Revelation 13:8 is one of the proof text used by Calvinists to show that people are ordained a long time ago. Calvinists believe before God created the universe, He picks and chooses who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. They argue that because God already had the names written in the book of life long before creation.
Revelation 13:8 “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Revelation 17:8 “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”
Again, it seems like these people’s names are not in the book of life long before the foundation of the world, so these people were already damned to hell.
The easy answer for this is that long before the creation and foundation of the world, you and I have not received Christ for salvation yet, that’s why our name is not in the book of life. We are all lost sinners, to begin with.
All of our names are not in the book of life from the foundation of the world, if we want our name in the book of life, we can no longer be part of the lost wicked.
Revelation 21:27 “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
If we want our name in the book of life, all we have to do is not be a lost sinner. Be a saved Christian in Jesus Christ, sins all washed away, then our name is in the book of life.
If Calvinists insist that God already chose the names that will be in the book of life long before creation, then why are there verses in the Bible that show God takes away the name out of the book of life?
Revelation 3:5 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
Notice that it’s not like God already decided long ago which name will be there and then it’s locked up. No, God can erase it.
Revelation 22:19 “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
Notice that God can take away the name out of the book of life.
Calvinists assume that God already chose a special group of elects long before creation that they will go to heaven no matter what, then why is it all of a sudden, it transformed to damnation for hell? That does not make sense.
It’s all under a condition. The condition is to be in the book of life and If you don’t follow the condition of the book of life, then you’re out.