The Books of Life
The NIV version of the Bible has many passages that are worded differently from the K.J., and usually they are easier to understand. But since the translators did not understand the Plan of God as we see it, it is not surprising that some of these changes bring out a thought that is not in harmony with that Plan. We call attention to Rev. 20:12, in the NIV, which reads:
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”
Notice that although this rendering is ambiguous, it does give the clear impression, in the last sentence, that the people of the world will be judged by the record of their deeds in the books. (What books?) So, even though earlier in this verse, “books” are distinguished from “the book of life,” the reader gets the idea that the book of life is a recording of the acts of each individual. This is radically different from other translations, and the interpretation given by Bro. Russell, which is that “books” in this verse refer to the books of the Bible, and the “book of life” is merely a listing of the names of those worthy of life -this one the names of those worthy of life on earth, and the one mentioned in Rev. 3:5, and elsewhere, the names of those worthy of life on the spiritual plane. The people will be judged by their works, and the judging will be based on the laws given in the books of the Bible. This thought is supported by the KJ, RSV, NW, Roth., Diag., Philips, Weymouth and Luther translations. Luther states: “The Scriptures in the books” But Weymouth has it: “The record in the books,” which is rather ambiguous.
Now let us apply the idea suggested in the NIV version (that the “book of life” is a recording of every deed of each person) to the restitution work, and see how it compares with the Plan.
Remember that “recorded in a book” is symbolic, and means that the record is public and will be used as a basis of judging. The people of the world, in coming up the highway of holiness during the Mediatorial reign, will make many mistakes. If they come up to perfection, and then pass the Little Season test, will their many mistakes be held against them, as this NIV Scripture suggests? Note what Ezek. 18:21, 22, states:
“But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live” (Also, Ezek. 18:2 7, and 33:15, 16.)
So, we see that the mistakes they made during the Mediatorial reign will not be held against them. If they were, no one would be counted worthy of life. As stated in R5234p3: “The future judgment of the world will take note of the condition of men’s hearts at the time, rather than take note of their wrong condition of the previous time”
How does the idea suggested in this NIV version harmonize with the call of the Church? We know that we all make many mistakes and often come short of perfection. Are these mistakes held against us, as this Scripture suggests? No, the merit of Christ covers us, as a robe, and these mistakes are not counted against us as long as our heart attitude is right. If every act of our life were recorded and held against us, none of us would attain to life.
The Plan which God has arranged for calling out the Church in this Gospel Age, and for bringing the willing of mankind up to perfection in the Millennial Age, does not harmonize with the idea of having every act of each in- dividual recorded during the training period. Rather it is a matter of what kind of character they are at the end of the training period that will determine their worthiness of life. (See Ex. 32:32, 33; Psa. 69:28; Dan. 12:1; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; and Comments).
– Marion Schrock