• Is Your Name in “the Book of Life”?
    The Watchtower (Study)—2022 | September

    • RESURRECTIONS TO LIFE AND TO JUDGMENT

      13-14. (a) In the past, how did we understand Jesus’ words found at John 5:29? (b) What do we need to note about those words?

      13 Jesus also spoke about those who would be resurrected here on earth. For example, he said: “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28, 29) What did Jesus mean?

      14 In the past, we understood Jesus’ words to refer to the deeds the resurrected ones will practice after their resurrection; that is, some will come to life and practice good things while others will come to life and practice vile things. However, note that Jesus does not say that those who have just come out of the memorial tombs will do good things or will practice vile things. He uses the past tense. He speaks of those who “did good things” and those who “practiced vile things.” This indicates that these actions took place before their death. That makes sense, does it not? After all, no one will be allowed to practice vile things in the new world. The unrighteous must have practiced these vile things before their death. How, then, are we to understand Jesus’ words about “a resurrection of life” and “a resurrection of judgment”?

      15. Who will receive “a resurrection of life,” and why?

      15 The righteous, who did good things before their death, will receive “a resurrection of life” because their names will already be written in the book of life. This means that the resurrection of “those who did good things” described at John 5:29 is the same as the resurrection of “the righteous” mentioned at Acts 24:15. This understanding is in harmony with the statement made at Romans 6:7, which says: “The one who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” The sins committed by these righteous ones were canceled at death, but their record of faithfulness remains. (Heb. 6:10) Of course, these righteous resurrected ones will need to remain faithful in order for their names to remain in the book of life.

      16. What does “a resurrection of judgment” refer to?

      16 What about those who practiced vile things before they died? Although their sins were canceled at death, they have not established a record of faithfulness. They do not have their names written in the book of life. Hence, the resurrection of “those who practiced vile things” is the same as the resurrection of “the unrighteous” referred to at Acts 24:15. Theirs will be “a resurrection of judgment.”c The unrighteous will be judged in the sense that they will be evaluated. (Luke 22:30) It will take time to determine whether they are judged worthy of having their names written in the book of life. Only if these unrighteous ones reject their former wicked course of life and dedicate themselves to Jehovah can they have their names written in the book of life.

  • Is Your Name in “the Book of Life”?
    The Watchtower (Study)—2022 | September

    • c Previously, we explained that the term “judgment” used here means a negative judgment, or a verdict of condemnation. Actually, the word “judgment” may have that meaning. But in this context, it seems that Jesus used the word “judgment” in a more general sense, referring to a process of evaluation and probation or, as one Greek lexicon says, a “scrutiny of conduct.”