Reference: DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
American
1Co 12:10, a miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost to certain of the early church, empowering them to judge of the real character of those who professed to love Christ, and to be inspired to teach in his name, 1Jo 4:1; 2Jo 1:7. Compare Ac 5:1-10; 13:6-12.
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But a certain man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and secreted part of the price, his wife also being conscious to it; and bringing: some part, laid it at the feet of the apostles. read more. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan so filled thine heart, that thou shouldst lie to the holy Ghost, and keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, did it not remain thy own? and when sold, was it not in thy own power? what is the meaning that thou hast taken this into thine heart? Thou hast not lyed to men, but to God. And Ananias at the hearing of these words fell down and expired: and great fear came on all that heard these things. And some of the young men arose, and wrapped him up; and they carried him out, and buried him. And about the space of three hours after, his wife also came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, Wherefore have ye agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold the feet of those, who have been burying thy husband, now at the door, and they shall carry thee out. And immediately she fell down at his feet and expired: and the young men coming in found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
And going quite through the island even to Paphos, they found there a certain magician, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus. Who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an understanding man: who calling for Barnabas and Saul, desired to hear the word of God. read more. But Elymas the magician (for so his name signifies) withstood them endeavouring to turn away the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, being filled with the holy Spirit, and looking earnestly at him, said, O thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, who art full of all deceit and craft, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing even the sun for a time. And immediately there fell upon him a mist and darkness; and groping about he sought for somebody to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul, seeing what was done, believed, being struck with admiration at the doctrine of the Lord.
to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the discerning of spirits; to another various kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God: for many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Fausets
1Co 12:10. Discerning between the operation of God's Spirit and that of the evil spirit, or unaided human spirit claiming to utter the dictates of God's Spirit. Ac 5:1-11; 8:28; 1Co 14:23,37: "if any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." It is this which assures us of the inspiration of the New Testament The books were accepted as inspired, by churches having men possessing" the discerning of spirits" (1Jo 4:1; 1Ti 4:1).
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But a certain man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and secreted part of the price, his wife also being conscious to it; and bringing: some part, laid it at the feet of the apostles. read more. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan so filled thine heart, that thou shouldst lie to the holy Ghost, and keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, did it not remain thy own? and when sold, was it not in thy own power? what is the meaning that thou hast taken this into thine heart? Thou hast not lyed to men, but to God. And Ananias at the hearing of these words fell down and expired: and great fear came on all that heard these things. And some of the young men arose, and wrapped him up; and they carried him out, and buried him. And about the space of three hours after, his wife also came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, Wherefore have ye agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold the feet of those, who have been burying thy husband, now at the door, and they shall carry thee out. And immediately she fell down at his feet and expired: and the young men coming in found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon the whole assembly, and upon all that heard these things.
was returning, and as he sat in his chariot, was reading the prophet Esaias:
to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the discerning of spirits; to another various kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God: for many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Morish
This was one of the gifts in the early church, needful for 'testing the spirits,' because even then many false prophets had gone forth into the world. 1Co 12:10; 1Jo 4:1-3. This gift was especially necessary at the time when the word of God was not fully written.
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to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the discerning of spirits; to another various kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: