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Tim LaHaye's "Two Books of
Life" Teaching Attempt to "Explain Away" the Bible's Solemn
Warning About Being Blotted Out!
The article, "The Book of Life,"
found on page 104 of the Tim LaHaye Prophecy
Study Bible: King James is manipulatively written. I had to re-read the
article and examine the scriptures in context to
unravel Tim LaHaye's twisted half-truths.
This essay is an example of maneuvering
the scriptures to fit an agenda rather
than taking the Word of God at face value and simply submitting to it and
teaching it. Upon the faulty premise of "the book of the living"
(found in Psalm 69:28) containing the names of all the souls of men, the
anti-biblical and false theory of there being two books of life is born.
Incidentally, this is how Tim LaHaye launches much of his false teaching: through the use of a faulty premise.
Tim LaHaye wrote:
The psalmist
speaks of "the book of the living" (Ps. 69:28), so we
perceive that it is a book that contains the names of all the souls of
men.
Notice his habit of deriving things out of scripture in
a subjective, "private interpretation" kind of manner. He is
also communicating to the reader that the Bible is to be understood
subjectively, or in a way that is influenced by one's personal opinions or
prejudices, at times. If you don't believe me on this statement, please
see the article, Tim
LaHaye's False Teachings About Taking the Mark of the Beast..
Let's look at this phrase, "book of the living" that
according to Tim LaHaye's perception, lists the names of all the
souls of men:
Let them be blotted out of
the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous."--Psalm
69:28 It is obvious the righteous are the ones written in the book
of the living.
The only reason to perceive the names of all
the souls of men are written there, is if one wants to perceive it (and
wants to teach it) for some reason. The book of life is not a book for
those that are dead in their trespasses and sins. The word living
in book of the living means spiritually alive. The book
of the living lists the names of those who are spiritually alive, not
spiritually dead as Tim LaHaye asserts.
The book of the living is the book of the names of the
spiritually alive (the righteous), not the names of all the souls of men whether saved or lost.
Why would Dr. LaHaye choose to
teach the "book of the living" names the souls of both lost and saved when
the context gives no reason for taking this private interpretation?
Because now he can teach that being "blotted out of the
book of life" is something that only happens to people who never get saved
in the first place. Now, willfully sinning Christians who live
non-overcoming lives can be assured that "being blotted out of the book of
life" is only for those who have never named the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in the
first place! Being blotted out of the book of life for not overcoming is
of no concern to the erring, having pleasure in unrighteousness, worldly
Christian since Dr.
LaHaye redefined "overcomer" for them so that it fits their lifestyle.
Dr. LaHaye explained in this article how
a person might
have his name blotted out of the book of life: because of sin:
Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Exodus 32:33
Next he went on to quote 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.
This Bible verse cannot be
rationalized away. If a Christian is not an overcomer, Jesus will blot his
name out of the book of
life. Dr. LaHaye attempted to "explain it away" by giving
a false definition for the word, "overcomer." Tim LaHaye wrote:
"An 'overcomer' here is one who is clothed in the white garments
of Christ through His substitutionary atonement, guaranteeing that his name will
not be blotted out of the book of life."
That definition cannot possibly be true, because Jesus spoke the
promise of white raiment and the promise of being blotted out to the church,
which is made up of those who have faith in his blood. Believers were
given this promise and stern warning by the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus
warned believers whose works were not perfect before
God, and he commended those who had not defiled their garments and were
therefore worthy.
An overcomer is a believer who believes Jesus to the point of
keeping his works. Jesus himself defined what an overcomer is:
And
he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end" (Rev. 2:26)
Overcoming is keeping Jesus' works and repenting of our own! Tim
LaHaye in his study note on page 1369, said simply that an overcomer is a
believer in Christ.
So, if we ignore the Lord Jesus Christ's definition of
overcomer,
and choose Dr. LaHaye's, then Jesus' warning that he who overcomes will not be
blotted out of the book of life makes no sense! Jesus was speaking to the
church at Sardis. Why would he tell them that if they did not overcome
they would be blotted out if they already were incapable of being blotted
out? In order to believe Dr. LaHaye's definition of "overcomer,"
you must assume that the Lord Jesus Christ warned the church of something that
he has no intention of fulfilling. You have to disbelieve Jesus' words in
order to believe Dr. LaHaye's words.
Please go back to
Revelation and study the verses regarding the Lord Jesus' promises to overcomers
and let no man beguile you with enticing words. (See Col. 2:4)
Continued in the article:
Tim LaHaye's "Book of Life" For the
Lost (and Saved) and "Book of Life" For the Saved?
must read:
CAN OUR NAMES BE BLOTTED OUT? by Dr. Cathy Burns
Also see:
False Doctrines in Tim LaHaye's Writings |