1 Corinthians 12:3

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Negative and positive tests of inspiration by the Spirit-the rejection or confession of Jesus' Lordship, not the possession of "tongues" (1 Corinthians 13:1; 1 John 4:2; 1 John 5:1). Paul gives a test of truth against the Gentiles; John against the false prophets. BY THE SPIRIT - Greek, 'IN the Spirit,' that being the power and element in which he speaks (Matthew 16:17;...

3._Wherefore I give you to know. _Having admonished them from their own experience, he sets before them a general doctrine, which he deduces from it; for what the Corinthians had experienced in themselves is common to all mankind — to wander on in error, (729) previously to their being brought back, through the kindness of God, into the way of truth. Hence it is necessary that we should be directed by the Spirit of God, or we shall wander on for ever. From this, too, it follows, that all things that pertain to the true knowledge of God, are the gifts of the Holy Spirit,. He at the same time derives an argument from opposite causes to opposite effects. _No one, speaking by the Spirit of God, can revile Christ; _so, on the other hand, _no one can speak well of Christ, but by the Spirit of Christ. _To _say that Jesus is accursed _is utter blasphemy against him. To say that Jesus is the Lord...

1-11 Spiritual gifts were extraordinary powers bestowed in the first ages, to convince unbelievers, and to spread the gospel. Gifts and graces greatly differ. Both were freely given of God. But where grace is given, it is for the salvation of those who have it. Gifts are for the advantage and salvation of others; and there may be great gifts where there is no grace. The extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit were chiefly exercised in the public assemblies, where the Corinthians seem to have made displays of them, wanting in the spirit of piety, and of Christian love. While heathens, they had not been influenced by the Spirit of Christ. No man can call Christ Lord, with believing dependence upon him, unless that faith is wrought by the Holy Ghost. No man could believe with his heart, or prove by a miracle, that Jesus was Christ, unless by the Holy Ghost. There are various gifts, and vari...

Verse 1 Corinthians 12:3. _NO MAN SPEAKING BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD_] It was granted on all hands that there could be no religion without _Divine_ _inspiration_, because God alone, could make his will known to men: hence heathenism _pretended_ to this inspiration; Judaism _had_ it in the law and the prophets; and it was the very _essence_ of the _Christian_ religion. The heathen priests and priestesses pretended to receive, by inspiration from their god, the _answers_ which they gave to their votaries. And as far as the people believed their pretensions, so far they were _led_ by their teaching. Both _Judaism_ and _heathenism_ were full of expectations of a _future teacher_ and _deliverer_; and to this person, especially among the Jews, the Spirit in all the prophets gave witness. This was the A

WHEREFORE I GIVE YOU TO UNDERSTAND - I make known to you. The force of this expression is, “I give you this rule to distinguish,” or by which you may know what influences and operations are from God. The design of the passage is, to give them some simple general guide by which they could at once recognize the operations of the Spirit of God, and determine whether they who claimed to be under that operation were really so. That rule was, that all who were truly influenced by the Holy Spirit would be disposed to acknowledge and to know Jesus Christ; and where this disposition existed, it was of itself a clear demonstration that it was the operation of the Spirit of God. The same rule substantially is given by John 1 John 4:2, by which to test the nature of the spirit by which people profess to be influenced. “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses

EXPOSITION 1 Corinthians 12:1.—1 Corinthians 14:1.—ON SPIRITUAL GIFTS, AND THE DANGER WHICH AROSE FROM THE ABUSE OF THE "GIFT OF TONGUES." 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1 _On spiritual gifts in general._ 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1 Now concerning spirit

WHEREFORE I GIVE YOU TO UNDERSTAND,.... Or "I make known unto you"; what I am about to say are certain truths, and to be depended on, THAT NO MAN SPEAKING BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD CALLETH JESUS ACCURSED; or "anathema", as did the unconverted Gentiles, who knew nothing of Jesus but by report; which report they had from the Jews, his enemies; and by that report he appeared to them to be a very wicked and detestable person, who was put to death by the means of his own countrymen, was hanged upon a tree, and so to be counted and called accursed: the apostle seems to have reference to the sense these Corinthians had of Jesus, and what they called him before their conversion; whence it appeared that they spoke not by, nor were they possessed of the Spirit of God then, and therefore their having of him now was an instance of pure grace; or else respect is had to the Jews, who not only, whilst Jesu...

1 Corinthians 12:1. _Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led._ Although the members of the church at Corinth were highly favored with spiritual gifts, they do not seem to have known how to use them. Paul points out to them, in this chapter, how ignorant they were concerning the very gifts which they possessed. They did not know how to put them to proper' use in the service of God. The apostle therefore reminds these gift-exalted Corinthians that, only a little while before, they were heathens, carried away by falsehood and superstition, and worshipping dumb idols. They had nothing, therefore, to boast of; and it is probable that, if we also look back to the hole of the pit whence we were dug, we shall find no more occasion for boasting than they had.

2. THE BODY AND THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Concerning spiritual manifestations and diversities of gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:1 .)_ 2. The Body and its members. (1 Corinthians 12:12 .) In this interesting, important chapter, spiritual manifestations are first mentioned. The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in the church. And first the distinctive mark of the Spirit is stated. As heathen they had been under the control of evil spirits, who had deluded them with idolatrous worship. And these evil spirits were still active, creeping in among Christians, pretending to be the Spirit of God and counterfeiting His manifestations. It was so then and it is so now. Seducing spirits and d

He begins by distinguishing true gifts of the Spirit from their counterfeit. Unhappily 1 Corinthians 12:2 is far from clear, and the text is perhaps corrupt. Paul may appeal to their experience of ecstasy in their heathen condition. You will remember how completely you were under control of the demon, you were a mere voice through which he spoke. So it is with him who speaks in the Spirit. He has no volition, and we can thus argue from the utterance to the character of the control. If it is Jesus Anathema, the Holy Spirit cannot be the source of inspiration, if Jesus Lord then He must be. Therefore the speaker does not deceive; he has no choice, but is at the mercy of his control. Two difficulties might be raised. The ecstasy might be simulated, or, if not, the demon control might use the true Christian formula. If these objections are not fatal (and Paul would perhaps have refused to ad