God’s Word Interprets God’s Word

Revelation 20:10-15

And the Devil leading them astray was thrown into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were . And they were tormented day and night forever and ever.

And I saw a great white throne, and the One sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled; and a place was not found for them. Genesis 3:8, John 3:19-20, Romans 3:9-20

Question: Do believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ hide and flee from Him ? No, They gravitate to Him by the Holy Spirit asking for mercy; believing He is the only one that can save them from their sins conditioned on His work and person alone. Luke 18:13, Luke 23:42-43, Luke 7:38, Luke 7:47

John 14:1-3

Do not let your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. But if it were not so , I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you!

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.

Revelation 20:12

And I saw the dead, the small and the great, standing before God. And books were opened. And another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books, according to their works.

Question: Are the “books” a plural set of books that are used to judge the dead according to their works for their salvation?

Considering there is “ Another Book” that was opened separate from the “Books”, I would say yes that only the “ books” were used to judge the dead according to their works for their salvation.

Are any dead going to be saved that are judged according to their works for their salvation? Apparently not, because we find below that only those found in the “book of life” will be saved.

I have to deduct only Jesus Christ’s work is contained in the Book of Life and the names of His people for whom He died and lived the perfect life on behalf of as their perfect substitute; satisfying God’s justice and righteousness.

Remember the “book of life “was opened separate and is distinct and of a different kind than the “books” used to judge the dead according to their works.

Revelation 20:13

And the sea ( see Revelation 17:15) gave up the dead in it. And death and Hades gave up the dead in them. And they were each judged according to their works.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15

Did not Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light?

It is not a great thing, then, if also his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Revelation 17:15

And he says to me, The waters ( Sea?) which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.

It appears all the “dead” ( spiritually and physically ?) were rounded up to be judged out of the “books” according to their works. I don’t see any mention of the “living “ that were to be judged mentioned in

2 Timothy 4:1

Then I solemnly witness before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, He being about to judge living (quick) ( the ones made alive in the spirit ??) and dead at His appearance and His kingdom.

2 Corinthians 5:10

¹⁰ For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive ( Reveal) (declare) the things done through the body, according to what he did, whether good or bad

Please note:

( the believer is not judged according to his works for his salvation because that foundation was laid by Jesus Christ) and no flesh will be justified in His sight by the works of the Law; for through the Law is the knowledge of sin.) Romans 3:20, Romans 7:5

Who shall lay charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. It is Christ that died.

See – Romans 8:33-39, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

Comment– Please notice in the above verse 2 Timothy 4:1 it doesn’t say “ according to their works” It will become clearer once the subject of the book of life is mentioned further.

Please notice in the above verse the “ living” appear to be those quickened by the Holy Spirit without it referring to the physically living.

It appears to be referring to the ones that were made a new creation in Christ Jesus because of His shed blood and imputed righteousness who were given the Holy Spirit and lived their lives by faith in this gospel ( good news) of Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:16-17

His people strive to keep His commandments of loving God and their neighbor as themselves.John 14:15,23

God works the willing and the doing in His people through the Holy Spirit for His glory, His good pleasure and He works all things for His glory and the benefit of His elect in Jesus Christ. Romans 9:22-24, Romans 8:28-30, Philippians 1:6,2:13

He will complete the work He begins when He returns and resurrects the body unto incorruptibility and makes all things new.

Romans 11:36

Because of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

Colossians 1:16

For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible; whether thrones, or lordships, or rulers, or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him.

Comment– Man was created for God’s glory Revelation 4:11 through Jesus Christ. God was not created for man’s glory. That was the deception offered by the serpent and the delusion given that you are your own little god knowing good and evil when the truth is you can’t do anything unless it is given to you by God through whatever means God chooses; Good or Evil. 1 Corinthians 4:7-8

Natural sinful man was given the delusion he pursued in the Garden of Eden that he doesn’t need God or His Word. Genesis 3:4-5 God commanded not to eat the fruit and man’s ego led him astray as it always does because it is always Satanic. The Bible is God’s Word. No need to go looking for hidden knowledge with Serpent fortune tellers. 1 John 2:15-16

John 3:3-8, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, John 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18, Ephesians 2:5, Romans 4:3-8, Philippians 1:6, 2:13, Revelation 21:5, 1 Corinthians 15, Romans 11:36, Revelation 4:11, Proverbs 16:4, Romans 9:22-24, 2 Corinthians 5:17, John 14:15

No one’s works are listed in the Book of Life and the living weren’t judged out of the Book of life according to their works.

I’m assuming the living are the ones generated by God from above who become a new creation. John 3:3-8, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Comment– Could the “living” being referred to be the spiritually alive to Jesus Christ; the regenerate, the ones bought by His shed blood who are the children of Promise found in the book of life?

It appears that the only work listed in the Book of Life was Jesus Christ’s work plus the names of those saved conditioned on and judged for their salvation according to His work; received by God given faith John 6:29, Ephesians 2:8-10

Ephesians 2:5, John 3:3-8, John 5:21, Romans 9:8, John 10:15, John 10:26, Acts 20:28, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Romans 8:8-9, Matthew 1:21-23, Romans 4:3-8, Romans 3:9-31

Comment– in the following verse we have someone living for pleasure that is considered dead. I would have to assume the person is dead spiritually.

1 Timothy 5:6

But the ( one) living for self-pleasure has died while living. (King James 3)

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth ( King James)

Matthew 8:22

But Jesus said to him, Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.

Luke 9:60

But Jesus said to him, Leave the dead to bury their dead, but going out, you announce the kingdom of God.

Comment– Leave the ( spiritually) dead to bury their own (physically) dead. Announcing the kingdom of God is more important and done by the spiritually regenerate.

Luke 15:32

But to be merry and to rejoice was right, for this brother of yours was dead, and lived again; and being lost, also he was found.

Comment– the brother was (spiritually) dead and considered physically dead because of his worthless physical life, being lost, even though physically alive.

He is now spiritually alive so he can live again; meaning he is no longer living a worthless physical life as if he were physically dead; but because he is now spiritually alive bringing his worthless physical life to spiritual life, he can live again. I’m not sure if I articulated this explanation; but hopefully you see the point.

Revelation 20:5

But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.

Revelation 20:6

⁶Blessed and holy is the one having part in the first resurrection. The second death has no authority over these, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years.

Acts 20:28

Then take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit placed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased through His own blood.

The church of God are The called out ones by God, The children of Promise. They are All the Father gives to Jesus to be saved and raised up on the last day John 6:37-39

None will be lost that the Father gives to Jesus Christ to be saved and raised up in the last day.

They all will come to the knowledge of the truth and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ; sometime between conception and death. Romans 9:8, Revelation 5:9,7:9, Ephesians 1:4,11, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 2 Corinthians 4:3-7, Matthew 16:16-18

1 Peter 4:5-6

who will give account to Him having readiness to judge the living and dead.

For to this end also the gospel was preached to the dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but might live according to God in the Spirit.

Acts 10:42

and he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify fully that it is he who hath been ordained by God judge of living and dead—

Comment – if we use the contextual meaning of “Dead” in 1 Peter 4:6 to interpret Revelation 20:13 as those in the flesh or the unregenerate or spiritually dead, then, the “dead” being judged out of the “books” according to their works are unregenerate and are those not found in “another book was opened”, the “book of life”

Those found in the book of life were regenerate by God or from above which means Jesus Christ paid for their sins; no longer to be judged according to their works to gain salvation because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified Romans 3:20

Revelation 20:14

And death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death

Revelation 20:15

And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Those found in the “Book of Life” were spared the 2nd death because of Jesus Christ’s work on the Cross; His atoning shed blood and His imputed perfect righteousness charged to their account received by God worked and given faith in this Gospel of Grace; satisfying God’s righteous justice for His promised people’s sins who are taken from every nation, even tribes, languages and peoples.

God fulfills all His promises. Jesus promised to save all the Father gives to Him from their sins who are all drawn to Him by the Father through the Holy Spirit. They will all come to the knowledge of truth, the good news, sometime between conception and death John 6:44-65

2 Corinthians 4:6

Because it is God who said, “Out of darkness Light shall shine,” who shone in our hearts to give the brightness of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Isa. 42:6, 7, 16

Comment

Salvation is of the Lord from regeneration to final glorification when He comes again when all His promised people will be made incorruptible and free from the nature of sin.

Romans 8:5

For the ones that are according to flesh mind the things of the flesh. And the ones according to Spirit mind the things of the Spirit.

Comment– The children of promise, sometime in their lives, between conception and death, will come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved showing that God has given them a new heart because of the faith of Jesus Christ which causes them to become a new creation in Christ Jesus which will be completed at His return when He gives them an incorruptible sinless eternal resurrected body; incapable of sin. He will make all things new. 1 John 3:2, John 8:32

2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:23-24, Ezekiel 36:26, Matthew 1:21-23, Romans 3:22, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Philippians 1:6,2:13,

1 Corinthians 15, Galatians 2:16, Revelation 21:1

Please read the above carefully “works” are not the conditions of salvation. Works are the fruit of salvation that come from the Holy Spirit generating belief, trust and love for Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

Salvation is conditioned solely on the atoning shed blood of Jesus Christ and His imputed righteousness alone given to those that God chooses to shine into the heart the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

His people are taken from every nation, tribe, language and people, who God works and gives faith in the gospel that saves conditioned on Jesus Christ alone. Revelation 5:9,7:9

You shall know them by their fruits. The new heart generated by God through Jesus Christ produces fruit which starts with the thoughts of believing the true gospel that produces fruit from the mouth that reflects what you believe. Works follow that are generated by the Holy Spirit; but do not determine your salvation because that is the foundation that Jesus Christ laid alone; 1 Corinthians 3:11, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Luke 6:45

Those persons that are relying on their works to gain salvation are lost and do not know the Truth. Jesus said I am The Way The Truth The Life.

2 Corinthians 4:6, John 14:6, Luke 6:45, Mark 10:18, Romans 8:8-11, Romans 4:3-8, Romans 3:20

Matthew 1:21-23, Matthew 11:27-30, John 6:37-39 Hebrews 9:22 Romans 3:9-27 Jonah 2:9 Revelation 5:9,7:9, John 6:29, Ephesians 2:8-10, 1 Corinthians 15

God promises to save His people from their sins who are taken from every nation, even tribes, languages and peoples; a salvation, conditioned solely on the atoning shed blood of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, and His imputed righteousness alone without effort or work from those He unconditionally chose from before the foundation of the world. All will come to the knowledge of the truth of this gift of salvation based the work and person of Jesus Christ sometime between conception and death. The justified will live their lives glorifying Him because He was the one working the willing and the doing in them for His good pleasure. God through Jesus Christ will be their first love. They will strive to keep His commandments out of love for the one who saved them.

Luke 18:13

¹³ And standing at a distance, the tax collector would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but smote on his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner!

Matthew 1:21-23, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 1:4,11, Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 8:28-30, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, John 6:35-65, John 3:26-27, Romans 9, Hebrews 9, Philippians 1:6,2:13, John 14:15, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Revelation 2:4, Romans 3:20, Romans 1:16-17, Romans 3, Romans 4:3-8, Revelation 5:9,7:9, Luke 18:13, Luke 23:42, Luke 7:47

Highlights and italics added for emphasis

Literal translation 1993 Jay P.Green