Is Your Name (Still) in the Book of Life?

On the day of judgment, we will all stand before God. Those whose names are not found in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. God is a God who does all things in decency and order. His angels record everything in God’s books in heaven. These records will be used to judge all men in righteousness and divine justice on the day of judgment. No one will have an excuse or deny the truth because the angels record everything.

God is a God of perfection, righteousness, and absolute divine justice. His record-keeping using books is one way he demonstrates this. The Bible is a good example of this. It is God’s book where his statutes, ways, and commandments are recorded for mankind to follow.

The Book of Life

God has many books in heaven that record his wisdom, humanity’s deeds, and events happening on Earth. The Book of Life will determine who gets to go to heaven. The names of those accounted worthy to enter heaven are recorded in it. In Revelations 20 it is recorded that anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. Is your name written in the Book of Life?

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.

Revelation 20:12-15

Apostle Paul mentions that some of his fellow laborers in the gospel were in the Book of Life. This mention reveals that this was an important matter to the early church.

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.

Philippians 4:3

Whose names are written in the Book of Life?

The Bible reveals to us two main qualifications for having one’s name in the Book of Life:

1. Those who believe in the Lord Jesus as Lord and Savior

The first thing is to believe in the Lord Jesus and the price he paid on the cross. Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father. He is the only savior of the world. He declared of himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6).” The moment one genuinely repents and believes in the Lord Jesus for salvation, his name is written in the Book of Life.

It is called the Book of Life because it is just that. Without Jesus, the bible makes it clear that we are dead in our sins and in darkness, and our names are not known in heaven. Once one turns to Jesus, he becomes alive! By going through Jesus to the Father one is immediately recognized in heaven as one who has turned from death to life. His name is then recorded in the Book of Life.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

John 5:25

2. Those who live a Holy Life until the end

Having one’s name written in the Book of Life upon salvation is not the end. The Bible reveals that it is possible for names to be blotted out or erased from the Book of Life. It is made clear that only those who (continue to) live in righteousness have their names retained in the Book of Life. Paul in Hebrews 12:23 mentions that the church in heaven is made up of the Spirits of just men made perfect.

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

Hebrews 12:23

In Revelations 21 shortly after the passage talking about the final judgment, Apostle John makes it clear that no unclean thing shall enter into the Holy City of God (heaven). Those written in the Book of Life, therefore, are not unclean or unrighteous.

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.

Revelations 21:27

We must endure to the end in righteousness. The idea that once saved is always saved that many Christians teach and believe is therefore a great lie. Salvation must be maintained to the end by living in holiness, otherwise, one’s name can be erased from the Book of Life. If one continues to live in sin or backslides, their names are blotted out of the Book of Life since they have gone back to their old life of sin.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mark 13:13

Serving God, and doing ministry works does not guarantee that one’s name is still in the Book of Life

Jesus himself made note of the importance of making sure our names are written in heaven. He implied clearly to his disciples that it was possible to cast out demons and do the work of God and not have one’s name written in heaven. He told his disciples not to rejoice in the fact that they can cast out demons, but rather that their names are written in heaven. Earlier in the sermon on the mount, Jesus had warned that not everyone who calls him Lord or does work for God will be known by him, but only those who do the will of God.

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

Luke 10:20

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:21

Whose names are not written in the Book of Life?

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

Revelations 20:15

We have looked at whose names are written in the Book of Life. We can therefore infer that the opposite is true. Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life are:

1. Unbelievers- Those who have not received Jesus as Lord and Savior

Anyone who has not placed their trust in Jesus for salvation and accepted him as their savior is not written in the Book of Life. Such people are still dead, in darkness, and belong to the kingdom of Satan which is the kingdom of darkness. Have you placed your faith in Jesus? Salvation means accepting that you are a sinner incapable of saving yourself, believing that Jesus Christ the Son of God died on the cross to take the punishment for your sins, and became your ransom. By believing this in your heart, and confessing him as your Lord, you are born again.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:9-10

2. Those who will accept the mark of the beast during the tribulation period

In the Book of Revelations, Apostle John revealed the events of the last days. One of the key events is the Great Tribulation. This will take place during the last 7 years before Jesus’s second coming to reign on earth for 1,000 years. During this period, the AntiChrist will be revealed. He will be Satan’s last attempt to deceive the world and lead millions to hell.

The AntiChrist will be allowed to reign on earth for a time. He will deceive and convince the world to worship him as God through lying demonic signs and wonders. He will do this by seeming to bring peace to earth during a difficult time and asking humanity to accept his mark on their forehead or right hand (Revelations 13:16).

Without this mark, no one will be able to buy or sell food or do anything. Many will take this mark to survive. The Bible makes it clear that anyone who takes this mark will be doomed forever with no chance of repentance (Revelations 14:9-12). After accepting this mark it is impossible to repent. Please do not accept this mark if you are here during the tribulation period, no matter what. The cost for not accepting his mark will be death. It is better to repent, turn to Jesus, and accept death than doom yourself to the lake of fire forever.

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (the AntiChrist), whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelations 13:8

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.

Revelations 17:8

3. Those whose names are blotted out of the Book of Life

The third category of people whose names are not in the Book of Life is sadly those who once followed Jesus but chose to live in sin. Anyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior and then chooses to live in sin, iniquity, or hypocrisy will have their names removed from the Book of Life if they do not repent. In this group are backsliders, cowards, and all hypocrites.

Jesus warned that it is better to be hot or cold than to be lukewarm. He said he would vomit the lukewarm out of his mouth. It is better to never have known Jesus than to have known him and then turned your back on him or lived a double life. The torments in the lake of fire will be worse for this category of people.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Revelation 3:15-16

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

2 Peter 2:20-22 

Names can be blotted out of the Book of Life

As mentioned earlier, names can be blotted out of the Book of Life and it is very terrifying. We do not hear this preached much about anymore, but it is a sobering reality every believer should know and ponder often, so they can take their salvation seriously. The Bible says that “without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).”

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.

Revelation 3:5

In the Old Testament, the idea of names being blotted out of God’s book is also mentioned severally. Both David and Moses spoke about it. I will quote several scriptures below to this effect.

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

Psalm 69:28

And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Exodus 32:33

The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven

Deuteronomy 29:20

Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.

Deuteronomy 9:13-14

Strive to enter heaven. Endure to the end

Getting to heaven is not easy. Jesus said it was difficult (Matthew 7:13-14). He admonished us in Luke 13 to strive to enter heaven! The Greek word used there for strive, Ἀγωνίζεσθε (Agōnizesthe) means ‘to contend for a prize, struggle‘. The connotation there is that it is not easy. Many people think that getting to heaven is a matter of saying a sinner’s prayer to be born again and then live however they want and they will get into heaven. This is a lie from the devil.

Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 

Luke 13:24

Salvation is not a one-off get-out-of-jail-free card. It is a daily walk. We must persevere, endure, and continue in righteousness until the end. Apostle Paul compared the journey to heaven to a race where one hopes to obtain a prize. He says we must strive for mastery to indicate how we must run that race. He went further to indicate that if he himself did not run his race well he could be disqualified despite preaching to others (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

To make sure our names remain in the book of life, we must depart from iniquity, and purpose to live a holy life. Living a holy life means making sure to live a life of repentance and sanctification. Christians are called saints in the bible. We are not supposed to make a habit of sinning because Jesus in us gives us the power over sin. But if we sin, we must confess our sins and ask God to forgive us. This is very important. Do not presume on the grace of God. We are forgiven only when we acknowledge our sins, confess them (both to God and those we have wronged), and turn away from them. Sin separates us from God.

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

2 Timothy 2:19

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

Overcome this world

Jesus expects us to overcome this world. We are to overcome this world, and not be overcome by it. We must remember that we are strangers on earth and citizens of heaven. Keeping this heavenly vision before us will help us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling so that we don’t get careless and lose our salvation. In the book of Revelations chapters 2 and 3, Jesus gives Apostle John messages to the 7 churches. At the end of each letter to each church, Jesus gives a promise to the overcomes in each church!

Beloved, do not love this world, strive to enter heaven, endure to the end, fear God, hate sin, and hold fast to what you have lest no man take your crown!

Make sure your name is written in the Book of Life by repenting and accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. And then make sure your name is not blotted out by purposing to obey Jesus and live holy until the end. I pray we shall all meet in heaven, in Jesus’s name!

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Revelations 3:11

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen

Jude: 24-25

If you would like to read more on this topic, you can read an article written by a brother of mine here

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