Does 'That Which is Perfect' Refer to Scripture?

[presidente]

The idea that 'that which is perfect' in I Corinthians 13 refers to the Bible does not fit the passage or the book.

I Corinthians 13

5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice Paul addresses topics that he will discuss in the book-- utterance and knowledge. He will later write about knowledge puffing up, and various forms of utterance-- such as tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy.

In verse 7 we see that while the church is waiting for Jesus Christ to come back, he says that they come behind in no spiritual gift.

That is not align well with the idea of these spiritual gifts ceasing before Jesus comes back.

In verse 8 he mentions the 'end', which translates (a grammatically infected form of) τέλος (telos). This word is also used in I Corinthians 15:24 in a passage about the resurrection. Christ comes back, the resurrection occurs, then comes to END when Christ delivers the kingdom to God.

Now let's also consider topics mentioned and elaborated on in I Corinthians 13-15. Let's compare some topics in the two chapters.

I Cor. 13 I Cor 14-15
tongues------------------------------------>tongues
prophecy---------------------------------->prophecy
the coming of the perfect-------------> the state of the believer in the resurrection
and those transformed at the return of Christ.

The idea that 'that which is perfect' refers to the Bible does not fit the passage either.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake 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 through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Is your knowledge of God full and complete now, so that you can learn nothing from the apostles? Was Paul's first century understanding like a child's, but yours is like an adult's?

If you have ever had the experience of reading Paul's writings, coming back later and seeing some insight that he clearly had, some knowledge of doctrine, this disproves the interpretation that 'the perfect' refers to New Testament scripture. Clearly you did not know fully just from having the Bible, and it did not make your understanding superior to Paul's.

Another argument I have heard is that this verse refers to New Testament scripture, as evidence that this is the 'that which is perfect' Paul referenced in I Corinthians 13.

James 1:25 (KJV) states: "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed"

If it did refer to that, calling scripture perfect, then scripture was 'perfect' before it was completed and written down, perfect early on when James was written, before I Corinthians 13 was written, and therefore not the perfect thing that Paul referenced in I Corinthians 13, because he was writing of something perfect yet to come.

 

[tablet123]

We know there is prophesy to come.

And we have to have knowledge of God's word.

Why would they cease on earth.

The perfect that has come is when the saints are in heaven then those things will cease.

When the saints are on earth there are things they will do in their Christian lifestyle that are not needed to do in heaven.

When we are in heaven the perfect has come and that which is in part shall be done away.

Charity never fails but those things we did on earth shall be done away with.

On earth we know in part.

In heaven prophecies shall fail for there is no event coming up for it is the end result.

Tongues shall cease which edify on earth.

Knowledge shall vanish away. for no more studying the word of God and to know it.

Charity is greater than faith and hope for they are only needed on earth.

You do not need faith and hope if you are with Jesus for you see.

But charity, love in action, will go on forever.

Of all we did on earth only love will go on forever.

It is not speaking these things will cease while on earth but they will be done away with when the saints are with Jesus.

But charity will go on forever for charity never fails.

Eph 4:13 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:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

This is speaking of being a perfect man on earth.

Jas 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

The tongue is the most unruly part of the body that is apt to sin the most.

If a person can tame the tongue and not sin then they will not have difficulty to tame the whole body and be a perfect man.

The reason is the tongue does not bother some people as much in the way of sin as doing a physical act of sin.

Like thinking of sin like lusting after a woman does not bother them as much as doing the physical act.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

If no person can tame the tongue then God has to tame it.

Some people claiming Christ can belittle, and be sarcastic at times, but they would not want to physically hurt someone.

When we post it is the same thing as the tongue for they are words.

 

[timf]

The cessation of spiritual gifts seems to be in view as chapter 12 is the description of these gifts and chapter 14 is the description of the abuse of these gifts.

In Hebrews the phrase, "taste of the age to come" might be taken to mean that these gifts will be routine in the establishment of the earthly kingdom for Israel after the tribulation.

 

[GWH]

We know there is prophesy to come.

And we have to have knowledge of God's word.

Why would they cease on earth.

The perfect that has come is when the saints are in heaven then those things will cease.

When the saints are on earth there are things they will do in their Christian lifestyle that are not needed to do in heaven.

When we are in heaven the perfect has come and that which is in part shall be done away.

Charity never fails but those things we did on earth shall be done away with.

On earth we know in part.

In heaven prophecies shall fail for there is no event coming up for it is the end result.

Tongues shall cease which edify on earth.

Knowledge shall vanish away. for no more studying the word of God and to know it.

Charity is greater than faith and hope for they are only needed on earth.

You do not need faith and hope if you are with Jesus for you see.

But charity, love in action, will go on forever.

Of all we did on earth only love will go on forever.

It is not speaking these things will cease while on earth but they will be done away with when the saints are with Jesus.

But charity will go on forever for charity never fails.

Eph 4:13 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:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

This is speaking of being a perfect man on earth.

Jas 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

The tongue is the most unruly part of the body that is apt to sin the most.

If a person can tame the tongue and not sin then they will not have difficulty to tame the whole body and be a perfect man.

The reason is the tongue does not bother some people as much in the way of sin as doing a physical act of sin.

Like thinking of sin like lusting after a woman does not bother them as much as doing the physical act.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

If no person can tame the tongue then God has to tame it.

Some people claiming Christ can belittle, and be sarcastic at times, but they would not want to physically hurt someone.

When we post it is the same thing as the tongue for they are words.

I agree that perfection is not attainable on earth, so that complete knowledge refers to heaven. However, I think Eph. 4:11-15 and 2Tim. 3:16-17 indicate that spiritual/moral maturity is attained via learning GW via known languages.

 

[lrs68]

I don't have access right now but I have a list from 1st Century Church Fathers to Calvin himself proclaiming the (Perfect to Come) is when we finally see Yeshua for Whom He truly is.

Paul even alluded to this by saying now he only sees that moment as a child but in time he will see it perfectly.