Every once in a while I’ll get a 21st century version of a letter from one of the distant friends of our church. Today, it is called an “email,” because it is mail that arrives in my mail box electronically. I suppose that the longer ones could be called “eeee-pistles” for the same reason. And then there are texts, which are far more common. Sometimes, a brother in a distant state will ask: “How is Bro. Miller; how is Erik Berg or how is Darren?” I don’t remember anyone ever texting: “I intreat thee, true yokefellow, help Steve Kjeldgaard. You know how desperately he needs it,” but I suppose it is possible. Something else I’ve never heard is: “Those church members at Calvary have their names written in the Lord’s book of life.” While, no one has ever said such a thing, I hope it is still true.
Paul exhorts Eudoias and Syntyche “to be of the same mind in the Lord.” Then he refers to Clement and others there in Philippi, who had helped in Paul’s work of evangelism. He may have pictured the faces of many of his former fellow-laborers. They were very real people. But he doesn’t identify them all; he just summarizes them as those “whose names are in the book of life.”
It would seem that the church in Philippi had been taught about this very special book – “the book of life.” I make that assumption, because Paul doesn’t add any information to his statement. He simple says, These are people “whose names are in the book of life.” This brief reference, affords me the opportunity – the responsibility – to teach you what I know about it.
In an effort to keep this from becoming a theological lecture, when you are expecting a sermon, I’m going start with my conclusion.
This is a VERY IMPORTANT book.
In commenting on this verse, one of the dust covered, hard-copy reference books on my desk, says: “We are NOT to think there is any MATERIAL book wherein their names were written… but that he useth it as a borrowed speech, intimating their life was certainly sealed up with God.” I am sorry to have to correct you, brother, but this is most definitely a very real book. It may not have pages, like the books that you and I read, just as e-books don’t have pages. Paul may have been referring to something like a scroll which were books in ancient societies. But he was talking about a very real book.
If the Book of Life isn’t a real book, then the Bible, the Book of God, can’t be trusted to mean what it says. In Revelation 20, John the apostle, testifies: “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 whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” If some self-proclaimed expert wants to say this is an allegory or a child-like illustration, then I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he eventually says that the cross of Christ is only an allegory as well. To allegorize one Biblical thought leads to the allegorization of any other thought which the expert chooses.
The Book of Life is not only a real book, but on the authority of the Lord Jesus, it is a very important book. At one point in His earthly ministry Christ called seventy of His disciples “and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, where he himself would come” – Luke 10. “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us thru thy name.” Jesus then told them that He was aware of the great things that were done. “Notwithstanding in this, rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” – Luke 10:20.
Someone might argue the point, but I think their names were written in the “Book of Life” which is in heaven. More important than successful snake-handling, disease-curing, repentance-preaching, and faith-sharing… More important than anything the disciples had done upon this earth in God’s service is that their names were written in heaven. No Nobel Prize winner, Carnegie or Conrad Hilton Medal winner, without his name written in Heaven, will rejoice in his accomplishments for one moment after he has been cast into the lake of fire.
Is YOUR name written in that eternal, heavenly book?
Please turn to Revelation 21. We have here a description of the New Heavens and New Earth. Without going into an explanation of all the details, we will just rejoice in the glory and the promises. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”
Now go down to verse 21, skipping over a lot more detail. “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 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.”
Why is the Book of Life so important? Why is it so important that your name be written in its pages? Because only those whose names are therein shall be accepted within the gates of that heavenly city. AND because “whosoever was NOT found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” To have earned all the highest accolades of man – whether in science, in the humanities, or even in the religious world… To have the praise of man without being able to “rejoice because your names are written in heaven” will mean absolutely nothing throughout eternity. Paul’s fellow-laborers were all people “whose names are in the book of life.”
The ancient Venetians used to record the names of their heros in a golden book, kept in their palace. The great baseball player wants his name carved into bronze and placed in Cooperstown, New York. The football player wants his name in Canton, Ohio. A lot of fools try to get their names in the “Guiness Book of Records.” But there is no greater record than to be in the Book of Life. If your name is mentioned in no other place but there, you are far better off than to be listed in the history books among the greatest of all statesmen, scholars or humanitarians. If your name IS in Heaven’s book, and you come up in an obituary column some day, it will be okay. It will be fine, because to be written in this book means eternal life – this is the Book of Life.
But perhaps we need to ask about the OWNERSHIP and AUTHORSHIP of this book.
Not only is it called “the Book of Life,” more specifically we are told that it is “the LAMB’S Book of Life.” Turn to Revelation 13 where we can read about the Lord’s greatest adversary. “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 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.”
This may be only scripture tying together the Book of Life and the Lamb of God, but it is enough to suit me. And it makes perfect sense to my feeble mind. The only people to enter heaven will be those whose sins are covered by the blood of God’s sacrifice. As John the Baptist said while pointing to Christ Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” And Paul added, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (Jesus Christ) is preached unto the forgiveness of sins” – Acts 13:38. In Christ Jesus, “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” – Ephesians 1:7. “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” – Acts 5:31. The only people to enter heaven possessing life are those whose names are written in the book of life, written in the rich red ink of the shed blood of the Saviour. The book about which I am talking this morning, is the “Lamb’s Book of life.”
And WHEN were our names entered into those pages? In Revelation 17, John gives us a description of the false religion of – “Mystery Babylon the great, the mother of (Spiritual) harlots, and abomination of the earth.” He said, “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration – (great wonder or confusion). And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 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.”
WHEN were the names in the book of life actually entered? There is a hymn which we often sing, but perhaps we shouldn’t, called “A New Name in Glory.” Although it doesn’t actually say, it implies that our names enter God’s registry when we repent and believe. Actually, there are no NEW names written down in glory; in this book, they are all very old, old names. They were entered sometime before the foundation of the world; sometime in eternity. Those names were in the book before the creation of the universe – before the creation of Adam and Eve. The Lamb’s Book of Life is an eternal book. It was written before creation and it will exist when the creation as we know it shall be no more. The names written there are as permanent and eternal as the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world.
PERMANENT and ETERNAL – But at this point, I can imagine someone saying, “Wait a minute, preacher. The Bible speaks about names being removed, blotted out, from God’s book.” That is true. But it is not a problem, and it doesn’t disprove what I just said. The names written in the LAMB’S book of Life are as permanent and eternal as the Lamb Himself.
But Moses WAS one day pleading with God to spare the rebellious sinners of Israel. Exodus 32 – “And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” And do you know what? God blotted out every one of those names except Joshua and Caleb. They all died in the wilderness. Also David in one of his imprecatorial Psalms – one of his cursing Psalms – sheds light on Moses’s plea. Psalm 69:24 contains the prayer, “Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold (of thine enemies). Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.”
I thought about bringing them and showing them to you, but I think you’ll believe me… In my library are several books on the subject which I generally describe as “The holiness of God.” One is written by J.C. Ryle; another is by Chester Tulga; and a third is by H.A. Ironside. Currently, most famous book on holiness is called “The Holiness of God” by R. C. Sproul. I am told that another well known book on the subject is by Jerry Bridges, but I don’t have that one.
What I’m trying to point out that there may be several books on similar subjects with similar names. Moses was talking about “a book of LIFE” – probably the same one which David called “the book of the LIVING.” Neither of those men were referring to “the LAMB’S Book of Life,” despite the similar-sounding name. If you want to look at it in this way – God has a record of everyone who is alive at this moment. And when someone dies, he or she is erased from that book. But those names are in the LAMB’S Book of Life have been inscribed there in the indelible red ink of the blood of the Lamb, put there before the first man was ever created.
Another pertinent question might be: what is the MEANING of being included in the Book of Life?
That question is partially answered in the context of Philippians – chapter 3. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Let’s remember that the old word “conversation” – in today’s vernacular means “citizenship.” There is good reason to tie together “citizenship” and those names which are in the book of life. Everyone named in the Lamb’s Book of Life is a registered citizen of Heaven. But again, just as citizenship is more than a legal document signed by a judge, the book of life is not just a document with a bunch of lifeless names. Every one of those names is a person – someone whom the Lord has, or will have, personally saved. The word “name” is sometimes a “metonymy,” (meh-TA-nu-mee) it is used as a substitute for the real thing. When the Jerusalem church first met after the ascension of Christ, “in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples… (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty). Every one of those names was a person. Christ told His fifth church in Revelation 3, “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.” Names can’t walk or talk or get their garments dirty; each of those names were people.
We have heard several references recently, both in our morning testimonies and in other contexts, of people talking about really KNOWING God rather than knowing ABOUT God. These whose names are in the Book of Life, really know the Lord. The “life” referred to REAL life; it is eternal life; it is the life of Christ imputed to us. And the relationship described in this eternal book is a real relationship.
Conclusion:
And it is here that this theological lesson becomes a gospel sermon. Is YOUR name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? You say, “Oh, I just don’t know for sure.” You don’t know for sure? Why is that? Paul could look at his fellow-laborers and say, “I KNOW that YOUR names are in the Lord’s book.”
How could he be so sure? Because those people demonstrated characteristics of people who had been born again. At some point they had expressed remorse and repentance for their past sins. And when sin crept up into their lives again, they grieved once again. And they had testified of their faith in the finished work of the Lamb of God on the altar of Calvary. They could speak of their faith in Christ, because it was real and on-going. Their faith was as tangible as their confidence in the benefits of eating nutritious food. Furthermore, they became yoked to Christ and other fellow-laborers in the work of glorifying their Saviour. In other words, there was evidence in their lives which gave confidence to Paul that their names were written in the Book of Life.
But more important than Paul’s confidence was their own assurance of eternal life in Christ the Lord. And of even more practical importance is YOUR confidence than theirs. Are YOU sure that when you leave this world you will pass into the presence of your Saviour, because your name is recorded in the Book of Life? You aren’t too sure? Then plead with the Lord to save you and to give you the faith to trust Him to save you. Plead with the Lord until He gives you that assurance. I will close with one more “metonymy,” (meh-TA-nu-mee). “As many as received (Christ), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on this NAME.” Is your hope of salvation firmly placed on the only name given among men whereby we must be saved?