Leader: for your review. This discussion was a continuation from Week 28.
Rev 13:8 – All who dwell on earth will worship him (the beast), 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. (also see Rev 17:8)
Rev 20:15 – And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
So these verses address the book of life that was written at the beginning of time and is looked at on the day of judgment. If a book was written by Jesus at the beginning of time before man existed, how could we possibly be “saved” at some point and then “unsaved” at another point? How can we “loose” our salvation? Our names are either in the book or out of the book at the beginning of time. But, backing up a few verses in Rev 20 and verse 12, we see there are other books in addition to the book of life that have a record of every deed ever done by every human. “and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds (v12).” So, we are judged according to our deeds in these books and Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned so certainly every human as at least one sin in these books. So, how are we to stand on the day of judgment, how is our name to be found in the book of life when every sin we commit is painstakingly recorded so that God can be just when He judges us on the last day? “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
Discussion question: Given the passage from vv17-24, what does this tell us about the Church or the body of Christ? Are there two roots and in essence two ways to God? Do/Did the Jews have their own way to God that was changed into the Christian way to God after Christ’s death and resurrection?
Discussion question: What is the sequence of events taking place in vv25-26? Does this mean that some Jews were saved and then no Jews are saved while the Gentiles are saved and then Jews start being saved again?
Discussion question: What does v28 describe our attitude towards Jews to be?
Discussion question: How can we see God’s plan at work in vv30,31?
Discussion question: What does v32 mean?
