one who has lived, that now I say, like Abraham, now I know. These things, apparently, are recorded in God's book.

What does God not record in his book? What does he not record? Well, if we are repentant, right, he does not record our sins. What does he say about our sins? He says, he removes them from our account if we, indeed, again, have come under the blood of Christ, and when we stumble, return in repentance. There's a few scriptures that back this up. I won't turn there. Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 12 says, For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. God says, when you're repentant, it's forgotten. It's not in my little black book. My grandfather used to joke with us as we were kids. He's like, I don't get mad, I get even. And I wrote that in my little black book. Well, I never saw a black book, and he was actually a rather soft guy, but he liked to play with us kids. But the fact is, God says, that's forgotten. That's not recorded. Isaiah chapter 43 verse 25 says, I, even I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, my being God. Meditate on that for a bit of time. God blots our transgressions out for his sake. Why? Don't we extend mercy to our children? Because we love them. And God says, I want you in my family. This is as well for his sake as ours. And I will not remember your sins. In Psalm 103 verse 12, as far as the east is from west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. And so, brethren, these are very encouraging words for us to remember that God chooses to remember important and significant and good things overcoming attributes about us. And those are recorded about us in his book, but he chooses to forget our sins, again, if we repent and ultimately restore with him. Let's see what else God's record records about us. Malachi chapter 3 and verse 16.

Malachi chapter 3 verse 16 says, then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another.

It's what we do when we come together on the Sabbath right at church services and fellowship.

We are those who fear the Lord, and we speak to one another. And it says, and the Lord listened and heard them. Do you ever consider in your conversation before and after church services God's listening? And what's he doing with what he hears? It says, so a book of remembrance was written before him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on his name. This book of remembrance appears to be the same thing as the book of life. There's maybe some, I would say, conflicting opinions on that. Some say it is a book of life. Some say it's another book. But the fact is God records in a book of remembrance these things that he hears, even discussed among his faithful people. He records our names, our events in life. He records our interactions with one another.

God sees. God hears. And God remembers. And that ultimately is the blessing of the book of life. Verse 17, he says, they shall be called mine, says the Lord of Host, on the day that I will make them my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him. But again, God says they will be mine in that day. When they're glorified, when I've made them my jewels, and they shine as the stars of heaven. It's a very encouraging future that awaits those who have had their name written in the book. The prophet Daniel as well spoke about the book of life. Daniel chapter 12 and verse 1. As I said, the righteous, those faithful servants of God throughout Scripture had an understanding of this record. Daniel chapter 12 verse 1, at that time, speaking of the end of the age, the great tribulation, at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that time. And at that time, your people, Daniel, your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. So who are Daniel's people? Well, in the flesh, Daniel's people were the people of Judah and Israel. But God says, your people, everyone who is found written in the book. So ultimately, this is referring to his people who are of the spiritual nation of God, those who would be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. This is our future, brethren. Everyone found written in the book of life in that day will be resurrected into the eternal family of God at the return of Jesus Christ. It will reign with him. It will be the bride of Christ that is reserved for the firstfruits, very special calling and position we don't want to miss.

And it's a blessing of a future that God has in store. Now additionally, God's Word tells us that having our names recorded in the book of life and living accordingly will protect us from the coming deceptions of Satan the devil at the end of the age. You want your name written there if you're going to be one who escapes the deception that will come. Revelation chapter 13 and verse 4.

Revelation 13. And this, honestly, this section struck me this week when I consider just just how specific it is as to those who will worship the beast and be deceived and those who will not. Revelation chapter 13 verse 4 says, so they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast. Who is the dragon? He gives authority to the beast, Satan the devil. Okay, so they worship Satan the devil, okay, and they worship the beast saying, who is like the beast? He was able to make war with him. And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for 42 months, three and a half years. And when he opened his mouth and blasphemed against God, to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. Verse 7. And it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority was given to him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. And notice verse 8. It says, all who dwell on the earth, and this is what struck me, I underlined the word all in my Bible, all who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. So God's word clearly shows us, brethren, that Satan's deception at the end of the age will be so great. It says that all of mankind will worship Satan the devil and the beast, except those whose names have been written into the book of life. I used to wander around and think, well, the true Church of God is just a small sliver of what is considered the overall Christian community in the world, and there's other people as well that are on the lookout. They know what 666 points to, and yet what is to come. And so we're maybe going to be among a crowd of people that aren't deceived. Maybe other people are going to recognize this for what it is or aren't going to worship, and maybe even people that we wouldn't necessarily consider part of the true Church of God are going to die because they're not worshiping the beast. This says, again, all who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It is essential, brethren, that our name be there and that it remain, and that remain to the end. It's an incredibly sobering warning that very few will escape in that day. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 1, again referring to that time of trouble and that spirit to come. Excuse me, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 1. It says, Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Don't let somebody go out there, as Christ said. Many will go out, false prophets, and say, you know, I am the Christ. And others will say, look, he's here. Look, he's there. He's already come. Paul says, don't be troubled when you hear things like that. Verse 3, Let no one deceive you by any means, for the day will not come, unless the following away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. He's like, I am God on earth. And he sets himself up and positioned there, and people look at him and worship him as if he is Jesus Christ on the throne, reigning on the earth at this time.

Paul says, verse 5, Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, and only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Verse 8, And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders. And so God's Word clearly shows that Satan the devil's deception is behind all of this, okay, at the end of the age, and it will be so great that the worship will go to him. And this one that then sets himself up on the throne on earth, raising himself up above anything that's called God, in the minds of people on this earth, will be worshipped as well. It's a pompous and evil individual backed up by Satan the devil, and again the world will be deceived. Verse 9, it says, The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish. Notice, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. The difference between those who will be saved and those who will perish in that day will be those who love the truth of God. Those will be saved.

Those who love the truth of God with all their heart, who put him first, who put out the world, who are not overcome by the world, who worship the creator God and not the beast. Their names will be in the book of life. They were the ones then who will be saved, because they do not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. That is the rest of the world. And it says, And for this reason God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, that they may all be condemned, who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So again, brethren, we must be found standing fast in the truth of God if we're going to escape that deception to come. Revelation chapter 17, again reinforcing the concept of who it is that will see these things and understand and who will not. Revelation chapter 17 verse 1 says, Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters.

As it goes on, it describes the harlot in the final destruction of Babylon. Jumping down to verse 8, it says, The beast you saw was and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition, to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was and is not, and yet is. And so again, those who will have understanding will be those who are written in the book of life. And if they are faithful to their calling, they won't be deceived, but that's going to take work. It's going to take focus.

It's going to take drawing close to God each and every day. Rather than the time to have our name written in the book of life is now. Because when these things come upon us, it's not the time to stop then and go back and do it as you should have done it rightly in the first place. The time is there and the moment of decision has then come. Are you faithful to God or are you not? And the fact is there will be many called out of great tribulation, but those who have been given the word of God and understanding of these things now, we must be sure our name is written in the book and that it remains, for that the time of trouble when it comes will not overtake us.

Let's wrap up today in Revelation chapter 21. Near the end of the book, Revelation chapter 21, the time frame of this chapter is the new heavens and the new earth. In Revelation chapter 21 in verse 10, it says, And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Having the glory of God, says her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. It's a beautiful, it's a magnificent city. It's a city created by God and full of his presence and coming as a bride adorned for her husband. Verse 22 says, But I saw no temple in it. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of sun or moon to shine in it. For the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and their honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day. There shall be no night there, and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. Verse 27, But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. It's actually the second time in Revelation here. It's called the Lamb's Book of Life. It's the Lamb's book here as well. And the point is, if we want to be among those who are permitted to enter into the New Jerusalem, to dwell with God. The bride will dwell with Jesus Christ, her husband, right? And we will all dwell with God in the New Jerusalem. If we want to be there and be a part of that eternal family, then you and I must be among those who have had our names written in the Lamb's Book of Life. And we must do all that we can each and every day to ensure our name is not blotted out from that record, day by day by day. Action upon action upon action. Jesus Christ told the church in Sardis, as well as all those who have an ear to hear, that he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life. Brethren, those are our marching orders from Jesus Christ himself. At our baptism, our name was written into the Book of Life, and from that point forward we have an ongoing responsibility to continually grow, to continually overcome, to continually love the truth, and to endure faithfully to the end. And, of course, God the Father and Jesus Christ stand ready to assist us with all the help we need, because God is merciful. The only way anyone is written into that book and remains in that book is by the mercy of God. So when a judgment is finally made, it's not a harsh or a coarse judgment. It's the judgment of a loving God who will only have righteousness to endure and continue forever in his kingdom. So he and Jesus Christ will help us in this process, and as God's word shows us in the end, the reward for having our names recorded in the Book of Life will indeed be great, because it will be life eternal.