A “Perfect” Lesson (1 Co.13)• 1 Co.12:1, recalls 7:1 • 1 Co.12:4-11, variety of spiritual gifts• Three groups:

1. Mental1. Mental powers: powers: • Wisdom; Knowledge; Faith

2. EvidentialEvidential powers (signs): powers (signs): • Healing; Miracles (in general);

Prophecy; Discerning of spirits3. LanguageLanguage powers powers:

• Tongues; Interpretation

Variety of spiritual gifts (1 Co.12:12-30)

• These gifts work in one body (12) • Members differ (14-27) • Each member has its place, leaving

no room for arrogance or jealousy • Not all had miraculous powers

(28-30)• Seek better way (31): love (Jn.14:15)

1 Co.13, motive behind spiritual gifts

• Three divisions:

1.1. ImportanceImportance of love, 1-3

2.2. CharacteristicsCharacteristics of love, 4-7

3.3. PermanencePermanence of love, 8-13

1 Co.14, regulation of spiritual gifts

1 Co.13 – A Love-ly Chapter1 Co.13 – A Love-ly Chapter

• 1-3: 0!

• 4-7, bull’s eye

– Jealousy and arrogance (12:14-27) are incompatible w. love

– Pentecostals say we need miracu-lous gifts to reach the highest level of maturity

• They should look at Corinth (1:7)

8-13, emphasize the eternal

• Love is permanent (abides)

• Spiritual gifts are temporary

• Paul selects one spiritual gift from each category in chap.12 (synecdoche):

– ProphecyProphecy (12:10; 13:2)

– TonguesTongues (12:10; 13:1)

– KnowledgeKnowledge (12:8; 13:2)

• 9: We “know” (v.8) in partin part; we prophesy (v.8) in partin part

• 10, when perfectperfect comes, in partin part will be done away

– PerfectPerfect = completecomplete • After NT books were complete,

prophets ceased • After OT books were complete,

prophets ceased

– In partIn part = spiritual gift method of revelation

– Perfect =Perfect = the finished revelation

Spiritual gift method of revelation:

• No one place contained all truth (NT)– Ac.2 – 10– Col.4:16, part here, part there

• After Paul sent 1 Corinthians, no need for prophet to repeat it. Ja.1:25

• The incomplete and complete thing must be of the same nature

– Incomplete method of revelation (pro-phecy, tongues, knowledge)

– Complete method of revelation (NT)

PartialPartial and CompleteComplete

• If lovelove is the perfect thing, it confuses the figures:

– In part revelationrevelation – complete lovelove??

• If the coming of Christcoming of Christ is the perfect thing, it confuses the figures

– Do we have His partial coming now?

Illustration # 1 (v.11)• When I was a child…

– Gospel was revealed a part at a time, like a child’s learning one small lesson at a time

– Childhood is necessary, but not permanent

– Spiritual gifts existed in the immature period of the church; they were not permanent (Ac.11:15) • Paul passed from childhood to

manhood on earthon earth…

Illustration # 2 (v.12)

• We see now (as Paul writes) in a mirror, dimly…

• Bronze mirrormirror: a polished piece of metal

– If If mirror mirror is a figure of speech, so is is a figure of speech, so is face to faceface to face

– If If mirror mirror is incomplete knowledge, is incomplete knowledge, then then face to face face to face is complete is complete knowledgeknowledge

• Does not describe Does not describe what, what, but but howhow

Know just as I also am known

• Refers to full revelation

– The mirror image gives an imperfect view of one’s face

– The complete view is the way others know us

• From Ac.2 – 11

– In Ac.11, Peter had to explain Ac.10

– We know (Ep.3:3-6)

Faith, hope, and love abide (13)

• They abideabide on earth in the more excellent way

• Something else does notnot abideabide:

– The in partin part method of revelation (8)

– These verses highlight the supremacy of love

The Contrasts:

Clearly, 12Dimly, 12

Man, 11Child, 11

Complete, 10Incomplete, 9

Permanent, 8, 13Temporary, 8

Love, 8Spiritual gifts, 8

Tongues must cease before the second coming

• Tongues----cease (8) – No longer needed after completed NT

• Faith & Hope-----------------abide – Until Lord comes (Hb.11:1; Ro.8:24)

• Love--------------------------------------------eternity– If perfect = 2nd coming, no time for faith

and hope to abide after gifts cease (8, 13)– Faith and hope MUST abide longer than

tongues; they cease at 2nd coming – Love never fails, surpasses faith and

hope (and spiritual gifts)

Typical Pentecostal position

Tongues----cease when Lord comesFaith & Hope-----cease when Lord comes

(contradicts vv. 8 and 13)Love never fails -------------------------eternity

Reply: Reply: Contradicts 8 & 13[Faith, hope, and love abide][Faith, hope, and love abide][Where does he say spiritual gifts [Where does he say spiritual gifts abide?]abide?]

If someone could eliminate 1 Co.13 . . .

• Would not prove their existence today

• Would simply prove one argument wrong

We know that spiritual gifts have ceased:

1.1. The manner of receiving the gifts The manner of receiving the gifts no longer in forceno longer in force (Ac.8:14-18)

2.2. Gifts have fulfilled their purposeGifts have fulfilled their purpose (Mk.16:20; Hb.2:3-4)

3.3. If spiritual gifts continue, so does If spiritual gifts continue, so does new revelation, and NT is not new revelation, and NT is not completecomplete (2 T.3:16-17)

4.4. If spiritual gifts continue, demon-If spiritual gifts continue, demon-strate it!strate it! (Rv.2:2; 2 Co.12:12)