A devil called preacher is the most dangerous, damnable, and deadly thing there is. A lot of devil called preachers carry a KJV Bible, claim to love God, associate with and mix among God's people, many of them dress right, have a Bible knowledge, quote Scripture, talk like a fundamentalist, and preach some Bible, mixing it with error to deceive.
May I tell you that every Jehovah's Witness, Mormon missionary, Catholic priest, Seventh Day Adventist preacher, Campbelite preacher, every modernistic, liberalistic preacher, Jim Jones, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker, and every woman preacher is devil called. God does not call anyone to preach contrary to HIS Book! It is clear from the Scriptures that God has never called a woman to preach (I Tim. 3:1-7). Let's consider the marks of a devil called preacher.
The first mark is that a devil called preacher is destitute of the spirit. Rom. 8:9 says, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." That means he is not saved. Devil called preachers are lost and have not the spirit of God.
Second, they are deceitful in their service, see text and Titus 1: 1 6 declares, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
The third mark is that devil called preachers deny the Savior. Jude 3:4 reads, "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation. it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly count for the saints. For there are certain men kept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."
The fourth mark of the devil called preachers is they are doubters of the Scriptures. II John 7, 1 0, & I 1, "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and antichrist receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his evil deeds."
Fifth, devil called preachers are disrupters of the Scripture. In I John 2:22 & 23, we find these words, "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is an antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the son hath the Father also." Some say that some of verse 23 here was not in the original. How do you know? You have never seen the original. If it has a chapter and verse number, I believe every word in the very inspired Word of God.
In the sixth place devil called preachers are devoid of sight. Matt. 15:14 says, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind...."
Seventh, they are depraved in their sin, they are immoral. Who has not read of the immorality of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker, and of Catholic priest who molested many young boys over a period of years? Jude 8 says, "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities."
Furthermore, they are deceptive in their appearance. Jesus said in Matt. 7:15, "Beware of false prophets which come unto you in sheep's clothing, but inward they are ravening wolves." See also text in II Cor. 11: 3-15.
They are serious about big salaries-they are hirelings. Paul warned Timothy about the love of money in I Tim. 6:10 by saying, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
Finally, they preach a pleasing message. It is what people want to hear. It appeals to the flesh. Gal. 1:10, "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" A God called preacher does not seek to please men. His main concern is to please God. And he could care less if he pleases men. Thank God, there are still some God called preachers today who have not compromised, who still preach the pure, plain, unadulterated word of God. Pray for them, support them.
Pastor Albert Hardin
Chesnee, SC.
[ Baptist Bible Trumpet, March 2001 ]