The Devil's Payroll
Hey, Preacher! Who are you working for? Well, of course, you will say "for God", or perhaps "for Jesus". But actually, you are on the Devil's Payroll -- not God's. Sorry, but it is true. So go ahead and admit it. You are the Devil's kind of preacher and he pays you for your work. You are on the Devil's Payroll.
Now why would I tell you such a thing? Well, I believe that honesty is the best policy. Isn't money the "root of all evil"? What drives your preaching? You already know deep down - it is money. Yes, "filthy lucre" (as it is referred to in Titus 1:1). That's what motivates you deep down. You preach to get money. You are on the Devil's Payroll.
This is easy enough to prove. The Bible says:
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." (II Timothy 4:2)
But what does that old Devil say? "Hey, tone down your message, Buddy! Don't you know that you might get someone upset if you preach? Would you want some "tither" to walk out the door? Hey, who do you think pays your salary, anyway?"
After all, the Devil has his men and women. They put money in the plate. If you refuse to obey God and instead obey the Devil by not preaching against sin, then the Devil will keep on using them to pay you. Yes the Devil pays just enough to keep you as his wage-slave. Yes, you are indeed on the Devil's Payroll.
Tragically, there will be many people in Hell one day because of your sin. There might be hundreds, perhaps even thousands of people who never heard about their sin, never heard The Gospel, never got saved. They will be burning night and day for all Eternity because you wanted a "fist full of dollars". You wanted the Devil's paycheck. Therefore, you refused to obey God and preach against their sin. You could have preached against their sin, but then...they might not have come back -- (i.e. they might not have TITHED!)
There was another man who was once on the Devil's payroll. His name was Judas. Judas wasn't satisfied that he was getting enough money from doing God's work. No, he covetously calculated that he needed say... another thirty pieces of silver. He knew whose payroll he needed to be on: the Devil's Payroll.
Judas did get his thirty pieces of silver? Yes! -- right on "Payday".
The real problem is: There really is a payday, and not just the Devil's payday. God has a payday as well. For the preacher who has never been saved, this payday is called the "Last Judgment". If you have never been truly saved, then you will stand before God to receive those things that you have earned in this life. You stand tall and proud now, but you will not on that Great Day.
God will give you your "final paycheck" on that day. He will not cheat you. No, God will give you exactly what you have earned on that day. God told you in the Book of Revelation what is in store for you. Your sins will be read out of God's books. Then you will be cast into the Lake of Fire to burn there forever. You will never escape. No, you will be imprisoned there night and day, burning...forever.
Perhaps you are one of the few Preachers who is actually saved today, one of the few who is not trusting in "having said a prayer" or "having walked down an aisle" or "mentally believing some doctrine", or some other such form of Salvation by Works. Perhaps you are really, truly saved. Well, thank God! But, what then?
If you are truly saved, but are still living on the Devil's Payroll, then you too will also get your paycheck one day. This is called the Bema Judgment. You will stand before Christ. He will reward you for all the souls you sent to Hell when you were "working on the other side" for the Devil. The Bible says:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." (2 Corinthians 5:10-11)
Do you know the terror of the Lord? You will one day. Paul knew it, and yet Paul was a saved man. Paul said "we" when he wrote about knowing the terror of the Lord. Paul wasn't kidding.
Repent before it is too late. The souls you have already sent to Hell - well, it is too late to try to save them now. Nevertheless, you can repent and obey God now. The Bible says that God will wipe away every tear one day. Why not repent now?
Live for Jesus and the Bible. Take preaching against sin seriously. Preach THE GOSPEL. Preach to get conversions. Work for the night is coming, when no man can work. If your lost deacons cause a stink, and you are cast out of your church, or if you lose all of your friends of a lifetime for the sake of Jesus and the Bible, what of it? Trust Jesus. God takes care of the lilies of the field. He will take care of you as well.
Do Right!
How to Repent and Come to Christ
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