Africo-American Presbyterian., 1899-12-21
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR;


Topic For the Week BEGINNING Dec.
31-COr,ment by Rev. s. II. Doyle.
TcPIc.--The avcnly rccord.-Iuke x, 20; Rev.
Iii, 1-j. "A New Years meeting.)
The references i'll these passages are
to the book OF life. an expression of
frequent occurrence in the Scriptures.
In its fgurative use in the Old Testa-
ment it is the register of the covenant
people. There and elsewhere it also re-
fers to the list which God keeps in
heaven of those who are His. whose
names, as it were, are written in a
book, giving them title to eternal
life. ''It contains IL list of the righteous
and insures to those whose names are
written therein life before God first in
the earthly kingdom of God and then
eternal life also. 1t is the record book
of God in which He keeps the names
of those who are faithful and true to
Him in Christ and from which He blots
out the names of all who are unfaithful
to Him. The reference suggests that
l. II our names are written in the
book of life, it should cause US great
joy luke Y. 20). To the 10 on their
return from their missionary tour and
their report of their great power-that
even devils were subject to them-Jesus
said, Notwithstanding, in this rejoice
not that the spirits are subject unto
you, but rejoice rather because your
names are written in heaven" To
have power over evil spirits for the
good of mankind would certainly be
cause for rejoicing, but hcH much
greater cause for rejoicing is the fact
that our names are written in this
Lambs book of life. That record tells
us that we are savel-saved for time
and eternity. 1t tells us that we are the
children of God and that God is special
ly interested in us and exercises special
care and control of us. If anything in
the world can cause US joy, this fact
should, and a joy that will manifest il.
self in gratitude to God and consecra-
tion to His service.
9. If our names are written in the
book of life, our one aim in life should
be to see that they are not blotted out.
They may be blotted out. Moses prayed
that his name be blotted out for the
good of Israel which of course could
not be done. In Rev. iii, 5, Jesus says,
He that overcometh, the same shall
be clothed in white raiment, and will
not blot out his name out of the book
of life. This statement shows that it
is possible for our names to be blotted
out of Gods book of life. What sad |
catastrophe such a fate would bel If |
the chief joy of earth is in having our
names written in heaven, who can de- |
scribe the sorrow of having them blot |
ted out? But, though they may, yet
they need not be blotted out. If we
overcOme-overcome sin, overcome
trial, overcome unbelief-they shall not |
be. And Jesus will help US so that we |
can overcome. He has overcome the |
world, and through Him we may over |
come it.
Let us be faithful to God in Christ |
and keep our names in the book of life. |
for thus only can we enter heaven. |
"Then shall in nowise enter into it any
thing that defileth, but they which |
are written in the Lambs book of life. "
Bible Readings. Sex. xxxii, 3032;
Eccl. xii, 13, Ia; Isa. iv, 3; Dan. xii, |
1-3; Math. xii, 3G, 81; Acts xvii, 80, |
81; Rom. ii, 1@-16; l Cor. iv, 5; Phil, |
iv, 13; Heb. xii, 1924; Pet. iv, 1-5:
Rev. xiii, s; xvii, 3; Xxx. 1915 xxi, %.