And if any man shall take away from the words of the book
of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life,
and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Rev. 22:19).
ARMINIAN ARGUMENT:
This passage supposedly teaches that one can lose their
salvation …
(I)
Herman Hoeksema (1886-1965)
[Source: The Standard Bearer, vol. 11, no.
18 (June 15, 1935), pp. 420-421]
What is threatened here is that a man’s part in the book of
life and the holy city and the things pertaining to the salvation that shall be
revealed at the second coming of Christ, shall be taken away. And the threat
concerns the man that takes away from the words of “the book of this prophecy,”
that is, from the contents of the book of Revelation. This latter part
undoubtedly signifies a deliberate marring or denial of the contents of the
book of Revelation, which speaks in the main of the things that must shortly come
to pass.
But I suppose that the question is not so much concerned
with this last part as with the part that speaks of the taking away of anyone’s
part out of the book of life and the holy city and the blessings of salvation.
And again, in itself, the text is not difficult or dark. It speaks rather clear
language. The book of life is the figurative expression for the list of those
names whom God, from before the foundation of the world, ordained unto eternal
life. If a man has his name written in that book, he has eternal life. The holy
city is the glorified Church, the New Jerusalem. If anyone has a part with the
holy city, he partakes of its life and glory and bliss. And “the things that
are written in this book” refers to the blessed promises of glory and blessing
that are to be realized at the second coming of our Lord. This is rather clear.
In itself, it is also perfectly clear what it means that one’s part in these
eternal blessings shall be taken away. It means, that one did have a part in
them, and that God deprives him of that part … [But] how is this possible? Can
a man have his name in the book of life, and can he have a part in the holy
city and in all the promises of salvation, and yet be lost? Then there must be
a falling away of saints. But there is no falling away of saints. Hence, that
cannot be the meaning of the text …
… All the Word of God plainly teaches that the election of
God is without repentance, that there is no possibility of the falling away of
saints, that no one can pluck the sheep of Christ out of His hand, out of the
Father’s hand, that those, whom God foreknew He also did predestinate to be
conformed according to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among
many brethren, that He justified and called and glorified them, so that the
golden chain of salvation is unbreakable; that nothing can forever separate the
elect from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus; that they are all kept in
the power of God through faith unto salvation which is ready to be revealed in
the last time. And in the light of this plain teaching of Scripture, the text
of Revelation 22:19 must certainly be interpreted. And if this is the requirement
of Scripture, the apparent and simple meaning cannot be the real significance
of the text. So that the question arises: what, then, is the meaning of the
statement that one’s part shall be taken away from the book of life and the
holy city and all the blessings of salvation?
My explanation is as follows:
The text evidently looks at the man that takes away from
the words of this book from a historical and earthly point of view. The man is
a member of the Church in the world. He is probably even a leader, an officebearer,
a minister of the Word. At any rate, he interprets Scripture. Here on earth,
therefore, historically, his name appears to be in the book of life. That is
his own claim and testimony. It is the testimony of the Church as she exists in
the world. His name is on the Church rolls. He dwells and walks among them
whose names are in the book of life and that have a part in the holy city. And
he also has the testimony of believers that he is one of them and that with them
he is heir of salvation. In brief: here on earth, for a time at least, he is in
every respect like them that have their names in the book of life. But he
becomes manifest as a reprobate. He denies Scripture. He denies the second
coming of Jesus. He becomes worldly, carnal, seeking the things below and
teaching God’s people to seek the world. Then God takes away his part out of
the book of life and out of the holy city. He does this, first of all, here on
earth through the Church. The latter no longer acknowledges him as having a
part in the book of life and the blessings of salvation. He is excommunicated.
And in the second place, He does this in the day of judgment, when it shall
appear, that his name was never written with the elect and that his part is
eternally with them that are without. Here on earth he had his part for a time
with them that had their names in the book of life, but God took it away forever.
-------------------------------------------------
(II)
More to come! (DV)
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