Continuing with his theme of the gifts of the Spirit being temporary, Paul now makes a statement and gives an illustration of this very thing. Let’s read it together:
“For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”
1 Corinthians 13:9-11 NIV
Question 1. What is the statement Paul makes showing the temporary nature of the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.
In this life on earth, we have incomplete knowledge. We only know part of the story, part of the plan, part of what God is doing in our world. This is one reason we are told to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV). Our own understanding of any situation, at any given time, is only partial, so we should not trust it.
This is why using mere human logic to make decisions is inadequate. We do not and cannot know all the facts. Job’s counselors were ineffective in counseling him as they simply did not know the extremely significant events recorded for us in Job chapter 1. They only knew “in part.”
But there is a time coming when “completeness” will be ours - when we will know fully even as we are fully known. When we see Jesus face to face, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2), and we will be whole and complete, perfect and holy. This will be a time of fullness like we’ve never known when an eternity of worship will erupt from our hearts as we declare the worth of the Lamb who, by His death, has clothed us in white robes of righteousness. It will be a time of unending joy as we surround the throne of God and the Lamb.
In this time of “completeness,” God’s dwelling place will be with us, so that His presence, which has been our comfort, our strength, and protection by faith, will now be our eternal home. The purchase Jesus made at the cross will be fully realized as “He will be with us, and He will be our God” (Revelation 21:3) and we will be His people.
At that time, all of earth’s cares and sorrows, the reminders of our sin and the loss of our loved ones, will be entirely erased. Jesus, with His pierced hands, will bend down to gently wipe away every tear, just as He wiped away our record of wrongs. Therefore, sorrow and sighing will give way to gladness and joy. “And those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isaiah 35:10 NIV).
In the time when everything is completed, there will be no more death, for it has been swallowed up in victory. There will be no more mourning, crying, or pain of any kind, “for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21: 4).
Question 2. What are your thoughts as you contemplate this time of completeness that is coming soon?
Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.
Question 3. What illustration does Paul use in 1 Corinthians 13:11?
Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.
Friend, when we see Jesus, we will have fully matured, grown up into perfection, living in our glorified bodies as full adults. “How naturally adults despise and abandon their infant thoughts! In the future state, the things to be known will be open to our eyes, and our knowledge will be free from all obscurity and error.” (The New Matthew Henry Commentary).
Soon we will be done with growing in the gospel, for we will have grown up when we see Jesus. But that time is not now, for as long as we are on this earth, we will be growing and maturing, progressing from glory to glory until we are received into the arms of our God. Oh, Lord Jesus, come quickly!