written in the book。〃 And the revelator says that those only shall enter the
city of God whose names 〃are written in the Lamb's book of life。〃 Daniel
12：1； Revelation 21：27。
〃A book of remembrance〃 is written before God； in which are recorded the
good deeds of 〃them that feared the Lord； and that thought upon His name。〃
Malachi 3：16。 Their words of faith； their acts of love； are registered in
heaven。 Nehemiah refers to this when he says： 〃Remember me； O my God； 。 。 。
and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God。〃
Nehemiah 13：14。 In the book of God's remembrance every deed of righteousness
is immortalized。 There every temptation resisted； every evil overcome； every
word of tender pity expressed； is faithfully chronicled。 And every act of
sacrifice； every suffering and sorrow endured for Christ's sake； is
recorded。 Says the psalmist： 〃Thou tellest my wanderings： put Thou my tears
into Thy bottle： are they not in Thy book？〃 Psalm 56：8。
There is a record also of the sins of men。 〃For God shall bring every work
into judgment； with every secret thing； whether it be good； or whether it be
evil。〃 Every idle word that men shall speak； they shall give account thereof
in the day of judgment。〃 Says the Saviour： 〃By thy words thou shalt be
justified； and by thy words thou shalt be condemned。〃 Ecclesiastes 12：14；
Matthew 12：36； 37。 The secret purposes and motives appear in the unerring
register； for God 〃will bring to light the hidden things of darkness； and
will make manifest the counsels of the hearts。〃 I Corinthians 4：5。 〃Behold；
it is written before Me； 。 。 。 your iniquities； and the iniquities of your
fathers together； saith the Lord。〃 Isaiah 65：6； 7。
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Every man's work passes in review before God and is registered for
faithfulness or unfaithfulness。 Opposite each name in the books of heaven is
entered with terrible exactness every wrong word； every selfish act； every
unfulfilled duty； and every secret sin； with every artful dissembling。
Heaven…sent warnings or reproofs neglected； wasted moments； unimproved
opportunities； the influence exerted for good or for evil； with its
far…reaching results； all are chronicled by the recording angel。
The law of God is the standard by which the characters and the lives of men
will be tested in the judgment。 Says the wise man： 〃Fear God； and keep His
commandments： for this is the whole duty of man。 For God shall bring every
work into judgment。〃 Ecclesiastes 12：13； 14。 The apostle James admonishes
his brethren： 〃So speak ye； and so do； as they that shall be judged by the
law of liberty。〃 James 2：12
Those who in the judgment are 〃accounted worthy〃 will have a part in the
resurrection of the just。 Jesus said： 〃They which shall be accounted worthy
to obtain that world； and the resurrection from the dead； 。 。 。 are equal
unto the angels； and are the children of God； being the children of the
resurrection。〃 Luke 20：35； 36。 And again He declares that 〃they that have
done good〃 shall come forth 〃unto the resurrection of life。〃 John 5：29。 The
righteous dead will not be raised until after the judgment at which they are
accounted worthy of 〃the resurrection of life。〃 Hence they will not be
present in person at the tribunal when their records are examined and their
cases decided。
Jesus will appear as their advocate； to plead in their behalf before God。
〃If any man sin； we have an advocate with the Father； Jesus Christ the
righteous。〃 I John 2：1。 〃For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands； which are the figures of the true； but into heaven itself； now
to appear in the presence of God for us。〃 〃Wherefore He is able also to save
them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him； seeing He ever liveth to
make intercession for them。〃 Hebrews 9：24； 7：25。
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As the books of record are opened in the judgment； the lives of all who have
believed on Jesus come in review before God。 Beginning with those who first
lived upon the earth； our Advocate presents the cases of each successive
generation； and closes with the living。 Every name is mentioned； every case
closely investigated。 Names are accepted； names rejected。 When any have sins
remaining upon the books of record； unrepented of and unforgiven； their
names will be blotted out of the book of life； and the record of their good
deeds will be erased from the book of God's remembrance。 The Lord declared
to Moses： 〃Whosoever hath sinned against Me； him will I blot out of My
book。〃 Exodus 32：33。 And says the prophet Ezekiel： 〃When the righteous
turneth away from his righteousness； and committeth iniquity； 。 。 。 all his
righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned。〃 Ezekiel 18：24。
All who have truly repented of sin； and by faith claimed the blood of Christ
as their atoning sacrifice； have had pardon entered against their names in
the books of heaven； as they have become partakers of the righteousness of
Christ； and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God；
their sins will be blotted out； and they themselves will be accounted worthy
of eternal life。 The Lord declares； by the prophet Isaiah： 〃I； even I； am He
that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake； and will not
remember thy sins。〃 Isaiah 43：25。 Said Jesus： 〃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。〃 〃Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men； him will I
confess also before My Father which is in heaven。 But whosoever shall deny
Me before men； him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven。〃
Revelation 3：5； Matthew 10：32； 33。
The deepest interest manifested among men in the decisions of earthly
tribunals but faintly represents the interest
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evinced in the heavenly courts when the names entered in the book of life
come up in review before the Judge of all the earth。 The divine Intercessor
presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in His blood be
forgiven their transgressions； that they be restored to their Eden home； and
crowned as joint heirs with Himself to 〃the first dominion。〃 Micah 4：8。
Satan in his efforts to deceive and tempt our race had thought to frustrate
the divine plan in man's creation； but Christ now asks that this plan be
carried into effect as if man had never fallen。 He asks for His people not
only pardon and justification； full and complete； but a share in His glory
and a seat upon His throne。
While Jesus is pleading for the subjects of His grace； Satan accuses them
before God as transgressors。 The great deceiver has sought to lead them into
skepticism； to cause them to lose confidence in God； to separate themselves
from His love； and to break His law。 Now he points to the record of their
lives； to the defects of character； the unlikeness to Christ； which has
dishonored their Redeemer； to all the sins that he has tempted them to
commit； and because of these he claims them as his subjects。
Jesus does not excuse their sins； but shows their penitence and faith； and；
claiming for them forgiveness； He lifts His wounded hands before the Father
and the holy angels； saying： I know them by name。 I have graven them on the
palms of My hands。 〃The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit： a broken and
a contrite heart； O God； Thou wilt not despise。〃 Psalm 51：17。 And to the
accuser of His people He declares： 〃The Lord rebuke thee； O Satan； even the
Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee： is not this a brand plucked out
of the fire？〃 Zechariah 3：2。 Christ will clothe His faithful ones with His
own righteousness； that He may present them to His Father 〃a glorious
church； not having spot； or wrinkle； or any such thing。〃 Ephesians 5：27。
Their names stand enrolled in the book of life； and concerning them it is
written： 〃They shall walk with Me in white： for they are worthy。〃 Revelation
3：4。
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Thus will be realized the complete fulfillment of the new…covenant promise：
〃I will forgive their iniquity； and I will remember their sin no more。〃 〃In
those days； and in that time； saith the Lord； the iniquity of Israel shall
be sought for； and there shall be none； and the sins of Judah； and they
shall not be found。〃 Jeremiah 31：34； 50：20。 〃In that day shall the branch of
the Lord be beautiful and glorious； and the fruit of the earth shall be
excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel。 And it shall come
to pass； that he that is left in Zion； and he that remaineth in Jerusalem；
shall be called holy； even everyone that is written among the living in
Jerusalem。〃 Isaiah 4：2； 3。
The work of the investigative judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be
accomplished before the second advent of the Lord。 Since the dead are to be
judged out of the things written in the books； it is impossible that the
sins of men should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their
cases are to be investigated。 But the apostle Peter distinctly states that
the sins of believers will be blotted out 〃when the times of refreshing
shall come from the presence of the Lord； and He shall send Jesus Christ。〃
Acts 3：19； 20。 When the investigative judgment closes； Christ will come； and
His reward will be with Him to give to every man as his work shall be。
In the typical service the high priest； having made the atonement for
Israel； came forth and blessed the congregation。 So Christ； at the close of
His work as mediator； will appear； 〃without sin unto salvation〃 （Hebrews
9：28）； to bless His waiting people with eternal life。 As the priest； in
removing the sins from the sanctuary； confessed them upon the head of the
scapegoat； so Christ will place all these sins upon Satan； the originator
and instigator of sin。 The scapegoat； bearing the sins of Israel； was sent
away 〃unto a land not inhabited〃 （Leviticus 16：22）； so Satan； bearing the
guilt of all the sins which he has caused God's people to commit； will be
for a thousand years confined to the earth； which will then b