The
cessationist view states that God became silent and all miracles
ceased when the last Apostle died.
Some have said:
“The miracles,
signs and wonders of the book of Acts were temporary. They served to
authenticate the apostles and prophets until the New Testament could be written.
Now we have the completed Word of God, which erases the need for supernatural
happenings.”
The punch line from the
cessationists’ favorite proof text says: “When the perfect comes, the
partial will be done away.” Here is their proof text:
8. Love never fails; but if
there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they
will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
9. For we know in part, and we
prophesy in part;
10. But when the perfect comes,
the partial will be done away.
11. When I was a child, I used
to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I
did away with childish things.
12. For now we see in a mirror
dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully
just as I also have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13)
The Greek word used for “dimly” or
“darkly” is en ainigmati and means “in an enigma.”
The dictionary defines “enigma” as: “a perplexing or baffling matter, usually an
ambiguous statement or riddle; to speak in a riddle.”
Glass mirrors were probably
introduced in Paul’s time. However, the surfaces of most first century mirrors
were usually made of a polished metal — a mixture of tin and copper. At best,
those ancient metal and glass mirrors were unequal to our modern glass mirrors
and, more often than not, were tarnished and dim.
Paul implies that he is speaking
of a great truth that is hard to see, or perplexing; and that it takes spiritual
eyes to “see” this insight by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
There are several Greek words for
the English word “glass,” but in this Scripture, it clearly means a looking
glass . . . a mirror. Both the Strong’s and Young’s concordance were compiled
for use with the King James Version of the Bible. Here is how they define
“glass.”
? Esoptron: looking glass (1
Cor. 13:12; James 1:23)
? Hualos: anything
transparent (Rev. 21:16, 21)
? Hualinos: made of
glass (Rev. 4:6; 15:2)
FACE TO FACE
WITH JESUS
For now we are looking in a
mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or
enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to
face! Now I know in part (imperfectly); but then I shall know and understand
fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly
known and understood [by God]. (1 Corinthians 13:12 The Amplified
Bible)
The expression “face to face” has
to be in reference to the return of Christ. Obviously, we can only meet a person
face to face, and that person can only be Jesus (Rev. 1:7). In the Old
Testament, the expression “face to face” meant to see God personally. For
example, Jacob saw God face to face as he wrestled with the angel of the Lord
(the pre-incarnate Christ) (Gen. 32:30). Also, after the angel of the Lord had
visited Gideon in the winepress, Gideon exclaimed, “I have seen the angel of the
Lord face to face (Judg. 6:22).
As a final example, Exodus 33:11
says that, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks
with his friend.”
When Paul uses the expression
“face to face,” he is referring to the time when we
shall see Jesus face to face. That time can only refer to His
return, when every eye will see Him (Rev. 1:7).
Obviously, we cannot meet face to
face with the Bible, or some nebulous idea or event. We can only meet a person
face to face, and that person can only be Jesus — when every eye will see Him —
at the Second Coming!
In the natural, we would see our
own reflection when we look into a mirror, but spiritually we are to reflect
Jesus because God is conforming us to His image. Yet, all we can
see is a poor reflection of Jesus through our Adamic eyes, until
we see Jesus face to face — beyond the veil of flesh. We can’t even see
ourselves clearly in that spiritual mirror because we are wretched sinners who
need God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness every day.
WE SHALL KNOW HIM FULLY
Then we shall
know Him fully, just as He has fully known
us! This statement also can only refer to the Lord’s return. Paul is
not saying that when the Lord returns, believers will be omniscient
like the Lord. Rather, we will know Jesus accurately without any
misinformation, or lack of information, or misconceptions because we
will be mature—we will have our glorified, eternal bodies.
Being face to
face with Jesus will be sufficient to provide edification far beyond
our present comprehension. In this new environment, we will know
everything clearly, completely, and emphatically.
JUST WHAT IS “THE PERFECT”?
The Greek word
used in verse 10 for “perfect” is teleios, and means . .
. ended, complete, absolute, or mature. Some argue that
Paul’s reference to “the perfect” speaks of a conception of something
in its most excellent form, and not to anything specific. However,
there are those who argue that it means the Bible. Yet, most
commentaries will also admit that “when the perfect comes” refers to
the Second Coming of Christ. A valid question is: which of these
options can best be defined as “the perfect,” (1.) something
excellent, (2.) the Bible, or (3.) Jesus?
First we will
consider Jesus (the Living Word) and the Bible (the written Word) to
see which of these two comes the closest to being the “perfect” in
verse 10.
In
the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with
God and was truly God. From the very beginning the Word was with God.
John
1:1
(The Promise)
The
Word became a human being and lived here with us.
John
1:14a
(The Promise)
And
His name is called The Word of God.
Revelation 19:13b
(NASB)
And
there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were
written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not
contain the books which were written.
John 21:25
(NASB)
Many
other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the
disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;
and that believing you may have life in His name.
John
20:30-31
(NASB)
But
He [Jesus] replied, it has been written, Man shall not live and be
upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes
forth from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4
(The Amplified Bible)
A
summary of these verses
might be: Jesus—the Living Word—is complete (John
1:1). Therefore, Jesus is greater than the Bible—the summarized,
written Word about Him (John 21: 25). Although the Bible is God’s
revealed Word to us, and is without error, we are waiting for
Jesus—the Living Word— to be revealed at His Second Coming.
The
revelation of Jesus Christ begins by seeing Him first as
The Living Word of God!
PERFECT, BUT TEMPORARY?
Canonization
of New Testament books—the determination of which books were authentic
and should be included in Scripture—was not done until the year a.d.
367. If, by this time in church history, Paul’s teachings on the gifts
of the Spirit had become obsolete, why were they included? Why were
they canonized? Here is how Charles Carrin 1 explains this seeming
contradiction:
“If it be
true that First Corinthians 12 and 14 became imperfect when the
Bible was completed, then the long-awaited “perfect” book was not
perfect at all. Canonization had only destroyed its perfection. Who
can sincerely believe this? The idea is absurd. It defies logic.
Paul himself terminated such an argument when he wrote Timothy: “All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16,17.)
If 2nd Timothy
is Scripture, then Paul has told us that chapters 12 and 14 in 1st
Corinthians are also Scripture. If that is so, then both are given to
us so that “the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
every good work.”
“THE PERFECT” IS SOMETHING EXCELLENT
Now we will
consider the possibility that “the perfect” is a conception of
something in its most excellent form. As you may know, Greek nouns are
assigned a gender—either feminine, masculine, or neuter. When
referring to a noun in the feminine gender, one uses the pronoun
“she”; when referring to a word in the masculine gender, one uses the
pronoun “he”; and, when referring to a noun in the neuter gender, the
pronoun is “it.”
The word
“perfect,” as used in verse 10, is used in the neuter gender. That
means it cannot refer to a person, but it can refer to a group of
things, which can include a person.
A ship (or
boat, or vessel) 2 is an example of a noun that can be in the neuter
gender that can include its cargo, its equipment, and its crew, as
well as the ship itself. And the Second Coming3 is—in a manner of
speaking —our ship that is coming in. And on board is Captain Jesus,
His crew, and His fulfillment of all Messianic prophecy.
I believe that
“the perfect” is BOTH Jesus AND the fulfillment of all messianic
prophecy that will transpire at the Second Coming.
The next
chapter, titled “The Partial Will Be Done Away,” will thoroughly
explore this subject.
MY OWN AMPLIFIED VERSION
We just read
First Corinthians 13:8-12 from the New American Standard Version
Bible. Now we are about to read my own amplified reiteration of the
same Scripture that clarifies what we have just learned.
Before we get
started, notice that 1st Corinthians 12, verses 1, 4, and 31 imply
that all nine “gifts” are “of the Spirit” collectively, even though
not all of them are individually called “gifts.” Therefore, I took the
liberty of referring to all of them collectively as “gifts” of the
Holy Spirit in order to keep things simple.
Now, here is
my version . . .
8.
Love—an eternal virtue of God— never fails or comes to an end (1
John 4:8), As for [the gift of] prophecy, it will be fulfilled and
pass away (1 Cor. 12:10), as for [the gift of] unacquired] tongues,
they will cease (1 Cor. 12:10), As for [the gift of] knowledge, 4 it
will pass away (1 Cor. 12:8), 4 All of these spiritual gifts will be
superseded by the physical presence of JESUS.
9. For
our present knowledge [of Jesus, the Living Word] is fragmentary,
incomplete, and imperfect, and [the gift of] prophecy is
fragmentary, incomplete, and imperfect.
10. But,
at the Second Coming, when JESUS comes to bring all messianic
prophecy in the Bible to completion and to rule His Kingdom, the
incomplete and imperfect gifts of the Spirit will disappear;
Spiritual gifts will become something we have outgrown and
discarded, LIKE CHILDHOOD TOYS WHEN WE REACH ADULTHOOD (1 Cor. 12;
Eph. 4:11, 14-15).
11.
Because, when I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought and
reasoned like a child. Now that I have become a man, I am done with
childish ways and have put them aside.
12. For
now we are looking in a mirror (through our natural eyes) that gives
only a dim or blurred reflection (of the glory of the Lord) as in a
riddle or enigma (2 Cor. 3:18). But, AT THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS,
when Jesus (the Perfection) comes, we shall see Him face to face—in
physical form! Now I know JESUS in part, or imperfectly because I am
still IN MY NATURAL BODY; but then, IN MY GLORIFIED BODY, I shall
know and understand JESUS fully and clearly, even in the same manner
as I have been fully and dearly known and understood by JESUS (1
John 3:2).
[My own
amplified reiteration of
1
Corinthians 13:8-12]
.
In condensed
form, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 is saying that at the Second Coming of
Christ the partial, incomplete spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12) and the
five incomplete ministries (Eph. 4:11) will no longer be needed
because Jesus is the perfect consummation of all of them, and we will
be like Him.
Meanwhile,
until the Second Coming, everything is still in place that Paul
described in 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14. This is called the
continuationist or non-cessationist view.
After hearing
an explanation that is hard to remember, you will enjoy hearing Jim
Cymbala’s response to this issue:
“If we have
a completed revelation in written form, are we seeing at least as
much advance for God’s Kingdom, as many people coming to Christ, as
many victories over Satan as those poor fellows who had to get along
with just the Old Testament? If not, why not? Are we missing
something valuable that they felt was essential?”
JUST ASK: IS IT SCRIPTURAL?
Perhaps our
faith boils down to the simplest of issues. For instance, do you
believe the Bible, or do you prefer the traditions of the elders? If
God gives you a better understanding of a Scripture, are you free to
bring the required change into your life, or are you in bondage?
Again, Jim
Cymbala speaks from his considerable experience.
“Unfortunately, I have learned firsthand that many Christians who
pound the Bible the hardest and most strongly defend the verbal
inspiration of Scripture are the most unbelieving and cynical about
God ever doing a new thing in His church. They seem so intent on
preserving tradition that any spontaneity is spurned as
“emotionalism.” My question is: If Jesus is the same today as He was
in the Bible we defend, why shouldn’t we believe Him to do great
things among us and through us, so we can touch people’s lives in
powerful ways as did the first-century apostles? Peter was no
perfect saint, as evidenced by his denial of Christ; many churches
today would hardly allow such a failure to stand in their pulpits.
But God chose him on the Day of Pentecost and used him mightily—and
God can do the same with us if we look to Him with childlike faith
in our hearts.”
Allow
me to have a little fun with my own denomination—Southern Baptist—to
illustrate a point. Just because one Christian group may have come
into a scriptural truth before another group did, that should not make
this truth private property, and therefore untouchable or unacceptable
to other groups. No doctrinal group has exclusive rights to any part
of the Bible. We can assume that all Bible truth is available to all
believers.
For example,
wouldn’t it be ridiculous to assume that if some group were to start
baptizing by submersion they (thereby) would lose their old identity
and become Southern Baptists.
Nonsense! They
would simply become Scriptural! [We Southern Baptists would think so
anyway.] The question should be “Is it scriptural,” not “Is it
Southern Baptist?”
Some argue
that the parts of the book of Revelation that make perfectly good
sense in plain English should be taken literally. If that argument is
true for the book of Revelation, then why is it not also true for 1st
Corinthians 12,13, and 14?
The bottom
line is: All Christians are compelled to grow and be faithful to the
Word of God.
Was
that interesting? Is this a good time to order the book?
Chapter 10 is a continuation of chapters 8 and 9. You will want to
read it too.
