Hello again! I hope everyone is well. I would love to continue with some insights into Revelation and finish up the look at the 7 churches Jesus spoke to, and is still speaking to. We left off last time with the question: What is this Book of Life? I would love to share what I found when I asked the Lord the very question and then did a search and study on the Book. See for yourself what the scriptures say, but at least consider the point I’ll make…it is a good one! haha!
Well, firstly, the Book of Life, I found, is not what the church today claims it is. That is certain. The church (majority) today assumes that this Book of Life is a Book wherein Jesus lists the names of the saved (the Spirit born). Well, this is true but is not that simple. I’m going to state it concisely then I encourage you to do a study for yourself to see if what I say is so. I see that all who were created are at that moment written in the Book of Life. God created man and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils and he became a living soul. So…every single person (soul) ever created was written in this Book. ONLY when a person rejects Christ, is his name blotted out of the Book (this is what is called the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. It is He who presents to every person in some way only known to Him, that his heart is wicked and needs a Savior. If the Holy Spirit has come to a person and spoken this to him, but the person says, I am not wicked and do not need a Savior…he is guilty of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and his name will be eternally blotted out of the Book of Life. He is a Christ rejecter). It really is that simple. From Genesis to Revelation, this Book is mentioned. This is the only explanation that fits with ALL scripture and causes no apparent contradiction with the permanence of salvation.. A person’s name is blotted out when they reject Christ and decide they do not need a Savior after all. We cannot determine this. Only He knows. We may see someone reject Christ (seemingly) their whole lives but then at the end come to Him. So a Christ rejecter is known only to God, unless He has definitely revealed that to someone. But we are to assume at all times that hope is always there until actual death. But after physical death, the Word teaches, that a Christ rejecter is eternally damned. He is a God hater and has chosen to remain in his sin and apart from God forever with no hope. It is a lengthy discussion and I would love to go over the specifics with anyone who wants to. Just email me and let me know. Only the unsaved can be blotted out. The Spirit born cannot be blotted out. This does not in any way mean that all born are saved at first, then lost, then saved again. God offers salvation to ALL created. The Christ rejecters sign their own death certificate. They are rebels who love self rule and are their own gods. They are filled with all manner of evil.
This Book of Life was to all pre-advent believers, the same as the Lamb’s Book of Life to all post-advent believers. Remember that the Gospel was preached to the Israelites in the dessert before the law. Remember that the crucifixion of God was pictured at creation. Jesus has always been, and salvation is only in and of Him.
Now, let’s push forward to the sixth church mentioned in Revelation. It is the church at Philadelphia. Philadelphia parallels the other Kingdom parable (in my little mind) that gains all treasure in Heaven and is without rebuke from the Lord. He only commends. “There is no spot in you…” She represents a holy church, purified and whole hearted, not double minded. She has died to sin and self and has the complete Mind of Christ. He says because of this she has an open door in front of her (this is a door to sanctification, where nothing can go in with us). At salvation, a door is opened and we come in with all our old self and ways. We come as we are. This illuminates the truth that salvation is NOT of me but of God alone. I don’t clean up my act and THEN get saved. This is works based salvation which is a false gospel that most of the church teaches. Within the next door, all has to be dropped; no sin or self rule can pass through here, it is behind the second veil. (I examine this idea intensely with great scripture exposition in “Crucified”.) It is patterned way back in Lev. where Arron is instructed that he can go into the holy place, but NOT into the Most Holy place or even touch the altar, without sanctification. The Most Holy place is behind the second veil.
Jesus says little here but oh so much. She is not strong (in the worldly sense) she keeps His word and has not denied His name. Her works are perfect before Him. Remember James speaks of faith being made perfect through works.. this means obedience and not good deeds in and of themselves (also discussed greatly in Crucified). In other words, she obeys in all areas, all of the time. She has waited on God patiently. She is faithful and endures, never faltering. Her faith is simple and pure. We see the prophecy of the 23rd psalm here…”You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, my cup overflows…” This concept is illuminated in 1 John and the other 2 letters. The faith made perfect believers do not “continually, either deliberately or ignorantly, stray from the perfect will of God” translated simply as “sin”, which is not a good translation of original text. Another topic for another day.
Because this church (also individual believer, and moreso the individual because a church is only comprised of the individuals in it) is whole hearted, she will be preserved from the hour of temptation which must come upon all the earth ( the 7 year tribulation, or 70th week of Daniel). The Thessalonican church is a picture of the Holy church, or believer. This church (believer) receives a new name and it is His name. She is an overcomer. Not all believers are at any given moment overcomers. All believers WILL be but the “when” is the question. Jesus is encouraging BELIEVERS to be overcomers. He will complete the good work He begins but we can hinder the progression by clinging to our ways and rights rather than clinging to Christ no matter what.
“He who has an ear” listen to the Spirit…” Jesus is speaking to those who have an ear, not to those who do not have an ear. He is speaking to the saved and NOT to the lost. The truth is only for the saved. It is foolishness to the dead and dying. He makes sure that the dead do not have an ear, remember? “Lest they repent and be saved”. He is not interested in reaching the God haters, only the caught up in sin, poor in spirit, children of God, the elect. The Holy Spirit speaks from outside of time to those who are in time. He knows His own and speaks only to them. “My sheep hear My voice”.
We will get to Laodicea next time. This is enough to ponder for now. Thanks for listening! Next time we will also look at 1 John and discover exactly what John means when he says “the believer does not sin, cannot sin.” It all makes perfect sense, I promise. Our English translation is glorious but causes some problems. But even these problems are designed and allowed by God to cause us to delve into the scriptures, and therefore deeper into the heart of God. Moses would not have stopped to investigate the bush ablaze, yet not consumed, unless it did not make sense to him. He would have passed on by and missed God!!!!!!!! So next time, we will pause and inspect the burning bush so to speak.
“Earth’s crammed with Heaven and every bush ablaze with the fire of God, but only him who SEE’S takes off his shoes”. EBB
AMEN!!!
Have a glorious day!
Love in Christ,
C