But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
That which is in part is the gifts of prophecy, tongues, knowledge and the other workings of the Spirit, belonging to this present mortal life of walking by faith and seeing dimly, which is as childhood with its weakness and immaturity of thought and action. That which is perfect is the coming day of glory and immortality at the appearing of Christ, when the redeemed will see face to face and know even as they are known, talking with God and Christ and angels as before sin, which is as manhood with its clearer vision, maturity and strength. When that perfect state arrives the partial gifts will fail, cease and be set aside as no longer needed, because its surpassing glory eclipses the brightest displays of this mortal state and brings faith and hope to sight and fulfillment, while love alone never fails but abides as the highest grace here and the crowning glory forever. The gifts therefore continue until that future change and were not withdrawn at the death of the first apostles, for to make the apostolic age the childish age and the age of wolves and perverse teachers the perfect age reverses the meaning, since that age was inferior in spiritual elevation to none that followed. Until then the same teaching calls all believers to crucify self and learn humility in the school of Christ, to let love cast out enmity and coldness and bind heart to heart and to God, and to unite in tender, helpful service instead of separating into criticizing factions.
When Partial Gifts Cease
That which is in part is prophecies, tongues, knowledge and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. They belong to the present mortal, imperfect state of walking by faith and seeing dimly through a glass darkly. That state is likened to childhood, with its weakness and immaturity of thought and action and its partial, darkened knowledge.
That which is perfect is the future perfect day of glory, the immortal state and eternal world of glory. It arrives at Christ's glorious appearing and the beginning of the eternal day of glory, when the redeemed have perfect knowledge. Then they see face to face and know even as they are known, and talk face to face with God, Christ and angels as the first parents did in Eden before sin entered. That condition is likened to manhood, with clearer vision, maturity, strength, perfect light and knowledge.
When that perfect state comes the partial gifts will fail, cease, vanish away and be done away as superseded. They will be set aside as no longer of service or necessary, because the helps needed in the church are no longer required. This is because the surpassing glory of the immortal state eclipses the most brilliant displays of spiritual power and knowledge in this mortal state, the just are made perfect, and faith and hope reach their sight, consummation and fulfillment. Love alone never fails or ends, remaining with faith and hope as the highest Christian grace here and the crowning glory of immortals forever.
The verse therefore places the continuance of the gifts until that future change. It gives no intimation that they were to cease before the perfect day or at the death of the first apostles. It does not mean they were given only for planting the gospel and then disappeared as no longer needed. They were lost only through apostasy and will be revived with the revival of primitive faith and practice. They are needed even more afterward, against grievous wolves entering in not sparing the flock and men arising speaking perverse things to draw away disciples.
To say the gifts ceased with the apostolic age would falsely make the apostolic age the weak, childish, dark age and the following age of wolves and perverse teachers the perfect age of light and knowledge. The apostolic age was not inferior in spiritual elevation to any succeeding age. Since the gifts were needed then as helps and guards, they are certainly needed now.
Partial Knowledge Made Perfect
Knowledge of the Scriptures in this life remains only in part, so that even after a lifetime of study and prayer many portions of the Bible stay not fully explored. Mysteries are left to be unraveled, and there are statements that human minds cannot harmonize. Some passages will never be perfectly comprehended until in the future life Christ Himself explains them.
Those unclear points are better left undiscussed than made into argument. Spiritual work is instead to devote its energies to proclaiming the great testing truths of the work of redemption, the commandments of God, and the near coming of Christ.
Present knowledge of God is partial and imperfect, and what is incomplete will end when the conflict is over. Christ will acknowledge His faithful workers before the Father, and they will then understand clearly the things that are mysteries to them now.
The seal truth lasts forever after the Bible is no longer needed. It began in the east with only a little light and out of weakness, but searching God's Word made it strong, rising like the sun from cold first light to warmer rays with healing beams. It grows stronger and stronger with the greatest weight and light upon it. All who are saved will be tried upon it, though the test upon it has been only a short time. It increases until they are made immortal and enter the goodly land, where it stands highest and keeps its course like the sun but never sets.
Love Unity and Humility
1 Corinthians 13:10 belongs to God's message to those who claim to be His servants, especially responsible men in publishing work, calling them to humility and to become learners in the school of Christ so the softening, subduing power of God can come into their lives and the Spirit can work with them. It is to be studied and applied by all members of the church for the continuous humbling of individual self, beginning with self-examination and taking self critically in hand. Each person is to deny himself and bear his own cross of self-denial, self-humiliation and self-sacrifice, not lay his cross on another to carry, and to crucify self rather than laying the cross on another.
The verse teaches love that must be brought into daily experience. Surrender of self to God lets a strong, steady, broad and comprehensive belief take possession of the life, casting out all enmity and petty differences from the heart and turning coldness into Christlike affection. Crucified self allows strong love for Christ and a stronger love and growing interest for one another to grow in the heart. Deeper love for Christ produces deeper love for one another, and it is impossible to love Christ while acting discourteously toward one another, drawing apart and showing no love or sympathy.
The verse is instruction to be believed and obeyed, requiring those who believe the truth not to separate into factions, so that their united witness testifies to the power of the truth. It calls God's people to reveal in dealings with one another the same unceasing tenderness the Lord shows to them. When they come together for counsel they are to speak good words to help and strengthen brethren instead of standing apart in self-confidence to watch for opportunity to criticize and condemn, uniting with one another in service as genuine Christians true to faith and duty and jealously guarding one another's interests even though mistakes are made.
The verse stands as part of New Testament teaching on the church's unity and perfection, supporting that church order is ordained for that unity and perfection. It belongs to the teaching that faith, hope and love are the great moral powers of the soul, without whose exercise the most earnest and zealous ministry is not accepted of God and cannot do good to the church, with lack of success in preaching present truth coming from great deficiency in them. Love is the golden chain binding believing hearts to one another in friendship, tenderness and faithful constancy and binding the soul to God, shown in purest and most elevated devotion by earnest desire and efforts to win souls. Through their exercise men come nearer and nearer to perfect holiness, learning pity, compassion and tender love toward brethren who feel the same need of help, helping where they are weak, weeping over the erring and backslidden, breaking the hard, proud, unbelieving heart, and remembering they are but men liable to err of like passions with their brethren, because Christ did all for men when they were helpless and bound in darkness, sin and despair and could do nothing for themselves.
That which is in part is the gifts of prophecy, tongues, knowledge and the other workings of the Spirit, belonging to this present mortal life of walking by faith and seeing dimly, which is as childhood with its weakness and immaturity of thought and action. That which is perfect is the coming day of glory and immortality at the appearing of Christ, when the redeemed will see face to face and know even as they are known, talking with God and Christ and angels as before sin, which is as manhood with its clearer vision, maturity and strength. When that perfect state arrives the partial gifts will fail, cease and be set aside as no longer needed, because its surpassing glory eclipses the brightest displays of this mortal state and brings faith and hope to sight and fulfillment, while love alone never fails but abides as the highest grace here and the crowning glory forever. The gifts therefore continue until that future change and were not withdrawn at the death of the first apostles, for to make the apostolic age the childish age and the age of wolves and perverse teachers the perfect age reverses the meaning, since that age was inferior in spiritual elevation to none that followed. Until then the same teaching calls all believers to crucify self and learn humility in the school of Christ, to let love cast out enmity and coldness and bind heart to heart and to God, and to unite in tender, helpful service instead of separating into criticizing factions.
When Partial Gifts Cease
That which is in part is prophecies, tongues, knowledge and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. They belong to the present mortal, imperfect state of walking by faith and seeing dimly through a glass darkly. That state is likened to childhood, with its weakness and immaturity of thought and action and its partial, darkened knowledge.
That which is perfect is the future perfect day of glory, the immortal state and eternal world of glory. It arrives at Christ's glorious appearing and the beginning of the eternal day of glory, when the redeemed have perfect knowledge. Then they see face to face and know even as they are known, and talk face to face with God, Christ and angels as the first parents did in Eden before sin entered. That condition is likened to manhood, with clearer vision, maturity, strength, perfect light and knowledge.
When that perfect state comes the partial gifts will fail, cease, vanish away and be done away as superseded. They will be set aside as no longer of service or necessary, because the helps needed in the church are no longer required. This is because the surpassing glory of the immortal state eclipses the most brilliant displays of spiritual power and knowledge in this mortal state, the just are made perfect, and faith and hope reach their sight, consummation and fulfillment. Love alone never fails or ends, remaining with faith and hope as the highest Christian grace here and the crowning glory of immortals forever.
The verse therefore places the continuance of the gifts until that future change. It gives no intimation that they were to cease before the perfect day or at the death of the first apostles. It does not mean they were given only for planting the gospel and then disappeared as no longer needed. They were lost only through apostasy and will be revived with the revival of primitive faith and practice. They are needed even more afterward, against grievous wolves entering in not sparing the flock and men arising speaking perverse things to draw away disciples.
To say the gifts ceased with the apostolic age would falsely make the apostolic age the weak, childish, dark age and the following age of wolves and perverse teachers the perfect age of light and knowledge. The apostolic age was not inferior in spiritual elevation to any succeeding age. Since the gifts were needed then as helps and guards, they are certainly needed now.
Partial Knowledge Made Perfect
Knowledge of the Scriptures in this life remains only in part, so that even after a lifetime of study and prayer many portions of the Bible stay not fully explored. Mysteries are left to be unraveled, and there are statements that human minds cannot harmonize. Some passages will never be perfectly comprehended until in the future life Christ Himself explains them.
Those unclear points are better left undiscussed than made into argument. Spiritual work is instead to devote its energies to proclaiming the great testing truths of the work of redemption, the commandments of God, and the near coming of Christ.
Present knowledge of God is partial and imperfect, and what is incomplete will end when the conflict is over. Christ will acknowledge His faithful workers before the Father, and they will then understand clearly the things that are mysteries to them now.
The seal truth lasts forever after the Bible is no longer needed. It began in the east with only a little light and out of weakness, but searching God's Word made it strong, rising like the sun from cold first light to warmer rays with healing beams. It grows stronger and stronger with the greatest weight and light upon it. All who are saved will be tried upon it, though the test upon it has been only a short time. It increases until they are made immortal and enter the goodly land, where it stands highest and keeps its course like the sun but never sets.
Love Unity and Humility
1 Corinthians 13:10 belongs to God's message to those who claim to be His servants, especially responsible men in publishing work, calling them to humility and to become learners in the school of Christ so the softening, subduing power of God can come into their lives and the Spirit can work with them. It is to be studied and applied by all members of the church for the continuous humbling of individual self, beginning with self-examination and taking self critically in hand. Each person is to deny himself and bear his own cross of self-denial, self-humiliation and self-sacrifice, not lay his cross on another to carry, and to crucify self rather than laying the cross on another.
The verse teaches love that must be brought into daily experience. Surrender of self to God lets a strong, steady, broad and comprehensive belief take possession of the life, casting out all enmity and petty differences from the heart and turning coldness into Christlike affection. Crucified self allows strong love for Christ and a stronger love and growing interest for one another to grow in the heart. Deeper love for Christ produces deeper love for one another, and it is impossible to love Christ while acting discourteously toward one another, drawing apart and showing no love or sympathy.
The verse is instruction to be believed and obeyed, requiring those who believe the truth not to separate into factions, so that their united witness testifies to the power of the truth. It calls God's people to reveal in dealings with one another the same unceasing tenderness the Lord shows to them. When they come together for counsel they are to speak good words to help and strengthen brethren instead of standing apart in self-confidence to watch for opportunity to criticize and condemn, uniting with one another in service as genuine Christians true to faith and duty and jealously guarding one another's interests even though mistakes are made.
The verse stands as part of New Testament teaching on the church's unity and perfection, supporting that church order is ordained for that unity and perfection. It belongs to the teaching that faith, hope and love are the great moral powers of the soul, without whose exercise the most earnest and zealous ministry is not accepted of God and cannot do good to the church, with lack of success in preaching present truth coming from great deficiency in them. Love is the golden chain binding believing hearts to one another in friendship, tenderness and faithful constancy and binding the soul to God, shown in purest and most elevated devotion by earnest desire and efforts to win souls. Through their exercise men come nearer and nearer to perfect holiness, learning pity, compassion and tender love toward brethren who feel the same need of help, helping where they are weak, weeping over the erring and backslidden, breaking the hard, proud, unbelieving heart, and remembering they are but men liable to err of like passions with their brethren, because Christ did all for men when they were helpless and bound in darkness, sin and despair and could do nothing for themselves.