Can Your Name Be Blotted Out?

“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

Can you be lost after you have been saved?  Can your name be blotted out of the book of life?  Yes.  

Jesus spoke to the church in Sardis that to those who “overcometh”, their names would not be blotted out of the book of life.  

First of all, what is the book of life?  It is a book that is in heaven where all the names of the redeemed, or those who have been saved from sin by Jesus Christ.  Revelation 12 through 15 reads the following:  “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.”  From that, it is very apparent that your name will have to be written in the book of life in order to make it into heaven.  

If the name is in there, it can also be blotted out, which simply means no longer there.  Revelation 3:5 which is given above signifies this can happen.  Moses knew it was possible when he prayed the following in Exodus 32:31 and 32, “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.”  God’s answer was the following in verse 33: “33  And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”  So now we know that Moses, God, Christ, and the Apostle John who wrote the book of Revelation knew that names could be removed, or blotted out of the book of life.  From these scriptures, we learn that when a name is blotted out of the book of life, a soul is damned and headed for hell unless there is repentance.  This is not popular doctrine but is correct and biblical.  Yet millions of people are taught that all they have to do is pray a simple prayer, get baptized and they’re in for life no matter what.  I’m sorry but that’s a lie from hell!

Let’s look at John 10:27-28.  “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”  No man can pluck Christ’s sheep out of his hand.  That’s right, no one can cause you to lose your soul.   However, there is also a condition and it’s found in verse 27 and that is that they hear his voice and they follow him.  

Lets look at another popular scripture.  “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39  This is true, none of these things listed here can separate us from God’s love.  Isn’t that wonderful!  But we also have to point out that it doesn’t say sin or transgression anywhere.  

Just because you or I can’t give a perfect intellectual answer when someone is cut off from God’s presence doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, because it does.  In Romans 11:22 Paul says the following, “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.”  Do you see the word “if” that I underlined.  The verses speak for themselves.  

Here’s another one.  “¶  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”  Here, in John 15:1-2, Jesus is plainly saying that every branch in him that doesn’t bear fruit will be cut off.  Notice that these branches are a part of Him but can be cut off.  He gets more plain in verse 6.  “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”  In included verse 5 so that this couldn’t be taken out of context.  He’s talking, all throughout this entire passage, to his disciples and then to his church.  

There are many other scriptures that can be brought out but I try not to make these blogs too long.  Please don’t feel that I’m trying to make anyone angry but I am burdened and distressed when I talk to people who feel they are saved but are not living according to God’s Word.  Many have no real knowledge of the Scriptures and are not taught much either.  We want to se souls saved and not lost to the devil through his lies.  

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

“3 ¶  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

The word “poor” can best be defined by one being “reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms, destitute of wealth, influence, position, honor, as given by in the first two definitions in the Greek Lexicon.  The definition can be made broader but I think you get the idea.  When someone is said to be poor, they don’t have much, or their lacking.  Christ is not talking about someone who is poor in this world’s goods here but poor in spirit.  He then says that “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  What a great promise!  So, are you poor?  

We Americans are a proud bunch.  Admit it!  We’re of the “been there, done, that, got the T-shirt” crowd.  We’ve got to make sure we get the last word, or at least appear smarter than the next one, up stage or out wit the other guy so we can seem smarter, quicker, or produce the quality that we want to display as having more of.  That attitude and spirit carries into the church and into our attitudes and way we approach God.  How much do we really think we need him?  You say that you’ve taken him as your Savior so are in for life but do you need him now or like the people of the church in Laodicea who said, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing?” One may perform a lot of good works, but if our dependency isn’t on God for our help, it is nothing.  Jesus said of those in Laodicea, “and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”  They had no idea of their condition before God and I’m convinced that there are millions who don’t either.  

We are dependant upon him in prayer in order to get the spirit of prayer when we pray.  We depend upon him in order to gain deeper knowledge of his word as the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:14,  “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”  We are dependant upon him for strength and health for the doctor can only do so much.  We are dependant upon him for having a sound mind, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

I recently read that, despite the bitter persecution in China, the church is gaining 3,000 believers a day.  When they are converted to Christ, I am sure they immediately realize their dependency on him.  Does America have to plunge to that level before the church here will understand that?

A Soul Cast Away

“25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:25

The past few days the news has been humming about the death of a national figure, I guess, who saw both poverty and wealth.  When I turned on Fox News on my XM Radio Friday morning before work, they were buzzing about this woman’s death.  So, Anna who????   I know who she is now, but I’ll have to confess I didn’t before she died.  She was someone a kin to Marylyn Monroe who, as I remember very well because we were on a vacation in Chicago at the time, died of an overdose of sleeping pills the summer of my fourth grade year, 1962.  

I’ll not go into the story of Anna N. Smith’s life as you can Google it on the Internet and read a summary of her life at your leisure.  I’ll not bore you with the details only that she was a stripper, model, actress of sorts, heiress, and tabloid queen.  Yet, America seems obsessed with her death like couch potatoes watching a soap opera.  Even the conservative shows are playing this big and spending more time on it than anything else for now.  Why!  Because it sells and it is what the American people want.  This shows our culture.  We have a woman who has left a 5 month child and no one knows who the daddy is.  Her life was so tangled that she remarked recently, "Everyone in my life has stabbed me in my back," she said. "It's always a battle."  Hers was the death of a woman who had briefly tasted both wealth and fame and failed to cling on to either.  

Unless she was able to repent, she is no longer enjoying what life had to offer.  She tried to gain the world but lost out in the end.  Princess Di lost out, fleeing the very thing she once taunted and flirted with, the cameras.  Unless either of these repented, they are lost now!  This should be a lesson for us all.  Money, fame, and success as far as this word’s concerned is not the end of the matter.  The wise man gave us this admonishment.  “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13   To fear God is to know and live for his Son, Jesus Christ who said, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  Luke 9:23

When you go to Anna Nicole Smith’s website now, at least at this posting, you’ll only see a picture with a woman in a scant dress with dates underneath – 1967 – 2007.  “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14  “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” Amos 4:12  

Praying For Our Leaders

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2

We are living in troubled times.  That is certain.  Our nation is heading for times in which, I’m afraid, this generation nor the past has seen.  It is easy to just bury your head in the sand and forget about everything around you.  You can even make it sound kind of religious.  But that’s not God’s plan.  Paul exhorts to Timothy that we should pray for those in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness.  When the children of Israel were taken to Babylon, Jeremiah wrote them saying, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” Jeremiah 29:4-7  

Pray for our leaders that we may have peace in our land.  We also must pray for our troops who are fighting for us abroad.  It is also important that the church pray for the upcoming elections in 2008 as the outcome will chart the course of our nation and make a difference in our lives for years to come.  Psalm 75:6-7 says, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”  Does that mean we just say what the kids now say, “Whatever!”  No.  God hears the prayer of his people.  I believe it is the true Church, believers in Christ, who can decide the future of this country, much more than any politician.  

Lovers of Pleasure

2 Timothy 3:1 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves,” ………4b “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

We have become a nation that bow before the shrine and god of sports.  We should have learned our lesson but neither Americans nor the church learns very well.  In 1986, two days after the great shrine of sports called the Super Bowl was displayed and America had bowed to its god of pleasure and sensuality, God sent a message to the United States, and the church when precious cargo was launched from Florida only to blow up in mid air only after one minute in flight.  Remember the Challenger?  Then, just before the first game of the World Series in 1989, just as the two teams were getting ready to take the field in San Francisco, the ground began to move which eventually cause a great earthquake killing many and causing considerable damage.  We didn’t take the warning then.  A couple of years ago, during the half time show, in front of millions, a singer exposed the top part of her body to the horror of many.  People talked about it for days, more than the actual game.  We, the church, still didn’t learn.  

If your church has dismissed for the Super Bowl game, or even worse, bringing it into the sanctuary, be ashamed!  What should the church do?  Do what the church should be doing any other night.  They should pray, sing, testify of God’s goodness, and hear the Word of God preached.  The church, as a whole, has not learned.  What will God do this time to try to get its attention?  

Joshua 24:15  “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”