1 Corinthians 12:3

“Wherefore I give you to understand, etc.] Or “I make known unto you”; what I am about to say are certain truths, and to be depended on, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus 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 appeared to them to be a very wicked and detestable person, who was put to death by the means of his own countrymen, was hanged upon a tree, and so to be counted and called accursed: the apostle seems to have reference to the sense these Corinthians had of Jesus, and what they called him before their conversion; whence it appeared that…”

“The negative and positive criteria of inspiration by the Spirit--the rejection or confession of Jesus as Lord [ALFORD] (Jo1 4:2; Jo1 5:1). Paul gives a test of truth against the Gentiles; John, against the 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], (Mat 16:17; Joh 15:26). of God . . . Holy--The same Spirit is called at 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 act of utterance; "say" refers to that which is uttered. Here, "say" means a spiritual and believing…”

“Wherefore I give you to understand - I make known to you. The force of this expression is, “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 general guide by which they could at once recognize the operations of the Spirit of God, and determine whether they who claimed to be under that operation were really so. That rule was, that all who were truly influenced by the Holy Spirit would be disposed to acknowledge and to 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…”

“Therefore - Since the heathen idols cannot speak themselves, much less give spiritual gifts to others, these must necessarily be among Christians only. As no one speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed - That is, as none who does this, (which all the Jews and heathens did,) speaketh by the Spirit of God - Is actuated by that Spirit, so as to speak with tongues, heal diseases, or cast out devils. So no one can say, Jesus is the Lord - None can receive him as such; for, in the scripture language, to say, or to believe, implies an experimental assurance. But by the Holy Ghost - The sum is, None have the Holy Spirit but Christians: all Christians have this Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:4”

“12:3 Paul gives two criteria for discerning the presence of the Spirit in worship. (1) Those who curse Jesus thereby express their rejection of Jesus and his message and thus cannot be speaking by the Spirit of God. (2) The presence of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives is shown by their sincere confession that Jesus is Lord. This is perhaps the earliest Christian creed (cp. Rom 10:9, 13; 2 Cor 4:5; Phil 2:11; 1 Jn 4:2-3).”

“no man: Mar 9:39; Joh 16:14, Joh 16:15; Jo1 4:2, Jo1 4:3 accursed: or, anathema, Co1 16:22; Deu 21:23; Gal 3:13 no man: Co1 8:6; Mat 16:16, Mat 16:17; Joh 13:13, Joh 15:26; Co2 3:5, Co2 11:4 1 Corinthians 12:4”