THE BOOKS.
Rev. 20:12-15.

INTRO:

1. People must have begun writing books as soon as they began writing anything.

2. The world is now full of books of all descriptions.

3. Some of them are very valuable, some are less valuable and some are not worth the paper they are written on.

4. Some books are even detrimental to mankind!

A. Books contrary to physical health are detrimental to the physical body, or mind.

B. Books that are contrary to spiritual health, as obtained by Bible study and obedience to God, are detrimental to the spiritual welfare of man.

5. We find the word "book or books" mentioned 149 times in the Old Testament. Translated from the Hebrew words: Sepher, Sephrah, and Siphrah.

6. We find the word "book or books" mentioned 46 times in the New Testament. Translated from the Greek words: Biblios, and Biblion.

7. We can see the word "Bible" in the Greek biblios or biblion, but the words do not always apply to the Book of God.

8. Solomon spoke of the making of many books. Eccl. 12:12.

I. THERE WERE BOOKS MENTIONED AND NAMED IN THE BIBLE ITSELF THAT ARE NO PART OF THE BIBLE AS WE KNOW IT: SUCH AS:

A. The Book of Nathan: -- 2 Chron. 9:29.

B. The Book of Jehu: -- 2 Chron. 20:34.

C. The Book of Jasher: -- Jos. 10:13.

D. The books of magical arts: -- Acts 19:19.

II. THERE ARE BOOKS THAT PEOPLE CLAIM TO BE PART OF THE BIBLE THAT ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE: SUCH AS:

A. The So-called Apocryphal Books. 1. The first Book of Esdras. 2. The Second Book of Esdras. 3. The Book of Tobit. 4. The Book of Judith. 5. The Additions to the Book of Esther. 6. The Wisdom of Solomon. 7. Ecclesiasticus or Wisdom of Sirach. 8. The Book of Baruch. 9. The Story of Susanna. 10. The Song of the Three Children. 11. The Story of Bel and the Dragon. 12. The Prayer of Manasseh. 13. The First Book of Maccabees. 14. The Second Book of Maccabees.

B. These books are never mentioned by the Lord or other inspired men.

1. But they are included in the Catholic Versions of the Bible.

C. (ALMOST-cs)All the Old Testament books that we have in our Old Testament today, were quoted from by the Lord and/or other inspired men.

III. THER ARE BOOKS THAT PEOPLE CLAIM ARE TO BE ON AN EQUALITY WITH THE BIBLE: SUCH AS:

A. The Koran. Book used by the Moslims.

B. The Book of Mormon.

C. Pearl of Great Price.

D. Doctrines and Covenants. (three above used by Mormons-cs)

E. Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. (used by Christian Scientists-cs)

F. The New World Translation. ( A perverted translation of the Bible used by the Jehovah's Witnesses.

G. The writings of Ellen G. White -- Seventh Day Adventist.

H. But the Bible says that it has been delivered once and for all and is complete that the man of God might be completely and thoroughly furnished unto every good work. Jude 3; 2 Tim. 3:16,17.

I. Either the Bible is what it claims to be or it is not even a good book, because it is deceiving people.

IV. THE BOOKS THAT ARE MENTIONED IN OUR TEXT, REV. 20:12-15, I AM PERSUADED, ARE THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND THE BOOK OF LIFE.

A. The Old Testament, is also referred to as:

1. The Book of the Covenant: -- Exo. 24:7.

2. The Book of the Law: -- Deut. 30:10.

3. The Book of the Law of the Lord: -- 2 Chron. 17:9.

4. The Book of Moses: -- 2 Chron. 35:12.

5. The First Covenant: -- Heb. 8:7.

6. The Old Covenant: -- Heb. 8:13.

B. In the Old Testament, God's people were told to:

1. Offer bloody sacrifices: -- Cain and Abel.

2. To build an ark of Gopher wood: -- Noah.

3. To leave country and kindred: -- Abraham.

4. To offer son upon an altar: -- Abraham.

5. To lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage: -- Moses.

6. To go upon Mt. Sinai to receive the law: -- Moses.

7. To offer certain sacrifices on certain days:-- Jews.

8. To build a tabernacle: -- Jews.

9. To keep the sabbath day holy: -- Jews.

10. To give a tenth or a tithe to the Lord: -- Jews.

C. The New Testament, is also referred to as:

1. This Book: -- Jno. 20:30.

2. The New Testament or Covenant: -- 2 Cor. 3:6.

3. The Better Covenant: -- Heb. 7:22.

4. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God: -- Lk. 16:16.

5. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus: -- Rom. 8:2.

6. The Perfect Law of Liberty: -- Jas. 1:25; 2:12.

D. In the New Testament we are told to:

1. Hear the Word: -- Rom. 10:17.

2. Believe the Word: -- Jno. 8:24; Heb. 11:6.

3. Repent or turn away from our sins: -- Lk. 13:3; Acts 17:30.

4. Confess our faith in Christ as God's Son: -- Rom. 10:9,10; Matt. 10:32,33.

5. Be Baptized in water for the remission of our past sins: -- Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38.

6. Worship God in Spirit and in Truth stedfastly: -- Jno. 4:24; Acts 2:42.

7. Live the life of a Christian daily: -- Gal. 5:16-25; 2 Pet. 1:5-11.

8. Be faithful to God and the church until death: -- Rev. 2:10.

E. The Book of Life, is also referred to as:

1. The Book of the Living: -- Psa. 69:28.

2. Written in Heaven: -- Lk. 10:20.

3. TheLamb's Book of Life: -- Rev. 21:27.

F. People will go to all ends to have their names printed in some place of prominence.

1. Newspapers.

2. Magazines.

3. Social Registers.

4. Church Rolls, etc.

G. But if you have your name plastered in neon lights all over the world and do not have it written in the Lamb's Book of Life then you are lost. Rev. 20:15.

H. The Lord is able, and is the only One that is able, to write your name in or blot it out of the Book of Life. Lk. 10;20; Rev. 3:5; Exo. 32:33; Heb. 12:23.

I. The only time that we can truly rejoice is when our name is written in the Book of Life. Lk. 10;20.

J. The only way to have our names written there is to obey the Lord.

CONCLUSION:

1. Is your name written in heaven?

2. It is if you have done and are doing the Lord's will as recorded in the New Testament.

3. You can have it written there even today if you so desire.

4. Remember what is said in Rev. 20;15.

By Jim Sasser

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