Monday, July 26, 2021

"Not's" in the Devil's Tale

By Clifton Angel

    Satan is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44). His first deception recorded for us is found at Genesis 3:1. Satan said, "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every  tree  of  the  garden?"  In  other  words,  "Did  God  really  say  you  are forbidden to eat of every tree of the garden?" God said, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it" (Genesis 2:16–17).
    His second lie recorded for us is found at Genesis 3:4. Satan said, "Ye shall not surely die." God said, "for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:17). In both occasions, Satan added only one word: "NOT." So, let us note 6 "not"s in the Devil's Tale.
    Jesus  said,  "He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved"  (Mark  16:16). Satan says, "He that believeth and is NOT baptized shall be saved."
    Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). Satan says, "Seek NOT first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." Satan  wants  us  to  put  the  things  of  this  world—our  jobs,  our  hobbies,  our sports, our passions, our talents, our families, etc.—above the church, which is the kingdom of God.
    Jesus  said,  "If  ye  love  me,  ye  will  keep  my  commandments"  (John  14:15). Satan  says,  "If  you  love  Jesus,  you  will  NOT  keep  His  commandments." Besides, Jesus' love on the cross covers all sins, so just stop trying to avoid sin, right? That's a lie of the devil.
    Jesus prayed to the Father, "That they may be one, even as we are one" (John 17:22). It is Satan's endeavor, "That they may NOT be one." And how vastly is the religious world listening to Satan. How many different denominations are there today? Why don't we just go back to the Bible and be a part of Jesus' ONE church?
    Jesus  said,  "The  wicked  shall  go  away  into  eternal  punishment"  (Matthew 25:46). Satan says, "The wicked shall NOT go away into eternal punishment." How  many  do  you  know  that  when  someone  dies  they  say  that  person  is automatically  going  to  heaven.  It  does  not  matter  if  they  were  ungodly, adulterers, drunkards, fornicators, etc., they are going to heaven.
    God said, "Ye may know that ye have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Satan says, "Ye may NOT know that ye  have  eternal  life." How many  Christians  do we know that understand the Bible's teaching that we CAN fall from grace, yet they live their lives on eggshells as if we fall in and out of it all day long. We need to remember 1 John 1:7 and strive to walk in the light, so that, we can "know that we have eternal life."
    Satan is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44). Have you fallen prey to his lies? 
- Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/


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