The Book of Life
(How to get written in it)
MANY PEOPLE who hope to be among those whom Christ will save on Judgment Day present different proofs for being so. Some of them claim that the miracles and wonders performed in their religion, such as healing the sick and casting out demons prove that they are of Christ. Others claim the gift of speaking in tongues, and still others point to the acts of goodness and charitable works they perform. They say all these prove that theirs is the true religion and will be saved. One can not be so naive or ignorant to believe that all the above professing religions belong to Christ, especially with the countless unbiblical variations of conflicting man-made doctrines from one faith to another. Thus, if one wants to be sure of attaining salvation at the appointed time, the real proof that one should hold on to is the testimony the Lord Jesus Christ, the founder and owner of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), taught His disciples:
“However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20 New International Version, Emphasis Mine)
Christ told His disciples this when they returned from their mission; they gladly reported being able to heal those tormented by evil spirits (Luke 10:17). However, notice that Jesus did not tell His disciples, “That’s right, rejoice that the spirits are subject to you because your names are written in heaven,” but instead He pointed out that having their names written in heaven is more essential than casting out demons.
So, as the Iglesia Ni Cristo members, thanking God, exult over the successes of its sacred endeavors — houses of worship rise, membership grows, the number of ministers and officers increases, among others — they never “sit on their laurels.” Their resolve is to be more devoted to serving Him and keep their names in heaven. For this assures them of salvation on Judgment Day:
“… Then there will be a time of troubles, the worst since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, all the people of your nation whose names are written in God’s book will be saved.”
(Reference: Dan. 12:1 Good News Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Hence, having one’s name written in God’s book, the Book of Life in heaven, will lead to the victory of all victories for anyone.
On the other hand, “If any one’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15 NIV). That is the eternal punishment, the worst loss ever.
Greatly blessed, indeed, are those registered in heaven such that Christ told them to rejoice.
THOSE REGISTERED IN HEAVEN
The Holy Scriptures identifies whose names are written in the Book of Life, thus:
“And to the church, composed of all those registered in heaven; and to God who is Judge of all; and to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven, already made perfect.”
(Reference: Heb. 12:23 Living Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Those registered in heaven are the redeemed; they compose the Church. The name of that Church is also recorded in the Bible — the Church Of Christ:
“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”
(Reference: Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, the members of the Church Of Christ are the ones whose names are written in the Book of Life. Clearly, it is vital to join this Church and remain at all cost. In contrast, it is fatal for one’s name to be erased from the Book of Life:
“Erase their names from the Book of Life; don’t let them be counted among the righteous.”
(Reference: Ps. 69:28 New Living Translation, Emphasis Mine )
Having one’s name removed from the Book of Life, is much like not having it listed in the first place, which means not being saved.
The Savior Himself teaches how one can ensure that his name is never blotted out of the Book of Life:
“The victor will be dressed in white and I will never erase his name in the book of life; instead, I will acknowledge it before my Father and his angels.”
(Reference: Rev. 3:5 Christian Community Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Those whose names are written in the Book of Life are victorious. Revelation 7:13-14 reveals over what they are victorious and why they are “dressed in white”:
“Then one of the [twenty-four] elders asked me, ‘Who are these ones dressed in white robes, and where did they come from?’… ‘These are the people who have come through the terrible persecution, and they have washed their robes and made them white with the blood of the Lamb’.”
(Reference: An Understandable Version, Emphasis Mine)
The victors are “dressed in white” because their robes are washed with the blood of the Lamb, who is Christ. To be washed in His blood is to be redeemed by Christ. And it is the church which Christ purchased or redeemed with His blood (Acts. 20:28 Lamsa Translation) Thus, those who are members of Christ’s church will be redeemed and saved on that appointed day of destruction or Judgment Day, and they are those “whose names are written in God’s book,” which is the Book of Life in heaven (II Pet. 3:7; 10; Rev. 20:12). If one’s name is not found in the Book of Life, he will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).
To gain a deeper and more precise understanding of how one’s name is written into the Book of Life through Christ’s church and its great importance, let us turn to the scriptures.
THE AUTHORITY TO BIND AND LOSE
Before He ascended to heaven, our Lord Jesus gave His apostles this promise:
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
(Reference: Matt. 18:18 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
To be sure that one is bound in heaven, he must first be bound on earth. This right and authority to bind and to loose people on earth had been given by Christ to His apostles whom He entrusted with the administration of His Church. The bind is the commandments of God (Prov. 3:3, 1). And rightly so because the Church Administration was given the right “to make the word of God fully known” (Col. 1:25 New Revised Standard Version).
A person who is truly bound with God’s words is one who believes in them and is baptized into one body or Church — the Church Of Christ (I Cor. 12:13; Col. 1:18; Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation). What is the proof that the preaching of those who have the right to teach God’s words is the way of binding on earth so that people shall be bound in heaven? The Lord Jesus teaches:
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned’.”
(Reference: Mark 16:15-16 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Christ said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” In order to be saved, people should be baptized first into the Church Of Christ. It is important that those who have become members of the Church Of Christ always submit to the authority of the Church Administration (Heb. 13:17) because by doing so, they remain bound on earth and in heaven.
Even during the time of the apostles, the brethren who were in different places remained connected to or united with the Church Administration. The Bible tells us:
“And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.”
(Reference: Acts 16:4 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Notice that the members then did not go their own ways or serve God whichever manner they wanted to. They remained connected to the Church Administration by fulfilling the instructions handed down to them.
The same is true in the Church Of Christ in these last days. The Church Administration, through the leadership of the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, binds us with God’s words. The brethren are cared for, guided, and administered in fulfilling God’s commandments so that they would remain bound on earth. They are taught God’s teachings that they ought to follow to maintain their fellowship or unity with the Church Administration and, thus, with God and Christ (I John 1:3).
THE EVIL OF BEING LOOSED
It shouldn’t be forgotten that Christ Himself made sure that those who are bound on earth are the ones bound in heaven (Matt. 18:18). Hence, remaining in the Church Of Christ with the right to receive salvation requires submitting oneself to the authority of the Church Administration. And because it is to them that God entrusted the duty to teach His words, obedience to them will lead to salvation.
On the other hand, what did the Lord Jesus Christ attest about those who were loosed by the Church Administration on earth? He said that “whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 18:18 NKJV).
Who are those whom the Church Administration loosed on earth which is why they are also loosed in heaven? Apostle Paul identified them, thus:
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?… God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked man from among you’.”
(Reference: I Cor. 5:12-13 New International Version, Emphasis Mine)
When a person is expelled from the Church, his connection with the Church is cut off; he loses his membership in the Church and the grace of salvation from God’s judgment that comes with it. Anyone who has been expelled from the Church or removed from the Church’s registry should never think that he was expelled merely by the will of man. Christ clarified the authority given to the Church Administration when He said, “whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” One who is expelled from the Church is no longer of God but of Satan (I Tim. 1:19-20; Eph. 2:12). Such a person is bound to suffer death in the lake of fire (John 15:6; Rev. 20:15).
REMAIN BOUND
Since the right to serve God and to receive salvation will not be given to those outside the Church Of Christ, its members should therefore remain therein. Christ instructed:
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
(Reference: John 15:7 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The one who abides is he who remains as a branch connected to the vine, Who is Christ (John 15:5). The equivalent of Christ’s being the vine is His being the head of His body or Church (Col. 1:18). So, by remaining in the Church Of Christ, one abides in Christ. This is done by remaining in Christ’s words or fulfilling His commands:
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
(Reference: John 15:9–10 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Anyone who does not obey God’s commandments taught by Christ will not be able to remain in His Church. Indeed, there are those who waxed cold in the faith and were expelled or separated from the Church because they were offended with God’s commandments. That is the real reason they were not able to follow them.
Hence, in order to be saved on Judgment Day, every member of the Church Of Christ must fully believe and abide by everything that the Church Administration decides upon or implements since what they prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what they permit on earth will be permitted in heaven (Matt. 18:18 GNB). The Church administration will always implement the true teaching of Christ and the apostles, never adding or subtracting from the words of God recorded within the Holy Scriptures (Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19.) Thus, one should remain a member of the Church Of Christ until the end by obeying all of God’s commandments and submitting to the authority of the one whom God appoints to administer the Church. The Lord Jesus guarantees: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13 NKJV).
IN CONCLUSION
1
The Church of Christ is indispensable for man’s salvation; one must be baptized into the one body which Christ is the Head of. When one becomes a member of the Church Of Christ, he is registered of becomes bound in heaven in the Book of Life and those who are expelled or delisted are erased form the Book of Life as if they were never written within, and “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelations 20: 15). Thus, every person not included in the Book of Life are those who are separated from God; they will be thrown into the lake of fire. This condition will be final; the destination is permanent. Hence, one must be part of Christ body or church to avoid separation from God on the Day of Judgment so to escape eternal damnation and receive the joyful and eternal life in the Holy City which is now being prepared for those who belong to Christ (Rev. 21:2).
2
In light of these biblical truths, beware of being misled by false preachers who claim that theirs is the true religion based on the miracles and wonders they perform or healing the sick, speaking in gibberish with unintelligible utterances which they define as “tongues,” or the casting out of demons. These acts do not prove that they belong to Christ. Even the Devil disguises himself as an angel of light:
“…I’m giving nobody grounds for lumping me in with those money-grubbing ‘preachers,’ vaunting themselves as something special. They’re a sorry bunch— pseudo-apostles, lying preachers, crooked workers — posing as Christ’s agents but sham to the core. And no wonder! Satan does it all the time, dressing up as a beautiful angel of light. So it shouldn’t surprise us when his servants masquerade as servants of God. But they’re not getting by with anything. They’ll pay for it in the end.” (II Corinthians 11:12-15 The Message, Emphasis Mine)
To gain a deeper understanding of the pristine biblical teaching on salvation, please follow the link below:
The Truth About Salvation
CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION with over 2.4 billion followers worldwide. It is composed of diverse faiths with thousands of denominations, such as Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Adventist—the list goes on. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates that there are over 45,000 denominations globally, with more than 200 in the United States alone. Each denomination has its own unique set of beliefs and doctrines, especially when it comes to how one can achieve salvation. Do any of these religions truly teach the proper way of salvation?
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(Eph. 4:29, Amplified Bible)
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(1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Amplified Bible)