Dear Susan,<br><br>This explanation is similar to what some have already tried to produce. It simply boils down to: The book (or tree) of life and the holy city are what the people addressed in this passage think they have, not what they actually possess.<br><br>"wherefore taking away the part of such, is only taking away that which they seemed to have; see (Luke 8:18)"<br><br>A major problem with this interpretation is that this warning is addressed to everyone who reads of the words of the prophecy, elect as well as Sunday christians. So God can take away from those who actually have (Luke 19:26), as well as those who seemed to have. Gill simply begs the question when he assumes that God will take away only from those who seem to have, as he automatically assumes the idea that no one can be blotted out of the book of life, and interprets this passage according to that belief, not any particular scripture.<br><br><br>In Christ,<br>Josh