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CAN DEMONS BE DETECTED TODAY??
- Thread starter tamborine lady
- Start date
Marcia
Active Member
Tam said:
Sounds good, but people must not be exercising the gift much or not using the Bible as the standard for evaluating doctrine since so many false teachers are in the church today, attracting hordes of people. So where is this gift? Is it not being exercised? Are people ignoring it? Are they ignoring the Bible?
1 John 4:1-4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
This not a gift, but a command. It is a command given to every believer that we are to try (test, prove) the spirits to see whether these spirits are of God or Satan (demons). This has nothing to do with the spiritual gift of discernment mentioned in 1Cor.12. Those were gifts. Look at this verse:
1 Corinthians 12:30-31 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
Not all members had the same gifts. Not all members had even the gift of discernment. Paul just went through a detailed illustration of the body.
1 Corinthians 12:21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
What gift they were given they had to be satisfied with. Not all had the gift of tongues. Not all could be the eye. Someone had to be the foot. Someone had to be the hand. Everyone had a different gift.
But in 1John 4:1-4, it is a command given to every believer to try or test the spirits, which oftentimes are demons. Then what? It becomes a spirtual battle that the Christian faces in a real world of spiritual darkness with Satan himself. This does not involve "gifts." It involves spiritual warfare. There is a difference.
DHK
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
This not a gift, but a command. It is a command given to every believer that we are to try (test, prove) the spirits to see whether these spirits are of God or Satan (demons). This has nothing to do with the spiritual gift of discernment mentioned in 1Cor.12. Those were gifts. Look at this verse:
1 Corinthians 12:30-31 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
Not all members had the same gifts. Not all members had even the gift of discernment. Paul just went through a detailed illustration of the body.
1 Corinthians 12:21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
What gift they were given they had to be satisfied with. Not all had the gift of tongues. Not all could be the eye. Someone had to be the foot. Someone had to be the hand. Everyone had a different gift.
But in 1John 4:1-4, it is a command given to every believer to try or test the spirits, which oftentimes are demons. Then what? It becomes a spirtual battle that the Christian faces in a real world of spiritual darkness with Satan himself. This does not involve "gifts." It involves spiritual warfare. There is a difference.
DHK
Marcia
Active Member
I agree with DHK, the gift of discernment is spoken of as being for some, but all Christians are commanded to be discerning and be aware of false teachings.
We are told to hold to sound doctrine. How do we know sound doctrine? By reading and studying the Bible, and by carefully evaluating teachings. Many false teachers in the church, calling themselves Christian, quote the Bible but they either quote it out of context, or put their own meaning into it. People think they are hearing God's word being taught but they are actually hearing a twisted version of it.
We also need to realize that even if someone uses Biblical terms, we need to know how they define those terms. Some people can talk about God or Jesus but mean something else by it. But, sadly, discernment seems to be decreasing in the church today.
We are told to hold to sound doctrine. How do we know sound doctrine? By reading and studying the Bible, and by carefully evaluating teachings. Many false teachers in the church, calling themselves Christian, quote the Bible but they either quote it out of context, or put their own meaning into it. People think they are hearing God's word being taught but they are actually hearing a twisted version of it.
We also need to realize that even if someone uses Biblical terms, we need to know how they define those terms. Some people can talk about God or Jesus but mean something else by it. But, sadly, discernment seems to be decreasing in the church today.
tamborine lady
Active Member
Marcia,
You said:
We are told to hold to sound doctrine. How do we know sound doctrine? By reading and studying the Bible, and by carefully evaluating teachings. Many false teachers in the church, calling themselves Christian, quote the Bible but they either quote it out of context, or put their own meaning into it. People think they are hearing God's word being taught but they are actually hearing a twisted version of it.
My point exactly! People think they are hearing Gods word being taught but they are actually hearing twisted version of it!!
That is why we need to read it for ourselves and let the Holy Spirit interpret it for us!!
2 Tim. 2-13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Working for Jesus,
Tam,
tamborine lady
Active Member
So watch what you believe, check it out to make sure it's true, and beware of the levin of the pharisees!!
Tam,
richardsherratt
New Member
Yes. It's called the gift of discernment. [/b]</font>[/QUOTE]I thought the gift of discernment has long since died out?
Regards,
Richard Sherratt
tamborine lady
Active Member
Richard said:I thought the gift of discernment has long since died out?
Regards,
Richard Sherratt
There are a lot of people who think it has, but there are many of us who believe that the gifts are alive and well and operating just as they did in the book of Acts,
Stick around and hold onto your hat, because you will get all kinds of answers here.
By the way, welcome to the Debate board. Hope you enjoy it.
Working for Jesus,
Tam,
P.S. The reason some people don't believe in the gifts is because they have never seen them in operation, and so they assume they have ceased.