Quick Bible Reads

The Book of Life: Is Your Name There?

Scripture: “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

— Revelation 20:15, KJV

It’s one of the most mysterious and sobering images in all of Scripture—a book in heaven with names written in it. Not just any names, but the names of those who belong to God. The Book of Life isn’t symbolic fluff. It’s real, referenced across both the Old and New Testaments, and it carries eternal weight. According to the Bible, it’s the final record—the heavenly roll call that determines whose eternity is spent with the Lord. There are no shortcuts, no loopholes, no technicalities. Either your name is written in the book, or it isn’t.

Moses first mentioned it when he pleaded with God to forgive Israel’s sin—or blot him out of God’s book entirely. David referenced it in the Psalms. Paul spoke of fellow laborers whose names were written in it. But the clearest glimpses come from Revelation, where the book is seen in God’s final judgment. It says those whose names were not found written in the Book of Life were cast into the lake of fire. That’s a heavy truth. Not popular. Not easy. But real.

And yet, the Book of Life isn’t meant to scare—it’s meant to invite. To call us to something deeper than religion. Salvation isn’t earned, bought, or inherited. It’s given. The names in that book aren’t there because of good deeds or church attendance. They’re there because of Jesus. Because someone believed, surrendered, and followed. The Lamb’s Book of Life, as Revelation calls it, is stained not with ink but with the blood of Christ—the price paid to write those names in permanently.

It’s easy to get distracted with everything else—careers, goals, titles, even ministry. But in the end, there’s one thing that will matter most: Is your name written in the book? Not, did you do enough? Not, were you perfect? But did you put your faith in the One who can save?

We plan for a lot of things in life. But this one isn’t something you want to leave unanswered. Because the day will come when the books are opened—and when that happens, nothing else will matter more than whether your name is there.