THE BOOK OF LIFE

Harrell Davidson

Books are very interesting to me because they each contain something about the author and various other tidbits of information. If you look hard enough and long enough you can see the personality coming through. In Ecclesiastes 12:12, Solomon said, “of the making of many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.”

Ripley said, “It would take a skillful reader over three hundred years to read the titles alone of all the books that are published.” There is little doubt that some books need destroying (cf. Acts 19:18-20). Sex magazines and comics falsely so called as well as other books that claim to be divine should certainly be done away with. Against the array of books there is one book that is in the library of Heaven and is called the Book of Life.

This Book of Life is not the Bible nor even the New Testament as some would like to think. The New Testament is referred to and called “the words of this life” (Acts 5:20). We also note the fact that the words of Jesus will judge us in the last day (cf. John 12:48). What then is the Book of Life?

The Book of Life is a register of names. Jesus referred to names written in heaven (Luke 10:20). Books of this kind, or registers, have many references in the Bible (cf. Genesis 5:1; Nehemiah 7:5; Ezekiel 13:9). Whose names are written in the Book of Life? The names of God’s children are written in this book; the seventy that the Lord sent out in Luke 10:20; laborers in the Gospel (Philippians 4:3); the Lord’s people (Daniel 12:1); also, those who fear the Lord and think on His name (Malachi 3:16-17). But how did these names get in the Book of Life?

These names were placed in the book when we obeyed the Gospel, when we be come His children, when we are added to the church (Acts 2:47); Colossians 1:13-14). We do not have any trouble finding out how the names got there to begin with, that which should trouble us is that those names may be taken out of the book of life. Jesus said that those who overcome would not be blotted out of this book (cf. Revelation 3:5). We have recorded in Revelation 22:19 a stern and solemn warning; “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.” If it is impossible for a child of God to fall from grace, these words mean nothing and are in vain.

The Book of Life determines the destiny of my soul. If my name is not found in this book a home in hell fire is surely mine: “And who soever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). On the other hand, if our names are there, Christ will confess us (cf. Matthew 10:32-33; Revelation 3:5). We shall then enter into that eternal city—our long home which is in heaven (cf. Revelation 21:27).

Has your name been written in God’s Book of Life? If it has been written in this great book that God is keeping and remembering, is your name in the book? If you are not loyal to Christ, your name has been removed. If your name is not found written there or if it has been there, but you have forsaken the Lord, won’t you let us help you in your obedience to His commands? Call us, or a faithful preacher of the Gospel near you, and let them help you reach the life-giving stream in order that your names may be inscribed in the Book of Life. The joys of heaven await those whose names are written in the book.