Mid Week Meditation pt. 21

Based on Bible text: Philippians 4:3 (KJV)
“…other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.”

 Most of us are confident that our names are listed on the role of our church. However, we should be more concerned about the implications of our names being written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

The Book of Life denotes placement as well as citizenship. We are reminded that we are sojourners here in this life. We are really just passing through, essentially pilgrims without a home. In Glory we shall be citizens of the heavenly kingdom.

The Philippians in our text are really living in a community to which they did not belong, and belonging to a community in which they did not live. Philippi was a Roman colony, a bit of Rome away from home. The names of the citizens of Philippi were inscribed on the registers of the Roman Empire. Paul understood their dilemma. When Paul said their names were written in the Book of Life, they understood they were just pilgrims, passing through; sojourners on the way to their heavenly home.

Some of us have set up residence here but we have roots in another “hometown.” We are here but we left home for marriage, employment, finances, or opportunity. In the carnal, our birthplace remains our hometown. But in the spiritual, we have another home, a home in Christ. Our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life denotes our citizenship in the heavenly kingdom. We don’t pay to have our names listed. The price has already been paid.

The Book of Life denotes possession and is a registry of those who are truly alive. By the grace of God, we have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ, and we have received into our dead spirits the life which Christ bestows upon all who trust in Him.

The world is full of people who think they are living the good life. These are the folk who have no struggles. All their bills are paid, they have two or three cars in the driveway and plenty of money in the bank. But unless their soul is saved from sin, they are like the walking dead. Only those whose souls belong to Christ are possessed of Christ.

Finally, the Book of Life denotes personalization as it belongs to Christ. Christ has personalized His possession, and each of us has a page to himself. Christ opens our account the day we confess, and there He applies individual love, care and wisdom. He loved us and gave himself for us! God established this personal relationship from the beginning. God told Isaiah, “I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1). We can be sure that we have a separate place in Christ’s heart and that He knows each of us! He will never forget nor fail to help one of His own.

If we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in our hearts that God hath raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved. And if we remain faithful and submissive to the Master’s will, when we rest from our labors, our works will follow us (Rev. 14:13) and we will be judged accordingly.

When Christ shall open the great Book of Life, will your name be written in His blood?

Perhaps your name will appear under the heading Peace Loving or Truthful. Maybe you will be listed under the heading Courageous, Humble or Compassionate. Wherever Christ finds your name in His Book, you can be sure that it will be because you were a laborer together with God, approved unto God and He has deemed you faithful.

And when Judgment Day comes, you will receive your reward. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”