The phrase “book of life” occurs eight times in the Bible (Psalm 69:28; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27).  There are differences of opinion regarding what it actually is.  But, the general consensus is that it is a record of the deeds of the saved with which rewards are assigned. Those not found written in the book are cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).

• “Term used to refer to a heavenly record. The phrase appears seven times in the NT: Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12 (twice); 21:27. The Christian understanding of the phrase, however, is rooted in the OT. Passages such as Exodus 32:32; Psalm 87:6; Daniel 7:10; 12:1; and Malachi 3:16 imply or affirm a record kept by God. God is seen as keeping account of his people’s faithfulness and disobedience—and possibly that of other nations as well (e.g., Ps 87:6). Psalm 69:28 uses the phrase “book of the living”; parallel poetic lines refer to physical living.”
    Elwell, Walter A., and Barry J. Beitzel. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988.
• “The ancient practice of keeping various kinds of records has an analogy in the concept of heavenly record books…All NT uses of “book of life” (Gk. hē bíblos [tó biblíon] tḗs zōḗs), except for the mention of it in Phil. 4:3, are found in Revelation, where it refers to the enrollment for eternal life (21:27), sometimes with the implication of predestination (13:8; 17:8), once with an assurance against erasure…”
    Bromiley, Geoffrey W., ed. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised. Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988.
• “So in the NT the book of life is the roster of believers, e.g. Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 22:19, etc. At the last judgment everyone not enrolled in the book of life is consigned to the fiery lake (Rev. 20:12, 15); this is the book of life of the slaughtered Lamb (Rev. 13:8; 21:27), in which the names of the elect have been inscribed ‘from the foundation of the world’ (17:8).”
    Wood, D. R. W., and I. Howard Marshall. New Bible Dictionary. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

In the context of annihilationism, those who affirm final nonexistence would naturally assert that if a person’s name is not found in the book of life, then he will face the final judgment and be annihilated. But this is not necessarily so. To be excluded from the book could mean being excluded from the blissful presence of God with the wicked being cast into outer darkness where they undergo eternal conscious torment (Jude 6-7; Rev. 14:9-11). After all, the Bible is full of scriptures that imply eternal conscious torment.

Also, Rev. 13:8 speaks of names being written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world.  This would mean that those names were in that book from eternity past.  Would God have put the names of the damned in a record of life before the world began?  It would make no sense.  Being blotted out of the book is not about losing salvation or a demonstration that a soul ceases to exist. Consider the following:

• Matthew 25:41, eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels
• Luke 16:19-31, the rich man and Lazarus
• Jude 6-7, angels and the wicked undergoing punishment of eternal fire
• Revelation 14:9-11, worshippers of the beast are tormented forever

 

1. Book of life, 7 occurrences in the New Testament
   1. Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27

 

TABLE OF ALL NEW TESTAMENT USAGES OF “BOOK OF LIFE,” βίβλος ὁ ζωή
Address	Verse	Meaning
Phil. 4:3	Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.	Book of life
Rev. 3:5	‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.	Book of life
Rev. 13:8	All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.	Book of life
Rev. 17:8	“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.	Book of life
Rev. 20:12	And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.	Book of life
Rev. 20:15	And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.	Book of life
Rev. 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.	Book of life