A Scripture-first survey of the Book of Life and the warning of being blotted out. Part 1 lists every passage, letting God’s Word speak for itself.

📌 About This Series

Part 1 (this post): A Scripture-first survey. We will list every relevant passage, organized by theme, so you can read them directly without doctrinal “color glasses.”

Part 2: Exegetical and doctrinal reflections — exploring context, word studies, and theological implications.

Part 3: The synthesis — tying together God’s intention, the balance of assurance and warning, and how the future tense of many passages reveals both the possibility of judgment and the opportunity for repentance.

🔎 Part 1: The Verse List

The phrases “Book of Life” and “blot out” appear across the Bible, from Exodus to Revelation. They carry both the promise of eternal hope and the sobering warning of ultimate loss. In light of contradicting theological views on the subject, the doctrine of salvation must be solely based on the Bible, the written Word of God, not on divided theological interpretations. Before drawing theological conclusions, here are the passages themselves — a long-overdue study.

Core Verses: Book of Life & Blot Out
(29 core passages + 1 ritual reference)

A. Book of Life (Righteous Names)

Psalm 69:28 — Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.
Daniel 12:1 — Everyone found written in the book shall be delivered.
Malachi 3:16 — A book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared the LORD.
Philippians 4:3 — …whose names are in the book of life.
Hebrews 12:23 — …the church of the firstborn, who are written in heaven.
Revelation 3:5 — I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but will confess his name before My Father.
Revelation 13:8 — Everyone whose name has not been written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world…
Revelation 17:8 — Those whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel at the beast.
Revelation 20:12 — The dead were judged… and another book was opened, which is the book of life.
Revelation 21:27 — Only those written in the Lamb’s book of life shall enter the New Jerusalem.

B. Names Written in Heaven

Luke 10:20 — Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
Hebrews 12:23 — (already noted above, overlapping with Book of Life theme).

C. Blotting Out Names & Final Judgment (Loss)

Exodus 17:14 — I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
Exodus 32:33 — Whoever has sinned against Me, him I will blot out of My book.
Deuteronomy 9:14 — Blot out their name from under heaven.
Deuteronomy 25:19 — Blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
Deuteronomy 29:20 — The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven.
2 Kings 14:27 — The LORD said He would not blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.
Psalm 69:28 — (see above, also fits here).
Revelation 3:5 — (see above, also fits here).
Revelation 20:15 — If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:27 — (see above).
Revelation 22:19 — If anyone takes away from the words of this book…God will take away from his share in the tree of life and holy city…

D. Blotting Out Sins (Mercy)

Psalm 51:1 — Blot out my transgressions.
Psalm 51:9 — Blot out all my iniquities.
Isaiah 43:25 — I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake.
Isaiah 44:22 — I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud.
Jeremiah 18:23 — Do not blot out their sin from Your sight.
Colossians 2:14 — He blotted out the record of debt against us, nailing it to the cross.

E. Additional Reference (Ritual Use)

Numbers 5:23 — The priest shall write the curses in a book and blot them out into the water of bitterness.
(Not directly about salvation, but a covenantal example of “blot out” in ritual practice.)

2. Supplemental Witnesses (Parallel Warnings of Loss/Exclusion)

Rom 11:17–22 — Natural branches cut off; warning to Gentile believers.
1 Cor 10:1–5 — Israel shared in God’s blessings, yet many were judged and “cut off” in the wilderness.
John 15:2, 6 — Fruitless branches cut off and burned.
Matt 7:21–23 — Not everyone saying “Lord, Lord” will enter; some are rejected.
Heb 6:4–6 — Impossible to restore those who fall away after enlightenment.
Heb 10:26–31 — No sacrifice remains for willful sin; fearful expectation of judgment.

3. Jesus’ Parables: Illustrations of Rejection & Exclusion

Matt 7:24–27 — Wise vs. foolish builders: only the house on the rock stands.
Matt 13:3–9, 18–23 — The four soils: only fruitful hearers endure.
Matt 25:1–13 — Five foolish virgins: shut out of the wedding feast.
Matt 25:14–30 — Parable of the talents: unfaithful servant cast into outer darkness.
Luke 19:11–27 — Parable of the minas: worthless servant condemned.
John 15:1–6 — Vine and branches: fruitless branches removed and burned.
Matt 22:1–14 — Wedding banquet: guest without wedding garment cast out.

Conclusion

These are not empty threats or rhetorical hyperboles. They are stern and real warnings, just as in Genesis 2:17, given by the holy and loving Father.

As God’s counterpart agents and beneficiaries on earth, created in His image and entrusted with His mandate to live in obedience, reflect His glory, and establish His kingdom on earth, we are called to take these words seriously. To have one’s name written in the Book of Life is a gracious call and privilege — it is to be known by God Himself. Yet to be warned of being blotted out is to be reminded that salvation is not passive. It is a call to a life of fellowship with the holy triune God: walking in the light, being cleansed from all unrighteousness by confessing our sins (1 John 1:5–10), persevering, and living daily in the Spirit.

These passages testify that The Father, who loves His creation with the love shown at the cross, warns precisely because He desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4). His warnings, spoken in such direct and solemn tones, are invitations to return, to endure, and to remain alive in Him — that our names may remain written in the Lamb’s book of life.

📌 Closing Note

This is Part 1: the raw text of Scripture. The call is to let these verses speak for themselves.

In Part 2, we will reflect more deeply on their meaning — word studies, context, and doctrinal significance.
In Part 3, we will bring the threads together into a synthesis: God’s mercy, His warnings, and His intention that all should be saved in response to the gospel call.

📌 Disclaimer

The above list is a careful compilation of the best effort of the writer, drawing together all the relevant verses on the Book of Life and the concept of blotting out. While every attempt has been made to be complete, readers are warmly invited to suggest any additional passages that may further enrich or complete this survey.

Sola Scriptura!

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