1 Corinthians 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
The identity of 'that which is perfect' can be identified from the verses themselves. The verse says, "We know in part". What then, is 'in part?' It speaks of knowledge. What causes partial knowledge to disappear? Complete knowledge! The perfecter (or completer) must therefore be of the same substance as the thing being completed, which is "that which is perfect".
So, perfect has to do with the completion of the message committed to the Apostle Paul. It is a reference to the fullness of the knowledge of the mystery revelation given through him. Ephesians 4 sheds further light on this process by telling us:
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. ... 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Spiritual gifts were given --and were needed-- 'until' the revelation was completed. In this regard, Colossians 1:25-26 tells us:
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
The mystery revealed to Paul completed the Word of God. It ended the need for further revelation. The written Word of God is now complete. It is at this point that the claims of the prophecy and tongues movement are most disturbing. When a person asserts to prophecy God's will or interprets tongues, they are 'claiming' that God is speaking through them (Acts 2:4). This is a blanket denial of the complete and final authority of the written Word of God.
We simply cannot believe that God's Word is complete while claiming that He continues to give a further word through extra-Biblical revelations. This is exactly what was done with prophecy and interpretations. In the Jewish church in Acts, these giftings were still valid as they were used to communicate revelation from God, since the completed scriptures were not yet available.
Today, the Bible is the full revelation of God. The scripture is complete. God has finished His Word. It is through the Word of truth written in a book studied as rightly divided that God speaks today --and through which we grow up in Christ and become workmen of God (Ephesians 4:15; 2 Timothy 2:15).
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