Read my reply to notuptone. I dare ya!
But I do not see anywhere in the word of God that says the gifts of the Spirit were for a mere sign to Israel. Got the Scripture to refute me on this?
Gifts of the Spirit are not a sign, the only sign, which is to unbelievers is the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 14). The Gifts are for the edification of the body of Christ. Why would gifts such as messages of wisdom and messages of knowledge be a sign to Israel? These are gifts to build up the Christian, not the nation of Israel for the sake of a sign. If gifts of the Spirit such as wisdom and knowledge and the ability to speak in a different langauge or the ability to be an interpretor of a langauge, how would those be exempt from the other gifts such as healing and miracles and prophecy? How could God say that these gifts here in 1 Cor 12 you can choose these (wisdom and knowledge) but the rest are long gone for the 21st century church? That is cherry picking the word of God.
I assume you didn't read my paper so I can only assume that you don't want the Biblical evidence. I read your post to Roger and Paul did say those things, however, he was writing to first century Christians in those cities, not to you. The "perfect" is not love, it is the completion of that which is in part, which Paul said was prophecy and knowledge. the knowledge that Paul is speaking of is not human understanding, it is knowledge given by God, revelation.
KJV 1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; (1Co 12:8 KJV)
This is the knowledge that was in part. What needs to be understood is that the apostles didn't have the Christian faith given to them all at one time, things were revealed to them over time. That's why prophesy and knowledge were in part. All of this is explained in my article.
However, there is Scripture that tells us what the Gifts were for.
18 Behold,
I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. (Isa 8:1 KJV)
Here is the passage that Paul referred to when he said that tongues was a sign for the unbeliever.
1 Woe to the crown of pride,
to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! {overcome: Heb. broken}
2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
3
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: {under...: Heb. with feet}
4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. {eateth: Heb. swalloweth}
5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. {doctrine: Heb. the hearing?}
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: {must be: or, hath been}
11
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. {stammering...: Heb. stammerings of lip} {will...: or, he hath spoken}
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:
yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Wherefore
hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. {trodden...: Heb. a treading down to it}
(Isa 28:3-18 KJV)
That's what Paul is referring to when he says,
21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and
yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. (1Co 14:21 KJV)
The people Isaiah is prophesying to is Israel.