Jesus was always honored by the holy spirit

JESUS WAS ALWAYS HONORED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
1 COR. 12:3 3 Therefore I want you to know that no
one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus
be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”
except by the Holy Spirit.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Antipathies
Charles Kingsley
1 Corinthians 12:3
Why I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls
Jesus accursed…
(Tenth Sunday after Trinity.)
1 Cor. xii.3, 4, 5, 6. Wherefore, I give you to understand, that no man speaking
by the Spirit of Godcalleth Jesus accursed:and that no man cansay that
Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but

the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same
Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which
workethall in all.
We are to come to the Communion this day in love and charity with all men.
But are we in love and charity with all men?
I do not mean, are there any persons whom we hate; againstwhom we bear a
spite; whom we should be glad to see in trouble or shame? God forbid, my
friends, God forbid. There are, indeed, devil's tempers. And yet more easyfor
us to keepin the bottom of our hearts, and more difficult to root them out,
than we fancy.
It is easyenough for us to forgive (in words at least)a man who has injured
us. Easyenough to make up our minds that we will not revenge ourselves.
Easyenough to determine, even, that we will return good for evil to him, and
do him a kindness when we have a chance. Yes, we would not hurt him for the
world: but what if God hurt him? What if he hurt himself? What if he lost his
money? What if his children turned out ill? What if he made a foolof himself,
and came to shame? What if he were found out and exposed, as we fancy that
he deserves? Should we be so very sorry? We should not punish him
ourselves. No. But do we never catchourselves thinking whether God may not
punish him; thinking of that with a base secretsatisfaction;almost hoping for
it, at last? Oh if we ever do, God forgive us! If we ever find those devil's
thoughts rising in us, let us flee from them as from an adder; flee to the foot of
Christ's Cross, to the cross ofhim who prayed for his murderers, Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do; and there cry aloud for the
blood of life, which shall cleanse us from the guilt of those wickedthoughts,
and for the waterof life, which shall cleanse us from the powerof them: lest
they getthe dominion over us, and spring up in us, and spread over our whole
hearts; not a well of life, but a well of poison, springing up in us to everlasting

damnation. Oh let us pray to him to give us truth in our inward parts; that we
may forgive and love, not in word only, but in deed and in truth.
I could not help saying this in passing. But it is not what the text is speaking
of; not what I want to speak of myself to-day. I want to speak of a matter
which is smaller, and not by any means so sinful: and which yet in practice is
often more tormenting to a truly tender conscience, because itis more
common and more continual.
How often, when one examines oneself, whetherone be in love and charity
with all men, one must recollectthat there are many people whom one does
not like. I do not mean that one hates them. Notin the least:but they do not
suit one. There is something in them which we cannot get on with, as the
saying is. Something in their opinions, manners, ways of talking; even -- God
forgive us -- merely in their voice, or their looks, ortheir dress, which frets us,
and gives us what is called an antipathy to them. And one dislikes them;
though they never have harmed us, or we them; and we know them, perhaps,
to be better people than ourselves. Now, are we in love and charity with these
people? I am afraid not.
I know one is tempted to answer;but I am afraid the answeris worth very
little -- Why not? We cannothelp it. You cannot expectus to like people who
do not suit us: any more than you can expectus to like a beetle or a spider. We
know the beetle or the spider will not harm us. We know that they are goodin
their places, and do good, as all God's creatures are and do; and there is room
enough in the world for them and us: but we have a natural dislike to them,
and cannothelp it; and so with these people. We mean no harm in disliking
them. It is natural to us; and why blame us for it.

Now what is the mistake here? Saying that it is natural to us. We are not
meant to live according to nature, but according to grace;and grace must
conquer nature, my friends, if we wish to save our souls alive. It is nature,
brute nature, which makes some dogs fly at every strange dog they meet. It is
nature, brute nature, which makes a savage considerevery strange savageas
his enemy, and try to kill him. But unless nature be conquered in that savage,
it will end, where following brute nature always ends, in death; and the
savageswill (as all savages are aptto do) destroy eachother off the face of the
earth, by continual warand murder. It is brute nature which makes low and
ignorant persons hate foreign people, because their dress and language seem
strange. But unless that natural feeling had been in most of us conqueredby
the grace ofGod, which is the spirit of justice and of love, then England would
have remained alone in conceitand ignorance, hated by all the nations;
instead of being what, thank God! she is -- the Sanctuary of the world; to
which all the oppressedof the earth may flee; and find a welcome, and safety,
and freedom, and justice, and peace.
And so with us, my friends. It is natural, and according to the brute nature of
the old Adam, to dislike this personand that, just because they do not suit us.
But it is according to grace, andthe new Adam, who is the Lord from heaven,
to honour all men; to love the brotherhood; to throw awayour own private
fancies and personal antipathies; and, like the Lord Jesus Christ, copy the all-
embracing charity of God. And no one has a right to answer, 'But I must draw
the line somewhere.'Thoumust not. I am afraid that thou wilt, and that I
shall, too, God forgive us both! because we are sinful human beings. We may,
but we must not, draw a line as to whom we shall endure in charity. For
Christ draws no line. Is it not written, 'No man cansay that Jesus is the Lord,
but by the Holy Ghost.'Is not the Spirit of Christ in a Christian man, unless
he be a reprobate? and who is reprobate, we know not, and dare not try to
know;for it is written, 'Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not,
and ye shall not be condemned.'

But what has the text to do with all this?
My friends, is not this just what the text is telling us? I said this moment, that
the Spirit of Christ was in a Christian man, unless he be a reprobate. And the
text says further, that there are diversities of gifts in Christian men: but the
same spirit in all of them.
Yes: people will be different one from another. There are diversities of gifts.
Differences in talents, in powers, in character, in kinds of virtue and piety; so
that you shall find no two goodmen, no two useful men, like eachother. But
there is the same Spirit. The same Spirit of God is in each, though bearing
different fruit in each. And there are differences of administrations, of offices,
in God's kingdom. Godsets one man to do one work, and another to do
another: but it is the same Lord who puts eachman in his place, and shows
him his work, and gives him powerto do it. And there are diversities of
operations, that is, of ways of working;so that if you put any two men to do
the same thing, they will most probably do it eachin a different way, and yet
both do it well. But it is the same God, who is working in them both; the God
who works all in all, and has his work done by a thousand different hands, by
a thousand different ways.
And it is right and goodthat people should be so different from eachother.
'For the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.' To
profit, to be of use. If all men were alike, no one could learn from his
neighbour. If all mankind were as like eachother as a flock of sheep, there
would be no more work, no more progress, no more improvement in
mankind, than there is in a flock of sheep. Now eachman canbring his own
little share of knowledge orusefulness into the common stock. Each man has,
or ought to have, something to teach his neighbour. Each man canlearn
something from his neighbour: at leasthe canlearn this -- to have patience
with his neighbour. To live and let live. To bear with what in him seems odd

and disagreeable, trusting that Godmay have put it there; that God has need
of it; that God will make use of it. God makes use of many things which look
to us ugly and disagreeable. He makes use of the spider and of the beetle. How
much more of our brethren, members of Christ, children of God, inheritors of
the kingdom of heaven. Shall they be to us, even if they be odd or disagreeable
in some things -- shall they be to us as the beetle or the spider, or any other
merely natural things? They are men and women, in whom is the Spirit of the
living God. And my friends, if they are goodenough for God, they are good
enough for us. Think but one moment. God the Father adopts a man as his
child, God the Son dies for that man, God the Holy Ghost inspires that man;
and shall we be more dainty than God? If, in spite of the man's little
weaknessesand oddities, God shall condescendto come down and dwell in
that man, making him more or less a goodman, doing goodwork; shall we
pretend that we cannot endure what God endures? Shall we be more dainty, I
ask again, than the holy and perfect God? Oh my friends, let us pray to him to
take out of our hearts all selfishness, fancifulness, fastidiousness, and hasty
respectof persons, of all which there is none in God. Let us ask for his Spirit,
the Spirit of Charity, which sees Godin all, and all in God, and therefore sees
goodin all, and sees allin love.
Then we shall see how much more there is in our neighbours to like, than to
dislike. Then all these little differences will seemto us trifles not to be thought
of, before the broad fact of a man's being, after all, a man, an Englishman, a
Christian, and a goodChristian, doing goodwork where God has put him.
Then we shall be ashamedof our old narrowness ofheart; ashamed of having
lookedso much at the little evil in our neighbours, and not at the greatgood in
them. Then we shall go about the world cheerfully; and our neighbour's faces
will seemto us full of light: instead of seeming full of darkness, becauseour
own eyes and minds are dark for want of charity. Then we shall come to the
Communion, not with hearts narrowedand shut up, perhaps, from the very
person who kneels next to us: but truly open-hearted; with hearts as wide --
ah God, that it were possible! -- as the sacredheart of Christ, in which is room
for all mankind. And so receiving his body, which is the blessedcompany of

all faithful people, we shall receive Christ, who dwelleth in them, and they in
him.
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(3) Wherefore I give you to understand.—Better, Wherefore I make known
unto you. Because suchwas your condition, and there still seems to linger in
your minds some of the ignorance which belonged to such a state, I make
known unto you the one greattestof your possessionof the Holy Spirit. If any
man say “Jesusis anathema,” that is a proof that he has not that Spirit. If any
man say “Jesusis Lord,” that is a proof that he has that Spirit.
(3)Operating in words, as in prophetic utterances.
(4) Operating in distinguishing true and false spirits.
III.Gifts which relate to tongues.
(1)Speaking with tongues.
(2)Interpreting tongues.
The “wisdom” and the “knowledge”differ, in that the former expresses the
deep spiritual insight into spiritual truth which some possess, the latter the
intellectual appreciationof Christian doctrine, which is not so profound as the
former, and which as the man passes into the spiritual state will vanish away
(1Corinthians 13:8).
BensonCommentary
1 Corinthians 12:3. Wherefore — Since it was so with you once, and it is
otherwise now, this is a full demonstration of the truth of the Christian

religion, through your faith in, and reception of, which, you receivedthese
gifts, which none of the heathen idols, blind, and dumb, and lifeless as they
were, could possibly conferupon you. I give you to understand, that no man,
speaking by the Spirit of God — Who is endued with these spiritual gifts, or is
at all inspired by the Holy Spirit; calleth Jesus accursed — Pronounces him to
be an impostor, and therefore justly punished with death. It seems that some,
who pretended to be inspired, did this; probably the Jewishexorcists, together
with the heathenpriests and priestesses, who in their enthusiastic fits reviled
Jesus. Now the apostle intended here to teach the Corinthians, that if any such
persons were really inspired, that is, if they spake by any supernatural
impulse, it certainly proceededfrom evil spirits, and not from the Spirit of
God, who never would move any one to speak in that manner of Jesus. Bythis
the apostle cuts off all who spoke blasphemouslyand irreverently of Christ,
whether Jews orheathen, from all pretences to the possessionof spiritual
gifts, or of any supernatural influence from the true God. These gifts and
inspirations could only be found among true Christians. On the other hand,
no man can say that Jesus is the Lord — Can receive him as such; canthink
or speak reverently of him; can make professionof his name, when that
professionwould expose him to imprisonment and martyrdom; can worship
him aright, and heartily acknowledgehis divinity and lordship, (againstwhich
there was then the greatestoppositionmade,) so as to subject himself sincerely
and entirely to his government: but by the Holy Ghost — By his directing,
renewing, and purifying influences. The sum is, None have the Holy Spirit but
true Christians; true believers in, and disciples of, the Lord Jesus;and all
such have the Spirit, at leastin his enlightening and sanctifying graces.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
12:1-11 Spiritual gifts were extraordinary powers bestowedin 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
salvationof those who have it. Gifts are for the advantage and salvation of
others; and there may be greatgifts where there is no grace. The
extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit were chiefly exercisedin 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 various
offices to perform, but all proceedfrom one God, one Lord, one Spirit; that is,
from the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the origin of all spiritual blessings. No
man has them merely for himself. The more he profits others, the more will
they turn to his ownaccount. The gifts mentioned appear to mean exact
understanding, and uttering the doctrines of the Christian religion; the
knowledge ofmysteries, and skill to give advice and counsel. Also the gift of
healing the sick, the working of miracles, and to explain Scripture by a
peculiar gift of the Spirit, and ability to speak and interpret languages. If we
have any knowledge ofthe truth, or any power to make it known, we must
give all the glory of God. The greaterthe gifts are, the more the possessoris
exposedto temptations, and the larger is the measure of grace neededto keep
him humble and spiritual; and he will meet with more painful experiences and
humbling dispensations. We have little cause to glory in any gifts bestowedon
us, or to despise those who have them not.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Wherefore I give you to understand - I make knownto you. The force of this
expressionis, "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 generalguide by which they could at once recognize
the operations ofthe Spirit of God, and determine whether they who claimed
to be under that operationwere really so. That rule was, that all who were
truly influenced by the Holy Spirit would be disposedto acknowledgeandto
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 testthe nature of the
spirit by which people profess to be influenced. "Hereby know ye the Spirit of
God: Every spirit that confessesthat Jesus Christis come in the flesh is of
God," compare also the note to Matthew 16:17.

That no man - No one οἰδεὶς oideis. It may refer to a man, or to demons, or to
those who pretended to be under inspiration of any kind. And it may refer to
the Jews who may have pretended to be under the influence of God's Spirit.
and who yet anathematized and cursedthe name of Jesus. Or it may be
intended simply as a generalrule; meaning that "if anyone," whoeverhe
might be, should blaspheme the name of Jesus, whateverwere his pretensions,
whether professing to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit among the
Jews, orto be inspired among the Gentiles, it was full proof that he was an
impostor. The argument is, that the Holy Spirit in all instances would do
honor to Jesus Christ, and would prompt all who were under his influence to
love and reverence his name.
Speaking by the Spirit of God - Under the influence of inspiration.
Calleth - Says, or would say; that is, no such one would use the language of
anathema in regardto him.
Accursed- Margin, "Anathema" (ἀνάθημα anathēma); see the Acts 23:14
note; Romans 9:3 note; compare 1 Corinthians 16:22; Galatians 1:8-9. The
word is one of execration, or cursing; and means, that no one under the
influence of the Holy Spirit could curse the name of Jesus, ordenounce him as
execrable and as an impostor. The effectof the influences of the Spirit would
be in all instances to inspire reverence for his name and work. It is probable
that the Jews were here principally intended, since there is a bitterness and
severity in the language whichaccords with all their expressions offeeling
toward Jesus ofNazareth. It is possible, also, and indeed probable, that the
priests and priestessesofthe pagangods who pretended to be under the
influence of inspiration might denounce the name of Jesus, becausethey
would all be opposedto the purity of his religion.
And that no man can say... - That is, that it cannotoccur, or even happen,
that anyone will acknowledgeJesusas the Messiahwho is not influenced by
the Holy Spirit. The meaning is, not that no one has physical ability to say that
Jesus is Lord unless aided by the Holy Spirit, since all people can say this; but
that no one will be disposedheartily to say it; no one will acknowledge him as
their Lord; it can never happen that anyone will confess him as the true

Messiahwho has not been brought to this state by the agencyof the Holy
Spirit.
Is the Lord - Is the Messiah;or shall acknowledgehim as their Lord.
But by the Holy Ghost - Unless he is influenced by the Holy Spirit. This is a
very important verse, not only in regard to the particular subject under
considerationin the time of Paul, but also in its practicalbearing at present.
We may learn from it:
(1) That it is a proof that any man is under the influence of the Holy Spirit
who is heartily disposedto honor the name and work of Jesus Christ.
(2) those forms and modes of religion; those religious opinions and practices,
will be most in accordance withthe designs of the Spirit of God, which do
most to honor the name and work of Jesus Christ.
(3) it is true that no man will ever cherish a proper regardfor Jesus Christ,
nor love his name and work, unless he is influenced by the Holy Spirit. No
man loves the name and work of the Redeemerby following simply the
inclinations of his own corrupt heart. In all instances of those who have been
brought to a willingness to honor him, it has been by the agencyof the Holy
Spirit.
(4) if any man, in any way, is disposed to disparage the work of Christ, to
speak lightly of his personor his name; or holds doctrines that infringe on the
fulness of the truth respecting his divine nature, his purity, his atonement, it is
proof that he is not under the influence of the Spirit of God. Just in
proportion as he shall disparage that work or name, just in that proportion
does he give evidence that he is not influenced by the Divine Spirit; but by
proud reason, or by imagination, or by a heart that is not reconciledto God.
(5) all true religion is the production of the Holy Spirit. For religion consists
essentiallyin a willingness to honor, and love, and serve the Lord Jesus
Christ; and where that exists, it is produced by the Holy Spirit.
(6) the influence of the Holy Spirit should be cherished. To grieve away that
Spirit is to drive all proper knowledge ofthe Redeemerfrom the soul; to do

this is to leave the heart to coldness, and darkness, andbarrenness, and
spiritual death.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
3. The negative and positive criteria of inspiration by the Spirit—the rejection
or confessionofJesus as Lord [Alford] (1Jo 4:2; 5:1). Paul gives a test of truth
againstthe Gentiles; John, againstthe false prophets.
by the Spirit—rather, as Greek, "IN the Spirit"; that being the power
pervading him, and the element in which he speaks [Alford], (Mt 16:17; Joh
15:26).
of God … Holy—The same Spirit is calledat one time "the Spirit of God";at
another, "the HOLY Ghost," or "Holy Spirit." Infinite Holiness is almost
synonymous with Godhead.
speaking … say—"Speak" implies the actof utterance; "say" refers to that
which is uttered. Here, "say" means a spiritual and believing confessionof
Him.
Jesus—notanabstractdoctrine, but the historical, living God-man (Ro 10:9).
accursed—asthe Jews and Gentiles treated Him (Ga 3:13). Compare "to
curse Christ" in the heathen Pliny's letter [Epistles, 10.97]. The spiritual man
feels Him to be the Source of all blessings (Eph 1:3) and to be severedfrom
Him is to be accursed(Ro 9:3).
Lord—acknowledginghimself as His servant (Isa 26:13). "Lord" is the
Septuagint translation for the incommunicable Hebrew name Jehovah.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
The apostle proveth that they had receivedtheir spiritual gifts from the Spirit
of God, because whenthey had not receivedthis Spirit, they blasphemed the
Christian religion, and calledChrist
accursed, whichcould not be done by any that spake

by the Spirit of God; for there being but one God, and the Holy Spirit being
one of the three persons in the Divine Being, and Jesus Christanother, and
the eternalSon of God, it could not be but he that calledChrist accursed, as
the Jews andthe heathens did, must blaspheme God, which none could do by
the influence of that Holy Spirit, who was one of the persons in the blessed
Trinity: and as by this the apostle lets them know, that they were now acted
by another spirit than they were in their Gentile state; so he also lets them
know, that those heathens, amongstwhom they lived, were not actedby the
Spirit of God, but by the evil spirit. On the other side, he saith, that
no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. There is a
double saying that Jesus is the Lord:
1. When men only say it with their lips, but do not believe it in their hearts,
are not affectedwith what they say, nor do pay that homage of faith and
obedience to him, which should correspondwith such a profession:thus men
say Christ is the Lord, who preach him or discourse of him as men, though
they do not in heart believe in him, receive or embrace him, or live up to the
holy rules of life which he hath given; thus Judas, Caiaphas, and others, said
Christ was the Lord; this they could not do but by the Holy Ghost, that is, the
gifts of the Holy Ghost, which are common, which those might have who were
never renewedby the Holy Ghost. So these Corinthians generallygoing thus
far verbally to acknowledgeChrist the Lord, it was an argument they had
thus far been influenced by the Holy Ghost.
2. There is a serious and saving saying that Jesus is the Lord, when men do
not only with their lips speak these words, and other words to the same sense,
but heartily acknowledgehim, believe in him, love him, obey him, and call
upon him, professing him as they ought to do, and so as may be of advantage
to them to life and salvation. No man now doth this but by the Holy Ghost

renewing and sanctifying him, and blessing him with and helping him in the
exercise ofsuch habits. We shall observe in holy writ, that some verbs signify
not the action only, but the action with its due quality: thus, hearing
sometimes signifieth to hear so, as withal to believe. Calling upon the name of
the Lord, Romans 10:13, signifieth a calling aright. Confessing, 1Jo 4:15,
signifies a confessing with faith and love. So the verb sayin this text may
signify such a saying or speaking, as is attended with faith, love, and due
obedience.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Wherefore I give you to understand,.... Or "I make knownunto you"; what I
am about to say are certain truths, and to be depended on,
that no man speaking by the Spirit of God callethJesus 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 appearedto them to be a very wickedand detestable person, who
was put to death by the means of his own countrymen, was hangedupon a
tree, and so to be counted and calledaccursed:the apostle seems to have
reference to the sense these Corinthians had of Jesus, andwhat they called
him before their conversion;whence it appeared that they spoke not by, nor
were they possessedof the Spirit of God then, and therefore their having of
him now was an instance of pure grace;or else respectis had to the Jews, who
not only, whilst Jesus was living, blasphemed him, but continued to callhim
accursedafterhis death, whilst they were in their own land; and after the
destruction of their city and temple, they continued, as Justin Martyr observes
(a) to Trypho the Jew, to "curse" Christ, and them that believed in him; and
to this day privately call him by such names as will hardly bear to be
mentioned, were it not for the explanation of such a passage:thus they (b) call
him "Jesus the perverse", orhe that perverteth the law of God; and "Jesu",
the name they commonly give him, they sayis the abbreviation of , "let his
name and memory be blotted out"; and which they sometimes explain by
"Jesuis a lie, and an abomination: they call him a strange God, and vanity"
(c), and often by the name of (d), "one that was hanged", and so with them
accursed;and which seems to be the name the Jews, in the apostle's time, gave

him, and to which he here refers. Now, as in the former verse he may have
regard to the Gentiles, so in this to the Jews in this church, who, before
conversion, had so calledChrist, when it was plain they had not the Spirit of
God then, or they could not have so calledhim; and therefore if they were
partakers of him now, they ought to admire divine grace, andnot glory in
themselves, and over others. Dr. Lightfoot thinks, that Jewishexorcists who
strolled about, and pretended to do miracles by the Holy Ghost, and yet called
Jesus "anathema",are meant, of whom the Corinthians might assure
themselves that they did not speak, noract, nor were acted by the Spirit of
God. The words may be applied to all such as detestand deny the doctrines of
Christ, respecting his person and office;as that he is come in the flesh, is the
true Messiah, the Son of God, truly and properly God; that his death is a
proper sacrifice, andfull satisfactionforsin; and that justification is by his
imputed righteousness:without any breachof charity it may be said, such
persons do in effectcallJesus accursed, nullifying his person, sufferings, and
death, as to the dignity and efficacyof them; and cannotbe thought to have,
and speak by, the Spirit of God, who if they had him, would teach them
otherwise. Moreover, as the word "anathema" here used answers to
"Cherem", a form of excommunicationamong the Jews;it may be truly said
that such call Jesus accursed, or"anathema", who, if I may be allowedthe
expression, excommunicate him out of their sermons and faith; these crucify
him afresh, trample him under foot, count his blood as a common thing, and
do malice to his Spirit; and therefore cannot be thought to have him, and
speak by him.
And that no man can saythat Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost;or
Jehovah;which, with the Jews, was a name ineffable, to which the apostle
might have respect. Christ is Lord of all, of angels, goodand bad; of men,
righteous and wicked;of the chief among men, the kings, princes, and lords of
the earth; as he is God by right of nature, and as Creatorof them by virtue of
that; and because ofhis providential powerand influence in the government
of the universe; he is Lord of his church and people, by the Father's gift of
them to him; by his espousalof them to himself; by the purchase of his blood;
and by the conquests ofhis grace;and as appears by the various relations he
stands in to them, as father, husband, head, King, and master. Now, though a

man may historically sayall this, as the devils may, and hypocritically, as
formal professors andfoolish virgins do now, and will at the last day; and as
all men then will by force, whether they will or not, confess that Jesus is Lord,
who have not the Spirit of God; yet no man cancall him his Lord, can
appropriate him to himself truly and really, as his Lord, Saviour, and
Redeemer, as David, Thomas, the Apostle Paul, and others have done; but by
the Spirit; since such an appropriation includes spiritual knowledge ofChrist,
strong affectionto him; faith of interest in him, an hearty professionofhim,
and sincere subjectionto him; all which cannot be without the Spirit of God:
for he is the spirit of wisdom and revelationin the knowledge ofhim; and true
love to Christ is a genuine fruit of his; faith in Christ, is entirely of his
operation; and a subjection to the righteousness ofChrist, and to his
ordinances, is through the influence of his grace;and it is owing to his
witnessings that any cantruly, and in faith, claim their interest in him. Upon
the whole, the apostle's sense is, let a man pretend to what he will, if he does
not love Jesus Christ, and believe in him, he is destitute of his Spirit; and
whoeverloves Christ, and believes in him, and cancall him his Lord in faith
and fear, howevermean otherwise his gifts may be, he is a partakerof the
Spirit of God.
(a) Dialog. cum Tryph. p. 335. (b) Buxtorf. Abbrev. p. 10. (c) Buxtorf. Abbrev.
p. 101, 102, 103. (d) Ib. Lex. Talmud. col. 2596.
Geneva Study Bible
{3} Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of
God callethJesus {c} accursed:and that no man cansay that Jesus is the
Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
(3) The conclusion:know you therefore that you cannot so much as move your
lips to honour Christ at all, exceptby the grace ofthe Holy Spirit.
(c) Does curse him, or by any means whateverdiminish his glory.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary

1 Corinthians 12:3. Διό]therefore, because the experiences ofspiritually
gifted men could not be known to you in your heathen state,[1924]and you
have consequentlyall the more need of sound instruction on the subject,
therefore I give you to know:the fundamental characteristic ofspeaking by
the Spirit is, that Jesus is not execrated, but confessedas Lord. Paul expresses
this in the two parallel thoughts: that the former, the execration, comes from
the lips of no inspired person; and that the latter, the confessionofthe Lord,
can only be uttered by the powerof the Holy Spirit. Both the negative and the
positive marks are thereby given; and it is arbitrary to lay the whole stress, as
Billroth and Rückertdo, upon the secondhalf, and to regardthe first as
almost superfluous and a mere foil to the second. Paulmust, moreover, have
had his own specialreasons forplacing such a generalguiding rule at the head
of his whole discussionin answerto the question, Who in generalis to be held
an inspired speaker? Among all the different forms and even perversions of
the gift of speaking in the Spirit at Corinth, men may have been divided upon
the question, Who was properly to be regardedas speaking by the Spirit, and
who not? and againstall arbitrary, envious, exclusive judgments on this point
the apostle strikes allthe more powerfully, the more he brings out here the
width of the specific field of speaking in the Spirit, and the more simply and
definitely he lays down at the same time its characteristics. To find any special
reference here to the speaking with tongues—andin particular to go so far in
that direction as to assume (Hofmann, comp his Schriftbew. I. p. 309)that the
first clause guards againstanxiety in presence ofthe γλώσσαις λαλεῖν, and the
secondagainstundervaluing the προφητεύειν—comesjust to this, that Paul
has expressedhimself in a highly unintelligible way, and arbitrarily
anticipates the elucidations in detail which follow.
ἐν πνεύματι Θεοῦ] so that the Holy Spirit is the element which pervades his
inner life, and in which the λαλεῖν takes place. Compon Romans 8:15;
Matthew 22:43.

λαλῶν] uttering himself, speaking;λέγει, on the other hand, has reference to
the objectof the utterance. Comp on Romans 3:19; John 8:43; Schulz,
Geistesgaben, p. 94 ff.
ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς]sc[1928]ἐστί, accursed(see onRomans 9:3; Galatians 1:8),
fallen into eternal perdition is Jesus!This is the anti-Christian (especiallythe
Jewish)confession;the Christian is: Κύριος Ἰησοῦς, Jesus is Lord! Comp Php
2:11. Why did Paul not sayΧριστός? Because, fromits original appellative
meaning, it would not have suited the first clause (ἀνάθ.);in the second, again,
its appellative meaning is contained in Κύριος; and in both it was essentialto
name the historicalPersonwho was the Messiahofthe Christians’ faith as
exalted to be the σύνθρονος of God. It is self-evident, we may add, that Paul
regardedthe Κύριος Ἰησοῦς as the constantwatchwordof the believing heart,
and the keynote of inspired speech. “Paulus loquitur de confessione
perseverantiet in tota doctrina,” Melanchthon.
Regarding the confessionitself, comp 1 John 4:1 f., where the proposition is of
substantially the same import, only still more directly aimed againstfalse
teachers.
[1924]Similarly de Wette; comp. Bengel, and, yet earlier, Luther’s gloss.
Osianderdrags in a contrastbetweenthe one Lord of the Christians and the
many κυρίους of heathenism. Moreover, widelydiffering statements as to the
connectionare to be found among interpreters. Chrysostom, Oecumenius, and
Theophylacttrace it back in a perfectly arbitrary way to the contrastbetween
the unconscious mania of heathen inspiration and the consciousinspiration of
Christians. Comp. Neander: “becauseit is now otherwise with you, and you
have become free organs ofthe Holy Spirit.” Kling (in the Stud. u. Krit. 1838,
p. 486)makes it: “that you may not suffer yourselves to be again carriedaway
to blind worship of an unintelligible phenomenon” (?). Theodoretholds that
what is referred to is the contrastbetweenthe διαφωνία ofheathenism and

the σνμφωνία in Christianity. In like manner Räbiger:“because your heathen
cultus did not restupon a common Divine Spirit ruling in you all, I make it
known to you that there is such a principle in Christianity in the πνεῦμα
Θεοῦ.” But in this way the essentialpoint on which the question hinges is only
gained by abstractionout of what Paul actually says, and that in the interest
of the assumption that he designs to secure for the glossolalia the respectdue
to it as againstthe opposition of the Pauline party. Paul is here making known
to his readers the criterion of Christian inspiration as regards its confession,
and that for this reason(διό), because they, as formerly serving dumb idols,
had all the more need of this γνωρίζειν. The words before us yield no more
than this. Ewald also imports too much into them: You will not surely wish
back your former heathen days; … it is in the light of that old state of things
that one first really comes rightly to understand and feelthe value of
Christianity, and so forth. Hofmann shapes the connectionin accordance with
his constructionof the text in ver. 2 : because Pauldoes not wish to leave his
readers in the dark περὶ π. πνευματικῶν;and because, onthe other hand, he
knows what their old life had been as respects divine service, therefore he
gives them the following instructions. This is logicallyincorrect. For the
secondelement in this case would not be one brought forward in addition to
the first (τέ), but one already lying at the root of it; and Paul must therefore
have written, not οἶδά τε (as Hofmann reads), but οἶδα γαρ.
[1928]c. scilicet.
Expositor's Greek Testament
1 Corinthians 12:3. Their old experience of the spells of heathenism had not
prepared the Cor[1834]to understand the workings of God’s Spirit and the
notes of His presence. Onthis subject they had asked(1), and P. now gives
instruction: “Wherefore I inform you”. They knew how men could be
“carriedaway” by supernatural influences; they wanted a criterion for
distinguishing those truly Divine. The test P. supplies is that of loyalty to Jesus
Christ. “No one speaking in the Spirit of God says ΑΝΑΘΕΜΑ ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, and
no one can sayΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΙΗΣΟΥΣ except in the Holy Spirit.” Jesus is

anathema, Jesus is Lord, are the battlecries of the spirits of error and of truth
contending at Cor[1835]The secondwatchwordis obvious, its inclusiveness is
the point of interest; it certificates alltrue Christians, with whatever
διαιρέσεις χαρισμάτων(1 Corinthians 12:4 ff.), as possessors ofthe Holy
Spirit, since He inspires the confessionoftheir Master’s name which makes
them such (see 1 Corinthians 1:2, Romans 10:9, Php 2:11, etc.). Not a mystical
“tongue,” but the clearintelligent confession“Jesusis Lord” marks out the
genuine πνευματικός;cf. the parl[1836]cry Ἀββᾶ ὁ πατήρ, of Galatians 4:6.
“He shall glorify Me,” said Jesus (John16:14) of the coming Spirit: this is the
infallible proof of His indwelling.—But who were those who might sayat
Cor[1837], “Jesus is anathema”? Faciebantgentes, says Bg[1838], sedmagis
Judœi. Ἀνάθεμα (see parls.) is Hebraistic in Biblicaluse, denoting that which
is cherem, vowedto God for destruction as under His curse, like Achan in
Joshua’s camp. So the High Priest and the Jewishpeople treated Jesus (John
11:49 f., Galatians 3:13), using perhaps these very words of execration(cf.
Hebrews 6:6), which Saul of Tarsus himself had doubtless uttered in
blaspheming the Nazarene (1 Timothy 1:13); this cry, so apt to Jewishlips,
resounded in the Synagogue in response to apostolic preaching. Christian
assemblies, in the midst of their praises of the Lord Jesus, would sometimes be
startled by a fierce Jew screaming out like a man possessed, “Jesusis
anathema!”—for unbelievers on some occasions hadaccessto Christian
meetings (1 Corinthians 14:24). Such frenzied shouts, heard in moments of
devotion, affectedsusceptible natures as with the presence of an unearthly
power; hence the contrastwhich Paul draws. This watchwordof hostile Jews
would be takenup by the Gentile mobs which they roused againstthe
Nazarenes;see Acts 13:45; Acts 18:6, where βλασφημοῦντες may wellinclude
λέγοντες Ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς. Gd[1839], ad loc[1840], andW. F. Slater(Faith
and Life of the Early Church, pp. 348 f.) suppose both cries to originate in the
Church; they ascribe the anathema to heretics resembling Cerinthus and the
Ophites, who separatedJesus from Christ (cf. 1 John 2:18 ff; 1 John 4:1-6);
but this identification is foreign to the situation and context, and is surely an
anachronism.—The distinction betweenλαλέω and λέγω is well exemplified
here: λαλεῖν ἐν is “to speak in the elementand sphere of, under the influence
of” the Holy Spirit.

[1834]Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[1836]parallel.
[1838]Bengel’s GnomonNovi Testamenti.
[1839]F. Godet’s Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng.
Trans.).
[1840]ad locum, on this passage.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
3. Wherefore]The connectionof thought is as follows. When you were
heathen you were carriedhither and thither by the pretended utterances of
your gods, and believed whatever they might tell you. But now you must no
longerbe the sport of circumstances. There are certainfundamental
principles by which you may try the utterances of those who would teach you.
Cf. an extremely similar passagein 1 John 4:1-3. This cautionwas very
necessaryin the infant Church. In spite of the warnings of St Paul and St
John, many were entrapped by the blasphemous ravings of men like Simon
Magus, Menanderand the Ophites (or Naassenes,worshippers ofthe serpent),
as we learn from the writings of Irenaeus and Hippolytus. Cf. 1 John 2:19.

by the Spirit of God] Literally, in the Spirit; i.e. inspired by Him.
accursed]Margin(and Greek), anathema. See note on ch. 1 Corinthians
16:22.
that Jesus is the Lord] Perhaps, Jesus Is Lord, or Lord Jesus.
but by the Holy Ghost]Literally, in the Holy Ghost(or Spirit), see above. Not
a single true word can be spokenbut by the agencyof the Spirit of God. As far
as the confessionthat Jesus is Lord goes, he who makes it is under the
influence of the Holy Ghost. It is remarkable that St Paul has in mind in this
passagethose who deny the Divinity of Christ; St John, in the similar passage
just quoted, the sects, whicharose afterwards, who denied His Humanity.
4 gifts] χαρίσματα, ch. 1 Corinthians 7:7, specialpowers vouchsafedby God,
In addition to the ordinary ‘fruit of the Spirit,’ Galatians 5:22, which last was
within the reachof every Christian who would use ordinary diligence. Cf.
Romans 12:6-8, 1 Peter4:10-11, where the same word is used as here.
but the same Spirit] The unity of the source is strongly insisted upon, to put
an end to the mutual jealousyof the Corinthians. And it is remarkable that
eachperson in the BlessedTrinity is introduced to emphasize the argument,
and in contrary order (as Estius remarks), in order to lead us step by stepto
the One Source of all. First the Spirit, Who bestows the ‘gifts’ on the believer.
Next the Lord, to Whom men render service in His Church. Lastly God the
Father, from Whom all proceeds, Whose are all the works which are done to
Him and in His Name. Cf. ch. 1 Corinthians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 3:9; 1
Corinthians 3:23, 1 Corinthians 8:6.

Bengel's Gnomen
1 Corinthians 12:3. Διὸ, wherefore)He infers this thesis, that spiritual things
are with all Christians, and with [in the possessionof]them alone, i.e. with
those who glorify Jesus;and that by means of those spiritual things faith in
Jesus is proved; for idols bestow nothing spiritual: when the superstition of
the Gentiles was overthrown, there was not the same need of miraculous gifts.
This is the alternative, he who glorifies Jesus, has the Spirit of God; he who
does not glorify Him, has not the Spirit of God, 1 John 4:1-2. Paul furnishes a
test of truth againstthe Gentiles; John, againstthe false prophets.—γνωρίζω
ὑμῖν, I make known to you) Divine operations of that sort had been formerly
unknown to the Corinthians. Before receiving these letters of Paul, their
knowledge had been less distinct, as they had been rescuednot long before
from heathenism.—ἐν πνεύματι Θεοῦ, by the Spirit of God) Immediately after
he says, by the Holy Ghost. Godheadand sanctity1[107]are synonymous
especiallywhen speaking ofthe Holy Trinity.—λαλῶν, speaking)This
expressionis of very wide application; for even those, who perform cures and
possessmiraculous powers, are accustomedto use words. The antithesis is to
the dumb idols.—λέγει ἀνάθεμα, calls Him accursed)as the Gentiles did, but
the Jews more so. There is a ταπείνωσις, or saying less than is intended. He
does not callHim accursed, i.e. he in the highestdegree pronounces Him
blessed. Accursedand Lord are opposed. [It is a proof of long-suffering
patience, which surpasses allcomprehension, that Jesus Christ, the Lord, at
the right hand of the Fatherdoes not refuse to tolerate, for so long a period of
time, such a mass of blasphemy from unbelievers, and especiallyfrom the
Jews, in their wretchedstate of blindness. That considerationought to
suppress in the Christian any indignation felt by him on accountof any
reproachwhatever, howeverlittle deserved.—V. g.]—εἰπεῖν, to say)
πνευματικῶς, in a spiritual manner.
[107]1 Sanctitas, Holy Majesty. See note, Romans 1:4.—ED.
Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - Wherefore. Their previous condition of Gentile ignorance rendered
it necessaryto instruct them fully respecting the nature and discrimination of
the charisms of the Spirit. By the Spirit of God; rather, in the Spirit; i.e. in the
state of spiritual exaltation and ecstasy. The phrase is a Hebrew one to
describe inspiration. Jesus accursed. It may well seemamazing that the
Corinthians should need instructing that such awful language couldnot be
uttered by any one speaking "inthe Spirit of God." It is evident, however,
that such expressions had been uttered by persons who were, or seemedto be,
carried awayby the impassionedimpulse which led to "glossolaly."(It is
better to use this technicalword in order to dissipate the cloud of strange
misconceptions as to the true nature of this charism.)So terrible an outrage
on the conscienceofChristians could never have passeduncheckedand
unpunished, exceptfrom the obvious inability of the young community to
grapple with the new and perplexing phenomena of an "inspiration" which
appearedto destroythe personalcontrol of those possessedby it. Among
Jewishconverts glossolalywas regardedas a form of that wild mantle
"inspiration" of which we find some traces in Jewishhistory (1 Samuel 10:10,
11; 1 Samuel18:10; 1 Samuel 19:23, 24, etc.), and which was alluded to in the
very name Nabo, which implied a boiling energy. Among Gentile converts the
glossolalywould be classedwith the overmastering influences of which they
read, or which they witnessed, in the Sibyls, the Pythian priestesses,and the
wild orgiastic devoteesof Easterncults. They would not like to call any one to
task for things spokenin a condition which they regardedas wholly
supernatural. As to the speakers,
(1) some of them, not being sincere, might have really fallen under the
influence of impulses which were earthly and demonish, not Divine;
(2) others, not duly controlling their own genuine impulse, may have been
liable to the uncontrolled swayof utterances for which they were at the
moment irresponsible;

(3) or again, being incapable of reasoned expression, theymay have audibly
expressedvague Gnostic doubts as to the identity of the "Jesus"who was
crucified and the Divine Word; or
(4) they may have been entangled in Jewishperplexities rising from
Deuteronomy 21:23, "He that is hanged" (which was also the expression
applied by Jews to the crucified) "is accursedofGod;" or finally,
(5) by some strange abuse of the true principle expressedby St. Paul in 2
Corinthians 5:16, they may have assertedin this fearful form their
emancipation from the acknowledgmentof Jesus "afterthe flesh." Similar
phenomena - the same intrusions into worship of downright blasphemy or of
blasphemous familiarity - have constantly recurred at times of overwhelming
spiritual excitement, as for instance m the adherents of the "everlasting
gospel" in the thirteenth century, and in various movements of our own day.
Is accursed;rather, is anathema. The word corresponds to the Hebrew
cherem, which means "a ban," and "what is devoted or set apart by a ban;"
and to the Latin sacer, whichmeans not only "sacred,"setapart by holy
consecration, but also "devotedto destruction." No man can say that Jesus is
[the] Lord, but by [in] the Holy Ghost. It involved a strong rebuke to the
illuminati, who professeda profound spiritual insight, to tell them that no
man could make the simple, humble confessionofthe divinity of Jesus (for
"Lord" is here an equivalent of the Hebrew "Jehovah")exceptby the same
inspiration as that which they so terribly abused. There is a very similar
passagein 1 John 1:2; but there the "test" of the inspiration is a confessionof
the humanity of Jesus as againstGnostics, who treatedhis human life as
purely phantasmal. Here the test is the confessionofhis divinity as against
Jews and Gentiles. (Fora parallel passage,see Matthew 16:17, "Fleshand
blood hath not revealedit unto thee.")
Vincent's Word Studies
Calleth Jesus accursed(λέγει Ἁνάθεμα Ἱησοῦς)

Lit., saith Anathema Jesus. Rev., preserving the formula, saith Jesus is
Anathema. Compare Acts 18:6, and see on offerings, Luke 21:5. Paul uses
only the form ἀνάθεμα, and always in the sense ofaccursed.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
WILLIAM BARCLAY
In the Church of Corinth the most amazing things were happening through
the actionof the Holy Spirit, but in an age of ecstasyandof enthusiasm there
can be hystericalexcitement and self-delusionas wellas the real thing, and in
this and the next two chapters Paul deals with true manifestations of the
Spirit.
This is a very interesting passagebecauseit gives us two phrases which were
battle cries.
(i) There is the phrase Accursedbe Jesus. There couldbe four ways in which
this terrible phrase might arise.
(a) It would be used by the Jews. The synagogue prayers included regularly a
cursing of all apostates;and Jesus wouldcome under that. Further, as Paul
knew so well (Galatians 3:13), the Jewishlaw laid it down, "Cursed be
everyone who hangs on a tree." And Jesus had been crucified. It would be no
uncommon thing to hear the Jews pronouncing their anathemas on this
heretic and criminal whom the Christians worshipped.
(b) It is by no means unlikely that the Jews would make proselytes attracted
by Christianity either pronounce this curse or suffer excommunication from

all Jewishworship. When Paul was telling Agrippa about his persecuting
days, he said, "I often punished them in every synagogue andI forced them to
blaspheme." (Acts 26:11). It must often have been a condition of remaining
within the synagogue that a man should pronounce a curse on Jesus Christ.
(c) Whatever was true when Paul was writing, it is certainly true that later on,
in the sore days of persecution, Christians were compelled either to curse
Christ or to die. In the time of Trajan, it was the test of Pliny, governorof
Bithynia, to demand that a person accusedof being a Christian should curse
Christ. When Polycarp, Bishopof Smyrna, was arrested, the demand of the
proconsul Statius Quadratus was, "Say, 'Away with the atheists,'swearby the
godheadof Caesar, andblaspheme Christ." And it was the greatanswerof
the agedbishop, "Eighty and six years have I served Christ, and he has never
done me wrong. How canI blaspheme my King who savedme?" There
certainly came a time when a man was confronted with the choice ofcursing
Christ or facing death.
(d) There was the possibility that, even in the Church, someone in a semi-mad
frenzy might cry out, "Accursedbe Jesus."In that hysterical atmosphere
anything might happen and be claimedto be the work of the Spirit. Paul lays
it down that no man cansay a word againstChrist and attribute it to the
influence of the Spirit.
(ii) Beside this there is the Christian battle cry, Jesus is Lord. In so far as the
early Church had a creedat all, that simple phrase was it. (compare
Philippians 2:11). The word for Lord was kurios (Greek #2962)and it was a
tremendous word. It was the official title of the RomanEmperor. The demand
of the persecutors always was, "Say, 'Caesaris Lord (kurios, Greek #2962).'"
It was the word by which the sacredname Jehovahwas rendered in the Greek
translation of the Old Testamentscriptures. When a man could say, "Jesus is
Lord," it meant that he gave to Jesus the supreme loyalty of his life and the
supreme worship of his heart.
It is to be noted that Paul believed that a man could say, "Jesus is Lord," only
when the Spirit enabled him to say it. The Lordship of Jesus was notso much

something which he discoveredfor himself as something which God, in his
grace, revealedto him.
WILLIAM BURKITT
Verse 3
The greatdifference that was then in the world, was about Jesus. Those that
were led awayby dumb idols, were taught by Satan to blaspheme, and say,
upon the mention of our Saviour's name, Jesus anathema, Jesus anathema;
that is, let Jesus be anathema, accursed, detestedanddestroyed, as the
common odium of their gods.
Now when the apostle says, suchspeak not by the Spirit of God, his meaning
is, that they did it by the impulse and instinct of the devil, by the actings and
instigation of the evil spirit, which ruled in those children of disobedience:on
the other side, every one that believeth calleth Jesus Lord, and professeth
faith in him.
Now none says the apostle, can do this but by the Holy Ghost, that is, by his
help and assistance.But it may be said, we read in scripture of many who
were actuatedby the unclean spirit, that yet called Jesus Lord, Mark 1:23;
Acts 16:17.
Ans. 1. These acknowledgments ofChrist to be Lord, were either wrested
from the devil, and were a considerable part of his torment, or were overruled
by God to advance the glory of Christ.
But, 2. The apostle here speaks ofsuch a calling Jesus Lord, as was
accompaniedwith faith in him, and subjection to him. There is a double
saying that Jesus is Lord; the one verbal, Ore tenus, with lip and tongue only,
without the consentof the heart, or obedience of the life; the other actual,
when we do with our whole souls own and acknowledge him, love and

embrace him, obey and serve him, as Lord, and vote for his government and
dominion over us. No man thus callethJesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost
renewing and sanctifying him, assisting and enabling him so to do.
CALVIN
Verse 3
The greatdifference that was then in the world, was about Jesus. Those that
were led awayby dumb idols, were taught by Satan to blaspheme, and say,
upon the mention of our Saviour's name, Jesus anathema, Jesus anathema;
that is, let Jesus be anathema, accursed, detestedanddestroyed, as the
common odium of their gods.
Now when the apostle says, suchspeak not by the Spirit of God, his meaning
is, that they did it by the impulse and instinct of the devil, by the actings and
instigation of the evil spirit, which ruled in those children of disobedience:on
the other side, every one that believeth calleth Jesus Lord, and professeth
faith in him.
Now none says the apostle, can do this but by the Holy Ghost, that is, by his
help and assistance.But it may be said, we read in scripture of many who
were actuatedby the unclean spirit, that yet called Jesus Lord, Mark 1:23;
Acts 16:17.
Ans. 1. These acknowledgments ofChrist to be Lord, were either wrested
from the devil, and were a considerable part of his torment, or were overruled
by God to advance the glory of Christ.
But, 2. The apostle here speaks ofsuch a calling Jesus Lord, as was
accompaniedwith faith in him, and subjection to him. There is a double
saying that Jesus is Lord; the one verbal, Ore tenus, with lip and tongue only,
without the consentof the heart, or obedience of the life; the other actual,

when we do with our whole souls own and acknowledge him, love and
embrace him, obey and serve him, as Lord, and vote for his government and
dominion over us. No man thus callethJesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost
renewing and sanctifying him, assisting and enabling him so to do.
ADAM CLARKE
Verse 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 Godalone, 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 essenceofthe
Christian religion. The heathen priests and priestessespretendedto 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 ofa future teacher
and deliverer; and to this person, especiallyamong the Jews, the Spirit in all
the prophets gave witness. This was the Anointed One, the Messiahwho was
manifested in the personof Jesus of Nazareth;and him the Jews rejected,
though he proved his Divine mission both by his doctrines and his miracles.
But as he did not come as they fancied he would - as a mighty secular
conqueror, they not only rejectedbut blasphemed him; and persons among
them professing to be spiritual men, and under the influence of the Spirit of
God, did so. But as the Holy Spirit, through all the law and the prophets gave
Testimony to the Messiah, and as Jesus proved himself to be the Christ both
by his miracles and doctrines, no man under the inspiration of the Divine
Spirit could sayto him anathema - thou art a deceiver, and a personworthy of
death, etc., as the Jews did: therefore the Jews were no longerunder the

inspiration of the Spirit of God. This appears to be the meaning of the apostle
in this place. No man speaking by the Spirit, etc.
And that no man can saythat Jesus is the Lord - Nor can we demonstrate this
person to be the Messiahand the Savior of men, but by the Holy Ghost,
enabling us to speak with divers tongues, to work miracles; he attesting the
truth of our doctrines to them that hear, by enlightening their minds,
changing their hearts, and filling them with the peace and love of God.
THOMAS CONSTABLE
Verse 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 Godalone, 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 essenceofthe
Christian religion. The heathen priests and priestessespretendedto 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 ofa future teacher
and deliverer; and to this person, especiallyamong the Jews, the Spirit in all
the prophets gave witness. This was the Anointed One, the Messiahwho was
manifested in the personof Jesus of Nazareth;and him the Jews rejected,
though he proved his Divine mission both by his doctrines and his miracles.
But as he did not come as they fancied he would - as a mighty secular
conqueror, they not only rejectedbut blasphemed him; and persons among
them professing to be spiritual men, and under the influence of the Spirit of
God, did so. But as the Holy Spirit, through all the law and the prophets gave
Testimony to the Messiah, and as Jesus proved himself to be the Christ both

by his miracles and doctrines, no man under the inspiration of the Divine
Spirit could sayto him anathema - thou art a deceiver, and a personworthy of
death, etc., as the Jews did: therefore the Jews were no longerunder the
inspiration of the Spirit of God. This appears to be the meaning of the apostle
in this place. No man speaking by the Spirit, etc.
And that no man can saythat Jesus is the Lord - Nor can we demonstrate this
person to be the Messiahand the Savior of men, but by the Holy Ghost,
enabling us to speak with divers tongues, to work miracles; he attesting the
truth of our doctrines to them that hear, by enlightening their minds,
changing their hearts, and filling them with the peace and love of God.
ONLY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Dr. W. A. Criswell
1 Corinthians 12:3
11-20-55 7:30 p.m.
Well, at leastwe have come to a place in the Bible which is one of the high,
high, high peaks ofall inspired writing. We’re in the twelfth chapterof the
first Corinthian letter; and when Paul begins, "Now concerning spiritual
gifts" [1 Corinthians 12:1], the twelfth, the thirteenth, and the fourteenth
chapters will be concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the fifteenth
chapter will be the climactic chapter of the resurrection of the dead. And
whether I can make it mean thus to anybody else or not, I cantell you truly
that as I look forward and am preparing these messages,they are so full and
meaningful to my own soul.

Now the sermontonight is kind of an introductory sermon because whatPaul
says here is an introductory word concerning the gifts – the miraculous gifts –
of the Holy Spirit. And next Sunday morning at ten-fifty o’clock andnext
Sunday evening at seven-thirty o’clock the messageswillconcernthis twelfth
chapter and this thing of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Now his introductory
word is this in the twelfth chapterof First Corinthians:
Concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would want you to know:
Ye were Gentiles, carried awayto dumb idols . . .
Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of
God callethJesus accursed, andthat no man cansay that Jesus is the Lord
but by the Holy Spirit.
[1 Corinthians 12:1-3]
Then he begins his discussionthere of the diversities of the gifts of the Holy
Spirit.
Now, the message tonightis his introductory sentence:"Wherefore I want you
to know, first of all, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God saith Iēsous
anathema, and that no man can sayIēsous kurios but by the Holy Spirit" [1
Corinthians 12:3]. And in the Greek, those two words are very much
antithetical: Iēsous anathema, "Jesusaccursed," Iēsous kurios, "Jesus is
Lord." And Paul says here, "No man can sayIēsous kurios but by the Holy
Spirit" [1 Corinthians 12:3].
Now, what he means is this as he starts off this chapterconcerning the gifts of
the Spirit. What he says is this: that the key token – the philosopher’s stone,
the criterion by which you can judge a man’s witness in God when he says
he’s speaking the utterances of the Spirit of the Lord, the keytoken is this –
the man that is speaking by the powerof the Spirit of God will always

acknowledge andexalt the lordship of Jesus Christ. If he is an instrument for
the utterance of the Spirit of God that will always be centralin his message.Is
he exalting Christ?
Now, you can use that today before I go on with this message. Whenthe choir
sings, do they exalt Christ in that song? Do they? When a man preaches,
does he exalt Christ in his sermon? In the ministry of a church, is it turned
toward that greatand holy purpose of lifting up the Lord Jesus? In all of our
work and life, in our deeds and in our testimony, do we say, "Jesus is Lord;
He is King; He’s Christ"? Now, Paulsays, that’s the key by which you can
judge the utterances of these who saythey are speaking by the Spirit of God.
Now, the greattheme of the Bible is that – that Jesus is Lord. Kurios Iēsous,
Jesus is Lord; Kurious Iēsous, Jesusis Lord. He’s the Lord of all heaven and
earth. Matthew 28:18: "All authority is given unto Me," He said, "in
[heaven] and in earth." He is the Lord of all creation. John1:3: "All things
were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was
made." He is the Lord of all the peoples of all time. Philippians 2:9-11:
Wherefore God hath also highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is
above every name,
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, those in heaven, those in
earth, those under the earth,
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father.
And He is the Lord of the living and of the dead. Romans 14:8-9:
Therefore whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die
unto the Lord. Therefore, whetherwe live or whether we die, we are the
Lord’s.

For to this end did Christ die and was he raisedagain, that He might be Lord
both of the dead and of the living.
He is the Lord. He’s the Lord of – He’s triumphant overSatan, and He’s the
Lord of the living and of the dead. He’s the Lord of heaven and of hell. He’s
the Lord of this and that – of this world and the world to come. In Revelation
1:18: "I am He that was dead, and behold I am alive, and I live for evermore.
And I have the keys of death and of hell."
And He is the Lord of the church. Colossians 1:18: "He is the head of the
body, which is the church . . . that in all things He might have the
preeminence." Paulsays that the key to the utterance of the Spirit is this: that
it always exalts the Lord Jesus Christthat He is Lord.
Now in the text: "I want you to know," he says, "that no man speaking by the
Spirit saith Iēsous anathema, and that no man can sayIēsous kurios but by
the Holy Ghost" [1 Corinthians 12:3]. Now, I cansee that in days of terrible
persecution, no one could magnify Jesus Christ as Lord but by the Holy
Ghost, but by the powerof God. I cansee that in days of bitter persecution.
Just, for example, way back yonder in the life of the primitive church when it
was just being launched into this world – way back yonder – there was a poor,
simple, humble girl who was brought before the elders of the synagogue. And
she stands there, and witnessesaround denounce her as being suspectedof
being a followerof the Nazarene. And so that poor, humble girl stands there
in the presence ofthe rulers of the synagogue, andtheir test is very short and
very simple. They look at her and they say, "You say, ‘Jesus is Absalom;’ you
say, ‘Jesus is anathema;’ you say, ‘Jesus is accursed.’" Thenthey wait for her
reply.
The poor girl quails before their dark, threatening gestures. To say"Jesus,
Lord," means to be stoned to death. Somehow couragecomes to her soul.
Her lips blanch, but they don’t frame those accursedwords. And she breaks
the silence with a devout and holy cry: "Iēsous, Iēsous, Iēsous kurios.""Jesus

is Lord" by the powerof the Holy Spirit. And she’s takenout and stoned to
death.
In the days of the promulgation of the church in the RomanEmpire, soonthe
thing was changedto "Kurios Iēsous or kurios Kaisar?" Will you say
"Caesaris Lord" because emperorworship became universal and his images
were in every temple and everywhere? And it was a signof patriotism and of
devotion to the gods to bow down and worship at the shrine of the holy
emperor. So they made the test:"Kurios Kaisar or kurios Iēsous?" And Paul
says, "You can’t say kurios Iēsous but by the power of the Holy Spirit" [1
Corinthians 12:3].
Polycarpwas the old, agedpastorof the church at Smyrna, and they hailed
him before the Roman authorities and gave him the choice:"Do you say
kurios Iēsous ordo you say kurios Kaisar?" And Polycarp replied, "Eighty
and sevenyears have I served Him. Eighty and seven years. Eighty and seven
years have I served Him, and shall I deny Him now, He who hath done me no
wrong?" And they fed Polycarp to the lions.
I saw the martyr at the stake,
The flames could not his courage shake,
Nor death his soulappall;
I askedhim whence his strength was giv’n;
He lookedtriumphantly to Heav’n,
And answered, "Christis all."
[from "Christ is All," by W. A. Williams, 1873]
Kurios Iēsous:Jesus is Lord.
In our own lifetime, Martin NiemÃ¶ller stoodbefore the judges that were
appointed by the Nazi FÃ¼hrer, Hitler himself, and he was tried there by a

Nazi-appointed court. And when they had him stand up to deny his allegiance
to Christ, he ended that noble defense with this sentence:"Jesus is my
FÃ¼hrer" – "Jesus is my leader." And they sent him for the years to the
concentrationcamp.
Here in our own blessedchurch, there came Henry Lin to visit us, the
president of our Baptist college in Shanghai. Henry Lin: a magnificent-
looking Chinese man, wealthy, in the Chinese Nationalistgovernment, and
when the Communists took it over, he went back home. Against the entreaties
of his friends everywhere, he went back home saying, "I must stand by my
people, by my Christian friends. I’m going back." And he went back;and for
these years, he’s been languishing in a Communist dungeon and is there
tonight if he’s still alive.
Paul says the only way that kind of a life can be lived is by the powerof the
Holy Spirit. "No man cansay Iēsous kurios but by the Holy Ghost" [1
Corinthians 12:3].
Now, may I speak of us who live in this city and who belong to this church and
who walk in these streets? Isn’t that a strange thing for Paul to write that no
man can saythat Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Ghost? Why, there are a
thousand on every side that flippantly say those words. They don’t mean
them. Faith to them is a casualfunction of life just to be slipped in anywhere.
They trippingly, lightsomely, almost mockingly, repeatit.
But Paul says you can’t say it except by the powerof the Holy Ghost, and
evidently, he means something else. Evidently, Paul is not talking about a
glib, meaningless series ofwords and sentences. Evidently, the Apostle is
talking about a deep, fundamental faith that goes downinto the experience of
the souland changes the course ofthe life. Evidently he’s talking about the
same thing that he meant when Jesus saidto Simon Peter, "Simon, Simon,
flesh and blood hath not revealedit unto thee, but My Fatherwhich is in
heaven" [Matthew 16:17].
This thing, this faith that Paul is talking about – "No man can say that Jesus is
Lord but by the Holy Ghost" [1 Corinthians 12:3] – evidently, that’s

something that enters a man’s soul and goes waydown into the experience of
his life. This is a faith that changes.
Now, may I delineate that faith in just a moment? What is that faith that Paul
is speaking of here when he says, "You can’t say that Jesus is my Lord but by
the powerand unction of the Holy Ghost?" [1 Corinthians 12:3] What kind
of a faith is it?
All right. If I could delineate, this is it. It’s the ability of a man, given him of
God, to see the invisible back of the visible, to see the idea back of the tangible
thing itself. Here are bricks and mortar and stone and rock and house and
matter and earth, and I can see that. But God gives a man also the ability to
see that beyond this visible and beyond this tangible are greatspiritual
realities, and, finally, those spiritual realities reachup and up until finally
they are identified with God. And that’s the first step in it.
Now the secondstepis this: when we are able, by the power of God, to realize
that beyond this visible world there is an invisible reality – there is a power,
there is a principality, there is a creative workmanship back of all that I see in
this world. Now the secondstepis when we come to identify that invisible
powerwith the person of Jesus Christ.
Do you notice the word that he uses here? "And that no man can saythat
Christ is the Lord?" No, that’s an office – Christ. That "no man cansay that
Jesus is the Lord" [1 Corinthians 12:3]. That’s the historical personof the
Nazarene [Matthew 2:23]: born of a virgin [Matthew 1:18-25;Luke 1:26-38,
2:1-7], raisedin Nazareth[Luke 2:39-40, 2:51-52, 4:16], went about doing
good[Matthew 9:35; John 20:30-31;Acts 10:38], preaching the gospel
[Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:14-15], was crucified under Pontius Pilate [Matthew
27:16-26;Mark 15:6-15;Luke 23:20-25;John 19:12-16], was buried [1
Corinthians 15:3], and the third day, He rose againfrom the dead [1
Corinthians 15:4]. That’s the historicalJesus.
By the ableness ofthe Spirit of God we identify the greatinvisible back of this
visible world. We identify it with the historical personof Jesus:"By Him
were all things made that are made, and without Him was not anything made

that was made" [John 1:3]. We identify the greatGod back of this world and
back of us in Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the historical Jesus.
Then the third part of that faith is the laststep of it. In a world so big and so
complex, and in a destiny so uncertain and so long and so far and so eternal,
we sense our own inadequacy. We look upon our own insufficiency, and with
a yieldedness and a longing for spiritual contactwith the great Makerwho
loved us and gave Himself for us, we bow humbly in His presence. Witha
sense ofneed in our souls, of lack in ourselves, of inadequacy and
insufficiency, we bow down and say, "Lord Jesus, I’m coming to Thee with
my case,my life, my soul, my death, my destiny, my forever, Lord. I’m not
able myself. I bring it to Thee" [Matthew 8:5-13;Luke 5:1-11, 23:32-43].
That’s what it means when he says to say Jesus is Lord by the powerof the
Holy Spirit [1 Corinthians 12:3].
Now, may I speak for just a moment of that thing "by the powerof the Holy
Ghost"? Paulsays you can’t have that faith by yourself. It has to come from
God [Romans 10:17, 12:3]. You cannot achieve it yourself. You can read and
read and read, but you never read that. You can graspand graspand grasp,
but you never graspthat. You can study and study and think and think, but
that thing is not done by the ingeniousness ofa man, by the ingenuity of a
man’s mind. He cannot arrive at those greatspiritual intuitions by himself.
They must come from God. They are the gift of God.
No man can have that faith. No man cansay that Jesus is Lord but by the
Holy Ghost[1 Corinthians 12:3]. It takes two to do it: you and God. You
can’t do it yourself. Without God, you’re nothing; you’re helpless [John
15:5]. Without the power to run a machine, the machine doesn’t run. It’s got
to have the electricityand the dynamo of the gasoline in the motor or the
powerin the jet, and without the power, the engine doesn’t work. The chisel
cannot carve a statue without God’s hand, without the artist’s hand. There
has to be a hand that guides a chisel.
Even Christ Himself was not the whole Christ. He was not the whole life
without God in Him. He could do nothing of Himself He said [John 5:19, 30].
He was empoweredby the Holy Spirit. So with us. We are cripples. We have

a half-life – just a piece of a life – until God comes in us. We’re not ourselves
truly. We do not reachour highest destiny in ourselves and by ourselves, but
we reach our highest destiny by the indwelling powerand Spirit of the living
God. But when a man takes Godwith him – when he opens his heart to God –
he becomes a full man. He becomes a complete man [Colossians2:9-10]. By
the powerof the Holy Ghostdoes he saythat "Jesus is Lord" [1 Corinthians
12:3] and there floods upon him all of those rich benedictions that come from
the gracious andmerciful hands of "our Father who are in heaven" [Matthew
6:9].
Here is a man who is accusedby Satan [Job 1:9-11, 2:3-5; Zechariah 3:1;
Revelation12:10], but he says, "Jesusis my Lord," and he’s forgiven
[Romans 10:9-10].
Here is a man who is sorely tried, but he cries, "Jesus,Jesus,Lord," and he
has great, greatbravery and greatcourage [Acts 7:1-60].
Here is a man that faces duty, and he cries, "Jesusis Lord," and he’s firm and
determinate in his avowal[Romans 1:14-15;Acts 20:22-24, 21:10-14].
Here is a man who has been calledupon for greatsufferings, but he says,
"Jesus, Jesus. Lord, Lord," and he has patience in his suffering [2
Corinthians 1:3-11, 12:7-9].
Here is a man who lacks, he lacks direction. He’s bewildered, and he cries,
saying, "Jesus, Jesus, Lord," and he has life and direction for the way [James
1:5-8].
We are complete in Him, and without Him, we’re cripples. We’re just half
men. We’re just half souls. We never come to our destiny apart from God
[Colossians1:16-17;Revelation4:11]. Then somebody says, "Ah, Pastor, that
I might have that faith, that I might have that gift, that I might have that way
from God. Oh, that I could, that I could say that Jesus is Lord by the power
of the Holy Ghost. How do I do it? Do I buy it? Do I buy it? "
No, you don’t buy it because it’s free. You don’t buy things that are given to
you. It is free. It is the free gift of God [Romans 6:23, 8:32; Ephesians 2:8-9;
1 Timothy 6:17]. All of God’s real gifts are the most possibly universal

[Matthew 5:45]. God doesn’t charge us for these things that are the finest
things in life. A beautiful, lavish summer day: He gives it to the poorest
comer. A sweet, perfectday in June – it’s had by anybody [Acts 14:17]. It’s
just ours. The beautiful sunset: God does that for nothing [Psalm 74:16]. The
glorious stars that shine – He puts them in the sky without price [Genesis
1:16-18;Isaiah40:26]. The rainbow overarching and the beautiful clouds and
the showers thatfall [Genesis 9:8-17]:God sends them for nothing. They’re
the gift of God. All of these marvelous things that enrich and bless and
sustain our lives, God gives them to us [1 Timothy 4:1-5; James 1:17]. And,
most of all, our salvation: "Forby grace are you saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves;it is the gift of God" [Ephesians 2:8]. Notthat a man could
work for it, lest he say: "See whatI did? See what I bought? I achievedthis."
No. God gave it to you [Ephesians 2:9]. It’s the gift of God.
How does a man say "Jesusis Lord?" By the Holy Spirit [1 Corinthians
12:3]. And how by Him? BecauseGodgives Him to us without measure
[John 3:34; Ephesians 1:13]. He is ours for the asking – this fullness, this
overabundant, abounding life that we have in the name and in the powerof
the lordship of Jesus [John10:10, 15:1-11]. That’s His message.
And that’s our appeal to your heart tonight. Is there in your heart, is there in
your soul, a seeking afterGod? "Preacher, I believe. I believe that back of
the thing that I see is the greatinvisible. I believe that. There’s more to it
than just what my hands can handle. I believe that back of it are those great
invisibles, and, Preacher, I believe that that invisible that lies back of all that I
see, I believe it’s God. And by the power and gift of the Holy Ghost, I am
ready and willing tonight to acknowledgethat God in Jesus Christ of
Nazarethwho died for our sins, according to the Word [1 Corinthians 15:3-4],
was buried and rose again, and is at the right hand of God according to the
Scriptures [Colossians 3:1]. And in my heart and in my soul, not finding an
adequacyand a sufficiency in myself, I am bringing myself in faith to Jesus. I
believe He can heal. I believe He can give strength. I believe He will guide,
and I’ll take Him tonight as my Saviorby the power of the Holy Spirit. It is
the gift of God."

Would you do that tonight? Into that aisle and down here to the front and by
my side, "Here I am, Pastor. Tonight, this night, I take the Lord Jesus as my
Savior, and I’ll do it now. I’ll make it now."
And others: "Pastor, we’re coming into the church to work with you, to pray
with you, to attend these services, to lift up your hands. We’re asking God to
bless our lives in this city, in the heart of it, in this downtown church. Here’s
my family," or, "Here’s just – I’m coming." As God shall say the word and
make the appeal, as He lays it upon your heart, would you come? Would you
do it now while we stand and while we sing?
JESUS IS LORD
ForestAvenue High SchoolBaccalaureate
Dr. W. A. Criswell
1 Corinthians 12:3
5-27-56 10:50 a.m.
You are listening to the services ofthe First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas,
and this is the pastor bringing the morning messageentitledJesus is Lord. It
is a baccalaureate. Itis dedicated to the graduating seniors ofthe Forest
Avenue High School. It is beyond them for all of our hearts and is delivered
with a humble prayer that God will bless it and make of it a blessing.
For the last elevenyears the pastor has been preaching through the Bible, for
about a year and a half in the first and the secondCorinthian letters. And I
thought today that the baccalaureate sermoncouldbe takenout of the letters
of the apostle in which I am now preaching. So I have chosenthe text in the

first Corinthian letter, the twelfth chapter and the third verse: "Wherefore I
make known to you 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
Spirit" [1 Corinthians 12:3].
Jesus is Lord; He is the Lord of heaven and earth. Matthew 28:18, "And
Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All authority is given unto Me in
heaven and in earth." Jesus is Lord of all creation. John1:1-3:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that
was made.
He is the Lord of all the peoples of the world. Philippians 2:9-11:
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is
above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father.
And Jesus is the Lord of the living and of the dead. Romans 14:7-9:
For no man liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself . . .
For, for this cause did Jesus die, and was raisedagain, that He might be Lord
both of the living and of the dead.

And Jesus is the Lord of hell and of death. "And He spake, saying," in
Revelation1:18: "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive
for evermore;and I have in My hands the keys of Hell and of Death." There
is no doubt but that the Holy Scriptures presentJesus Christ as the Lord of
heaven, as the Lord of the earth, as the Lord of the living, as the Lord of the
dead, as the Lord of time, as the Lord of eternity.
Then Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, gives to the people a criterion by
which they can know a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he gives it
in a way that is somewhathid in your translation, but in the Greek, in the
language in which Paul wrote the letter, it is very plain; it is most manifest.
"No man cansay by the Spirit of God anathema Iēsous ["Jesus is accursed"],
and no man can saybut by the Holy Spirit kurios Iēsous ["Jesus is Lord"] [1
Corinthians 12:3]. In the Greek, the two phrases are placed side by side,
anathema Iēsous ["Jesus is accursed"]and kurios Iēsous ["Jesus is Lord"].
The word anathema is translated"accursed"and means that; kurios means
"lord." And he places the two side by side. No man cansay anathema Iēsous
["Jesus is accursed"], speaking by the Spirit of God, and no man can say
kurios Iēsous ["Jesus is Lord"] exceptby the Spirit of the living God" [1
Corinthians 12:3]. Now that criterion canbe applied throughout all the story
and throughout all the ages ofChristendom.
In the beginning, Saul of Tarsus was a persecutorof the church of the Lord
Jesus [1 Corinthians 15:9], and he haled into prison men and women[Acts
8:3, 22:4, 26:10-11;Galatians 1:13]. And when they were condemned to die
he said, "And I castmy vote againstthem" [Acts 26:10]. I can easilyimagine
a young girl accusedofbeing a Nazarene, denouncedor suspectof being a
followerof the Lord Jesus, and she stands before the tribunal, and the test is
very short and very simple. It is this: "Sayanathema kurios, anathema Iēsous
["Jesus is accursed"]." And the girl standing there before the tribunal, by
some miraculous courage ofheart, she does not quail. Her lips blanch, but
they do not form the accursedwords. And I see her standing there. Then
breaking the final silence with the words, Iēsous, Iēsous, kurios Iēsous,"Jesus
is Lord."

The generationpasses, andI see the same testbrought in the same way with
just a little change of the word, for the Roman Empire now has decreedthat
Caesaris god, and the state religionis emperor worship. So I see the tribunal
now, and those who are suspectof being Christian, the test is very simple and
very plain: will you say, kurios kaisar, "LordCaesar,"ordo you say, kurios
Iēsous, "Lord Jesus?" And in my imagination I can see agedPolycarp, pastor
of the church at Smyrna, as he stands before the Romantribunal, and they
say, "Polycarp, is it kaisarkurios ["Caesaris Lord"], or is it Iēsous kurios
["Jesus is Lord"]?" And Polycarpreplies, "Eighty and six years have I
served Him, and shall I blaspheme Him now, my Lord and my King? It is
kurios Iēsous ["Jesus is Lord"]." And Polycarp is delivered to the lions.
I can see the generations pass. And it comes to my own day and this present
hour. And in my mind’s eye I can see Martin NiemÃ¶ller, as he stands before
the Nazi appointed court. And they threaten the life of Martin NiemÃ¶ller by
the highestlaw and court in Germany. And after they give Martin
NiemÃ¶ller time to recount, to recanthis Christian faith, he makes his
apologyand ends it with the words, "Jesus Christ is my FÃ¼hrer."
And across the seas, in the Orient, I see a little church beyond the bamboo
curtain in the heart of interior Red China. Every member of that church is
put to death by the edge of the sword, beheaded. And the last member of the
church is a little boy; all the resthave been slain. And because ofa congenital
affectionof Chinese people for little children, I see the leader of the band say
to the little Chinese boy, "Son, you’re just a lad. We don’t want to kill you.
See this picture of Jesus? See? Iput it on the ground. Now, son, just put
your heel on that picture and turn it into the dust of the ground. We’ll let you
live." So the leader puts the picture of Jesus in the dust, and the little boy, the
last member of the church, looks downat the picture of the Saviorin the dust
of the ground; then he raises his face to heaven and says, "Lord Jesus, one
time You died for me; this time, I die for You." And he bowed his head for
the swordof execution. "No man cansay anathema Iēsous ["Jesusis
accursed"]but by the Spirit of God; and no man can say kurios Iēsous
["Jesus is Lord"] but by the Spirit of God" [1 Corinthians 12:3].

So we shall apply that criterion to our own lives and to our owndays. Jesus is
Lord [1 Corinthians 12:3]. He is to us, to the disciple of Christ, first, last,
always, He is Lord politically. Above allegiance to any government or any
state, my first allegiance is to the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of my heart, and
the Lord of my conscience. Whatis right in my country, what is right in my
government, I am duty bound to support. But what is wrong in my country
and what is wrong in my government, I am duty bound to oppose;for Jesus is
the Lord of our life, the Lord of our conscience, and the King of our land.
"Well, pastor, can one be a Christian and a nationalist at the same time?"
Yes, he can; for no man could give to God what belongs to God if he felt
himself too holy and too removed to give to Caesarwhatbelongs to Caesar. I
can be a goodAmerican, and my neighbor to the north can be a good
Canadian, and my neighbor to the south can be a goodMexican, and my
further neighbor can be a goodBrazilian, or a goodNigerian, or a good
Frenchman.
You see, it is the doctrine of Marxist Communism that says there must be no
class;there must be no state. There must be no difference. It is the doctrine
of Marxian Communism that all men everywhere are to be exactly alike.
That’s where you getthe name "communism"; "common," everybody exactly
the same.
It pleasedthe Lord God to make us different. Somehow Godhates sameness.
When He makes His snowflakes, He makes every snowflake different. When
the Lord God makes flowers, everyfloweris a little different; and there are
multitudes of flowers. And God made all things varied, variegated. That’s
the beauty of the universe. His colors are not all one color;there are the
colors of the rainbow. His stars are not all one star; they greatly differ.
So with mankind and humanity, Godmust have liked it different. He made us
different races, He made us different colors. He made us different nations, He
made us different states, He made us different nationalities, and we reachour
highest best when we are most like ourselves! What you are, be good, and
fine, and noble in that. I am not interestedin being a Frenchman, I am an
American! I’m not interestedin being a member of the Chinese yellow race, I

am an American, and I can be a goodAmerican, like he can be a goodChinese
man, or my other neighbor, a goodFrenchman. My highestallegiance is to
God. Thenin God, the state is ordained of the Lord. It’s of God that I love
my country, my native land. Sir Walter Scottwrote in "The Lay of the Last
Minstrel":
Breathedthere the man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land
Whose heart within him never burned,
As homeward his wearyfootsteps turned,
From wandering on a foreign strand.
This is my country, it’s of God that we be proud of our national flag. We call
it "Old Glory," "The Stars and the Stripes," "The Red, and the White, and
the Blue." I’ve seenthat flag raisedon the battleship Arizona. It lies on the
floor of PearlHarbor. But out of the hulk of a greatbattleship that was
destroyed, America has hoisted Old Glory, waving there in the breeze. I have
seenthat American flag raisedhigh and unfurled, high in the Apennines of
Italy, over an American military cemetery – where the men who died in the
campaignagainstfascismand Nazism were gatheredand buried there in the
soil of Italy. I have seenthat flag wave on the airfields of Fukuoka, Japan, as
I saw those jet bombers leave, and leave, and leave to protect the democracy
and the freedom of the world, as we fought in the war in Korea. There is only
one time I’ve ever seenOld Glory raised and I bowed my head in shame. I
happened to go to schoolin one of the greatcities of America in which they
built the largestdistillery in the world; and on the opening day, high above the
highest building, they raised The Stars and the Stripes. And as I lookedat it
there unfurled in the breeze, I thought, "Overwhat heartache, over how
many orphaned children, overhow many weeping widows, overhow many

lost lives and ruined fortunes does Old Glory wave today?" And I bowedmy
head in shame. But that is a prerogative of an American! What is right I
support; but what I believe to be wrong, I oppose with all of the energies of
my souland life! ForJesus is the Lord of my conscienceand the King of my
heart!
He is Lord economically. I’m just a steward – just possess forthe moment
what God gives me. Young people, I haven’t time; I’d planned, but you do it
yourself; sometime, when you’re home, read Moses’address to the people in
the eighth chapter of the Book ofDeuteronomy [Deuteronomy 8:1-20]. The
Book ofDeuteronomy is composedof the final addresses ofMoses before God
took him awayon Mt. Nebo [Deuteronomy34:1-7]. And that eighth chapter
of the Book ofDeuteronomy is an address of Moses, the man of God in his
farewelldiscourse to the people. Here are two sentences in it; one, "Forman
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedethout of the
mouth of God" [Deuteronomy 8:3]; and the other sentence, whenthey came
into the land and should possessit, and God should bless them, and they
should prosper in His presence, this other sentence, "And remember, and
remember that it is the Lord thy God that giveth thee powerto getwealth"
[Deuteronomy 8:18].
What I have is given me of the Lord. I may make it, my will may sustain the
drive that acquires it, but who made my will? And who made the hand that
clasps it? And who made the mind that could think of it? And who gave me
the life that encompasses it? These things belong to God, and the Lord is
Jesus [Acts 2:36], I am just a steward; I occupytill He come [Luke 19:13]. A
proportion of all that is given me I ought to dedicate to Him. Not all for me
and none for Him; Godhath made it "some for me and some for Him."
And finally, Jesus is Lord spiritually. By that I mean that the great fountains,
the secretdepths of our life, are hidden in God. The greatmotivating force
that lies back of our choices, ourlives, our destinies, they are hidden in our
allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Lord of my life. And what I do,
and where I go, and the choices that I make, their secretcanbe found in the
commitment of the soul and the life in trust and in faith to the Lord Jesus
Christ [2 Timothy 1:12]; the motivation, the dynamic, the greatreasonthat

lies hidden in the secretdepths of life, found in the lordship of Jesus [Matthew
16:24].
I entered once a home of care,
And penury and want were there,
But joy and peace withal
I askedthe agedmother whence
Her helpless widowhood’s defense;
She answered, "Christis all"
I saw the martyr at the stake,
The flames could not his courage shake,
Nor death his soulappall;
I askedhim whence his strength was giv’n;
He lookedtriumphantly to heav’n,
And answered, "Christis all."
I stoodbeside the dying bed,
Where lay a child with aching head,
Waiting Jesus’call
I saw him smile, ’twas sweetas May;
And as his spirit passedaway,
He whispered, "Christ is all."

I dreamed that hoary time had fled;
The earth and sea gave up their dead,
A fire dissolvedthis ball;
I saw the church’s ransomed throng,
I caught the burden of their song
‘Twas this, that Christ is all.
["Christ is All," W.A. Williams, 1904]
"Brethren, I make known unto you, no man can sayanathema Iēsous ["Jesus
is accursed"], but that he contradict the Spirit of God; and no man can say
kurios Iēsous ["Jesus is Lord"] but that he commit his life and his destiny to
the Spirit of God" [1 Corinthians 12:3], the lordship of Jesus.
Now while we sing our song, somebodyyou, to confess this day his faith in
Jesus as Lord, would you come and stand by me? Someone this day to put his
life with us in the church, by letter, by statement, by baptism; howeverGod
shall say the word, you come and stand by me. A family you, one somebody
you, as God shall open the door, shall make the appeal, you come and stand
by me. In that topmost balcony, in this greatthrong, in the press of people on
this lowerfloor, as God shall say the word and lead the way, into the aisle or
down the steps, today, giving your heart and life to Christ, or putting your life
with us in the church, while we sing, you come, while we stand and while we
sing.
IF NATIONS HAVE ANY HOPE

Dr. W. A. Criswell
1 Corinthians 12:2
11-13-55 7:30 p.m.
In our preaching through the Word, we’re in the twelfth chapter of the first
Corinthian letter, and the sermon tonight is on the secondverse:"You know
that ye were heathen, carried awayunto these dumb idols, even as you were
led." That’s Paul’s introductory sentence as he begins to speak to the
brethren in Corinth. "You know that you were Gentiles," you were heathen,
"led astray, even as you followedthese idols" that can’t hear, can’t speak,
"evenas ye were led by them" [1 Corinthians 12:2].
That was written long, long time ago – almosttwo thousand years ago – and
the tragedyof the world today is that after these two thousand years, there are
more people who are led astrayby idol worship than there were in the days of
the apostle Paul. There are more lost people today in the world than there
were in the days of Jesus Christ. There are more people outside of the
kingdom of God today than there were in the days of the apostles. And what
Paul says there of the nations is true today of the vastnumbers of races and
families who inhabit this globe at this hour: "You know that ye were heathen,
carried awayunto these dumb idols, even as ye were led" [1 Corinthians
12:2].
One-half of the world is hungry every day, all the time. One-half of the world
is sick every day and all the time. More than one-half of this world is never
adequately clothed and never adequatelyhoused. Is it because the earth is
sterile? It does not produce? It cannot support the vast and increasing
population of the globe? Notat all. This world, this globe, the fertility of its
continental soil, the vast food resourcesofits oceans, is more than able to
support many times the number of people who inhabit its surface.

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