"...I will not blot out his name out of the book of life..." (Revelation 3:5)

Does the Lord's statement (above) imply that it is possible to be blotted out of the Lamb's Book of Life, thus losing one's salvation? There are several passages which seem to suggest that names can be blotted out of God's book.
For example: Ex 32:33; Psa 69:28; Deu 9:14; 25:19; 29:20; Rev 3:5

However, if the book in question is "the Lamb's Book of Life" in which are written those who are joined to Him through the new birth, by faith in His one sufficient sacrifice (the blood of the Lamb)... the possibility of being "blotted out" would stand in contradiction to the impossibility of being plucked from the hand of the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. Joh 10:27-30; cp. Joh 6:37; 17:11; Heb 13:20,21; Jude 1:24,25

Many suggestions have been offered to reconcile this apparent conflict between the various passages. However, the confusion disappears when we realize that these passages are not all speaking about the same book.

In the prophetic foreview of the Great White Throne judgment (Rev 20:11-15), "the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life..." The book of life is evidently identical to the Lamb's book of life (Rev 13:8). But what are the other books? We are not given their titles, nor are we told how many books are opened. But some are mentioned, elsewhere in Scripture, in reference to judgment.

- The Bible is the standard of judgment (Joh 5:39,45-47; 12:48; Luk 16:31).
- The law written in the hearts (the conscience) is the standard of judgment for those "having not the law" (Rom 2:12-16).
- The record of each individual's works (Rev 20:13) demonstrate that all fall short of God's standard of righteousness.
- The registry of "the dead" ensures that all are accounted for, regardless of their status in life, or where their bodies were disposed (Rev 20:12-14). Can any name be listed, here, that was not previously listed among "the living"?

The following passages have been grouped according to the book or books, to which they seem to allude...

The Book(s) of the living - the rolls of those who currently enjoy natural life...

- Psa 139:16 - God's book of 'my members'.
  - This 'book' is the volume of instructions, written in cellular DNA at the moment of conception, which define the unique characteristics of every human being. Thus, God has predetermined the physical make up of each man and woman, regardless of their spiritual heritage. The Lord's intimate knowledge of every person, and especially of the redeemed is described elsewhere in the Psalm. However, the "book", referenced in this verse, relates specifically to human development in the womb.
- Psa 69:25-28 - Note the distinction between those who are...
  - "blotted out of the book of the living" (referring to removal from natural life in judgment),
  - "not written among the righteous" (referring to not being included among the redeemed who have eternal spiritual life. This exclusion is also a judgment for sin. But having never been written in, they are not blotted out of this volume.)
- Deu 9:14; 25:19; 29:18-20 -
  - To be "blotted out from under heaven" refers to removal from earthly life, as a judgment for sin. (eg., Solomon spoke of the things 'done under the sun' and the one eventuality, death, that takes all men out of that realm.) Note that the Amalekites would not have been included in the book of spiritual life, due to their perverse religious heritage, and therefore would not be removed from the rolls of the redeemed. Likewise, an Israelite who despised God's Law and devoted himself to the false gods and immoral practices of the gentile nations, was to be put to death. Because of his unbelief, he had excluded himself from spiritual life.
- Removal from 'the book of the living,' may or may not involve exclusion from 'the Book of Life.'
  - 1Cor 11:26-30 - some 'sleep' (ie., are physically dead) because the Lord took them out of this life, in judgment for sin. In the context, the judgment is for participating in the communion service "unworthily." Only the Lord knows the heart.
      Some may truly "be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" by their blasphemous disregard of His costly provision, and, therefore, suffer eternal damnation (eg., 2Pet 2:1; Heb 10:29).
      On the other hand, a true believer may stumble into sin, such that the Lord chooses to 'take him home,' to protect others from his error, or from following his example. Judgmental removal from physical life does not necessarily imply exclusion from spiritual life. (eg., Ananias and Saphira, Acts 5:1-11)

The Books of Remembrance - These record an individual's works (good and bad), words, heart attitudes, and all other factors which will be taken into consideration at the final judgment (Rev 20:13). (The following passages provide only a sampling of what the Lord knows about each person.)...

- Neh 13:14 - good deeds.
- Psa 56:8 - sorrows.
- Isa 65:6 - rebellion requiring recompense.
- Mal 3:16 - thoughts and speech in harmony with God's Word.

The Book of Life (the Lamb's Book of Life), the rolls of the redeemed who have eternal spiritual life.

- Ex 32:32,33 - Moses prayed, 'Blot me... out of Thy Book...'
  - It was not possible to blot Moses' name from God's Book,
      because he had eternal life (ie., his faith, like that of Abraham, was imputed to him for righteousness).
  - If that is the case, what does God have in mind, when he says: "The one who sins, him will I blot out of my book."?
      Perhaps God was thinking of another book... the roll book of the nation of Israel. Just a few verses earlier, God had threatened to discard the entire nation of Israel and instead make of Moses a nation (v.10). Elsewhere, He identifies specific acts of disobedience, by which an individual sinner would be excluded or removed from the congregation of Israel (eg., Gen 17:14; Ex 12:19).
- Dan 12:1 - Michael will stand in defense of Israel in the Great Tribulation.
  - At the end of that terrible time, "all Israel shall be saved,"
    when Christ returns from heaven and delivers them from their enemies and from all ungodliness (Rom 11:26,27).
      Yet, "they are not all Israel, which are of Israel" (Rom 9:6). Many of the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will not be included in that deliverance, because they have not trusted in the One who will fulfill all of God's promises to Israel. Only those who "are found written in the book" (ie., through faith in the Lamb of God to 'take away their sins') will be afforded entrance into the Messiah's Millennial Kingdom.
- Php 4:3 - Something of surpassing value.
  - In the context, two believing women were engaged in some kind of a personal disagreement. The apostle sought to raise their perspective above their petty differences. They had an equal share in a great treasure, for their 'names are in the Book of Life.'
      In a similar way, Jesus urged His disciples to look beyond their successes (and failures) in ministry, to rejoice in that which He alone would provide for them (Luk 10:20).
- Rev 3:5 - "I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life."
  - The word 'not' {GK= ou me} is a double negative: "I will 'no, never' blot out his name out of the book of life."
      See this word in Joh 6:37 ('in no wise'); 8:51; 10:28; 11:26 ('never').
  - The point here is that a true believer ("he that overcometh," 1Joh 5:4,5) is secure in the Book of Life, because the Lamb confesses his name (identifies him as His own) before the Father. (Note that He does not say that any name will ever be blotted out of this book.)
      In the context, the Lord contrasts Church Roll Books (written by men) with the Lamb's Book of Life. The church rolls include the names of many unsaved people (for the wheat and tares will grow together, until He separates them, Mat 13:24-30,36-43). However, prior to that time, ungodly church leaders may excommunicate true believers, who stand against error on the basis of God's Word. Here, the Lord assures those believers, that their names will never be removed from His Book of Life. (cp. the blind man, healed by Jesus, but excommunicated by blind religious leaders, Joh 9:32-41)
- Rev 13:8 - "...not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
  - This verse can also be translated: "...whose names are not written from the foundation of the world in the book of the Lamb slain." This verse describes those who serve the Antichrist. From eternity past, their names were never included in the Book of Life. Contrast that reading with Eph 1:4.
      Who are "the chosen in Him before the foundation of the world"? They are identified (in Eph 1:12,13) as those who have trusted in Christ and who are, therefore, sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. Their names are eternally secure in this book, from eternity past, through the foreknowledge of God. The names "not written" in this book, from eternity past, cannot be blotted out, because they had never been written in.
- Also see: Rev 20:15; Rev 21:6,27; Rev 22:1-2,14-19 -
    Only those, who are partakers of the water of life and of the tree of life (ie., those who have placed their faith in Christ), are included in the Book of Life. Those who disregard or edit God's Word to suit themselves will have no part in the promises which belong to God's children.

Someone might ask: What about a child who has not reached the age of accountability? Is his or her name included in the Book of Life, on the basis of a parent's faith? If so, can it blotted out if that child turns away from the faith in later years? (Understanding that an infant is sanctified through identification with a believing parent, many Christian parents who have lost a child in infancy have been comforted by the thought that someday they will be reunited with their child in Heaven. See 1Cor 7:14; 2Sam 12:22,23)
The short answer is "the Lord knoweth them that are His" (2Tim 2:19). He knew from eternity past that child (of believing parents) who would die in infancy, and included him/her with them. Likewise, He knew from eternity past that child who would reject a godly heritage, and the salvation freely offered in Christ, and sorrowfully, never included his/her name in the Lamb's Book of Life.

In summary, the Lamb's Book of Life is the eternally unchangeable registry of those individuals who are identified with Jesus Christ through faith in His person and work, by which He has secured for them eternal life (Joh 10:27-30). The names of the redeemed can never be blotted out of the Book of Life, because their life is in Christ, whose life is without beginning or end (Col 3:3,5). The names of those who never receive the salvation, which God freely offers in Christ, have never been included. Rom 6:23

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