Right to Discern

Unto such as God shall appoint and ordain to watch over the church and to be elders unto the church, are to have it given unto them to discern all those gifts lest there shall be any among you professing and yet be not of God. Doctrine & Covenants 46:27

It would be wonderful if all who profess to have spiritual gifts were indeed inspired by God. Such is not always the case, however, for some manifestations are of God, some are of men, and some are of the devil (D&C 46:7). In the Church, the presiding elder, or bishop, is given the right to discern the source of such gifts. Further, the prophet, seer, and revelator is given the right to all the spiritual gifts, “which [God] bestows upon the head of the Church” (D&C 107:92). “The devil is an orator,” the Prophet Joseph Smith declared. “He is powerful. … The gift of discerning spirits will be given to the Presiding Elder. Pray for him that he may have this gift” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 162). We need not fear nor be confused, for God has set in place a system for discerning spiritual gifts, whereby we may uphold the true and discard the false. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 126)