S. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (NIV)
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
O. I was once taught this text was a good proof text for why tongues and other listed giftings would cease, and no longer be needed. The phrase “when completeness comes” (that which is perfect) was a neuter gender in the Greek and therefore had to refer to the occasion when God’s word (our Bibles) would be complete. There would be no additional revelation. We had everything we needed. This was the time of perfection or completion and therefore these other gifts, tongues, prophesy and such would die out, end or cease. This teaching is often referred to as “cessationism.” because certain gifts were said to “cease.”
However as I continued to read God’s word, I came to a certain point in my life when I simply needed to not use this as a proof text to defend a theological position, but to simply ask the Holy Spirit to help me see what it is that I needed to see to better understand this particular text.
Over the course of time I realized it is a nueter gender however that simply refers to the event of Jesus’ return, His second coming. When Jesus does return, He will bring in times of refreshing (Acts 3) and a completeness. The word “completeness” is the Greek word “telios” and it means “perfect, full grown, of full age, completness of Christian character.” Further it is neuter gender and refers to a perfect state of all things, and I believe contextually refers to this time of perfection that is ushered in by the return of Jesus Christ from Heaven.
We presently do not always see clearly (in the natural) what God is communicating to us, so he sends us gifted people who can communicate God’s word (tongues, prophecy, preaching, teaching, etc.) in ways that will build each of us up. It’s sort of like the illustration of the old pirate’s telescope, which as it unfolds or extendsd one state at time until it is functioning at full strength (there is clarity in what one is viewing).
A. I am so thankful that God has given us the variety of gifts in the church today that are to help us see His will and His way with greater clarity. It is my desire to be among those who use their gifts to help build up the faith of others until Jesus returns at which time we will all see perfectly.
P. Thank you Father for your word today. Thank you for these gracious gifts you have given. Holy Spirit fill me and guide me with the gifts you have given, especially the gift of prophecy (to speak God’s word in ways that build up others) so that your church will continue to be established and built up in the faith. In Jesus’ name!
