Does Revelation 3:5 Mean My Name can be Blotted Out of the Book of Life?

(By Pastor Mark Fontecchio)

Question: Does Revelation 3:5 mean my name can be blotted out of the Book of Life?

Answer: Revelation 3:5 tells us that Jesus said, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

The first question is, “Who is meant by the overcomer?” Notice in Revelation 2:7 the overcomer is given the right to eat the tree of life. In Revelation 22:2 the tree of life is seen in the New Jerusalem. Those that eat of the tree of life are those that enjoy eternal life. They are one and the same. Those who overcome in Revelation 2-3 are those regenerated by faith in Christ (those with new life in Christ).

John used this concept of overcoming twenty-three times in his writings to convey the idea of believing. 1 John 5:4-5 tells us, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Revelation 21:7-8 provides another example of this. The one who overcomes is the redeemed child of God with faith. They believe, therefore they overcome. Even though the circumstances and conflicts are different in each church in Revelation 2-3, those who believe will overcome.

Verse 5 in Revelation 3 tells us the overcomer, “shall be clothed in white garments.” These white garments stand for holiness and purity. This is in the future tense and Christ is implying that believers will be involved in the priestly functions of the Messianic Kingdom. Before the kingdom of Christ is ushered in, we read of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19:7-8, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” The righteousness of the believers is based on the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the result by God’s power in us are the righteous acts of the saints.

Jesus also said in Revelation 3:5, “I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life.” The Book of Life is one and the same as the Lamb’s Book of Life. This is the heavenly register of all those reconciled to Christ. It is mentioned in Revelation 20:12, 15; and Philippians 4:3. Now let us be certain that the Word of God is more than clear that God’s people are regenerated to new life by faith and are eternally secure in Christ because in Christ we have our eternal identity. Christ was not so much threatening the removal of a name but was instead encouraging the overcomer.

This strong negative that Christ uses in this text is a figure of speech where a very strong negative is used to emphasize the opposite. Let me give you an example in Hebrews 4:15. The first part of the verse says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses.” What is the point? Is it that Christ cannot sympathize with our weakness, or is it that He can? The point is clear in reading the entire verse, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” This is an example of a strong negative used to point out a positive truth.

Almost every city in the first century had a civic registry where they would keep a roll or a register of the city. In that record was entered the name of every child born of that city. If one of the citizens was proved guilty of being disloyal to the city, then the person was dishonored by removing their name from the register. It meant that you were no longer a citizen, but here in Revelation is the promise that Christ gives to His own. Remember that the overcomer is simply the believer in Christ. Christ is telling His Church, “The day is coming when I will clothe you with white garments and you will never have to worry about having your name blotted out from the Book of Life.” Our names will be remembered before the Father and His Angels because of the glorious work of Christ in us.

Christian your name is forever secure in the Lamb’s Book of Life. This should give you hope and encouragement, letting you know as the redeemed that your name is forever secure in Christ.

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