Have Certain gifts ceased?
1Cor 12 makes it clear that certain spiritual gifts given to the body of Christ. Paul draws our attention to differing body parts to liken them to the diversity of gifts. Each part of the Body is to do it's bit for the benefit of all.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.
Verse 11 concludes 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Firstly we must point out that any spiritual gift given to an individual in the local church and the corporate church from Pentecost until now come from God.( James1:17) This I believe is to mean that when we read that a particular person does something supernatural using the gift they have whether it be teaching, prophesying, healing etc it is not a permanent fixture in other words it does not belong to them it did not originate from them. The gift is given from God through Christ to the believer to use. The believer is the instrument through which the Lord does His work and therefore the glory goes to Him. Those who claim to have a healing ministry or have a claim on prosperity like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copland and Joyce Meyer et al are just false and should be avoided.
The question I would like to ask is are certain gifts still valid today or have they ceased?
The classic argument against certain gifts being for today is found in 1Corinthians Chapter 13
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
We are going to look at this in 3 ways
1. Context
2. The plain meaning of the text in English
3. Greek meaning of the “Perfect”
1 Context
The context is the more excellent way, Love. The Corinthian Church had no problem exercising the gifts they just did not use them in a decent and orderly way and therefore it was without love.
2 The plain meaning of the text in English
Vs 8
Paul explains love never fails this of cause must be understood in the light of God being love and He being eternal hence love never fails. Paul compares that which never fails to those things that will. In fact he says they will fail, cease and vanish away. They include prophecy, tongues and knowledge.
Prophecy = will fail
Tongues = cease
Knowledge = it will vanish away
Vs 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. This section becomes clearer as we go through verses 10 and 11.
The time frame
Vs 10 tells us when all these things will fail, cease and will vanish away. It will be “when that which is perfect has come” The question is, what is the perfect here speaking of? Note Vs 12 when Paul is writing he
speaks of a present time “For now we see "and a future time , "but then" the same is found in verse 10 and when that,” & “has come,” “then that” then finally back to the present time “and now abides”.
So it is in the future that the things that are in part "fail," "cease" or "will be done away"
At this point many teach that the “the perfect” refers to the cannon of scripture, yet not once in the context or in fact in the whole of scripture do we find the mention that the word of God will be completed.
In fact the opposite is true. (Ps 89:2;119:89,152, Is 40:8, Matt 24:35,1Pet1:25 ). God is eternal as is the word who became flesh the same word who created all things, Jesus the Christ.
If these teachers want to make an argument for certain gifts ceasing then I where is it in writing.
Continuing then in Vs11 Paul takes us through the process of growing up comparing a child and a man to that of looking at ourselves in a mirror dimly. The word dimly is from the Greek word meaning obscured. In other words as a child, we can’t see what we are going to look like when we are a man. (fully mature) Hence verse 9 says “For we know in part and we prophesy in part”
Meaning as a child we know in part and prophecy in part. But as a fully grown man we will be complete and will be fully known and know all.(verse 12) The part will therefore be done away with.
So when does this happen?
In verse 10 Paul says. “But then” “Then” refers to the “when”. But then face to face.
But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
We read in 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Furthermore 2Cor 3:18 says But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Brothers and sister in Christ. When Jesus comes back to gather His Church both those who are dead and alive will all be like Him, our image will be made perfect as Christ is perfect. The corruptible will put on incorruptible (1Cor 15:50-54) because we will see Jesus “Face to Face.
Yes “when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
we will be complete and all gifts will cease except one, love.
3 Greek meaning of the words “Perfect”
The word perfect in Greek G5046 τέλειος teleios (tel'-ei-os) adj.Means complete, perfected or matured
{(neuter as noun, with G3588) completeness; in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.}
[from G5056]
KJV: of full age, man, perfect
So we know it is speaking of a complete state that has yet to come. The idea of that which is in part is done away with makes perfect sense. Why would you we be looking to reach a complete state that's only partly complete?
To conclude If we are to teach that the perfect has already come, according to this line of reasoning, then we also know fully as we are fully known. Obviously, the perfect cannot be the completion of scripture, the Canon, since if it were, then knowledge would also have ceased, and we would know everything fully.
We would have more knowledge than the Apostles, but evidently we don't which is why there is so much controversy over the meaning of such scriptures as the ones we are looking at.
Hence it is when we are face to face is when we are complete when we know as we are known.
We do not come face to face with the scriptures as found in a book , but we do come face to face with a person. We are not known by scripture, by the book containing the word. But we are known by the word who became flesh Jesus Christ.
The whole thing is that we as believers are not perfect, are we? We need the Gifts of the Spirit because we lack Christ's working in and through our lives. We don't need them when we are complete in Him
Yes all gifts are valid for today. The gifts will cease when Jesus returns for His Church.
There is the need to follow the orderly instruction given by Paul as to how the gifts should be used, decently and in order. (1Cor 14:40)
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Let love be the focus as love endures forever.
Amen