WHOSE NAMES ARE IN THE BOOK?

5-6. (a) As highlighted at Philippians 4:3, whose names are among those written in the book of life? (b) When will they have their names written permanently in the book of life?

⁵ Whose names are written in this figurative book? To answer that question, we will consider five different groups of people. Among these, some have their names written in the book of life, others do not.

⁶ The first group is made up of those who have been selected to rule with Jesus in heaven. Are their names presently written in the book of life? Yes. According to the apostle Paul’s words to his “fellow workers” in Philippi, the names of the anointed ones, who have been invited to rule with Jesus, are now in the book of life. (Read Philippians 4:3.) But in order to keep their names in that figurative book, they must remain faithful. Then when they receive their final sealing, whether before they die or before the outbreak of the great tribulation, their names will be written permanently in this book.​—Rev. 7:3.

7. What do we understand from Revelation 7:16, 17 as to when the great crowd of other sheep will have their names written permanently in the book of life?

⁷ The second group consists of the great crowd of other sheep. Are their names now written in the book of life? Yes. Will their names still be in the book of life after they survive Armageddon? Yes. (Rev. 7:14) Jesus said that these sheeplike ones will depart “into everlasting life.” (Matt. 25:46) But those Armageddon survivors will not immediately receive everlasting life. Their names will remain written in the book of life in pencil, as it were. During the Thousand Year Reign, Jesus “will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life.” Those who respond positively to Christ’s guidance and are finally judged faithful to Jehovah will have their names recorded permanently in the book of life.​—Read Revelation 7:16, 17.

8. Whose names are not written in the book of life, and what will happen to them?

⁸ The third group comprises the goats, who will be destroyed at Armageddon. Their names are not in the book of life. Jesus says that they “will depart into everlasting cutting-off.” (Matt. 25:46) Under inspiration, Paul tells us that “these very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction.” (2 Thess. 1:9; 2 Pet. 2:9) The same could be said of those who, down through time, have deliberately sinned against the holy spirit. They too receive everlasting destruction, not everlasting life. Clearly, they will not be resurrected. (Matt. 12:32; Mark 3:28, 29; Heb. 6:4-6)