Revelation 3:5- Can names be blotted out?

Posted by The Editor  ·  Be the first to comment

This article was written and published by Harvest House

Harvest House

 

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 1:6

A number of people have asked me if Revelation 3:5 teaches that a true believer can lose his or her salvation. How does this verse square with what other passages say about the eternal security of the believer?

In Revelation 3:5, Jesus was speaking to the church at Sardis. He said, “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.” The Lord promises these believers that their names will never be blotted out of the book of life.

Yet, as John Walvoord noted,

To some this verse seems to indicate that a believer’s name could be blotted out, which is contrary to the Bible’s clear teaching of the believer’s eternal security. To make the continuance of our salvation depend upon works is a gross failure to comprehend that salvation is by grace alone. If it depended upon the believer’s perseverance, the name would not have been written there in the first place.*

This verse, rather than being a threat that a believer’s name can be erased, is an ironclad assurance that it will never be blotted out. The original Greek text in 3:5 is emphatic. There is a double negative (ou me) that could be translated, “I will never, ever under any circumstance erase his name from the book of life.”

John MacArthur states,

Incredibly, although the text says just the opposite, some people assume that this verse teaches that a person’s name can be erased from the book of life. They thus foolishly turn a promise into a threat.**

Even the believers at Sardis, who were far from ideal, were promised the hope of eternal life that will never fail. Every true believer can rest in this same promise.

101 Answers to Questions About the Book of Re


*John F. Walvoord, Revelation, rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody, 2011), 80.

**John MacArthur, Revelation 1–11 (Chicago: Moody, 1999), 115.

Read more in 101 Answers to Questions About the Book of Revelation by Mark Hitchcock

Originally published by Harvest House

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 1:6 - See more at: https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/blog/can-the-names-of-believers-be-blotted-out-of-the-book-of-life#sthash.IrYnv1f9.dpuf

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 1:6

A number of people have asked me if Revelation 3:5 teaches that a true believer can lose his or her salvation. How does this verse square with what other passages say about the eternal security of the believer?

In Revelation 3:5, Jesus was speaking to the church at Sardis. He said, “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.” The Lord promises these believers that their names will never be blotted out of the book of life.

Yet, as John Walvoord noted,

To some this verse seems to indicate that a believer’s name could be blotted out, which is contrary to the Bible’s clear teaching of the believer’s eternal security. To make the continuance of our salvation depend upon works is a gross failure to comprehend that salvation is by grace alone. If it depended upon the believer’s perseverance, the name would not have been written there in the first place.*

This verse, rather than being a threat that a believer’s name can be erased, is an ironclad assurance that it will never be blotted out. The original Greek text in 3:5 is emphatic. There is a double negative (ou me) that could be translated, “I will never, ever under any circumstance erase his name from the book of life.”

John MacArthur states,

Incredibly, although the text says just the opposite, some people assume that this verse teaches that a person’s name can be erased from the book of life. They thus foolishly turn a promise into a threat.**

Even the believers at Sardis, who were far from ideal, were promised the hope of eternal life that will never fail. Every true believer can rest in this same promise.

*John F. Walvoord, Revelation, rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody, 2011), 80.

**John MacArthur, Revelation 1–11 (Chicago: Moody, 1999), 115.

- See more at: https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/blog/can-the-names-of-believers-be-blotted-out-of-the-book-of-life#sthash.IrYnv1f9.dpuf

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 1:6

A number of people have asked me if Revelation 3:5 teaches that a true believer can lose his or her salvation. How does this verse square with what other passages say about the eternal security of the believer?

In Revelation 3:5, Jesus was speaking to the church at Sardis. He said, “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.” The Lord promises these believers that their names will never be blotted out of the book of life.

Yet, as John Walvoord noted,

To some this verse seems to indicate that a believer’s name could be blotted out, which is contrary to the Bible’s clear teaching of the believer’s eternal security. To make the continuance of our salvation depend upon works is a gross failure to comprehend that salvation is by grace alone. If it depended upon the believer’s perseverance, the name would not have been written there in the first place.*

This verse, rather than being a threat that a believer’s name can be erased, is an ironclad assurance that it will never be blotted out. The original Greek text in 3:5 is emphatic. There is a double negative (ou me) that could be translated, “I will never, ever under any circumstance erase his name from the book of life.”

John MacArthur states,

Incredibly, although the text says just the opposite, some people assume that this verse teaches that a person’s name can be erased from the book of life. They thus foolishly turn a promise into a threat.**

Even the believers at Sardis, who were far from ideal, were promised the hope of eternal life that will never fail. Every true believer can rest in this same promise.

*John F. Walvoord, Revelation, rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody, 2011), 80.

**John MacArthur, Revelation 1–11 (Chicago: Moody, 1999), 115.

- See more at: https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/blog/can-the-names-of-believers-be-blotted-out-of-the-book-of-life#sthash.IrYnv1f9.dpuf

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 1:6

A number of people have asked me if Revelation 3:5 teaches that a true believer can lose his or her salvation. How does this verse square with what other passages say about the eternal security of the believer?

In Revelation 3:5, Jesus was speaking to the church at Sardis. He said, “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.” The Lord promises these believers that their names will never be blotted out of the book of life.

Yet, as John Walvoord noted,

To some this verse seems to indicate that a believer’s name could be blotted out, which is contrary to the Bible’s clear teaching of the believer’s eternal security. To make the continuance of our salvation depend upon works is a gross failure to comprehend that salvation is by grace alone. If it depended upon the believer’s perseverance, the name would not have been written there in the first place.*

This verse, rather than being a threat that a believer’s name can be erased, is an ironclad assurance that it will never be blotted out. The original Greek text in 3:5 is emphatic. There is a double negative (ou me) that could be translated, “I will never, ever under any circumstance erase his name from the book of life.”

John MacArthur states,

Incredibly, although the text says just the opposite, some people assume that this verse teaches that a person’s name can be erased from the book of life. They thus foolishly turn a promise into a threat.**

Even the believers at Sardis, who were far from ideal, were promised the hope of eternal life that will never fail. Every true believer can rest in this same promise.

*John F. Walvoord, Revelation, rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody, 2011), 80.

**John MacArthur, Revelation 1–11 (Chicago: Moody, 1999), 115.

- See more at: https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/blog/can-the-names-of-believers-be-blotted-out-of-the-book-of-life#sthash.IrYnv1f9.dpuf
22nd August

August 22nd, 2015 - Posted & Written by The Editor

Thumbs Down 0
Thumbs Up 0

Did you find this article useful?

0 Visitor Comments

Join in the Eden community and comment on this article

Leave A Comment

Leave your comments or suggestions in regards to this article.

Please login to post a comment.
Product Spotlight
101 Answers to Questions About the Book of Revelation

101 Answers to Questions About the Book of Revelation

Availability: In Stock - Usually dispatched within 24 hours

FREE Delivery

Offer Price: £14.96

Most Popular Articles
Prayer Books Every Christian Should Read
Posted on Monday 15th of January
New Lent Bible Study Guides 2024
Posted on Monday 15th of January
LENT COURSES - How to choose the right one for you
Posted on Monday 15th of January
When is Easter 2024?
Posted on Friday 5th of January
Christian Christmas Cards
Posted on Friday 20th of October
Prayer Books Every Christian Should Read
Posted on Monday 15th of January
New Lent Bible Study Guides 2024
Posted on Monday 15th of January
LENT COURSES - How to choose the right one for you
Posted on Monday 15th of January
When is Easter 2024?
Posted on Friday 5th of January
Christian Christmas Cards
Posted on Friday 20th of October
LENT COURSES - How to choose the right one for you
Posted on Monday 15th of January
New Advent Study Guides
Posted on Monday 16th of October
Where to Watch the New C.S. Lewis Film
Posted on Thursday 12th of May
Free Christian Resources for Children
Posted on Friday 1st of May
The Eden Bible Guide series
Posted on Monday 17th of February
Recent Article Comments

Nia Wright has made 0 posts.

34 useful comments

A Reader has made 70 posts.

28 useful comments

Les Ellison has made 44 posts.

11 useful comments

James Warwood has made 4 posts.

9 useful comments

Lyn Myers has made 5 posts.

8 useful comments

Last updated: 2 days4 hrs8 mins ago