Part 1 - Perfect Knowledge

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called When That Which Is Perfect Is Come.

But when that which is ‘perfect’ (Gk. teleious, complete) is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (1 Cor. 13:10)

We need to see what exactly Paul is calling that which is perfect.”

As most Christians know from the Acts 9 account, Saul of Tarsus was called by Jesus from heaven to be converted and become Paul “the Apostle to the Gentiles.” (Rom. 11:13). Paul spent the first 4 years after his miraculous conversion in the Arabian desert (Gal. 1:17). There he received revelation directly from the ascended Lord of heaven (Gal. 1:12) concerning a new gospel for the Gentile “body of Christ.” He received knowledge concerning the new “gospel of the grace of God” (Act. 20:24) that he was commissioned to bring to “the Gentiles” and “all men” as Gentiles (Gal. 3:28).

This new gospel was radically new information and truth that had been kept secret in God since the world began” (Rom. 16:25), and it was often contrary to that of the Jews “gospel of the kingdom” that Jesus of Nazareth had given His 12 Apostles for “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” only (cf. Matt. 10:5-6). Paul calls this new revelation “the mystery” (the ‘secret plan of God’) in twelve verses found in his epistles only. Here is a key verse concerning this “mystery” or secret plan of God.

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my (Paul’s) gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of ‘the mystery (Gk. musterion, ‘secret’ plan of God),’ which was kept secret since the world began,” (Romans 16:25)

In writing 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 (below), Paul was saying there was a soon coming time that would mark a significant change in how God would communicate and reveal the complete “knowledge of the truth” (1Tim. 2:4) of this gospel for grace believers. Here below Paul says these temporal ‘knowledge gifts’ that had begun at Pentecost would then be ‘ceasing, vanishing, and be done away’

 “… whether there be ‘Prophecies,’ They Shall Fail; whether there be ‘Tongues,’ They Shall Cease; whether there be (The Word Of) ‘Knowledge,’ It Shall Vanish Away.

9 For we (currently) know (only) in part, and we prophesy (speak forth only) in part.

10BUT when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be ‘done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man (mature), I put away childish things.

12 For Now (at the time of Paul’s writing 1Cor.) we see through a glass (a mirror), darkly (obscured); but Then face to face (have a full unveiled view): Now I (Paul) know (only) in part; but Then shall I (Paul) know (Gk. epiginosko, have a fully clear view) even as also I am known.” (1 Cor. 13:8-12 (KJV)

You see, at that time, early in Paul ministry of this new gospel of pure grace, he had not yet received the full or complete revelation of truth for this age of grace, nor had he yet written all of his thirteen epistles. Thus, at that time, God was temporarily using these ‘knowledge gifts’ listed here, along with the preaching of Paul and his co-workers. Paul says these temporary knowledge-gifts would “be done away” as soon as the full revelation of truth had come to be written, thus completing “the word of God” – the Bible.

In Ephesians 3:4, Paul says we today can have the same knowledge of the truth of “the mystery” as he had… by reading his epistles.

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he (Christ) made known unto me (Paul) the mystery (‘the secret,’ see Col. 1:27); (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;” (Eph. 3:1-5)

In our study, we have no interest in appealing to Bible “scholars,” commentaries, preacher’s study notes, or denominational doctrine for enlightenment. We also need to set aside our past emotional religious experiences and rely solely upon what the “the word of truth” has to say as “the Spirit of truth” opens the word to us. Let’s now see what the Holy Scriptures teach us of 1Cor 13:8-12… in the context I’ve established.

Our text comes from First Corinthians 13. Paul founded “the church of God, which is at Corinth” (1Cor 1:2, cf. Acts 18:1–17). This letter was of Paul’s most early epistles (~AD 53–57), after Romans. Paul in 1 Corinthians was, among other things, correcting issues of immorality in “the church, which is at Corinth,” and also the misuse of the knowledge gifts of the Spirit as they were functioning at that time. Paul devoted much of chapter 14 to correct these immature believers in their practice of the knowledge gifts,’ that they might be used properly for “edifying (building up) and “understanding” of the truth (e.g., 1Cor 14:15-31).

Paul prescribed how a Christian meeting of that time would function. “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” (1 Cor. 14:26). These knowledge gifts were miraculous spiritual gifts given only for the period of time before Paul had received the full revelation of the grace gospel... which took about 30 years and ‘progressive’ revelation through the book of Acts.

These ‘knowledge gifts’ included “prophesy” (speaking forth under the leading of the Spirit), “tongues” (speaking in recognized, but unlearned existing languages), “wisdom” and “knowledge” for speaking gospel truth.  These were given to convey the new truth of Paul’s “gospel of the grace of God” because Paul had not yet received the full revelation that would later “fulfill (Gk. pleroo, complete) the word of God” (Col. 1:25).

The gift of “tongues” in Acts 2 and in Paul’s epistles clearly was not the gibberish that people practice today calling it “tongues.” No, the verses below reveal what “tongues” really was as seen on the day of Pentecost among Jesus’ Jewish Messianic believers.

“And they (‘ye men of Israel,’ Act 2:22) were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other ‘tongues (existing languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance.

(Note here who heard these tongue speakers and where they came from.)

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

(Note here that other men heard them in their “own language)

6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own (known, existing) language.” (Acts 2:4-6)

Then also, the gift of “knowledge” was not as some suppose today, about discerning people psychological or spiritual problems, or other private information. No, the gift of “knowledge” was miraculously given revelatory of the truth of the new grace gospel and the new grace relationship between believers and the Lord… and was to always be for their being ‘built up’ in the truth of the faith (1 Cor. 14:3).

Then also, the gift of “prophesy” was forth telling, speaking or preaching forth understandable gospel truth, not necessarily foretelling the future. It was not “Thus saith the Lord… thus and so as heard in Charismatic meeting in these days… There is nothing new to be revealed today since we now have the whole of the truth of the grace gospel… we have the written “word of God.”

Paul here tell us the object of the use of these spiritual knowledge-gifts. “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” (1 Cor. 14:3). These temporary knowledge gifts that were intended to build up, stir up, and cheer up the believers “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying (building up) of the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:12)