In looking at the question of, “when the perfect comes”, I
want to examine the phrase in its context. I will try to
share some thoughts concerning, “the imperfect”, and, “the
perfect” and the purpose of gifts within this context. We
will ask the question of whether the Bible actually says
that, “gifts will cease”.
I do, of course, have a particular view, with which you may
agree or disagree, but my prayer is that you might find
something useful in discovering what the Word of God has
to say on what is an important subject, and understand
more of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ and of His Holy
Spirit, that we may become partakers by faith of every
powerful act in love which the Holy Spirit might impart to
us, that in the Church, the Lord Jesus might build and we
might grow.
When Paul wrote his first letter to the Church at Corinth, it
was to a Church which was struggling with the most
horrific problems. Immorality, disorder, rebellion and
misunderstandings were all part of the everyday life of the
Church, and were problems which Paul sought to address.
He refers to the church in Corinth as babies and implore
them to grow up. He sees them as ignorant and disorderly
and in addressing them, uses phrases such as, “Do you not
know,” and, “I would not have you ignorant.” He seeks to
establish orderly conduct in worship, and love and respect
for one another.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 7, Paul begins by
acknowledging that the Corinthians have amongst them the
working of every spiritual gift, but in verse 10, recognises
that the problems in the Church are not being dealt with by
gifts alone. Divisions and factions were then, as now, rife
in the Church, with various apostles and leaders being
followed, gifts and ministries being a contention, and unity
having broken down. Paul makes his appeal in verse 10:
“That you all agree with one another, so that there
may be no divisions amongst you, and that you
may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”
This is Paul’s first statement of his purpose in writing this
letter. He wants to see unity and growth.
He continues from verse 17, with a discourse about wisdom
and the power of the cross. The place of wisdom which is
of God, not of men, is where we lay down our lives,
fragmented as they are, in order to take up the life of Jesus
Christ. It is to be joined by an abiding faith into that
eternal hope, and we are to become partakers of his divine
and loving nature, as we are baptised, not only with water
by men, but also by the Holy Spirit, into the body of Jesus.
Unity is not in being a Baptist or Anglican or Methodist,
nor by following someone’s particular religious regulation,
but in belonging to the body of Christ by faith.
Recent developments have sought to bring together
different denominations in order to promote unity.
However, whilst some might feel that progress in unity is
being made, Ecumenism will never be the instrument of
baptism into the body of Jesus. This is still the work of the
Holy Spirit, which happens where human precept cannot
touch. Paul’s first answer then to our question of unity is
our relationship together in the body of Christ. In this
body, Christ is both the wisdom and power (verse 24).
In chapter 2, Paul brings the wisdom and power of God to
the Corinthians – firstly to the babies, with a demonstration
of the power of God. In chapter 2 verses 4 and 5, he
explains that this power comes from the Holy Spirit, and is
demonstrated so that their faith might not rest in men, but
in God. This, of course, contradicts the arguments of some
who criticise gifts and would have us believe that gifts
glorify men rather than God. Paul saw it the other way,
that men might see the gift and believe God. He sees the
gift, not purely as a means of scripture being written, but as
a living dynamic towards people whose only hope was in
the living God. Such a demonstration encouraged real faith
as the Holy Spirit touched people’s lives.
Obviously there was something different about the gifts
which Paul displayed. The Corinthians’ own gifts seemed
to produce problems but Paul’s produced faith and growth.
He spoke and operated, not from a worldly understanding
of power, but from the mature love of God which brought
growth. He already knew the mystery that he reveals later
in this letter: “If I have every gift and do not have love,
then I have nothing and I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13
verses 1 to 3 abbreviated). Gain in Christ-likeness, for
these immature Christians, was through the working of the
gifts and powers of the Holy Spirit, but only in the context
of the love of God. He had not chosen a superior or more
excellent human wisdom, but rather a way which brought
his own knowledge to nothing and brought him with fear
and trembling to a total dependence on God – a more
excellent way. He allowed his own knowledge and gifts to
be brought to nothing, counting his richest gain as loss, for
the sake of knowing Jesus and the power of his resurrection
at work in him.
Next in chapter 2, Paul makes us aware that there are some
who are more mature. To these, he does not offer a
demonstration of power for the development of their faith
but, withholding those gift ministries which he offers to the
babies, he now comes up with something more appropriate
for the mature. To these he brings a word of wisdom which
overwhelms human wisdom. He describes this wisdom as
a revelation by the Spirit of God of things which men have
never seen. The power of the word which Paul now speaks
is amazing. He speaks of things which the human eye has
not seen, nor ear heard. He speaks of the deep things of
God. To qualify this he says that we have received the
Spirit of God who knows God’s deepest thoughts, so that
we might understand what God has freely given to us
(chapter 2 verses 11 and 12). He culminates this
remarkable chapter with this staggering and quite
incredible statement: “You have the mind of Christ,”
knowing that which is beyond knowledge. Not just words
of knowledge but the anointed mind and wisdom of Jesus,
who is the Christ.
In Romans chapter 12, Paul again emphasises that power
and wisdom are in the cross, available by the presentation
of our bodies as living sacrifices, so that we might no
longer be conformed to this world, but transformed. How?
By the renewing of the mind, transforming it so that we
have the mind of Christ. Then we will have knowledge of
what God’s will is; not just a word, but a mind revelation
of the good and perfect, teleion will of God.
Look again at 1 Corinthians chapter 2. To whom is Paul
addressing these staggering words of wisdom? He refers to
them as, “the mature”, or if we read the authorised version
of the Bible, “the perfect”. In the Greek we read, “tois
teleois”, ‘the perfect ones’. Paul actually describes these
more mature Christians in Corinth as ‘the perfect ones’, but
when he sees these men, he doesn’t see them as being
perfect as we would understand perfection. He sees for
example, that they are not complete in their wisdom and
therefore offers wisdom to them. But he does see them as
mature, not because of their age, but because they have that
close relationship with Jesus through his cross, even to the
point of having the mind of Christ. Paul is setting the
foundation for what is to follow. To the immature, the
babies or children, who thought and spoke as he used to
speak when he was a child, he brings a demonstration of
power. To the mature, the adults, the perfect, he brings a
message of wisdom concerning the mature, Holy Spirit
relationship between God and man. I want to emphasise
here that Paul uses this word, ‘perfect’, teleion, concerning
those who are given to the will of God, united in the mature
love of God, submitted to the wisdom of the cross and
seeking not their own, but His kingdom.
In Ephesians chapter 4 and beginning at verse 11, Paul
writes that gifted officers in the Church are to:
“Prepare God’s people for works of service. To
build up the body, until we all reach unity of faith,
and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and
become mature, attaining to the full measure of
perfection found in Christ Jesus. Then we will no
longer be infants tossed to and fro by every wind
and change of doctrine, but instead, speaking the
truth in love we will grow up into Him who is the
Head, that is Christ. From Him the whole body,
joined and held together by every supporting
ligament, grows and builds itself up in love as each
part, does its work.”
Not only is this perfection of which Paul speaks attainable
for men, but we are actually encouraged to aim for it, and
be built up until we all attain to it. The theme which is
beginning to develop in 1 Corinthians is that it is God’s
desire for us that through the work and power of the Holy
Spirit, we are to be built up towards the aim of achieving
the fullness of perfection and maturity in love, losing our
childish infancy and becoming Christ-like. In fact there is
another occasion in 1 Corinthians 14 verses 19 and 20,
where Paul, after he has spoken about gifts in Chapters 12
and 13, says,
“In the Church, I would rather speak five
intelligible words to instruct others, than ten
thousand words in a tongue. Brothers, stop
thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants,
but in your thinking be teleioi.”
The Authorised Version translates this word as “Perfect”.
If we continue in 1 Corinthians we discover Paul again
speaking to infants who need to grow, and again their
divisions are a sign of their infanthood. Speaking of this
growth, Paul reminds us that no man, no matter how gifted,
can himself give growth to the church which is the body of
Christ. True ministry of the Holy Spirit glorifies God, in
that real growth and spiritual development come only from
Him. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 7 says that “Only God gives
growth”.
Where then is man’s involvement? Paul tells us in verse 5
that each is assigned a task. He describes his own part in
the work as “nothing”, saying: “I planted and Apollos
watered”; “we have our purpose and will be rewarded”;
“We are God’s fellow workers.“ Men are involved in
building the church but their involvement is rewarded by
God, and so men have no claim over the church. The true
building, being everything which will withstand the fire,
and the field where growth takes place, belongs to God.
“Do you not know that you are the temple of the Holy
Spirit?” The man of God recognises who owns the
property rights, and that the building is filled, not with
worldly wisdom, irrespective of its spiritual disguise, but
with the Holy Spirit. Paul’s choice continues to be the
cross which is the wisdom of God, not his own knowledge
or his tongues or his superior revelation, so that the aim of
achieving perfection might be fully met through his
availability to the Lord in His work of building the church.
This echoes the love of God in Christ who being by very
nature God, did not count equality with God a thing to be
grasped but became the humble obedient servant, even unto
death on a cross.