The Lamb's Book of Life

Revelation 20:10-15 “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Many years ago, the company that I work for would hold an annual meeting of the managers to present the results of the prior year’s achievements and set goals for the current year for the business. Each year the event concluded with a motivational speaker to build enthusiasm and rally the troops for success. One particular year, the guest speaker was Coach John Wooden of UCLA fame, winning 664 games in 27 seasons and 10 NCAA titles during his last 12 seasons, including 7 in a row from 1967 to 1973. His UCLA teams also had a record winning streak of 88 games and four perfect 30–0 seasons. Coach Wooden shared the life lessons learned and the true meaning of success, presenting his “Pyramid of Success” and “12 Lessons in Leadership”. But then this admirably successful man rose off his stool, walks to the front of the stage and said, “And I would give everything that I have ever achieved in life away to know that my name was in the Lamb’s Book of Life in Heaven!”

Hebrews 9:26b-28 “He (Jesus) has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

Coach had saved the best message for last. Mark 8:36 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Everyone has a “Come to Jesus” appointment someday at the “Great White Throne” judgment (Matthew 25:31-46), and whoever thinks that Hell is a “party place” had better get a reality check. To be tormented day and night forever and ever, and cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth is no party. This is no fairy tale nightmare or doom & gloom story to scare people into believing in God, but simply the truth of what the penalty and cost of sin is ... what a person is saved from, if and when they lay their sins at the foot of the cross and repent. Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 “For He says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.”

Just as you can not rescue a person who does not believe that they are lost; you can not bring a person who does not believe that they are lost and dying in their sin to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Savior.” There is a Heaven and there is a Hell. Where will each of us spend eternity?” is the “Ten Ton Elephant in the Room” that is being ignored today. Have the passion and compassion to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 3:14-15). Souls are at sake!

Revelation 21:6-8 & 27 “And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.”

In Christ, Brian