Spiritual Matters...1Corinthians 12:3
By Timothy W. Burnett
One of the most difficult subjects to address is the spiritual matters found in 1Corinthians 12-14. They refer to things that are foreign to many Christians. Even biblical scholars do not agree on the basic spiritual wisdom found in these chapters. Yet here they sit, like a treasure box filled with gems that can transform even the most down-trodden people into victorious children of God. Raise your hand if you want to learn how to walk and talk as children of God. Don't know about you, but this author's hand is flying up real fast! If we intend to learn the walk and the talk, we must trust God's word where it says, "Now concerning spiritual [matters], brethren, I would not have you ignorant" (1Corinthians 12:1). God does not want His people to be in want of knowledge concerning spiritual matters. We begin with 1Corinthians 12:3 where it says, "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy ghost." What does it mean to "speak by the spirit of God" and to say something by the holy ghost? This is a reasonable question which can be answered by simply allowing god's word to interpret itself.

1Corinthians 12:3 does not completely define what it means to "speak by the spirit of God." In order to rightly divide this scripture we must find how it is interpreted in the context of where it is used again. Chapters 12 and 13 only use this phrase in verse 3 of chapter 12. The first place that uses similar language is found in 1Corinthians 14:15, "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." This verse distinguishes between praying with the spirit and praying with the understanding. We have a pretty good idea what it means to pray with our understanding. but what does it mean to pray with the spirit? An examination of chapter 14 will show that praying with the spirit is talking about speaking in tongues. In general, chapter 14 distinguishes between speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues.

We start with verse 2, "For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands; howbeit in the spirit he speaks mysteries." And again in verse 4, "He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies the church." Verses 6-13 contrast between speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues in the context of who is edified. Then we come to verses 14-15 where it says, "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful...I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding..." When we reverently allow God's word to interpret itself, we see that to pray with the understanding can only refer to speaking with our own language, and the phrase"pray with the spirit" can only refer to speaking in tongues.

Now we can go back to 1Corinthians 12:3 with a better understanding of what it is talking about. No man speaking by the spirit of God, which is speaking in tongues, curses our Lord Jesus Christ. And furthermore, nobody can truly say that Jesus is the Lord, but by speaking in tongues. Do we use the name of our Lord Jesus in prayer often? Yes we do. But it is also available to freely and truly declare our "Lord Jesus" by the spirit of God.
On God's Word
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