How Our Names Can Be Written in Heaven

Many people want to go to Heaven but are unfamiliar with the qualifications necessary to enter. Just as a person needs to be qualified to enter an important area, the Bible records that our names should be written in the Book of Life in Heaven so that we can enter there.

Qualifications are Needed for Important Areas

The capital of the United States, Washington D.C., is home to several important landmarks for the country’s political system, including the Congressional Building, the Supreme Court, and even the White House, the residence and workplace of the sitting President. Many tourists visit Washington D.C. to experience America’s history by stepping inside the White House. However, there are qualifications a person must meet to tour the White House.

According to the White House’s official website, whitehouse.gov, public tour requests made by U.S. citizens must be submitted no less than 21 days and no more than 90 days before the intended tour date. For non-U.S. citizens, tour requests must be submitted through their local embassy. Both U.S. citizens over 18 years old and foreigners of all ages must present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon arrival. Unless a person presents this ID, that person is unable to participate in the tour regardless of whether the reservation was made or not. In other words, a person’s name needs to be recorded on the tour list while also bringing a valid form of identification.

Having Our Names Written in Heaven

The White House has strict guidelines for verifying if a person can tour the White House, one of the most important landmarks in the United States. Then how about the Kingdom of Heaven, a place that is considered even more important to the people of God? There are guidelines that the angels use to ensure if we can enter heaven. The Bible teaches that our names can be recorded among those who can enter Heaven only if we are born again.

Romans 6:1-4 … We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

The Bible says that when we are baptized, we are born again into a new life. In this world, whenever a baby is born, their name is recorded in a hospital birth register. In the same way, if a person is spiritually born again through baptism, that person’s name can be recorded in Heaven.

Blessings of Those Recorded in Heaven

God promised great blessings to those whose names are recorded in Heaven.

Isaiah 4:2-4 … Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.

By using the phrase “In that day”, Isaiah is prophesying about what will happen in the Last Days. The Bible states that those whose names are recorded among the living are called holy. If we are called holy by God, then we can surely enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, having our names written in heaven is equivalent to salvation. The book of Daniel says something similar.

Daniel 12:1-3 There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered… Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

Here, Daniel speaks about “a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then”, which is the Last Days when many tribulations are to fall upon mankind. Who are those who will be delivered on the last day? It is only those whose names are written in Heaven.

Putting the two verses together, we can understand that we can be delivered as God’s holy people, as long as our names are written in Heaven. This is why Jesus considered our names being written in Heaven something we should rejoice for.

Luke 10:17-20 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “… do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

The disciples were overjoyed because they experienced the power of driving out demons. While driving out demons is a great feat, Jesus said that we should rejoice even more that our names are written in Heaven. By saying so, Jesus is teaching us that having our names written in heaven is a far greater blessing than driving away demons. Then where can we find our names written in Heaven, after being born again through baptism?

Philippians 4:2-3 … help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Apostle Paul lists the names of some of the church members who helped him with the gospel. Where did he say their names are written? The names of the gospel workers are written in the Book of Life. Once we receive  baptism and are born again, our names can be written in the Book of Life in Heaven.

Curse of Those Not Written in Heaven

So far, we have seen throughout various parts of the Bible, the numerous blessings for God’s people who have their names written in the Book of Life in Heaven. Then what will happen to those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life in Heaven?

Revelation 20:12-15 … each person was judged according to what they had done… Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

As people are unable to tour the White House if their names are not recorded in the tour list, the Bible states that those whose names are not found in the Book of Life in Heaven will be unable to enter Heaven. The Bible clearly details why.

Revelation 13:8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life…

Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life participate with all the inhabitants of the earth in worshipping the beast. Revelation 13:2 reveals that the beast receives his power and authority from the dragon, which refers to the devil (Rev. 12:9). Simply speaking, those whose names are not found in the Book of Life worship the devil, whether knowingly or unknowingly. They were never born again through baptism and never lived a new life. Since they worship and follow the devil during their life on this earth, they have no choice but to follow him to his final destination.

Therefore, we can be saved or destroyed depending on whether our names are in the Book of Life or not. It is a matter of spiritual life or death. That is why Jesus said we should rejoice that our names are written in the Book of Life in Heaven.

Assurance of Our Names in Heaven

Then, how can one ascertain whether their name is written in the Book of Life in Heaven or not? Many people today receive baptism in their different, respective churches. Are they all recorded in the Book of Life? Jesus taught us about a special trait of the true church that He established 2,000 years ago.

Matthew 16:18-19 “… I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

This is the scene of Jesus establishing His true church. He told Peter, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Meaning, in order for our names to be written in the Book of Life in Heaven, we should first receive salvation on earth and our names should be written in the Book of Life on earth. The fact that our names are written in the Book of Life means that we receive the promise of salvation from God, and salvation is achieved by receiving the truth on this earth. Therefore, it is natural that the names of the members of the true church are written in the Book of Life. It is only the Church of God, which God Himself personally established, that has the Book of Life. If we want our names to be recorded in heaven, then they must first be recorded in the true church on earth, after receiving baptism in the true church.

To visit the White House, there are strict regulations on who can be added to the tour list to enter the White House. The Kingdom of Heaven is not a place we will tour. It is the place God’s people will live and reign forever and ever (Rev 22:1-5). We must ensure that our names are written in the Book of Life so we can enter Heaven without fail. Let us receive baptism in the true church that God Himself established and let us remain in the precious truth of God until the end.