Revelation 3:5 He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life… I. THERE ARE NAMES WRITTEN IN HEAVEN WHICH ARE UNKNOWN ON EARTH. Who are the world's greatest men? Those who are doing the noblest acts, living the purest lives, suffering the most for righteousness' sake, making the greatest sacrifices for the common good; the greatest men are not necessarily notorious politicians, vocalists, tragedians, capitalists, orators, and soldiers. Now of these really greatest men we know little or nothing; they live in simplicity, obscurity, and poverty; the world is not aware of them, bestowing upon them neither titles nor rewards. But they are known by Him whose eye seeth every precious thing. A hue art critic entering a second-hand shop will detect a master. piece when it is nearly buried in confusion and rubbish. It may be covered with dust, the colours blackened by neglect, boasting no gold frame, and the crowd pass it by with contempt, as not worth sixpence, but the true critic discerns it at a glance. So God recognises merit before it gets into a gold frame; He knows the glorious work of His own hand when found in obscurity, want, suffering, and deepest obloquy and humiliation. Thousands of names are written in heaven as heroes which are not found on Fame's eternal bead-roll. II. IF OUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN, WE NEED CARE LITTLE WHETHER THEY ARE WRITTEN ELSEWHERE. We have a name. That is a grand thing, it means much. We are not numbered, we are all called by our names. We have a distinct and an immortal personality, we are not merely links in a series. We require that our name shall be written somewhere; we are not content to drop out of the universe, and be lost; we must be registered, recognised, remembered. To be written in heaven is supreme fame. It is high above all earthly peerages as the stars are above the mountain tops. To be written in heaven is immortal fame. By strange accidents a man's name once written in great bead-rolls may get obliterated. III. IF OUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IS HEAVEN, THEY OUGHT TO BE WRITTEN THERE AS LABOURERS. IV. IF OUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN, LET US TAKE CARE THAT THEY ARE NOT BLOTTED OUT. Let us watch lest our name should be struck from the roll of honour. V. IF OUR NAMES ARE NOT WRITTEN IN HEAVEN, LET US AT ONCE GET THEM WRITTEN THERE. How near many people come to the kingdom, and yet never get into it! Some of these are written in the reports of the Church, and yet do not get their names inscribed in the book of life. (W. L. Watkinson.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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