1 Corinthians 12:1-3 (WEL) Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I don’t want you to be ignorant. 2 You fully know that you were pagans, being led astray to these voiceless idols, however often as you were led. 3 Therefore, I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is the Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
V1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I don’t want you to be ignorant.
What are spiritual gifts? They are gifts given by God to every believer in Jesus Christ. Believers are servants of Jesus Christ. Each one has been given a gift/s to serve the Lord Jesus, who is the Head of the Church (believers, not an organization). The purpose of these gifts is to bear spiritual fruit.
See Ephesians 4:7-14: the purpose of gifts is to 1) train believers in the Christian faith (knowing doctrine, worldview, lifestyle, rules, and apologetics), 2) build up the believers (both in converts but primarily to live a fruitful Christian life bringing honor to God), 3) unity in the knowledge of God and His ways (God’s character traits, etc.), 4) maturity (all believers continue to grow until physical death; after which we begin our education in heaven), and 5) stability (not being shaken, doubtful, questioning, wavering, inconsistent, etc.).
V2 You fully know that you were pagans, being led astray to these voiceless idols, however often as you were led.
Pagans not Jews. As pagans, they worshipped idols and all that was required by that idol.
The Greek word for led astray is G0520. ἀπάγω apagō, which means to lead or take but specifically lead away, take away. They were led away from truth by deception, from the true God (Romans 1:19-20) to false gods.
V3 Therefore, I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is the Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
Anyone who curses Jesus regarding His personhood, character traits, actions, etc., is not a Christian. Anyone who sincerely confesses that Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings openly is a Christian.
If anyone began speaking as a prophet and cursed Jesus, it is a masquerading spirit.
(Holman Commentary) “The general context of this verse focuses on the nature and restrictions that apply to speaking in tongues, a Christian experience similar to the ecstasy of pagan religions. It would appear, therefore, that Paul reminded the Corinthians about their past extraordinary religious experiences of idol worship.
Paul drew attention to these past experiences to deduce general instructions on distinguishing the Holy Spirit’s gifts from pagan religious experiences. First, the Holy Spirit never leads anyone to say, ‘Jesus be cursed.’ If someone in the church at Corinth spoke such words (even under supernatural influence), he was not speaking by the Spirit of God. Second, the Holy Spirit empowers those who proclaim that Jesus is Lord.
“If a religious experience does not honor Christ as Lord, then it is not from the Spirit. If it does, then the Holy Spirit may be behind the experience.”
We learn:
- The foundation of spiritual gifts.
- Distinguishing false from true gifts.
Questions:
- What is the purpose of Spiritual Gifts?
- How does one discern true ecstatic speech from the false from the true gift of tongues?