The Book of Life

Life is short and full of the unexpected. We may lose our job, or learn we have cancer, or lose someone close to us. If trouble's not found you yet, friend, live long enough and it will.

Not only is trouble part of the human experience, the world in which we live is becoming more and more dangerous. Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and droughts, are on the increase. Terrorism has targeted our cities, and nuclear attack sometimes seems inevitable.

How can a person live in a world like this and have peace, or even hope? Someone once said the only two things certain in life are death and taxes. However, many rich men know how to avoid paying taxes, but no one knows how to avoid death. Death is a fact of life.

Most of us will someday have a death certificate with our name written on it. This death certificate proves to the world that we are gone and no longer have to pay taxes. Did you know, friend, that your name can be written in a book of life? There is a book that will be open someday in the future.

On the day if your name is not found written in that book, you will experience terror in your heart. You will wail and weep and cry out in misery, for if your name is not found written in the book of life, you will be cast into a burning lake of fire. This lake of fire is hell.

Perhaps you don't believe in hell, or even in heaven. Your disbelief does not alter the fact of their existence, for there is a common day of judgment for all mankind. The Bible speaks vividly of this incredible event, and the scene is described in the book of Revelation.

Perhaps you do not believe in the validity of the Bible. Your disbelief does not alter the word of God. This scene, this terrible event of God judging mankind, is recorded by a disciple of Jesus.

His name is John. He was an old man living in exile on a Greek island called Patmos. Patmos is a remote and beautiful island in the Aegean Sea.

John tells us John was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. In chapter 20 of Revelation, John begins his incredible vision of that future day of judgment. 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.

And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Why are people's names not found written in the book of life, you may ask? Sin is the reason. Sinners go to the burning lake.

You may not think of yourself as a sinner deserving judgment by holy God. You may feel you are a good person, especially when compared to others. God gave mankind ten commandments to live by.

When we break those commandments, it is called sin. If we ever told a lie, big or little, stolen anything that did not belong to us, costly or not, or had lust in our heart toward another person, these are all transgressions against God. You may feel you are a good person, and your good works, living by the golden rule, do unto others as you'd have them do unto you, will get you into heaven.

But good people don't go to heaven. Only forgiven people get to go there. If your name's not written in this book of life, then God views you as his enemy.

You stand under condemnation, and you are in grave danger right now. The Bible tells us God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. God does not desire that people be sent to hell.

He gives men an opportunity to turn to him and seek him. The Lord is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Perhaps you've heard a gospel sermon before, or maybe someone's already witnessed to you about Jesus Christ, and you've delayed following him.

The Bible has a clear warning for you. He who is often rebuked, hardeneth his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and thought without remedy. There are true accounts of people who, after having rejected a clear gospel invitation, have gone out and been suddenly killed in a tragic accident.

Every day is a gift from God. The obituary columns are filled daily with both the young and the old alike. Even though God does not desire any to perish in hell, he has only so much patience with those who continue to reject his offer of his dear son.

There is a point, friend, in one's life, which can be crossed, whereby God is finished with that person. Because of a continued rejection of him, there is no hope for the Christ-rejector. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Remember that scene that John told us about from the book of Revelation, where the dead, great and small, stand before God at the great white throne, and the judge of all the earth. If their name is not found in that book of life, they are cast into the lake of fire, which is the eternal hell. Will you be standing there with Hitler and with his henchmen? Will you be standing there with the pornographer and the serial killer? Will you be standing there with lost family members who do not know Christ? Will you be one of those horrified hordes who will be cast out into outer darkness? There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Do you know Jesus, friend? Are you born again? Perhaps you are a church member, but are still lost. Joining a church has never saved anyone. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonderful works in their name? Then I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye who work iniquity. What is lawlessness? What is iniquity? It's breaking God's laws.

It's called sin. God is holy, and he hates sin. Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity.

They have forsaken the Lord. They have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel. God desires you, dear friend, to turn to him and be saved, saved from eternal punishment.

Listen to what he says to you now. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be like scarlet, they should be as white as snow.

Though they are red like crimson, they should be as wool. To be saved is to be born again. It means you have a changed heart and a changed position.

You must admit you are an enemy of God, a rebel, and you must repent before God, having faith in his son, Jesus Christ. The great British preacher, George Whitefield, was speaking to 20,000 hearers out on Boston Common during the Great Awakening, and he cried, Listen, sinners, you're monsters, monsters of iniquity. You deserve hell, and the worst of your crime is that, as criminals though you've been, you haven't had the good grace to see it.

He went on, If you will not weep for your sins and your crimes against a holy God, George Whitefield will weep for you. And then that dear man would put his head back, and he'd sob like a baby for them. He did not want people to perish.

He cried real tears over them and for their sins. And God cares so much about you, friend, that he sent his only son into the world to save sinners. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life to repent toward God for his sins and vows a changed heart.

This happens when God does a work of grace upon the heart, and you become born again. Being born again means that your name is now written in the book of life. And that's wonderful news, friends, because Jesus is the refuge and remedy for sin, but you must get to him for pardon of sin.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. You must get to Christ, friend, and get under his blood for forgiveness of sin.

Get to Christ and get your name written in the book of life. Let us pray.