UMMM There two types of the knowledge in the Bible. 1 Corinthians speaks of the GIFT of knowledge. No one would say the old testament believers had the spiritual gifts yet they do speak of knowledge and wisdom. One is the spiritual gift of knowledge the other is LEARNED from study.
Your answer does not solve the other issue I bring up:
I do not think Paul would first write "it all ceases after a while" and than write his advise to: "desire spiritual gifts". That does not make sense to me. Can you explain that?
"No one would say the old testament believers had the spiritual gifts yet they do speak of knowledge and wisdom"
I think this is too black an white. The old testament speaks sometimes about a gift of the Spirit, or being filled with....
And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; Ex 35:31
And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: Deut 34:9
This verse I found also in the old testament it speaks of Jesus:
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; Jes 11:22
While I did read this I was thinking about what Jesus Himself says about the Spirit. I found a connection between knowledge and Spirit in it that I think is important in this issue of “gift of knowledge” and knowledge.
This says Jesus:
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you..... But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto John 14:16,17, 26
When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. Joh 16:13, 14, 15
Jesus did send unto US the Comforter whom is the Holy Spirit, and this is what He will do:
He shall teach you all things
bring all things to your remembrance
He will guide you into all truth
He will shew you things to come
He shall glorify me
He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you
I do not always see a clear distinction between the gifts of the Spirit and the general receiving of the Spirit or His fulfillment. Do you? Look:
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
To another ......
….....
But all these works that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 1 Cor 12:4-12
I see much similarity between Jesus talking about the Spirit and Paul. Do you think that what Jesus said is ceased too? I see the Spirit as a big Gift in the bible. And some receive specific this from/by Him, others that, all according to His will, to build up the body (church). It is one Spirit, one Comforter, I am not sure how you want to "slice Him?"
When you say the perfection did came and the gifts did cease, is the Spirit still needed than?
I read in Acts that with Pentecostal the “church is born”. When the Spirit is given to build up. What is exactly ceased? Is the (general) gift of the Spirit ceased too? And when you say the Spirit is still working, shall He still teach us things and shew us what is too come, as Jesus mentions? Or is this part of the bible also not for us anymore..... Because how can we distinct than what is teaching for the first church, and what is teaching for the latter churches?
"There two types of the knowledge in the Bible. 1 Corinthians speaks of the GIFT of knowledge. .......One is the spiritual gift of knowledge the other is LEARNED from study."
As you say no where is mentioned that 'perfection' means 'when Jesus comes'. I can tell you: no where is mentioned that this 'knowledge' is just 'gifts' look. → 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. 1 Cor 13:8
I agree there is general knowledge and a gift of knowledge. But as soon as you have the Spirit you have (general) Spiritual Wisdom living inside of you. "A gift" is something specific for certain tasks to build up the church. I think God is Spirit and we can only learn real knowledge than by Spirit.
We do have the attitude to put God in a box. Our mind, spirit, cannot comprehend Him or His ways. And we are totally lost about His will when we do not have Him inside of us. Knowledge comes from God. Even when we study the bible
we cannot study without God opening our eyes and mind. So is God still able to give revelation, Spirit, gifts of the Spirit? I think we can agree on that, He is able. But than the next one:
Is God still giving gifts? Weather it is called “gifts of the Spirit” or just..... “revelation” ??As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Dan 1:17
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, ... Eph 1:17-19
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; Col 1:9
Without God, we are blind. Without His Spirit we cannot walk in the Spirit. Without the Spirit of knowledge we cannot understand knowledge. Only in Him and through Him we find wisdom, knowledge, enlightenment and understanding. What do you think about this?
Why does God send His Spirit?
Was this only for comforting? What was the task of the Spirit in the new testament? Why did God send the Spirit instead of Jesus? I like to take the big picture of the bible to explain the work (and knowledge) of the Spirit.
Old testament = Written law on paper. Old covenant.
People studied the Tenach, the prophets and the Law. The priests did (had to) learn the people what God wants.
New testament = Spirit as law. New covenant.
People receive the Spirit. The Spirit teaches knowledge of God. We are all priests - Rev 1:6
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Hand 7:51
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Rom2:29
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:2
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Rom8:9
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. 2 Cor 3:6
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Gal 5:18
To understand God, we need His Spirit and we need more of the Spirit to understand God more.
So when we come to the water that comes out of the Rock of our salvation (Jesus) that went with them (1Cor 3:4) in the desert, and lick (thirsty) the water like with Gideon (Judge 7). So how much of the Spirit do you want. Half, full....overflowing... more and more? You see now a bigger picture? And again in Ezechiel 47 when he is swimming (total surrender) in the (living) water running out of under the temple? What comes out of your Temple? (1Cor 3:6)You want to stand aside, stand with water to your knees, or swim in the living water?
He that believes on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)Joh 7:38,39
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Rev 22:17
Whom was from all the apostles an expert in the old testament, old covenant? Had much, much human knowledge? Yes Paul, raised at the feet of Gamaliel a pharisee (Acts 5:34, Acts 22:3). So if you want fully to understand the new covenant, the new testament rooted in the old testament, read all Pauls letters from front to end and from end to front.
He knows, by knowledge and personal experience that
1 Jesus was real, and risen (he saw Him)
2 Jesus fulfilled the law (he knew the books)
3 God gives the Spirit (that is what makes him -you-me- see Acts 7:19)
4 The Spirit gives knowledge of God. (he testifies of it)
5 The Spirit gives......
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
However we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.1 Cor 2
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.Joh 3:5,6
Jesus brings the Kigdom of God, and the Kingdom of God can only entered by the Spirit. Everyone whom accepts Christ receives the Spirit.
When we pray to understand God more, we pray for more Spirit.