Revelation 20:12 – “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life.  The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”

One day the books are going to open.  And not just any books….God’s books.   God’s accounting books.

Romans 14:12 says – “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”

Hebrews 4:13 drives the point home this way – “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Pretty sobering stuff in light of today’s reading.  There is a day coming when God will open the books and we will all be held responsible for what they say about us.  And I’m pretty sure that God’s accounting system is painstakingly accurate.

All of humanity coming face to face with the darkest details of the lives we lived.  Every one of us exposed for who we are.  There is a day when we all will be held accountable.

This is a terrifying reality.  But there is good news.  It’s found in this sentence:  ”Another book was opened, which is the book of life.”

You see, among all of God’s books, one book trumps them all…the book of life.  We don’t know the complete contents of the book of life, but we do know that it contains a list of names.  Names that belong to a different account.  Jesus’ account.

The Scriptures tell us that the names of those who have a relationship with Jesus are recorded in his book of life.  He takes responsibility for their account.  He is accountable for them.

Remarkably, he has paid their debt in full and credited to them his righteousness.

John, the one who wrote the book of Revelation, wrote in 1 John 2:12 these words, “your sins have been forgiven on account of his name”.

Wow…that is so powerful.  Our sins forgiven on his account.

When the books are opened on our lives, it will say, “Forgiven on Jesus’ account.  See book of life.”

So, what’s our response?  I guess it depends on where we’re at this morning, on whose account we’re living.  On our own, or on Jesus’?