THAT WHICH IS PERFECT

 

GOD STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES

Mark 16:20 "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."

         The Lord confirmed the preaching of His Word with miracles. If Jesus and the first century Christians needed the Word confirmed with the miraculous (Heb. 2:4), then we do too. There is no scripture that says these miraculous signs have passed away.

Some people have interpreted "that which is perfect" in 1 Corinthians 13:10, as being the complete Bible. This has led them to believe that the gifts of the Spirit have ceased. Although God's Word is perfect (Ps. 19:7), it is not the "perfect thing" that is referred to here. 1 Corinthians 13:8 does say that tongues shall cease, but it will not happen until "that which is perfect is come."

In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul says, "when that which is perfect is come, we shall see face to face." This speaks of seeing the Lord face to face, instead of vaguely, as through a dark glass, as it is now. Some might argue that this is speaking in a symbolic sense, instead of literally face to face. But the next comparison in this verse says that then, "when that which is perfect is come," we shall know all things even as we are also known. There is no other way to interpret this, except as a description of when we will stand before the Lord, after this life. Then we will be face to face, and know all things even as also we are known.

Verse eight says that at the time prophecies fail and tongues cease, knowledge will vanish away. This is talking about the next life, or the new heavens and earth, because one of the signs of the end times is that knowledge shall increase (Dan. 12:4).

So the "that which is perfect" that Paul speaks of, cannot be the Bible. It has to be either our glorified body, or Jesus at His second coming. Either way, these verses establish that until "that which is perfect is come," tongues and prophecy will remain. They are still valid gifts, and even today, it is God's will to accompany the preaching of His Word with miracles.

FOOT NOTE:

As I have had to point out to many people who try to explain when the “perfect” comes, Paul uses the Greek word for perfect (1 Corinthians 13: 10) is “teleion” (teleios) which is a noun meaning the perfect end comes.  He then tells us in 1 Corinthians 15: 24 when the perfect end will come.  Again, he uses the Greek word (telos) which which also means perfect end.  So, if some of these illiterate would be, interpreters of the Bible would just take a few years to learn Greek Grammar they would recognize that the perfect end when will occur as Paul writes, “Then comes the perfect end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until  he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15: 26).  Paul tells us, “Lo I tell you a mystery.  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be be changed......then will come to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ (1 Cor. 15: 51 – 54).  So, after the resurrection from the dead, that  will be the time when the imperfect passes away.  Until then, we need to receive salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3: 3, 5, 7)and use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12: 6 – 10; 1 Cor. 12: 8 – 10)in ministry.  And the proof of that are the “Signs (Mk. 16: 17 – 18), wonders and Miracles (Acts 2: 22; Heb. 2: 4). These foolish people who try to explain that when Paul referred to “when the perfect has come” he meant that he was talking about  agape love.  No.  Agape love is one parts or sections of the “fruit” (singular) of the Spirit which Paul describes in Galatians 5: 22: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.”   Those who make this wrong explanation, when closely examined, do not have “agape love” because they do not have the required Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  They are unable to forgive 7 times a day let alone the required 70 times 70 that Jesus explained that we must be able to forgive our fellow servants (Matt. 18: 21 – 35).  If not, they become the “Wicked servant!” who loses their salvation and are turned over to the torturers (32 – 35).  They betray themselves as being what Jesus said to the Sadducees, “You are wrong because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matt. 22: 29).