The Book of Life — E.A. Johnston

The Solemn Reality of Judgment and Eternity

I have a very solemn message for us today, friends, and I bring it to you with a heavy heart and a burden on my soul. The days are growing darker, society is growing more violent, and it's as if why there's a convergence all of a sudden of the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah.

I fear many will be caught unawares and suddenly swept away into another world they are quite unprepared for. Let me pray. Great God, you are high and lifted up, and you dwell in the high and holy place among the cherubim.

I beseech you now, O Lord, in the name of thy Son, Christ Jesus, by whose blood we have forgiveness of sin, I ask you now, Lord, to step out of the pages of your book and walk among us here today. I pray for lives to be transformed for all eternity.

I pray for false foundations to be broken up by the hammer of your word. I pray for the searching spotlight of your spirit to search our heart and conscience by your fire. I pray that someone here, you'll lead them to stand on the very verge of eternity again, come face to face with a thrice holy God.

I pray your Holy Spirit will come and disturb folks. I pray that these things, in the strong name of Jesus, amen. You can turn in your Bibles, friends, to the book of Revelation. We will be in chapter 20.

The Great White Throne and the Book of Life

Here now is the word of God, and may the Spirit of the Lord be pleased to attend the reading of his holy word. And I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every man, according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death, and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Now, that's quite a descriptive and disturbing scene, where all of mankind stands at the final judgment, and cases are reviewed, and lives exposed, and evidence is presented, and sentences are carried out, for the sentencing of the law must be carried out upon all guilty lawbreakers.

Every Life Exposed Before God's Law

For each person, every person there is held up against the strict and severe unbending law of God, God Almighty, mighty and strong, mighty and wise. Each person stands at that great white throne on a personal basis, as the books are opened upon their lives.

Other deeds are brought to light. The secret things, the hidden things, are all exposed. And it is apparent that it all boils down to this. Is your name written in the book of life? That's the requirement.

It seems a thing of vast importance to have oneself written in the book of life. It's a matter of heaven and hell, for if your name is not found written there, you are cast into eternal doom and destruction and damnation in a boiling lake of fire.

The prophet Isaiah describes the terribleness of damnation by comparing it to the unrest of a troubled sea. But the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. Well, what are the requirements to getting in this book of life? Is it a clean life and being devout to your religion? Why, there stands at the great white throne a vast crowd of religious people.

Religious Deeds and Affiliations Cannot Save

There stands the devout Muslim who follows strict standards of his religion. Wouldn't he be in the book of life? There stands the orthodox Jew who believes in God and obeys his commands. Wouldn't he be in the book of life?

There stands the Buddhist monk who lives in purity and privation. Surely he is in the book of life. There stands the good Mormon who has a pure life. Wouldn't he also be in the book of life? Why, there stands the Catholic priest and nun who took vows of celibacy for God.

Aren't they in the book of life? There is the Baptist church member faithful in attendance, serving and giving. Certainly that person is in the book of life. There stands the president of a Protestant denomination.

Surely this religious leader is in the book of life. There stands a pastor and a seminary professor. Surely they would both be in the book of life. There stands the good neighbor, always ready to lend a helping hand.

Aren't all good people in the book of life? Look at all those religious people standing there. Surely all religious people are in the book of life. What do you think, friend? What do you think? Are the names written there?

The Personal Question of Salvation

How about yourself? What would you say to the judge of all the earth? What evidence would you present on your behalf? What reasons would you give for your security to be written in that book of life? Would you tell of the time years ago where you made a public profession?

Doesn't making a public profession guarantee a spot in the book of life? Or how about the time when you decided to become a Christian? Would that guarantee your place there? Doesn't everybody who calls himself or herself a Christian go to heaven?

Why do I keep feeling the heat from that lake of fire? Why do I still stand there before the books and before that judge? Am I not worthy enough to have my name written down in that book? Am I not a member of a church?

Have I not prayed? Have I not done this and that for God and my life? Have I not given enough money to the cause of God in the world and my generation? Why am I still standing here? Why the delay? Why are the attending angels so solemn and silent as I stand before those open books and before that solemn judge?

The Futility of Religious Performance

Haven't I done enough to get my name written there? Haven't I given enough? I had served enough and prayed enough. Haven't I read my Bible enough? Why am I still standing here for what seems like eternity?

Am I in a courtroom where I have broken the law? Am I waiting because I'm merely awaiting sentencing? Why is no one speaking? The whole world's eyes seem to be upon me. Why is that lake behind me suddenly raging and flashing?

Why is it so hot in here? Why is no one speaking? Why do his holy eyes burn like fire as he reviews my life beneath his intense scrutiny? Why am I being pulled away from that scene by a force stronger than me?

The Terror of the Lake of Fire

All I hear is crackling. I see sparks flashing. I have the eerie sensation of being lifted up against my will. And suddenly, I'm tossed in the air. And below me is red, red, red, boiling, boiling, boiling.