Post by Dr.Weismann on Aug 15, 2013 12:35:43 GMT 3
The Calvinists use Revelation 17:8 to explain the predestinated reprobation of sinners which reads,
"The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."
Thus the Calvinist takes the phrase "whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" as evidence that sinner are predestined for hell.
First of all, it does not say that sinners were never part of it in the first place, it says that their names are not written in the BOOK OF LIFE FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. In other words, the book of life that was made from the foundation of the world does not include those in Revelation 17:8 AT THIS TIME. These people in Revelation 17 had their chance, and they chose to take the mark of the beast in Revelation 13:18 and 14:10-12.
There are more than one book. Revelation 20:10. There is a book of life that contains records of the living and the Lambs book of life where NOTICE those who have trusted Christ are TRANSLATED from death to life. Colossians 1:13.
I believe the Scripture shows that all begin written in the book of life, and have the opportunity to be translated to the Lambs book of life. If a person has been enlightened and illuminated and then rejects Christ, he can then be blotted out of this book and rendered ineligible to be placed in the Lambs book of life. Revelation 3:5.
Revelation 3:5, Revelation 9:20-21, Revelation 13:8 and 2 Thessalonians 2:10 show clearly that those in the tribulation who are not saved and blotted out of the book of life were those who willingly rejected Christ, not because they were predestined to hell.
There's a few more verses on the differences from the book of life and the book of the Lamb, but I wanted to quickly get this thought out while it was raised in a debate on another group page about Revelation 17:8.
There is a chart that breaks down the references in Scripture to the books worthy of study. www.biblestudymanuals.net/book_of_life.htm
"The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."
Thus the Calvinist takes the phrase "whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" as evidence that sinner are predestined for hell.
First of all, it does not say that sinners were never part of it in the first place, it says that their names are not written in the BOOK OF LIFE FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. In other words, the book of life that was made from the foundation of the world does not include those in Revelation 17:8 AT THIS TIME. These people in Revelation 17 had their chance, and they chose to take the mark of the beast in Revelation 13:18 and 14:10-12.
There are more than one book. Revelation 20:10. There is a book of life that contains records of the living and the Lambs book of life where NOTICE those who have trusted Christ are TRANSLATED from death to life. Colossians 1:13.
I believe the Scripture shows that all begin written in the book of life, and have the opportunity to be translated to the Lambs book of life. If a person has been enlightened and illuminated and then rejects Christ, he can then be blotted out of this book and rendered ineligible to be placed in the Lambs book of life. Revelation 3:5.
Revelation 3:5, Revelation 9:20-21, Revelation 13:8 and 2 Thessalonians 2:10 show clearly that those in the tribulation who are not saved and blotted out of the book of life were those who willingly rejected Christ, not because they were predestined to hell.
There's a few more verses on the differences from the book of life and the book of the Lamb, but I wanted to quickly get this thought out while it was raised in a debate on another group page about Revelation 17:8.
There is a chart that breaks down the references in Scripture to the books worthy of study. www.biblestudymanuals.net/book_of_life.htm