Spiritual Gifts

TRY THE SPIRITS

The apostle John writes, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” 1 John 4:1-3. This text does not say that “every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ” did come in the flesh,” but “is come;” that is, that He comes and dwells in our mortal flesh. This is indeed the central truth of the Gospel, Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith. Ephesians 3:17; John 14:23, Galatians 2:20. SGL 32.1

Satan, in his false gifts, does not exalt Christ. A person who had been a spirit medium said to the writer: “The name of Christ is never mentioned in prayer in the circles, and in the public prayers of Spiritualists they “implore the great spirit, never naming Christ.” In contrast with such, in the true prophet it is Christ first, last, and all the time. SGL 32.2

Another rule given by the apostle John which applies to false prophets reads: “They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.” 1 John 4:5. This shows that false prophets speak in a manner to please the carnal heart, which agrees exactly with the description given of false prophets by the prophet Jeremiah: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you; they make you vain; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. They say still unto them that despise Me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.” Jeremiah 23:16-17. SGL 33.1