---

Oliver B. Green said years ago “for every one preacher God calls, the devil calls two.” Clearly, there are not nearly as many God called preachers today as we may think. The devil-called preacher is a master counterfeit of the God called preacher. It is not easy to detect the devil called preacher. 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, and 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.

There were false prophets in the Old Testament. Zedekiah and 400 others were in I Kings 2. In the New Testament there were false teachers and apostles. Hymenaeus and Philetus were false teachers, (II Tim. 2). Judas of Galilee was a false prophet and a devil called preacher, Acts 5:37. Every Jehovah Witness, Mormon missionary, Catholic priest, Seventh Day Adventist preacher, Campbelite preacher, every modernistic-liberalistic preacher, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker, and every woman preacher is devil called. It is clear from I Timothy 3:1, that God does not call women to preach.

Let’s consider the marks of a devil called preacher. The first mark is that a devil called preacher is that he is destitute of the spirit. Devil called preachers are lost and have not the spirit of God. Second, they are deceitful in their service, Titus 1:16, declares, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him...” Third, devil called preachers deny the Savior, Jude 3:4 reads “For there are certain men kept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning he grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Fourth, devil called preachers is they are doubters of the scriptures. They will always seek to correct the bible. Fifth, devil called preachers are disrupters of the scripture. Some say I John 2:23 was not in the original. How do they know that? Do they have a copy of the original. If it has a chapter and verse number, I believe it. Sixth, devil called preachers are devoid of sight. Seventh, they are deprived in their sin, they are immoral. Who has not read of the immorality of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker, and of Catholic priests who molest young boys over a period of years? Eight, 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 inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Finally, they are desirous of big salaries, they are hirelings. Take the money away and they leave.

Let me say a word about the message of the devil called preachers. It is a perverted message with a mix of law and grace, and truth with error. It is a pleasing message. It is what people want to hear. It appeals to the flesh. Gal. 1:10 says, “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. Also, the devil called preacher is very persuasive in manners, II Pet. 2:3, “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you!” That verse describes 99% of all TV preachers. “Send me an offering and you’ll get rich, be happy, be healed, you name it.” 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, stand with and for them and attend their church regularly and faithfully.

Albert Hardin, Phil. 3:20 & 21
Grace Temple Baptist Church, Chesnee, SC.