The Lord Jesus says to his disciples after they had expressed joy over being able to cast out devils, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
To what purpose does the Saviour tell his disciples that their names were written in heaven but to mark the certainty of their salvation by an opposition to those things which perish and have their names written in the earth, or upon the sand, where they may be defaced? Wicked men can vandalized what is written on paper and stone, but not even the devil can touch what is written in heavenly places.
Jesus tells his disciples that it was not expedient for them to glory or to vaunt themselves because spirits were subject unto them, for wicked and evil people can also cast out devils (e.g., Matthew 7:22,23). Jesus’ disciples were to rejoice in this thing, that their names were written in heaven.
Lost people have their names written in the earth, and it beseems them to look after the things of the world, because their portion is there, it is their all. Many strive to have their names written in the pages of history for future generations to read. ’Tis then a special evil to wicked men to lose their name in this world, because when they have lost that, they have lost all; and when they have lost it here, they can find it nowhere.
The redeemed have their names written in heaven, so that when the earth passes away, their names will remain; and their good works, which they do on earth, follow them into paradise.
The book wherein our names are written is called the book of life; the book of life of the Lamb; the Lamb’s book of life (see: Philippians 4:3; Revelation 13:8; 21:27).
The importance of having our names written in the book of life is found in Revelation chapter 20, wherein John says, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: … And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11–15.)
To have your name written in the book of life, and to go to Heaven when you die, you must be saved from going to Hell by Jesus Christ. Click here to read from the Scriptures how you can be saved: Heaven.
Credit:
Cranford, Joseph. “An Exposition Upon the Book of Job. Vers. 17.” An Exposition With Practicall Observations Continued Upon the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-One Chapters of the Book of Job, 1658, p. 118.
Burroughs, Jeremiah. “Moses His Choice.” Moses His Choice, With His Eye Fixed Upon Heaven: Discovering the Happy Condition of a Self-Denying Heart, 1641, p. 729.
Charnocke, Stephen. “A Discourse Upon the Immutability of God.” Several Discourses Upon the Existence and Attributes of God, 1682.