Episode 202 - "Spiritual Gifts - The First Rule" 1 Corinthians 12:1-3

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

Few issues among Christians can bring a hot debate like that of “spiritual gifts.” As with previous topics like “head coverings,” my objective here is not to insult brothers and sisters in the faith who have strong opinions about this topic. It is to simply put forth what the Scripture says and make an attempt to explain what it means.

Paul begins this section by explaining that he wants the Corinthian believers to have an understanding of spiritual gifts. I don’t think Paul exhaustively answers every potential question that might arise concerning this topic in this section. But he is sharing what he considers is vitally important for them to understand.

First, he contrasts Christians with people who are somehow led to worship idols that cannot speak. He writes in verse 2, “You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.” Paul’s point is that these people had firsthand experience being influenced by some unknown means to worship mute idols. These idols could not speak or communicate. We could infer that practicing idolatry will offer you no wisdom, truth, or direction. Paul’s added comment, “however you were led,” indicates that their pre-Christian experience was characterized by confusion.

In light of that experience, Paul says the Holy Spirit does not operate like that. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is God. Paul says, “No one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” (1 Cor. 12:3a) That’s a pretty direct and absolute statement. What does it tell us? It tells us that God can and does communicate to and through people. God is not mute. Next, it tells us that a person who has trusted in the gospel of Jesus Christ and received the Holy Spirit will never say, “Jesus is accursed.”

Conversely, Paul continues by saying, “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor. 12:3b) This is evidence that God, by the Holy Spirit, does speak clear messages through his people. To confess that Jesus is Lord is prompted and enabled by the Holy Spirit.

This is Paul’s first point concerning spiritual gifts. Many people claim to have some spiritual gift, such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and others. However, we should not accept these claims without discernment whether or not the message is from God. According to Paul, the first and most important rule is that the message from the Holy Spirit will proclaim Jesus as Lord.

What is Paul’s point? I believe his first and most important point for the Corinthian believers, and one that applies to us today, is that the first indication of who we can listen to in order to be edified in our faith are those who publicly confess that Jesus is Lord.

Think about what we say about Jesus. Do we exalt him according to what is revealed in the Scriptures about him? If so, that is an indication of the Holy Spirit working in your life. Give thanks to God that his Spirit is at work in you.