Live in harmony in the Lord

All right. So, the swan song of Paul and his epistle to the Philippians. You know, as I considered Philippians 4, 1 through 3, which we're going to deal with today, I had to kind of reflect on the first word. And it's, whoops, got to be electronically engaged here. Okay.

Therefore, my beloved, and we'll come back to this in a second, but therefore, what's it there for? All right, let's read into today's text by beginning in Philippians 3 verse 20, which is the second last verse of Philippians 3, and read down through Philippians 4-7. So who'd like to read for us this morning? Anybody up for reading?

Sure. I'll do it. Okay, go ahead. Thank you. from which also we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has, even to subject all things to Himself. Continue.

4.1-7 Therefore, my beloved brethren, brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. We're going to come back to the pronunciation of these two women's names. I urge these ladies to live in harmony and be true companions. I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle and the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the Book of Life.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice. Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Okay, good. Thank you very much.

So, first verse. Therefore, my beloved, I long for, brethren, my joy and crown, to stand fast in the Lord, beloved. So therefore, I'll reflect Jay Vernon always. Whenever it's therefore, what's it there for? So what are our thoughts? Why is it therefore?

And don't look at your handout. I think, you know, I think, Roger, it's good, I think, but, you know, hasn't the entire epistle until now been about Christ and his relationship with a believer? I mean, I think, I mean, this is kind of the last chapter. Remember when Paul wrote this, he didn't define it as a chapter four, verse one. I mean, this, but nevertheless, I mean, he's kind of making some concluding remarks and boy, you know, each epistle of Paul seems to kind of represent a particular aspect of the believers, you know, relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

But here we're really lifted up, aren't we? We're really positioned, and our citizenship's in heaven, and we're going to reflect back on that in verse three here. I think ultimately the two verses that preceded this that we read today probably are reasonable scenarios as to what this is there for, but I think it really relates to the entire epistle. Other thoughts? Okay, let's go ahead.

Paul expresses in this verse his love for and remorse that he's separated from his fellow believers in God. In the Greek it's fellow believers, dearly beloved. These are kind of not subtle attachments that he has to these people. So the verse kind of exemplifies that. beloved, longed for brethren, my joy and crown. How much more can you say in the way of superlatives in terms of relationship to the people to whom he's addressing here. Again, he goes on to call them his joy and crown. Those are pretty high terms for Paul to be expressing.

So this is obviously a relationship that is pretty special to Paul. and makes us kind of think about people in this body or even beyond this local body of Holly Hills who we in fact would describe as having similar relationships with. And we could again think of people we know and relate to very very closely in the Lord that ultimately could be described in this manner. Thoughts? Now, spend a little more time here.

Stand fast is imperative. That doesn't mean think about it, it kind of means do it. What do you think of when you think about standing fast in the Lord? Ephesians, you know, Paul talks about the armor of God. I use that same kind of phraseology, stand fast. So when we're told to stand fast, how do we respond to that? Is that something we kind of say, I need to work more standing fast, or what's this all about here? How are you doing standing fast?

I think the word rest, even though it sounds like an opposite term to standing, but in essence that's what life. I think of the word trust. If something's happening that doesn't make sense and it doesn't line up with what you believe to be true, trust the Lord. Stand fast.

Just reflecting on it a moment from the standpoint of what the person's listening to this would think about it. could be reflected if they heard that word. They would think, drive a stake in the ground and make it firm. I really like that. If you think about it in terms of these 50, 60 story buildings that people build, think about the foundations on these buildings.

We're talking about a foundation on the Lord Jesus Christ that is really remarkable. And Paul says, stand fast in that. In the last three chapters I've been describing to you in great detail what this relationship looks like. Donna? I was thinking too about a reality, that there's a reality in Christ Jesus and who we are in Him.

And that's where we need to be focused, rather than the world or things that are going on around us in the world. We're so easily distracted by earthly and worldly things, but this is a foundation that's firm and can't be blown over. So we can be easily distracted by the ways of Satan, the ways of the flesh, and the ways of the world system that surrounds us. Further thoughts about this?

Just one more. In thinking about what you said there Donna, the reality, what is the reality? We are citizens of heaven. It's who we really are. Our citizenship is in heaven from which also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our lowly body that it may be fashioned like his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Therefore, stand fast. The imperative, look at this foundation that you've been created in, in the Lord Jesus Christ. Is there any other alternative but standing fast?

This isn't working harder, it's resting and trusting in the doctrines that we've been given. That's really a great rest and joy, isn't it? in a war zone, you're reminded, well, your citizenship isn't here in this war zone. It's in a place that is safe and secure. You can count upon that citizenship, that relationship. Personally, I really relate to that citizenship all the time when these earthly things seem to be a distraction, either in terms of the flesh, the vanity of it, or any other aspect. The foundation we have in our citizenship in heaven is really a true rest, isn't it? We're going to get to that in verse 3 in more detail. Other uses of this are interesting, and I just point out four of them.

1 Corinthians 15, 3, stand fast in the faith. Stand fast, same Greek word, in the faith. Galatians 5, 1, stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. Wow. You know, and the foundation is so deep and so strong. In fact, there's a lot of freedom there. because he gives us a lot of room, not to sin, but a freedom to live a victorious life and a life full of joy. Yeah, there's going to be trials, there's going to be tribulations, but the foundation's firm and the wind is not strong enough to blow it over.

Philippians 1.27, stand fast in one spirit. We're going to come back to that here in a second. Standing fast in the Lord is, I think, a body that ultimately is standing together in one spirit.

And then finally, 1 Thessalonians 3.8, for now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. I think that, in a sense, is a qualification because when we live in Christ, it's standing fast in Christ. It's not getting distracted by other doctrines or other fallacies of the faith. And boy, that just really, I think, sets the stage for a life that can really be uplifting and position where we're really positioned at the right hand. Other thoughts about this standing? All right, good. Let's go on to verse two. Now, I implore, I'm not going to pronounce these ladies. Yeah, right. Forgive me, I'm slow. No, forgive you. You're totally forgiven.

That's good doctrine, isn't it? What do we really mean by standing? In practical terms, is that not that we are truly trusting, maybe? That we truly believe that we are in heaven, we are in Christ? Because if you look at that first Thessalonians 3.5, for now we live if we stand fast.

I didn't do a word study on the if, whether it's a qualitative if. Roy, do you have your Greek grammar? I haven't looked it up. But back to Alan. I mean, Roy's raised this question, what does it mean to stand? And you said it's kind of a position of rest, isn't it? I mean, in a sense. I see it as you can't stand unless there's something to stand on. All right, that's good.

But we're also told to walk in the faith, right? So we're standing and walking, all this stuff. So do we need to wordsmith too much here? Remember, this standing fast is following a very incredible description of our position, is it not, in terms of our citizenship and our hopes? When you started mentioning, does this mean we work on something or try harder?

It's not that, because standing is standing on something that's a conclusion. It's a fact. Okay, back to 1 Thessalonians. I did not look at if here. For now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. It could mean since you stand fast in the Lord. We just have to look it up. I just used this as another example of the verb. But if it is conditional, to live in Christ really is to live standing fast in the doctrine of who we are. And there's really no other life outside of Christ anyway. For the believer, that's the only life there is. So that would be contrary to who we are. Do you have the wrong reference? Is it 3-5 or 3-8 or what he said? I think at first I was saying 3-8. Is that incorrect? Is it 3-8? I looked up 3-5 and it just didn't matter. I think 3-8 is correct.

I checked these this morning. Occasionally I have the wrong verse list. I went back this morning to check this. Alright, let's go ahead then to the next verse. I implore these women to be of the same mind. So we're going to look at how you pronounce these. I spent 15 or 20 minutes trying to find out how to pronounce these words. One of my commentaries used to have an audio that you click on it and they pronounce the word for you, but for some reason the updated version says I have to purchase this.

I finally got to what I thought was a reasonable definition of pronunciation here. This is Uodea. The emphasis is on the third syllable. Uodea. By the way, Uodeus is a male gender name. Uodea is female. So presumably these are women, almost certainly are women, but some people actually raise the position, we're not actually sure. But I think again, in the Greek, the absence of the S, euodeia is a woman. And then the next one, I've tried hard to pronounce this, but here I guess it's the phonetic pronunciation, soontoke. Can you believe that? Soontoke is the way you pronounce that? Yeah. I've heard it pronounced soontuchie. We need to talk privately.

So the idea here, these are women, and I think in context it's perfectly suitable to think they're women. And I just raise this almost certainly because some people question whether these are really women. Wayne, you're excused. All right, remember that Philippi women were the first hearers of the gospel and probably Lydia was the first convert. And so let's turn to Acts, I think it's 16, 13. Yeah, let's turn to Acts 16, 13. Look at that. You can read 14 if you want because it describes Lydia, but 16, 13 is just really the initial presentation of the gospel truth to women in Philippi.

Somebody, anybody. Past as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. Want to read 14? I don't think that was what I read. I think that's correct. Read 14. which worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of all. Alright, now if we further this story, and by the way, the names in Greek are kind of interesting. Euodia means fragrant, or wonderful smell, or whatever, and Syntika, Syntoki, means with faith. Some people say it means good luck.

In terms of reading between the lines, and I'm going to say this first before we start to speculate, presumably, but perhaps not certainly, they needed to be reconciled. So Paul's imploring these women to be of the same mind in the Lord. So people are kind of suggesting that there could be some rift between these two women. Is that possible? Only women can answer this. on for years, and I think the only answer to that is their position in Christ, and yet that's something that they've never been taught, and I think, wow, how did they get through to that?

Okay, but that's speculation. I like it. I think it fits. But you know, beside this, there's no reference to these women at all. I mean, verse 3 may and likely does relate to them, but that's a little unclear. But we know nothing else about this issue.

I mean, is it potentially possible that Paul is simply just, there's no issue between them, that they're ultimately just needing to have them be the same mind because that's really what he prefers for the body? I mean, I guess it's possible. I mean, I tend to think it's good to think there might have been some issue related to the doctrine that needed to be reconciled, but I'm not sure we can say this with a high degree of confidence. Other thoughts here?

Well, what does it mean to be of the same mind in the Lord then? That we're not in differing? Well, but what if I said to this class, we need to all be of the same mind in the Lord? Does that mean there's an issue in the class? Not necessarily. We're agreeing that we need to be of the same mind.

I mean I'd like to think that maybe there was an issue because this is a process of reconciliation. I mean this is what in fact Paul is calling for if you read between the lines. I think there had to be something going on because I don't think he would have named them specifically if there wasn't something that he had heard about through someone else in the church, some kind of contentious thing. And I think Paul wants to get past this.

He wants to you know, deal with this so that the whole body can be of the same mind. Well, remember, the first verse said, stand fast in the Lord. So, presumably he's addressing the church at Philippi to stand fast. So, one doctrine, one faith, one spirit, one positioning, everybody together. And because this verse follows, makes you think there was something going on here.

Now, who are these women? The commentaries just go on and on. Isn't it great to write a commentary? Some people said that they were deaconesses. Some people say they were preachers, but we don't like that in terms of consistent with Paul's doctrine. I think if Paul wanted us to know more about them, it's not about them. It's about having one mind, the body, and I think he's just using them as an example of there's something going on that's contentious or not, they're saying things that maybe are not correct. But I think if Paul wanted us to know more about them, he would tell us. It's not about them. I think that's why he doesn't tell us any more about them. It's not about them. Do you have an opinion about them? No. I don't have an opinion. I never have an opinion. On a serious note, please. I just want to make sure we don't overly interpret this.

I think it was likely that something needed to be reconciled, but we just don't have enough detail to feel strongly. Jim, do you have an opinion about this? I think it's interesting, regardless of what the cause might have been, the result is the same. whether they had a problem or not, and that the goal is harmony and like-mindedness. So regardless of how deep it got and how ugly it was or not ugly, the goals are always the same and that's what Paul's urging was harmony and like-mindedness. Yeah, I think that's the issue. I think one-mindedness, oneness in the Lord Jesus Christ, one in doctrine, one in spirit is really what we're talking about.

The verb implorer could be translated appeal or beseech, implores a pretty strong verb in the English. And if you look at the Greek here, some translations use appeal, which is a little less strong maybe in terms of the English interpretation. Don't you think appeal rather than implore and beseech? Yeah, Ron?

It is present active indicative. It is present active indicative. That's a good comment. I noted the tense in this particular bullet point here. I indicated maybe that indicates there were some differences. He's appealing to them. He's drawing them in and aside. Whatever. I think both Margaret and Jim are correct.

The issue here is one-mindedness. It's not so much what the conflict was. The interesting thing, let's say there is a disagreement of some sort, doctrinally or in some other way. If there was, either one of them is right or both are wrong. Either way, there was a need for correcting the situation.

Notice the reconciliations in the Lord, if this is reconciliation. And then that comes up with the issue, I mean, if we had, you know, a thousand believers in this room and we had, let's say, a verse that was somewhat controversial, what's resolving this in the Lord all about? How would we reconcile differences among the body about the interpretation of scripture if, in fact, we disagree?

I didn't put this in the printed lesson, but I think it's a good point for maybe some discussion. No answers? Just say it's unclear, right? I think even when you have disagreements in a gray area, and I use that term to refer to the area, I mean, you can have two believers who maybe agree on the principles of what Scripture is saying, but maybe disagree on how it's have dissension about how an agreement about truth is even carried out in the church.

Really, the principle and how those things come to a resolution are through grace. Even if it's a dissension about what is right and what is wrong, and it's a principle that needs to be dealt with in scripture, or if it's just how it's implemented, I think both parties are constantly having to go back and realize, where is there an opportunity for grace here?

It may be that you stand down. It may be that you put your foot down. I mean, there's instances where you just can't get black and white about every implementation of what might be, you know, how it is carried out in the body. But it's really an issue of how does the Lord want to carry out a gracious attitude in this situation.

I've seen a lot of people, both be right even, about what they believe in the scripture, but they're not necessarily right about how they carry it out. So those areas of consideration. The process is relevant here. Yeah, I think so. Other thoughts on issues of disagreement about the Word of God? And again, I'm extending the verse far past its obvious interpretation, but I think it's likely that there may have been some issue here.

How about the elders, Roger, you, and Mike, and Byrne play a role here? Well, I was thinking more of the fact of kind of, you know, it's once again agreeing upon maybe the premise that there's only one intended meaning. Because if you subscribe to the fact, well, there's a meaning for you in this meeting, you know, you get this broad spectrum of meanings, and that can get you off on all kinds of tracks. If you're striving to seek the one meaning, the one meaning from scripture, that is helpful in the process.

I think it depends upon if people are willing to submit to one another, to care for one another. I mean, if there's a willingness that's not there, then there's little that can be done really. All right, let's go ahead here. So here's some other verses that really reflect this kind of issue, perhaps to some extent, in terms of being like-minded. So in Philippians 2 it says, So full ye my joy that ye may be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord. end of one mind.

In Romans 15.5, now the God of patience, notice this, the God of patience, how you doing at this by the way? The patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus or in Christ Jesus.

So this one-mindedness, one spirit, that doesn't mean we're robots because I think there are issues that come up where in fact there could be some disagreement in terms of interpretation. But Roger has to be right. The Lord meant one thing. He wasn't meant to confuse us. All right, good.

Let's go ahead to verse three. Now, verse three is going to take a little more time, and that's our last verse for this morning. But yet it's one that has some importance in terms of the message Paul has for us. And I urge you also, true companion. Notice somebody else is on board here. He's appealing to somebody, a fellow believer.

Help these women. Now, we'll come back to that, too. This may, again, not be women according to the Greek interpretation. But nevertheless, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life." Wow. Lots of phrases and conditions that we see here. Paul's concerned and urges another dedicated believer to get involved here. So this is kind of an act of the body. It's not just simply Paul preaching at or down.

Now, it's interesting here, this Greek term, I know, Psygos, perhaps is the pronunciation, is defined as a true companion or a yoked fellow. I like the interpretation, yoked fellow. But some people have interpreted this Psygos as a guy's name. I mean it's amazing. You read, I would say one out of five commentaries I read called Sygos a man. Did not interpret this as a generic yoke fellow or a true companion. I kind of like the way the New King James has it. I think almost all versions of the Bible have it.

They don't call this person an individual. Now to help, now here's what's interesting. Presumably this relationship Paul has with this psychos, or true companion, or yoke fellows, to help those women. But if you go to the Greek, the Greek term is autos, which has no gender implications whatsoever. It could mean them. So again, likely women. and likely these two women is who we're talking about, but I think you've got to be a little bit careful here.

I'm not so sure that it's so relevant. In context it picks the women, and I'm fine saying it's those women. Every translation of the Bible, and I looked at 15, translates this as those women. would you like to expound on that comment further? what was the comment? Bonnie, your comment again? I just said who was the translator.

We heard that. Likely it was Y chromosome kind of people, right? Okay, all right. Now, I've raised this as an issue here, and we've kind of alluded to this already. Is this an example of the church working as a body to correct or reconcile, do you think? Paul's appealing to somebody else in this circumstance about, you know, approaching these women or helping the women, I guess, reconcile and or be lifted up in the doctrine. I think it could be.

In Galatians 6.1, you tend to...

Let's look at Galatians 6.1 a second.

Somebody just pull it and read it, please. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Okay, so I mean in general in the Nathe we see church doctrine as kind of a, you know, the leaders of the church get together more than one and in effect appeal to the believer who's fallen out of line.

It's possible. I put a question mark here. I don't know whether this is an example of this or not. So we'll just leave that as a potential. And labored, notice labored, strong word, this could be strived with or contended alongside. This is not a weak verb. So I think labor speaks for itself.

This was, you know, help those women who labored with me in the gospel. So anyway, presumably these women were, if there was a difference here, this is an important difference because these women have been essential in moving the gospel forward at least in the region of Philippi. So Clement and the rest of Paul's fellow workers, these fellow workers again are people bonded in the faith and people who he obviously has a very close relationship.

Now some people think Clement was the Bishop of Rome. But for the most part, that's not well supported. It's likely a Philippine that is not the Bishop of Rome. I mean, there was some idea that the Bishop of Rome potentially got saved and ultimately got involved here. But the time sequence doesn't work out very well. And I think most commentators seem to think this is not the Bishop of Rome that we're talking about here. I didn't become a historian myself on this issue. I don't think that's likely. And now we're going to spend the next 10 or 15 minutes, before we're done here today, whose names are in the Book of Life. Zoe, life. What Greek term is that for life? Life can be translated by several terms in the Greek. This implies eternity. This is eternal life.

And it's interesting, it's capitalized in the New King James. So lengthy, but I'm going to read this to you because I kind of liked it. It was a commentary by Barnes. And Barnes says, the Book of Life is a Jewish phrase and refers originally to a record or catalog of names as a role of an army.

It then means to be among the living, as the name of an individual would be erased from a catalog when he was deceased. The word life here refers to eternal life, again related to the Greek term, and the whole phrase refers to those who were enrolled among the true friends of God, or who would certainly be saved. The use of this phrase here implies the belief of Paul that these persons were true Christians, names that are written in the Book of Life will not be blotted out. If the hand of God records them there, who can obliterate them?" So, reasonable description, I think, of the Book of Life. And what I learned from this, I think, is the historic term, Book of Life, having relationships to Israel. So we're going to take a little bit of a look here.

So these are three passages in the Old Testament that actually have the same concept identified. Let's look at these. So, Alan, could you look at Psalms 69-28 and Vani Ezekiel 13-9 and Daniel 12-1? Let's take a look at these. Now, two of these are the name being eliminated from the book. And one of them is retained. So let's look at these in the Old Testament.

And remember, this is a Jewish phrase. The origination of this is Jewish. That was 6928. Please. May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and may they not be recorded with the righteous. Okay, read a couple of verses before that. I'm sorry, we probably need to lead into that. Pick what you think is relevant. I don't have it up right in front of me right now.

For they have persecuted him who you yourself have smitten, and they tell of the pain of those whom you have wounded. Add iniquity to their iniquity, and may they not come into your righteousness. and then may they be blotted out of the book of life and may they not be recorded with the righteous.

Okay, remember a lot of Psalms are prophetic and this is potentially one that has that meaning. Ezekiel? Ezekiel 13. So my hand will be against the prophets who speak false visions and utter lies of the nations. They will have no place in the counsel of my people, nor will they be written down of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, that you may know that I am the Lord God." It's interesting, I'm doing Ezekiel right now in my go-to-work J. Bernard McGee in the morning. Ezekiel is a very interesting book.

This is the time where in fact there were lots of false prophets. saying to the people of Israel that ultimately this prophecy about the ultimate conquering of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar is not going to happen. This is all a bunch of myth. And so that's to whom that was addressed. These people that were being false prophets at the time, indicating that these were people who were not part of Israel, the true Israel, the ultimate remnant of Israel, and their names would not be written in the Book of Life.

At that time, Michael, the great prince who watches over your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation's beginning up to that time. But at that time, your own people, all those whose names are found written in the book, will escape.

So there is another Old Testament reference to this book. Now this book does not describe this the way Barnes did in terms of the original. use of the term in terms of like a role of an army where in fact you're there and then when you're dead you're taken off. But I think the implications of this role of an army is interesting in the fact that once you're written in the book, Now you're not being taken up. I mean, it's kind of like, you know, you're there and you're there for good. Now let's talk about us a little bit.

Let's look at two verses in Revelation. Revelation 3, 5. Doris, can you get that, please? And Alan, could you get Revelation 21, 27? And everybody keep their Bibles open to Revelation. We're going to be there again in a second. Revelation 3.5 He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. Okay, we're all overcomers, so this is good. Okay, 21.27 And nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Amen. Now, to the contrary, there are those whose names are not written in the Book of Life. So let's look at these.

Margaret, Revelation 13.8.

Donna, Revelation 17.8. And Roger, could you do... Let's go to this side. Gail, could you do 20, 12, and 15?

Revelation 13.8. 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. Worship, of course, not the Lord Jesus Christ, but the Antichrist. Right. OK. Don? 178, the beast that thou sawest was and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the Book of Life, from the foundation of the world. who may behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Okay, so a bit of discussion here. This book of life, are those whose names are not written, never written? Or in fact, is everybody's name written and removed by unbelief? That's the way I've always taken it. Isn't there somewhere that says that? God would have all come to his sake, would he not?

I mean, just in the passages, it's saying that they're blotted out of the link. Suggestive removal. If their hearts are hardened and they never... And you know, that's really neat if you think about the origin of the Jewish phrase, that if it's a war on an army and you've died, your name gets removed. But now spiritually, scripturally, in fact, having your name written in the book, it's there until being removed. And the only way it's removed is by unbelief.

Right? Doesn't seem fair sometimes, but I think that's probably the truth. Other thoughts about this? It certainly seems gracious of God that he would write everyone's name there. It kind of fits with the last possible moment. that he would not, you know, would not have gone that way. Well, it's sort of like when, you know, your brother Ed died. Yeah.

We went to service and we, you know, we never thought he was a believer. I mean, he was very hostile. But the pastor that actually did the service, who had been communicating with Ed up until his death, told Bob, you know, you just don't know. He said, we talked about many things and even though he never said, I mean, you know, when someone's confronted with death, who knows what, when they've heard what it is, who knows? And that's what he said. There's hope till the last, till death.

Yeah, I mean, anyway, yeah, that's true. That was a real comfort to be. In fact, the guy that did the service was actually truly a born again man. There was no question about it. How he ever came in contact with my brother, I have no idea. He was the pastor at the hospice.

And so he just was assigned, Ed, to go by and see him. And what was so interesting about that is when we got there, he was saying that he had heard Dr. Dobson. And did we, and Dr. Dobson lives in Colorado Springs, did we know anything about Dr. Dobson? And it was just funny because you're, you know, he's a patient of Bob's. And so Bob was able to, it was just such a small world and how he came in contact with Deb was a miracle.

Yeah, so, but anyway. Yeah, you don't know. This Book of Life is a big mystery, but isn't it good to really reflect on that? And I ask the class here in closing, how often have you pondered about what it means to have your name written in the Book of Life? And God says, I think everyone's name is there. And by great grace we realize that ultimately as we come to be saved and understand more about his great truth and love for us. The Book of Life seems, if you take a Calvinistic approach, some are in and some are not, right? That doesn't seem to fit, does it? And we all have that opportunity to have our names written there. And when we die, we're like this roll of an army, we're not taken off the scroll. Thoughts?

Anybody have some things they'd like to share about the Book of Life? The Bible clearly says, I think in Revelation, that there are those whose names are written and those who are not. Paul says very little about this. This is one of the, I think it may be the only example where Paul addresses this issue of the Book of Life. This is mostly John. in Revelation.

But it's interesting to go back and look at the Old Testament because this is not a foreign concept to the nation of Israel. And there are other passages in Moses. I mean, Moses talks about the fact that when he came down from the mountain, you know, these tablets he had of the Ten Commandments and beyond were worthless if the sins of the nation were not forgiven. He said, and you know, Walby, take it off, they didn't call it the Book of Life, but our names are no longer written. I forget the terminology in the Israeli scenario if in fact their sins are not forgiven.

Anyway, I thought that was kind of neat too. So there was in Israel this concept of your name being written among the faithful of the nation of Israel. And of course I think we see throughout the New Testament, particularly in Romans, about all are not of Israel who are of Israel, right? And I think that same concept relates to this book of life. Any other thoughts here?

Okay, do you remember where I close next week, Roger? I have next week too. I think it's through seven. Is it through seven? Actually, next week, we probably didn't talk about that. I have the following Sunday. Oh, you got next week? Yeah, that's what I thought. Yeah, I didn't look at the schedule. Four through seven was to take two weeks. Oh, OK. So I have the first person. Yeah, we should talk. All right. All right. Good. Alan, closest in prayer. Thank you for your work. Thank you for this time together. We'll study together. Thanks for the life we have in your son. He's the one that makes us. Amen. Thank you.