We are Recorded with the Righteous
Notes
Transcript
It had taken David's adversaries a while to finally get him.
He was tired of having to deal with them.
He was tired of their malicious lies and slander.
He was prepared for God to punish them severely.
He therefore requested that their names be removed from the Book of the Living.
Some people have expressed doubt about the permanence of their salvation in light of these verses and Revelation 3:5.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
That is reasonable.
In this passage, King David asks God to eliminate the names of his enemies from the Book of the Living.
He would not have asked if he didn't think it was possible.
It would be tempting to approach this passage by saying David was just mistaken in his request; perhaps he didn't know God wasn't in the habit of blotting people's names out of His book, as we can see in Revelation 3:5.
This logic, however, calls into question the psalm's source of inspiration.
It is unlikely that David would be led to ask a question that is not within the realm of theological possibility if the Holy Spirit was guiding him as he wrote.
But the Bible tells us...
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
David was confident in that he knew what he was asking in his prayer.
And as we'll see, his request was unquestionably consistent with God's usual course of business.
I. Assumptions Are Made
I. Assumptions Are Made
The problem is, we frequently interpret passages like this one and others like it from a New Testament perspective.
In other words, we apply what we've learned from the New Testament to the Old Testament verses.
We jump right in and interpret the Old Testament passages in accordance with the New Testament usage rather than trying to figure out what the authors of the Old Testament meant by specific words and phrases.
In this instance, we have taken the phrase "book of the living" from Psalm 69 and interpreted it in light of what is said about the "Book of Life" in the New Testament.
Our assumption is that the book mentioned in Revelation is the one to which David speaks of as the book of the living.
What did David mean when he used the phrase "book of the living"?
This would be a more accurate question to ask.
To address that question, we would turn to other parts of the Old Testament rather than the New Testament.
You see, The Hebrews of old saw God as a great record keeper.
They imagined Him to be holding a book containing a list of every person still alive.
It makes no difference whether they thought it was a literal book or not.
In their writings, they made reference to this book in the same way that the authors of the New Testament make reference to the Book of Life.
Anyone who has read a significant portion of the Old Testament is aware of how important names and genealogies were to the Jews, who took this type of record keeping very seriously.
They are mentioned throughout the Old Testament and at various points in Matthew and Luke's opening.
The Jews believed that God also kept accurate records, which He does.
The Old Testament writers often allude to this divine ritual.
The book of Psalms contains four passages that are of particular interest.
6 The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, That this man was born there. Selah.
8 Thou tellest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle: Are they not in thy book?
15 My substance was not hid from thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; And in thy book all my members were written, Which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
These verses reveal some intriguing things.
We learn from the first passage that God maintains a register in which He keeps track of all the living.
God keeps a record of the things that happen in our lives, according to the second passage.
The third passage reveals that God has a record book that lists the number of days assigned to each person's life.
The word "book" isn't actually used in Psalm 51.
But the words "blot out" are.
II. What Is Meant by “Blot Out”
II. What Is Meant by “Blot Out”
“Blot out” are the same words that David uses in Psalm 69 when he talks about erasing the names of his enemies.
Blotting something out refers to erasing it.
According to Psalm 51, God also keeps a log of all the sins people commit.
Despite the numerous times that books are mentioned in the Psalms, we never come across a book that is said to contain the names of saved people as opposed to unsaved people.
The phrase "and not be written with the righteous" that David uses in the passage that we are looking at comes the closest to describing it.
David is speaking of God's record of the living when he uses the phrase "book of the living" in Psalm 69.
Physical life, not eternal life.
This interpretation fits with the Psalm 139 verses we previously examined.
During his prayer, David does not ask God to condemn his opponents.
He merely wants their lives to be cut short.
It is supported by a number of textual components.
First of all, David asks God to punish his enemies physically in addition to other things.
22 Let their table become a snare before them: And that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; And make their loins continually to shake.
24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, And let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
25 Let their habitation be desolate; And let none dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; And they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
He starts off by pleading with God to inflict illness on them.
Then he requests that their families endure hardship.
Then he requests that their names be struck from the list of the living.
He gives the impression of asking God to eliminate them entirely from the picture.'
If the "book of the living" is interpreted as the Lamb's Book of Life, it implies that David'S adversaries were Christians.
How else would their names have appeared in the Lamb's Book of Life?
But the entire psalm portrays the people as wicked and unrighteous.
Third, David requests in the preceding verse that his adversaries not be permitted to "come into thy righteousness" (Psalm 69:27).
They would have already entered into His righteousness if their names were recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Therefore, it would be more logical to view this book as a list of the living rather than a list of the righteous.
It's interesting to note that David is not the only person from the Old Testament to request that God remove someone from a record.
Moses asked for his name to be erased.
31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Once more, the "book" here alludes to a list of the living.
Moses was imploring God to put an end to his life, rather than condemning him to eternal damnation.
Although, God declined.
Nevertheless, He made good on His promise to kill the members of the group who disobeyed Him, and He actually did.
35 And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
The idea that those people were condemned to hell is never even mentioned.
The idea that a man after God's own heart would ask for the erasure of someone's name from the Lamb's Book of Life is rather unsettling.
That doesn't really make sense when you stop to think about it.
In order to save the world, the same God sent His Son into it.
And in order to make that salvation possible, He paid a heavy price.
Adding names to the list, not removing them, is our heavenly Father's business.
It is a great source of joy for those of us who are included on the list.
This was emphasized by Jesus to His disciples, when He said...
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
May this wonderful truth become an assurance and joy.
III. Let’s Review
III. Let’s Review
We started off our study talking about what was at stake if we our eternal security hinged on what we do.
Assurance
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Forgiveness
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Faith Alone
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Love
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Focus
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Not only that but we looked at what salvation is in the first place.
By grace through faith – it was not our goodness that saved us, lest any man should boast.
It is not our faith that saves us, it is only the conduit, or road to get us to the grace of God.
Later we looked at the fact that we are adopted.
We are part of His family!
Nowhere in scripture or in common decency is there a place for an un-adoption.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
We looked at Luke 15 and the prodigal son.
We saw that there was never a time that the boy was not his father’s son!
He did not reap the benefits of being a son while he was gone, but he was his son!
We have looked at the fact that we are established in Christ, anointed in God, and sealed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
How long does that seal last?
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
We looked at many verses that are used to try to disprove Eternal Security.
But we know that the Word of God cannot contradict itself.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
And we saw the importance of working for the Lord, not for ourselves.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
We do not have a license to sin, just because we have eternal security!
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
No, just because our Eternity is Secure in Christ, it doesn’t mean that we have a license to sin.
How can we continue in sin, when we are dead to sin - how can we live any longer therein?
Why would we ever want to?
Conclusion
The question is, “if you were to die today, do you know 100% sure that you will go to heaven?”
If the answer is unequivocally yes, absolutely, you need to settle it now!
If the answer is yes…The I would ask you, “if you were to die today and stand at the pearly gates and Jesus were to ask you, ‘why should I let you in?’”
What would be your answer.
If it is anything to do with your own works or righteousness, you would be turned away from the gate.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
If it is anything other than, “because I have put my faith and trust in what you did for me on the cross.”
If it is anything other than Jesus, you need to come today and talk to me and settle this today!
It is by grace alone through faith!
Plus Nothing!