Blot Out Your Name

There is an interesting statement in Revelation 3:5 
He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

John MacArthur was asked a question about this that I have heard several times. Since Jesus said that He would not erase the name of the overcomer, does that mean that it could possibly be erased? MacArthur’s answer was to do a double take.

Essentially he suggested that it is not very good scholarship to ask if the name can be erased when promised that it would not be erased. This seems to take a statement, turn it upside down and then ask if that is a correct deduction. In short, it is an inference based on a deduction. Just read the statement.

In the context of Roman times, a person was born as a Roman citizen. Only for the most egregious violations, such as overt treason, could a born citizen lose his citizenship. Normally, it was a birthright for life. Jesus may have been referring to that and proclaiming that the overcomer would not ever lose his “place” in the book of life. But that leaves the possibility of losing it, however remote.

Let’s look at it another way. Einstein’s relativity theory says that a body cannot go faster than the speed of light. Does that mean that it could, but that it would not go faster? Astronaut A declares that he is going to a distant star but he will not exceed the speed of light. Does that mean that he  could, but that he would not go faster than light speed? The theory of relativity answers that for us. No. (It might also question our intellect for asking. This may be the quintessential, "dumb question.") If something is impossible, agreeing that it is impossible does not raise the possibility that it is possible. Make sense?

The Book of Life can be likened to that. Five other places in Revelation mention the book and we can get some guidance from them. Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 20:12; 20:15 and 21:27. The two in chapters 13 and 17 give us some understanding.

Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.


The “him” is the anti-Christ. But the key phrase is that his worshipers are the earth dwellers whose names have NOT been written in the Lamb’s book of life–from the foundation of the world. (We won’t “rabbit” after the theology of that, but suffice it to say a name written in the Book has been there since the beginning of time, and according to Jesus will not be blotted out.) Chapter 17 repeats that. So like relativity and the speed of light, the answer to the “can” question is, “NO.” It cannot because it is impossible.

Our verse today is not a veiled threat that a name will be blotted out. It is an absolute assurance that we will overcome and not be blotted out.

That calls for a “Glory!”