Episode Details

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Our shout-out today goes to Jay Oldendorf from Blair, WI. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 12:1-3.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit. — 1 Corinthians 12:1–3

Can something feel spiritual—and still lead you away from Jesus?

The answer is yes. Not every felt spiritual experience comes from the Holy Spirit.

Remember, before the Corinthians became believers in Christ, they were not irreligious. They were deeply spiritual. Passionate. Expressive. Immersed in worship.

But Paul reminds them where all that felt spirituality once led them — to mute idols.

Mute or dumb idols. Gods that could not speak. Gods who could not reveal truth. Gods who could not command allegiance. These gods stirred emotion but offered no revelation. They moved people, gave them goosebumps and emotional jolts, but those reactions were generated by human psychology and cultural pressure—not by the living, speaking God.

Spiritual sensationalism does not always equate to spiritual truth. I have seen spiritual sensationalism, and sometimes it is unsettling because it leads to individual manifestations that drive groups into disunity rather than unity.

Notice Paul's correction. He does not say, "True spirituality feels different." He says true spirituality says something:

"Jesus is Lord."

That confession declares allegiance. Submission. Public identification.

But it also makes a further claim—that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

This is not simply a declaration; it is an identification. It declares our regeneration. The Spirit does not merely rouse enthusiasm — he produces allegiance. He opens blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:6). He reveals the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10–12). He bears witness to Christ (John 15:26).

This Trinitarian thread runs quietly under the chapter. The Spirit's primary work is not sensationalism based on feeling; it's the exaltation of Jesus based on fact. And this may come with some good feelings.

So here is Paul's test for every spiritual experience:

Is Christ being exalted?

Is this experience leading me (and others) toward deeper submission to Christ — or merely toward a heightened internal sensation?

Is the voice I believe I am hearing aligned with the revealed Word of God — or is it untethered from Scripture and fueled primarily by emotional intensity?

This is where discernment becomes difficult. Emotional responses are real. They can be powerful. But not every powerful emotion is produced by the Holy Spirit. Some are stirred by personality, atmosphere, repetition, or group momentum.

Mute idols stir emotion without anchoring it in divine