The
Book Of Life
Who Is In... Who Is Out?
To
whom does
Revelation 22:18,19 refer
to?
Is it the Believer or the unbeliever?
Or can both be removed from the book
of life?
Answer...
Verses
18 & 19 are an extension of verses 16 &
17 which dogmatically emphasize the
messianic reign and deity of
Jesus
Christ by whom salvation alone is by
grace through faith. Verses 18 &
19 warn against introducing and
producing any conflict or contradiction
to the specificity of God's Word
concerning Christ Jesus. To do so
would be at one's own peril.
Understanding this, no truly
born-again believer would ever nor could
ever deny the Lord Jesus Christ as the
revelation of God's Word (1
John 3:9). This is
impossible. Thus, verses 18 &
19 refer to unbelievers (as noted in
verse 17) who willfully distort the
Word of God. This is done by
adding to the Word of God (vs.18) or
taking away from the Word of God
(vs.19).
Unbelievers, (in particular religious
unbelievers) who add doubt
to the Word of God do so by suggesting that
contradictions permeate through out the
Bible. Or they will take away by
virtue of their suggestions and
opinions the relevance of the Word of
God. The result of such foolish
actions would be to have their part
taken away from the book of life... the
only opportunity and means for salvation
(1
Peter 1:23). Ultimately,
for one to distort the Word of God is to
call God a liar. This act is both
futile and fatal.
Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger
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