Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The Doctrine of the Book of Life, Part 6. The results of the believer who doesn’t have his name blotted out of the Book of Life.
Tuesday, May 15, 2001
Point 3. The Book of Life In Relation to Believers.
Our justification in God’s sight is not based on our works but on the perfect, finished righteousness and substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. (JOH 3:16, JOH 10:27-30, ROM 8:29-30).
Believers are secure in Christ, being kept by the power of God (1PE 1:5) and held secure in both the hand of the Son and of the Father (JOH 10:28-30).
“He who overcomes” = ho nikon = the winner “the winner” = pres/act/part – nikao, REV 2:7,11,17,26 REV 3:5,12,21. “overcomes” = to subdue, to conquer, to overcome, to get the victory.
Nike = a Greek goddess who is often represented in art as a symbol of personal superiority.
To be an overcomer was to be victorious in both military and legal combat.
name = “onoma” = a title, fame, a reputation, authority, character and integrity.
It refers to the title that our Lord inherited because of His strategic victory in the angelic conflict – King of kings and Lord of lords.
Williams translation – “Thus proving Himself to be as much superior to angels as the title He has inherited is superior to theirs”
The name reflected the character and integrity of an individual which is why many individuals had their name changed as they matured.
Point 4. The Results of the Believer Who Doesn’t Have His Name Blotted out of the Book of Life.
The winner believer will be able to eat of the Tree of Life in the middle of the Paradise of God, REV 2:7.
Paradise club privileges: 1) eating from the Tree of Life
2) access to the Gazebo in the Garden
3) access to the Paradise of God, REV 2:7.
“tree of life” is found first in GEN 3:22-24.
PRO 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.
PRO 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
PRO 15:4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
This usage suggests a quality of life – rich fellowship with God – rather than regeneration.
The “tree of life” is presented as a conditionally earned and merited reward going to those who have at great cost to themselves have overcome and persevered.
Partaking of the tree of life in REV 2:7 and REV 22:14 is a conditional experience of the Christian who has not had his name blotted out of the book of life.
Eating is commonly a symbol for “fellowship,” REV 3:20; those who live godly and pure lives now will enjoy a special fellowship with Christ throughout eternity.
REV 2:11 – the winner believer will not be hurt by the Second death because of blessing by association.
It is very emphatic in Greek; a double negative (ou me) is used to express categorical and emphatic denials.
a. He will not be hurt by the second death, REV 20:6,11.
crown = stephanos = victor’s wreath, something earned and merited by effort in the games.
Eternal life is a quality more than a duration, and the degree of its experience is dependent upon our faithfulness to Him.
MAT 19:29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life.”
GAL 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.