When I was discussing the use of litotes in Revelation in regards to the promises to the overcomer concerning the “second death” as well as in regards to the “book of life”, I was hit with a “eureka” moment.
Those that reason incorrectly from Revelation 2:11 and then teach that non-overcoming believers will suffer being hurt by the “second death” must then use their same faulty hermeneutics and so translate Revelation 3:5 as indicating the Lord will also blot non-overcomers names out of His book of life! Uh-oh . . .
Think about this awhile . . .
Let’s see how this initially faulty scripture interpretation leads to more error.
Walk the path of error with me a bit now . . .
Believers found as carnal, back-slidden, rebellious, asleep, unprepared, foolish, lazy of spirit, and such, being non-overcoming – and thus being overcome by the world, the flesh, and the devil will be removed from the book of life? Friends, having one’s name not found in the book of life means eternal damnation according to scripture. So believers can lose their salvation? I think not!
If teachers of the overcomer theory, also teach the error of believers being hurt of the “second death” -- and thus by their own textural expounding methods, must then apply them to believers having their names removed from the book of life – it follows logically that these errant teachers must now throw out the doctrine of eternal security. They must also throw out salvation of the lost as not by faith alone but are now in the camp of the “Jesus And” teachers. They must admit that their doctrine of salvation from eternal death is linked to works and is not a salvation of grace alone. So God’s gift for them has small print engraved where the believer can’t find it until too late.
One teacher of this error of believers suffering the hurt of the second death and also being cast into the lake of fire, has tried valiantly to say that the “lake of fire” for believers is only metaphor, with no literal flames, lasting 1,000 years, and is a different “lake of fire” than that the damned will be cast into. Excuse me? Where is this in the scriptures? So, will they then tell me later after reading this paper that, the non-overcomer will have their name only temporarily removed from the book of life and then re-written at the end of the millennial reign of Christ and the Bride? You see now how error breeds more error.
I respect no man, care not about their length of time teaching, nor their degrees, nor the amount of books or writings written and I care only about one thing. Are they rightly dividing the word? If they err in one area, I fear their doctrine elsewhere is flawed. May the Lord break in and free us from intellectual pride and/or deception the enemy offers us! He loves confusion! Be wary of the Adversary!
Below are key scriptures for your study relating to my aforementioned comments.
May God bless your journey to His highest calling in Christ!
BOOK OF LIFE:
Psalm 69:28 (Darby Translation)
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.
Philippians 4:3 (Darby Translation)
3 yea, I ask thee also, true yokefellow, assist them, who have contended along with me in the glad tidings, with Clement also, and my other fellow-labourers, whose names [are] in [the] book of life.
Revelation 3:5 (Darby Translation)
5 He that overcomes, *he* shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, and will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
Revelation 13:7-9 (Darby Translation)
7 And there was given to it, (the beast, the AntiChrist), to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and there was given to it authority over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation;
8 and all that dwell on the earth shall do it homage, [every one] whose name had not been written from [the] founding of [the] world in the book of life of the slain Lamb.
9 If any one has an ear, let him hear.
Revelation 17:7-9 (Darby Translation)
7 And the angel said to me, Why hast thou wondered? *I* will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast which carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
8 The beast which thou sawest was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go into destruction: and they who dwell on the earth, whose names are not written from the founding of the world in the book of life, shall wonder, seeing the beast, that it was, and is not, and shall be present.
9 Here is the mind that has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains, whereon the woman sits.
Revelation 20:11-15 (Darby Translation)
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled, and place was not found for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is [that] of life. And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which [were] in it, and death and hades gave up the dead which [were] in them; and they were judged each according to their works:
14 and death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, [even] the lake of fire.
15 And if any one was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21 (Darby Translation)
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea exists no more.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice out of the heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he shall tabernacle with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, their God.
4 And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall not exist any more, nor grief, nor cry, nor distress shall exist any more, for the former things have passed away.
5 And he that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he says [to me], Write, for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that thirsts of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be to him God, and he shall be to me son.
8 But to the fearful and unbelieving, [and sinners], and those who make themselves abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part [is] in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.
9 And there came one of the seven angels which had had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and spoke with me, saying, Come here, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in [the] Spirit, [and set me] on a great and high mountain, and shewed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God. Her shining [was] like a most precious stone, as a crystal-like jasper stone;
12 having a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names inscribed, which are those of the twelve tribes of [the] sons of Israel.
13 On [the] east three gates; and on [the] north three gates; and on [the] south three gates; and on [the] west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he that spoke with me had a golden reed [as] a measure, that he might measure the city, and its gates, and its wall.
16 And the city lies four-square, and its length [is] as much as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed -- twelve thousand stadia: the length and the breadth and height of it are equal.
17 And he measured its wall, a hundred [and] forty-four cubits, [a] man's measure, that is, [the] angel's.
18 And the building of its wall [was] jasper; and the city pure gold, like pure glass:
19 the foundations of the wall of the city [were] adorned with every precious stone: the first foundation, jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;
20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates, twelve pearls; each one of the gates, respectively, was of one pearl; and the street of the city pure gold, as transparent glass.
22 And I saw no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, and the Lamb.
23 And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon, that they should shine for it; for the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof [is] the Lamb.
24 And the nations shall walk by its light; and the kings of the earth bring their glory to it.
25 And its gates shall not be shut at all by day, for night shall not be there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations to it.
27 And nothing common, nor that maketh an abomination and a lie, shall at all enter into it; but those only who [are] written in the book of life of the Lamb.
SECOND DEATH:
John 5:28-30 (New International Version)
28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice
29 and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” (words of Jesus)
Hebrews 11:35-36 (New International Version)
35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.
Philippians 3:8-15 (Darby Translation)
8 But surely I count also all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all, and count them to be filth, that I may gain Christ;
9 and that I may be found in him, not having my righteousness, which [would be] on the principle of law, but that which is by faith of Christ, the righteousness which [is] of God through faith,
10 to know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,
11if any way I arrive at the resurrection** from among [the] dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained [the prize], or am already perfected; but I pursue, if also I may get possession [of it], seeing that also I have been taken possession of by Christ [Jesus].
13 Brethren, *I* do not count to have got possession myself; but one thing -- forgetting the things behind, and stretching out to the things before,
14 I pursue, [looking] towards [the] goal, for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus.
15 As many therefore as [are] perfect, let us be thus minded; and if ye are any otherwise minded, this also God shall reveal to you.
**(resurrection word in our bible in the original language is exanastasin or exanastasis from ek = out of or from + anistemi = to rise up, which can be read as the “out-resurrection”)
Revelation 2:10-11 (Darby Translation)
10 Fear nothing [of] what thou art about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give to thee the crown of life.
11 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He that overcomes shall in no wise be injured of the second death.
Revelation 20:5-7 (Darby Translation)
5 the rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years had been completed. This [is] the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy he who has part in the first resurrection: over these the second death has no power; but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7 And when the thousand years have been completed, Satan shall be loosed from his prison,
Revelation 20:13-15 (Darby Translation)
13 And the sea gave up the dead which [were] in it, and death and hades gave up the dead which [were] in them; and they were judged each according to their works:
14 and death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, [even] the lake of fire.
15 And if any one was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:7-9 (Darby Translation)
7 He that overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be to him God, and he shall be to me son.
8 But to the fearful and unbelieving, [and sinners], and those who make themselves abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part [is] in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.
9 And there came one of the seven angels which had had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and spoke with me, saying, Come here, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
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