# Does God Have An Eraser ?



## Lowjack (Oct 26, 2010)

Does God Have An Eraser?
Part 2
Dr. Vic Reasoner 
http://www.fwponline.cc/v22i1/reasoner2.html




We have been considering six different attempt to explain Revelation 3:5 from those who hold to unconditional security. The first part of this article gave three interpretations; this half continues with three more:

• The "book of life" and the "Lamb's book of life" are two different books. The book of life contains the names of all mankind. The Lamb's book of life contains the names of only the redeemed. While unbelievers can be blotted out of the book of life, the redeemed can never be blotted out of the Lamb's book of life.
Rosscup concluded that only in the New Testament do references appear concerning the book of God that pertain to eternal life. MacArthur claimed Exodus 32:33 and Psalm 69:28 referred to physical death [Revelation 1-11, p. 115]. Yet Robert Thomas, Professor of New Testament at MacArthur's Master's Seminary, disputed the distinction between the interpretation that these Old Testament passages refer to the loss of physical life, while the New Testament passages refer to the loss of spiritual life. "This distinction is arbitrary, however. Consistency demands that both refer to spiritual death" [Revelation 1-7, p. 262].


Charles R. Smith surveyed sixteen passages in Scripture and concluded that the Old Testament refers to several divine registers or books. "It is unlikely that any refer to mere physical life alone. Rather, all specify the recipients of special divine blessings." But Smith also argued that since the Mosaic Covenant promised blessing, conditioned on obedience, a person's name could be blotted from a list of covenant blessings if he failed to fulfill the conditions. Here Smith created a false distinction between the Mosaic Covenant and other covenants, since all covenants are based upon conditions.

However, Smith concluded that by the New Testament only one book was under discussion and it was "the register of the elect." Smith asserted that names are never removed from it ["The Book of Life," pp. 219-230]. But Revelation 17:8 clearly teaches that everyone is not written in the book of life. Therefore, those blotted out in Revelation 3:5 cannot be unbelievers who were never entered into it, but backsliders who apostatized.

• Walter Scott claimed the "book of life" in Revelation 3:5 contains the names of professing believers, while the "book of life" in Revelation 13:8 contains the names of genuine believers. While the names of professing believers will be blotted out of the book of life, no genuine believer will ever be blotted out. Matthew Henry's Commentary offered a similar explanation.
Yet this is the book of life, not a church roll. Grant Osborne wrote, "It is difficult to conceive why those with an empty profession would be included on such a list in the first place" [Revelation, p. 183]. Thomas rejected this view saying, "This explanation fails to indicate why a person with an empty profession had his or her name written in the book of life in the first place" [Revelation 1-7, p. 262]. And why would a name which was never entered in the book of life need to be erased?

• Fuller explained that in Revelation 3:1 "name" refers to reputation. Those who deny the faith will still enter eternal life, but Christ will be ashamed of them. They will lose the privileged reputation of the overcomer because their garments are soiled (v 4).
However, 3:1 warns that while they have a good "name," Christ knows their true condition and they are actually dead. Therefore, the promise in 3:5 is not to those with a good reputation who are "dead," but to the few who have not soiled their garments. Those who are dead have been erased from the book of life.

In a desperate attempt to salvage eternal security, scholars such as Fuller, Rosscup, Thomas, Smith, and Walvoord have grasped at any attempted solution, sometimes offering more than one option. Often their conflicting explanations cancel each other out. While I have studied under a couple of these men and respect their scholarship, I am disappointed in their lack of objectivity in this instance. They seem uncertain about what the verse means, but they are sure about what it does not mean! They appear willing to go to any length to protect their presupposition. In his synopsis of "The Overcomer of the Apocalypse," Rosscup stated that the correct interpretation of the "overcomer" involves a "defense of the doctrines of eternal security and of the perseverance of the saints." Thus, eternal security becomes their foundational doctrine and everything else must be cut to fit.

Perhaps Revelation 3:5 could be more easily understood if we did not approach it with so much extra baggage. Let's consider a seventh possible interpretation. If God already knows who will be saved, why does he bother writing down names that he knows will later be erased? The only consistent answer is that their names were written down because they were once saved; their names were erased because they fell away. "The names of the good are often represented as registered in heaven (Luke 10:20). But this by no means implies a certainty of salvation, but only that at that time the persons were on the list, from which (as in Rev 3:5), the names of unworthy members might be erased" [McClintock and Strong, Cyclopedia, 1:852].


Wesley taught that "if any who are saved make shipwreck of the faith, God will blot them out of his book, although they were written therein from before the foundation of the world." Howard Marshall wrote, 
The possibility of failure to endure is mentioned. Christians who fail to persevere will come under judgment and their names will be blotted out of the book of life. There is no reason to suppose that these warnings are purely hypothetical, directed against non-existent dangers; the reverse is the case. Moreover, the reference to the book of life indicates that John is addressing his warning to believers [Kept by the Power of God, p. 175].
Yet we need not fall away. "This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). Yet John describes this faith in the next verse as a present tense faith. The person who keeps on overcoming is the one who keeps on believing with active, trusting, obedient faith. Those who do not persevere will have their names blotted out of the Book of Life. Adam Clarke wrote, "Is it not evident that a soul could not be blotted out of a book in which it had never been written? And is it not farther evident from [Exodus 32:32-33] that, although a man be written in God's book, if he sins he may be blotted out?"

In ancient times city registers contained the names of its citizens. There were two reasons why a name could be erased: committing a capital offense or death. Physical death can never separate us from life in Christ (Rom 8:38-39). Yet the church at Sardis had many who had grown careless and were about to die spiritually. Their names were about to be erased. Only a few were overcomers. Joseph Benson wrote, "This passage plainly implies, that some names shall be blotted out from the book of life: this is, some who, in consequence of their adoption and regeneration, were entitled to and fitted for eternal life, shall, through falling from grace, lose these blessings, and come again under guilt, condemnation, and wrath."

If we understand apostasy to be a "capital offense" which results in spiritual death, then it is possible to understand how names which were recorded in the heavenly register could be blotted out. How long has it been since you received any confirmation from the Holy Spirit that your name can be found written in the book of life? Ben Witherington concluded that "one is not eternally secure until one is securely in eternity."


----------



## christianhunter (Oct 26, 2010)

I'm not saying this in a humorous way,though it may appear to be so.If THE LORD had an eraser,the entire book would be empty.


----------



## formula1 (Oct 26, 2010)

*Re:*

I am eternally saved for the sole reason that my God is powerful enough to insure that I cannot walk away from Him.  I trust in His grace, mercy and the keeping Power of  the Holy Spirit.

He is Sufficient!  I never have been!


----------



## rjcruiser (Oct 26, 2010)

Lowjack said:


> • Rosscup concluded that only in the New Testament do references appear concerning the book of God that pertain to eternal life. MacArthur claimed Exodus 32:33 and Psalm 69:28 referred to physical death [Revelation 1-11, p. 115]. Yet Robert Thomas, Professor of New Testament at MacArthur's Master's Seminary, disputed the distinction between the interpretation that these Old Testament passages refer to the loss of physical life, while the New Testament passages refer to the loss of spiritual life. "This distinction is arbitrary, however. Consistency demands that both refer to spiritual death" [Revelation 1-7, p. 262].



On a side note....Dr Rosscup is an excellent western fiction writer.  He wrote 3 books under the authorship of Jim Ross.  I recommend anyone who has young people interested in western novels to give them a try.  They're excellent reading.

Now...back to the subject/paragraph above.  The author does a very good job of setting the paragraph up to "prove" that people at The Master's Seminary disagree with each other.  While I know that various staff members have differing opinions on a wide variety of third tier doctrinal issues, I would have a hard time believing that Dr. Thomas believes anything other than having eternal security.



			
				Lowjack said:
			
		

> In a desperate attempt to salvage eternal security, scholars such as Fuller, Rosscup, Thomas, Smith, and Walvoord have grasped at any attempted solution, sometimes offering more than one option. Often their conflicting explanations cancel each other out. While I have studied under a couple of these men and respect their scholarship, I am disappointed in their lack of objectivity in this instance. They seem uncertain about what the verse means, but they are sure about what it does not mean! They appear willing to go to any length to protect their presupposition. In his synopsis of "The Overcomer of the Apocalypse," Rosscup stated that the correct interpretation of the "overcomer" involves a "defense of the doctrines of eternal security and of the perseverance of the saints." Thus, eternal security becomes their foundational doctrine and everything else must be cut to fit.



Interesting how the author of this article and all others who believe in one's ability to lose their salvation do the same thing.  Establish a doctrinal position and try and make all others fit it.

How one can believe in the omniscience and omnipotence of the Almighty God and still believe man has the power to choose/unchoose salvation is beyond my own human comprehension.



formula1 said:


> I am eternally saved for the sole reason that my God is powerful enough to insure that I cannot walk away from Him.  I trust in His grace, mercy and the keeping Power of  the Holy Spirit.
> 
> He is Sufficient!  I never have been!



Amen


----------



## rjcruiser (Oct 26, 2010)

I almost forgot to answer the question in the subject line....


No.


----------



## Ronnie T (Oct 26, 2010)

I would recommend that all people live their lives for Jeus Christ
and you won't have to wonder what God's doing with His pen and eraser.


----------



## tomtlb66 (Oct 26, 2010)

Amen to that brother!


----------



## Slewfoot (Oct 26, 2010)

*eraser?*

I do not believe he has an eraser for those who have accepted His imeasurable gift.  Our finite minds want to give him an eraser, but His grace is sufficent for our failures...even continued failures


----------



## Ronnie T (Oct 26, 2010)

The disciples are now wise enough to measure God's mercy 
for someone else other than themselves.  
Hum!


----------



## hummerpoo (Oct 27, 2010)

Ronnie T said:


> The disciples are now wise enough to measure God's mercy
> for someone else other than themselves.
> Hum!



Amen!!

Our study of this question is very important as it is used for the edification of the Church, but we must never attempt to use it to expand our scripturally assigned tasks for judgment of the Body.  IMHO


----------



## Ronnie T (Oct 30, 2010)

I wonder what Jesus says about adding and removing a person from God's kingdom?


----------



## Ronnie T (Oct 30, 2010)

Rev 2:4'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will *remove* your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent. 

Why would God remove...............


----------



## Ronnie T (Oct 30, 2010)

Here's a rather controversial verse that gets the old heart pumping.
I'm heard this one explained about 15 different ways.
But the original text always seems to be the simpliest to understand.

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.

*To those who overcome......
1).  They'll be clothed in white.
2).  I will not erase their names from book of life.
3).  I will confess their names before God our Father.
4).  And, proclaim them before the Father's angels.

*The logical conclusion for me is that those who do NOT overcome....
1).  They will not get the white clothing.
2).  Their name will be erased from the book of life.
3).  Jesus will not confess their name before His Father.
4).  Jesus will not introduce them to God's angels.

Jesus wrote those words to Christians as a part of a geographic church.  
Imagine receiving that letter.


----------



## Lowjack (Oct 30, 2010)

Ronnie T said:


> Here's a rather controversial verse that gets the old heart pumping.
> I'm heard this one explained about 15 different ways.
> But the original text always seems to be the simpliest to understand.
> 
> ...



Overcome what ?


----------



## Ronnie T (Oct 31, 2010)

Lowjack said:


> Overcome what ?



1"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 
2'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 
3'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.


----------



## 1gr8bldr (Nov 4, 2010)

I'd supect that the ones missing would be those  to whom "he gave a certificate of divorce". Those who were deceived, defiled by the false Christ, or "antichrist". This is a deep subject


----------

