http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1229
The "Not" in the Devil's Tale
Someone coined the title of this article many years ago. They were
referring, of course, to the incident recorded in Genesis chapter three
where Satan coaxed Eve into eating the forbidden fruit by assuring her
that if she were to do so, she would become like God (3:5). Though God
had previously informed her through her husband that “in the day that
you eat of it you shall surely die” (2:17), Satan boldly disputed such a
directive by inserting the word “not” in the very same statement: “You
will
not surely die” (3:4, emp. added). He took precisely the
same sentence that God Himself had uttered, and simply inserted the
three-letter word “not.”
Contemplate the gall of Satan. Ponder the absolute audacity of the
devil in his willingness to pervert the Word of God by the simple
insertion of such a small, seemingly insignificant word. Yet that simple
three-letter insertion into the sentence articulated by God completely
reversed the truth of the matter. It made it appear as if the truth was
the exact opposite of what God had actually said. It countermanded God’s
Word on the matter and set in its place a falsehood that was in
diametric opposition to God’s will.
Besides the devil, who would dare to do such a dastardly deed? Surely
not those who claim to be Christians! Surely not preachers and teachers
of the Bible! Surely, only those who deny the Bible, who reject it as
uninspired and a mere concoction of humans, would so tamper with God’s
Word as to negate a positive, unambiguous declaration of Scripture. Yet
God did warn that even from among Christians would arise those who would
distort, deny, and push aside His instructions. Jesus Himself warned:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but
inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). Peter agreed: “But
there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be
false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive
heresies…” (2 Peter 2:1). John added his voice of caution: “Beloved, do
not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God;
because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
Paul claimed that even from among church officials, some would rise up
and speak misleading things (Acts 20:30).
In view of these forthright words of warning and anticipation, one
cannot help but be utterly amazed, even shocked, that so many who claim
to be Christian have rejected the God-ordained role of water baptism in
His redemptive scheme. The “faith only” perspective that was expounded
during the Protestant Reformation, and has since permeated Christendom,
displaced water baptism from its divinely assigned position. Rather than
being the line of demarcation between the sinner and the saint, as the
New Testament everywhere affirms, baptism has been relegated to an
after-the-fact symbol—a post-conversion “outward expression” of the
forgiveness previously achieved at the point of faith.
Though many New Testament verses expound the proper role of water
immersion as intended by God, thereby weaving a consistent and
harmonious picture throughout inspired Writ (e.g., Matthew 28:19-20;
Mark 16:15-16; John 3:5; Acts 2:38,41; 8:12,13,16,36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48;
16:15,33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13;
Ephesians 4:5; 5:26; Colossians 2:12; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22), one is
sufficient to demonstrate the absurd lengths to which so many
theologians have gone to discount the biblical treatment of baptism: 1
Peter 3:21. In this verse, Peter announced very simply: “The like figure
whereunto even
baptism doth also now save us” (
KJV, emp. added). The
ASV words it: “which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism.” The
NKJV has it: “There is also now an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism.” The
NASB words it: “And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you.”
What have the majority of commentators, theologians, and church
authorities done with this verse? They have danced, twisted, and turned
in every direction to evade the unambiguous import of the verse. Since
they previously embraced a false theory of salvation—i.e., salvation by
“faith alone” without any further acts of obedience on the part of the
believer—they have had to engage in hermeneutical gymnastics and
exegetical hocus-pocus to avoid the force of these verses that pinpoint
the place of water baptism. In short, they have been pressured into
doing
precisely what Satan did in his discourse with Eve. They
have had to take a very straightforward, unmistakable statement by the
apostle Peter and insert the same three-letter word that Satan himself
inserted: “not.” “Baptism doth also now
not save us;” “There is also now an antitype which now does
not save us, namely baptism;” “And corresponding to that, baptism now does
not save
you.” The gall and unmitigated audacity that accompanies such tampering
with Scripture will surely be shown in eternity to be no different from
the ploy of Satan himself.
