St. Paul writes to the Philippians about his co-workers, who struggled, he says, with me and with Clement and with the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life (cf. Phil. 4:3).

To be blotted out of this book is to be cut off from Christ and His kingdom. In this sense, Paul's words are also said about himself and about the people of Israel: "I myself would be excommunicated from Christ for my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Romans 9:3).

St. John, the seer of the mystery, in his visions, surpassing anything that mortal man could ever see and foresee from the creation of the world to the end of the world, heard from Christ these words as well: He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments; and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.805 Only he will enter the Kingdom and immortal life, whose name Christ will call. This is also evidenced by the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.806 The Lord did not want to mention the worldly name of the unmerciful rich man, and the rich man went to hell. The name of the wretched beggar Lazarus is mentioned, and the soul of Lazarus departed into the Kingdom of life and light.

Vision of the book. And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written within and without, sealed with seven seals.807 808 Only the Lamb of God was worthy to remove the seals from this mysterious book. And when He took them off, various things happened on earth. The book of historical destinies of peoples and people – isn't it that mysterious book?

Unwritten and written in the book of life. When, before the end of time, a beast with seven heads and ten horns809 appears, the holy Apostle John saw, then all those who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life (Rev. 13:8). This mysterious book, therefore, is the book of the Lamb, that is, the book of Christ.

And again He goes on to say: "And those who dwell on the earth shall be amazed, whose names are not inscribed in the book of life from the beginning of the world, seeing that the beast was, and is not, and shall appear" (Rev. 17:8).

The vision of the Last Judgment, as seen by St. John, agrees with the vision of the prophet Daniel: "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged according to what was written in the books, according to their works (Rev. 20:12)810, 811.

After the completion of the Judgment of God, a new heaven and a new earth, and a heavenly Jerusalem appear to John – a city full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. No unclean man shall enter this city; none but the angels and the righteous of God. For it is said: "And no unclean thing shall enter into it, nor shall any one be given over to abomination and falsehood, but only those which are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Rev. 21:27).

In conclusion, St. John warns anyone who dares to add anything to his visions or take anything away from them, and says: "And if anyone takes anything from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away from him a part in the book of life" (Rev. 22:19).

Up to now we have cited the testimonies of the prophets and apostles about the invisible book of life. And now let us cite the testimony of the Most High and All-True, the testimony of the Lord Himself, for Whom the prophets and apostles were only servants, working for the salvation of man.

When the Lord, having chosen seventy apostles, except for the first twelve, sent them to the people to preach the Good News, to heal the sick, to deliver people from evil spirits, they acted according to the command and fulfilled their task with great pleasure for themselves, for when they returned, they joyfully said: Lord! and the demons obey us in Thy name.812 This is what the apostles said, believing that this is the greatest gift that God can give to people – to overcome and cast out demons. But Jesus does not want their minds to dwell on this gift of dominion over the spirits of evil. He wants His disciples and followers to think about the positive – about the main goal of life, about the Kingdom of Heaven, which is God's gift, above all gifts. Therefore he answered them: "However, rejoice not that the spirits obey you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20).

Again, then, this invisible book and this mysterious recording of names, according to the testimony of Him Who came down from heaven,813 and Who knows the mysteries of heaven better than the angels themselves.

Thus it is said of the invisible book in the Holy Scriptures. But in the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church there are many testimonies about this book, revealed to the spirit of grace-filled people. And even in our time there are people – some of whom we know personally – who were dead and have come back to life, and who have seen the Book of Names of Men in the heavenly light before the Elder (see my book Immanuel, Part One).

After all the known evidence, it is clear that this book is not something symbolic, but just a real one. We cannot doubt the existence of this book. For if there is a heavenly city, the heavenly Jerusalem, with gates, streets, courts, and thrones, and if there are lamps and censers in heaven, why should there not be a book? The book of life, or the book of fate? This book is not for God: even without any book, the omniscient God knows everything; He knows everything and remembers everything. A book means remembrance in heaven of everything that happens on earth: it is for people who do not have remembrance of God. The existence of this as yet invisible book cannot be doubted, even if it is presented in a highly immaterial, spiritual sense: on this occasion nothing disturbs my soul.