Revelation 20:12 says that “all people will be judged according to what they have done as recorded in the books”. Someone may ask, “But doesn’t it say that God will not keep a record of our sins”? (Psalm 130) Yes, but let’s not confuse two different metaphors just because they use a similar symbol. The psalmist is saying, poetically, that God will not count our sins against us. The vision of Revelation 20 shows the same thing. All will be judged (2 Corinthians 5:10), but not all will be condemned (2 Corinthians 5:19). Those whose names are written in the book of life will be saved from the just penalty of their sins. That means that the other books of their deeds will only serve to highlight God’s saving grace. Many Christians are haunted by the possibility that they will be condemned by Christ on judgement day. On what basis? Generally, it is on the basis that they have not done enough to warrant being listed in the book of life. But God has made a way for us to be sure now of what will happen then. It is very simple, and this, in fact, is why it is difficult for us to believe. You must trust that God has done enough in Christ for your name to be written in the book of life. Paul tells us that we are “justified by faith” (Romans 3:28), meaning that we can be assured now of the verdict on the day of judgement. Ask God to save you, and he will. He will because, in Christ, he has. It’s that simple.
Entrust your life to Christ and thank him for what he has done to save you.
Read Revelation 20:11-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
