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. Rev. 20:12
 
Fellow Believers,

With end-time signs abounding, it probably won't be long before we see that which Revelation 20 describes: Christ sitting upon a great white throne with all the dead standing before Him. They will be judged according to all their works as recorded in the books that are opened. Significantly, verse 12 reveals, the Book of Life is also opened there. What is that Book present on Judgment Day for?

Well, for one thing, verse 15 says, "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." It is important that no one listed in that book be sent to the lake of fire, which is the second death, or eternal damnation in hell. The Lord Jesus already paid in full at the Cross the penalty of their sins.

For another, the Book of Life will serve as our proxy at that trial. You see, the Bible declares in II Corinthians 5:10: "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." By law, every human being must be judged. So, the Book of Life will serve as God's exhibit, so to speak, proving that in Christ we believers have already been judged and punished.

Now, God didn't write our names in His Book of Life because He foresaw something good in us. Deuteronomy 9:6 makes that very clear: "Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people." In ourselves, we the elect are no less stiffnecked than the Israelites were.

It was strictly for His own satisfaction and by His sovereign grace that God decided to save a remnant for Himself, even though it required the death of His only begotten Son. Theoretically, our Lord Jesus was slain even before the world began. Then, in the fullness of time, He emptied Himself of His heavenly glory, became a lowly human on earth, allowed Himself to be hated, humiliated and then crucified.

On this earth, no one can possibly comprehend such divine love from both the Father and the Son. I, for one, simply don't have the capacity to love anyone to that extent. So, even as Charles Wesley wrote in his hymn, I can't help but ponder: And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? What amazing love it is that Jesus my God shouldst die for me!


 
Tom Holt, Editor
Fourth Quarter, 2000

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