“Why are you persecuting me?” is a not question for the faithful or the seeking. Even an act of mercy is an ACT upon someone. It certainly wasn’t like God was impressed with Paul’s faith - there wasn’t any.
Actually, I just realized something - isn’t it saying that the dead which are about to be thrown into the lake of fire are judged by what’s written about them in the book of life!? Thus the metaphor is shown to be inconsistent, since it can mean various things. It’s not an actual book, as someone else said.
Unless you just wanna say that those who are thrown into the lake of fire are saved… Aaron37, what do you have to say about this? And, um, I don’t answer your questions on your terms because I don’t feel like I’m required to. Nothing says I have to set aside extra time in my day to go through and thoroughly answer all your questions… I’m just throwing things out there to chew on, man. Sorry!
Justin
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…lets look at the verses and see what has been established:
11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
All the dead are judged by their works( deeds) recorded in the books.There is a separate book called the book of life. The dead also are judged rather or not their found in the book of life. How does your name get written in the Lamb’s book of life? When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. What is the final judgment for those who are not found in the book of life? They are cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.Therefore all those who are not found in the book of life will not enter the New heaven and New earth or eternal glory.
Rev 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Justin… the Lamb’s book of life is as real as this conversation, my friend. I would make sure that I’m found written in it.
God bless,
Aaron
Aaron,
I could say to you in the same way, “There is no record in scripture that names cannot be added or don’t need to be added based on Rev 21:10, etc. Unless you want to rewrite scripture and create the impossibility of adding names, which is not supported by scripture… That would be a no-no …”
As far as I can understand John’s Revelation–and this is not a book one should lightly claim to understand–the ones whose names are not written from the foundation of the world in the Lamb’s Book of Life are the ones thrown into the Lake of Fire.
Rev 21:10 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
You’ll notice that this verse after the judgment no longer makes mention of “from the foundation of the world.” Then there is the new city whose gates never close, and the nations walking in the light of it, and the kings of the earth bringing their glory into it and the water of life flowing from the throne, and the tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations, and the invitation to all who thirst (for righteousness!) to drink of the water.
Rev 21:10 implies that people must be able to be written into the book of life–else, how could they enter the city? The city is the church (or so I see it)–founded on the apostles, whose gates are Israel–true Israel, as Paul teaches us, are those who “faith” in God. Outside are the unrighteous–but the gates never close against them, and they are invited to come and drink if they are thirsty.
Since you like the parable of the rich man as a picture of hell (though I don’t necessarily see it as such) perhaps the rich man was not yet ready, since he only thought he needed a “single drop” to cool his tongue–and he thought he could get it by delivery service rather than journeying to the source himself. 
Sonia
Based on Rev 21:27, and other verses which desribe eternal (aionian) punishment, Aaron sees this “impurity” as unchangable after the judgement. UR’s do not… this is the root of the contention.
So Aaron, I think it is necessary to move the discussion on to the “lake of fire” and the characteristics and purposes thereof.
No matter how we try to address your questions, it will always come back down to this issue. Wouldn’t is make sense to shift the discussion to the topic of the lake of fire???
Aaron, I really have spent a lot of time studying and considering your questions the last couple of days, and my head is starting to spin because I can see how this discussion will continue going around and around. I will PM you and try to address your questions head on, but my suggestion would be to go to the heart of the matter, which is the “lake of fire”.
The Lord bless you brother! 
Yes! Aaron, what do you think of Sonia’s observation here?
Um…No, you can’t. Why not? Because scripture has established all the names that were not written in the book of life were not written in it before God created the world. Rev 17:8. Therefore establishing all names who will accept Jesus as Lord and Savior are written in the book of life before God created the world. No where in scripture does it record God adding names to the book of life that were not written in it before He created the world…Why? there is no need to because he has seen the end fom the beginning and knows all who will accept Jesus and who will overcome. All who are supposed to be in the Lambs book of Life are written in it before God created the world. All believers who overcome are written in the book of life. All unbelievers were never written in the Lamb’s book of life and will not be added.
Um… No, I don’t notice “after the judgment” in this verse. That is actually Rev 21:27. 
Rev 21:10 in my bible says… And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Whether you see it as such or not does not make it any less true. Jesus was teaching a spiritual truth of the two places you go after death. The richman could not get the cool water for his tongue by delivery service because of the the great gulf fixed that was impassable. ( this was a snapshot of the richmans arrogance even in the flames of hell).
Love you in the Lord, Kirsten 
The issue is not the lake of fire… but for UR to be true… all the names of every human being have to be written in the Lamb’s book of life to enter eternal glory. Scripture has established that everyone’s names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. Rev 17:8 Rev 20:15. So, UR has a huge problem explaining how everyone’s name gets magically added to the Lamb’s book of life to enter eternal glory when there is no record of God doing this nor would He need to due to His omniscience when before the foundation of the world He wrote all the names of the believers who will overcome in the book of life. If you say that God will add names ( for UR to be true you would have to take this position) you would be rewriting scripture and adding this theory when there is no record of it anywhere in God’s Word. The book of life= all who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior will receive the life of God in their spirits ( aka born again). Unbelievers were never written in the book of life…because when you die an unbeliever you die spiritually dead and separated from God for eternity. This is this issue, Kirsten. 
God bless,
Aaron
Well, I guess we’re at an impasse. I still don’t see where it says they won’t be added. There are the firstfruits, and there is the rest of the harvest. The first fruits are written from the foundation of the world, the rest are later.
LOL, thanks for the correction.
Aaron, I agree that the meaning of the parable is true, no matter what I happen to believe about it. But, you fail to realize that your opinion about what the parable means may or may not be the correct one.
Sonia
Gregory McDonald has in his book an appendix (appendix 3) entitled the Lamb’s Book of Life and makes some really good observations about this whole arguement. What I like about McDonald is that he is honest when the Universalist arguement is on shakey ground, but makes great suggestions as to Biblically-based theological possibilities. In this portion of the book, he readily admits that the suggestions he makes are “more theoretical interpretation than straightforward exegesis.” I would strongly recommend you check it out if you are able. Though I don’t know exactly how Google Books works, it looks as though you should be able to view the book there.
McDonald quotes Tom Talbott in this section, who brings to the whole discussion the new names we receive (Rev 2:17). He suggests that perhaps though new names are not added to the Book of Life, “people can receive a new name, one that has always been written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world.”
Yes, I know, probably not what you were looking for, but thought I would throw this into the mix as well.
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Ok, you don’t see where it says they won’t be added, but you have seen when they were not written in the book of life ( before the foundation of the world) Therefore the names that were written in the book of life were done so before the foundation of the world. Do you understand how God was able to do it this way? If yes, your theory of adding names to the book of life cannot stand. Scripture has established that everyone’s names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. Rev 17:8 Rev 20:15. So, UR has a huge problem explaining how everyone’s name gets magically added to the Lamb’s book of life to enter eternal glory when there is no record of God doing this. If you say that God will add names ( for UR to be true you would have to take this position) you would be rewriting scripture and adding this theory when there is no record of it anywhere in God’s Word. The book of life= all who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior will receive the life of God in their spirits ( aka born again). Unbelievers were never written in the book of life…because when you die an unbeliever you die spiritually dead and separated from God for eternity.
Ok, I understand what you are trying to saying here…Who told you this? And how does this line up with the Word of God?
What do you mean by “the rest are later”? Where in the Word of God does it say there is a first harvest of believers and the rest are later?
God bless,
Aaron
S
Actually, no, you said some names could be blotted out! 
If all that’s true, then why would God write a name in the book at the foundation of the world, then when they don’t overcome, he says, “Ooops! Guess I rolled the dice wrong on that one! Well here we go, I guess I have to scratch ol’ Willie’s name out…”
We’re not saying that peoples’ names are added because God didn’t foresee their salvation, but because when your name is in there, it is the reason you perservere, because God’s got a hold on you. At least that’s what I’m saying. (Our faith is not of ourselves.) I don’t think that Christ would actually take anyone’s name out of the book of Life, he was just comforting his own that he would never do such a thing.
Since certain peoples’ names weren’t written in the book of Life, they did not come to see the truth or perservere. Their part is to be defiantly wicked in the face of pure goodness and truth. The only reason somebody could be capable of this is that their name wasn’t written in the book of Life. But after this role is fulfilled, they will then have the opportunity to.
In other words, McDonald is trying to rewrite the Bible to try to explain away what has been established by “theoretically” interpreting it. … He is making the bible say what he wants it to say. I will try to look at it if I can find it.
There’s no preview on Google Books.
Rewrite the bible? That’s quite an accusation, Aaron. There are plenty of interpretations which are theoretical, and I’d say a good number of your ideas are as well.
No, God said names can and do get blotted out. Rev 3:5. This verse alone refutes UR because for to enter eternal glory one must be found written in the Lamb’s book of life.
God does not roll the dice wrong with anyone. You can’t blot something out unless it was already written in to begin with. All who are supposed to be in the Lamb’s book of life are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
This is your theoretical opinion… not sound exegesis.
When you look at what has been established in God’s word and you say" No, God wasn’t saying that…Let me tell you what He was trying to say , and you are theorectically( without sciptural support) saying what you think God is saying…that is rewriting the Bible, my friend. 
You are making it say what it doesn’t say or what you want it to say. 
Example: praying in tongues ceased with the Apostles. 2. Miracles and healings are not for today it ceased with the Apostles. 3. God adds names to the Lamb’s book of life. 4. Theorectically interpreting any part of the Bible…etc… See what I’m saying. 
God bless,
Aaron
Aaron,
I know that you believe that you are presenting the text’s plain meaning line by line. I recently told you that we need someone like you to challenge our minority universalist interpretation, but that I personally find, everytime I have asked you to seriously engage the Bible, you’ve been unresponsive. You denied it. Now, I’ve again directly responded to a text that you presented (on the Book of Life, answering both privately & publically on this thread). I’ve again said that I can’t find any response from you to the Biblical questions that I’ve presented in response to your interpretation.
As one of the moderator’s who loves a good debate, it seems appropriate to convey to you that I can only conclude that until you stop just making assertions of your own beliefs and engage the Scriptural questions that I raise in response, I don’t have enough time to waste it trying to respond to your interpretations.
Grace be with you,
Bobx1
??? I don’t seriously engage the Bible? Your basing this off me not answering your questions as fast as you would like? Sorry, Mr.Wilson, for not satisfying your time limits but as you can see I have not dodged anyone’s responses or questions…just look at the thread…
God bless,
Aaron
Blotted out means “wiped out”
I believe what has been established in Rev 3:5 that God has blotted out names of believers for those who don’t overcome. You can’t blot a name out which has not been written. You can’t be saved if your name is blotted out from the book of life. Rev 3:5.
And you are sure that having blotted out the name, God cannot reinstate it? So the question is, “Why was it written in the first place?” Wouldn’t you say God should have known from the beginning that their profession of faith was not sincere?
Sonia