And what, makes it sure? The words are added, " Having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His." In Eph. 1:1111In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11) we read what that seal is, viz., that all, who receive the gospel of their salvation, have bestowed upon them the Holy Spirit of God as God's seal, thereby claiming them as His own property forever. God gives the seal. He will never recall it. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance on His part (Rom. 11:2929For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (Romans 11:29)). That means, God will never change His mind, that, if a gift is given and a calling made, they are never revoked or withdrawn. So we read, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION." (Eph. 4:3030And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)), that is up to the time when we shall have reached the end of our earthly journey, and we are gathered home to the Father's house on high.
It is to be remarked that in Scripture another book of life is mentioned. It is called " The Lamb's Book of Life." The Greek work for "the book of life," we have been considering, is biblos, a book, a roll; whereas the word for "the Lamb's Book of Life " is biblion, a little book, scroll or roll. This latter word is a diminutive, implying a small book, evidently containing fewer names. The former is the book of profession, from which all those, who profess Christianity, and are mere empty professors, will have their names blotted out. The latter is the book of reality, and no names are ever said to be blotted out of that book, or threatened to be so treated. This is so for more reasons than one. We read of the blasphemous head of the Revived Roman Empire, "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev. 13: 8).
Here two things are stated,
1. It is the Book of the Lamb slain.
2. Names are written in it from the foundation of the world.
The book of the Lamb slain means that only those, whose sins have been cleansed away by the precious blood of Christ, will have their names inscribed in that book; and secondly, being inscribed from the foundation of the world speaks of God's unalterable eternal counsel, and we know that will stand forever.