What does this imply for those who care nothing about these holy standards? There is no point in John telling mankind that heaven is pure if godliness is something that only begins after we enter heaven. The building of godly character must begin on earth. Truth and purity are qualities that men must begin to love now or never. The same truth that the saints love on earth will permeate heaven, only it will be present in all its fullness. The believer aims to live in this world as he will later live in heaven. So he prays, ‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10). Therefore, ‘every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure’ (1 John 3:3). But how could those who despise the standards of the Bible, learn to love those standards later. That love springs from the new nature that God gives to his people in this life. But the wicked have never felt their need of such a nature. They have taken full advantage of the darkness to carry out their sins in secret. Will they subsequently embrace righteousness if they do not love it now, once their characters have sunk to the extreme depths of depravity, when common grace has been withdrawn? Surely not.
But do sinners want to go to heaven anyway? They certainly wish to avoid hell, but what attraction does heaven have for them? They do not love God or his Son. Their proud hearts refuse to submit to his majesty. They mock piety and integrity in believers. They wish to be as far removed from worship as they can. How could they ever be happy in a realm where worship is central to all that happens? By their lives they have cast their vote for this world and against heaven. Will they now go to a place that they never showed any inclination to go to before?
Besides, God’s presence would destroy them. His infinite holiness would burn them up. While they remain unclothed in the protecting righteousness of Christ, they cannot stand before him. On earth, no man can see God and live. The saints must be translated in order to be there. But the lost will not have this protection and must stand naked before the Lord. All that they approve is contrary to the Lord and all that the Lord approves is contrary to them, so that both cannot exist together. There is no doubt who will prevail.
Again the Book of Life is consulted. How does this determine the occupants of heaven? The verse has just said that inclusion or exclusion from Zion will be based on character and practice. How can this other quite different factor be taken into account – whether our names are written in a book? Ah, but there are different levels of explanation. Those who practise deceit will certainly have no right to enter heaven. But there is a more ultimate explanation for this, one that lies completely beyond their consideration. Their names were not written in God’s book from before the world began. This determines what they are and how they live. Are they then not to blame for the sin? Are they merely programmed beings who must be what they are, without any responsibility for their own destiny? No, for to each of us is given a will which we constantly exercise. Our actions are not constrained against our wills, but we fully concur with the sins we commit. We sin because we want to sin and we love sin. How can we blame God for what we are? And yet God inscrutably guides all things to the end he has chosen. He does so without altering his mind about the outcome of each life. Because we cannot explain how God steers all things, even free agents, can we say that he is unable to do so? The end result proves that it is so.