Amidst all the abounding and increasing evil, the uninstructed believer might well be bewildered. But Scripture furnishes a simple but thorough test of every system of teaching. It will be seen that the Person of Christ is the test. As showing more clearly than the Authorized Version the sense of the text, I venture to quote from a New Translation, much prized and valued for its literal renderings:- " But concerning spiritual [manifestations], brethren, I do not wish you to be ignorant. Ye know that when ye were [of the] nations [ye were] led away to dumb idols, in whatever way ye might be led. I give you therefore to know, that no one, speaking in [the power of the] Spirit of God, says, Curse [on] Jesus; and no one can say, Lord Jesus, unless in [the power of the] Holy Spirit " (1 Cor. 12:1-31Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3Wherefore I give you to understand, 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 Ghost. (1 Corinthians 12:1‑3)).
A friend, writing of this very passage, says, " I have known the test applied to such [Spiritualistic] manifestations for the deliverance of one attracted, which was complete when the demon denied that Jesus was Lord."
It is well to have such a test.