Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

Who Judges the Prophecies?

8. Hear, then do, the word. The hearer of the word is obligated to per form it (Matthew 7:26; James 1:23-24).

Who Does the Judging?

Three New Testament references tell us to evaluate prophecy but they do not spell out who is to do the judging and how it is to be done.

• 1 Corinthians 14:29: "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment" (NASE). "Let two or three prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said" (NLT). "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge" (NKJV). "Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said" (NIV). • 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21: "Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt.Test everything ..." (NIV). "Stop stifling the Spirit.Stop treating the messages of prophecy with con tempt, but continue to prove all things until you can approve them, and then hold on to what is good" (Williams). • 1 John 4:1: "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (NKJV). "Do not believe every inspired utterance" (Good speed)."Not all prophetic spirits, brethren, deserve your credence" (Knox). The only direct advice about who is to judge is given in 1 Corinthians 14:29 (NKJV): "Let the others judge." 8 Unfortunately the identification of who the "others" are is not clear and has been the subject of scholarly debate.There are four possibilities: 1. The other prophets present. In the light of just the immediate con text, this would seem the most logical interpretation,9 although the Greek word itself suggests differently. 10 2. Those with the gift of distinguishing of spirits (or "the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking," NLT), 1 Corinthians 12:10.11 3. The other church members present listening to the prophecies. 12 Cecil M.Robeck Jr.comments that "if this injunction in 14:29 is read in the light of Paul's words to the Thessalonian Christians, the pool of 'testers' is broadened to include members from throughout 335.