Weekly Devotional 11-9-15 Why Witness

Weekly Devotional 11-9-15 Why Witness?

From Revelation 17:8 we read that Jesus informed John, and us indirectly, that certain ones had their names written in the Book of life from the foundation of the world. This of course raises the following questions: Who were the ones who have their names written in the Book of Life? And, why were their names written there?
As to who is written in the Book of Life, they are identified in Jesus’ description of the church recorded in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. From chapter 3:1-5 we read, “1And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things’ says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5He 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.’”

While this part of the universal church as a whole was dead or dying, Christ recognized a godly remnant who had not soiled their clothes with sin. He promised that true believers will be dressed in white, symbolic of the righteousness of God, that their names will remain in the book of life, and that He will acknowledge them as His own before His Father and His angels. Moving ahead in Jesus’ revelation He said, “but there shall by no means enter it [heaven] anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names remain written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, those who have been given the righteousness of Christ.” (Revelation 21:27 NKJV). It is the saints of all ages whose names remain in the book of life. See also Philippians 4:3.

As to why their names remain written in the Book of Life, it is that they have been given the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Paul writes that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the saints before they were saints. In fact, they were dead toward God. We read, “1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:1-6 NKJV).

And in another letter, his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, “4Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.” (Romans 4:4-8 NKJV ).
So then, if it is established that it is Christ’s righteousness imputed to those who are birthed by the Holy Spirit to spiritual life, and that God wrote their names in the Book of Life before He created the world, why witness?

Continuing with Paul’s letter to the Romans we read, “1Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does those things shall live by them.’ 6But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7or, Who will descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)’. 8But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the Scripture says, Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!’” (Romans 10:1-15 NKJV).

Though a person’s name was written in the Book of Life, or that Jesus’ righteousness was imputed to that one before God created the world in eternity past, their conversion comes in the frame of time after they hear the word of God and are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Hearing the word of God necessitates the proclamation of it, and therein lies the need to witness. Wow!

stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man

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