Scripture Reading: Revelation 17:8
Revelation 17:8 refers to people "whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world." Philippians 4:3 refers to people "whose names are in the book of life."
Though there are people whose names have never been written in God's book of life, the Bible is clear that this reality does not excuse someone from personal accountability. Unbelievers have "no excuse" for their unbelief and their suppression of the truth (cf. Rom 1:18-20).
The enemies of God, as they are described in Revelation, are unmistakably guilty. The people in Revelation, whose names were not in God's book of life, are also described as refusing to repent of their evil deeds (Rev 9:20,21) ... rejoicing over the murder of God's special prophets (Rev 11:10) ... and worshipping the antichrist (Rev 13:3,4). The people whose names were not written in the book of life are guilty, not because of the omission of their names from God's book, but because they love the darkness (Jn 3:19).
In His mercy God has rescued some people to be His, choosing them before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4), so that "no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1 Cor 1:29).
Let us not pry into a level of God's mind that He has not revealed. The God who has a plan for everything in His creation invites all ... indeed beckons all ... to come to Him that they might have life. "Come, everyone who thirsts . . . incline your ear and come to me; hear that your soul may live" (Isa 55:1,3).
