Some believe that the time when we no longer see a poor
reflection must obviously mean when Jesus comes again
since that is when we will see Him face to face. I believe
that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will remain but I do not
believe that 1 Corinthians 13 verse 12 is referring to Jesus’
return. Paul speaks about a reflection on another occasion
in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18. He is speaking about
the glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit, when the dull veil
of the law is removed from our mind; when through the
revelation of Jesus, in whose face we see God, we are being
transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory
which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. He is
speaking when about the Church, His body, becomes the
glorious reality of the life of Jesus, in all His love, His
power, His Holy Spirit giftings, signs and wonders,
reflecting clearly the Jesus whose Holy Spirit is fully at
work in His body. At that time, the Church at Corinth, like
so many of the fellowships of believers today, was an
extremely poor reflection, compared to that perfection
towards which the Holy Spirit was directing them. The
Lord, who is the Spirit, requires that the veil of our
consciousness, our mind, is removed in order that we see
Him face to face.
Luke chapter 6 verse 40 tells us that no student is greater
than His master, but when he is fully trained he will be like
His master. In our life changing relationship with Jesus,
we should become less of self and more of Him. Of course
if I asked has anyone seen God, you would no doubt come
to the conclusion that, “No man has seen the Father, except
the Son, who is at the Father’s side and He has made Him
known.” In John chapter 14 verse 9, when Philip asks that
Jesus show him the Father, Jesus replied, “Anyone who has
seen me has seen the Father.” “Don’t you believe that I am
in the Father and the Father in me?” “It is the Father living
in me who is doing the work.” Later, in verse 20, Jesus
goes on to say, “On that day you will realise that I am in
my Father and you are in me.” The day in question is when
Jesus goes to the Father and his disciples will begin to do
the greater works which Jesus spoke of. “And I will show
myself to him.” The glory of Jesus, who is in the Father, is
visible in His Church as we are transformed. We can see
Him: “I will show myself to you.” Philip sees the Father in
Jesus because He and the Father are one; He is in the
Father. The world sees Jesus in the Church when we are in
Him and perfected in His love.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 6, Paul tells us that God
has made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of
the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ.
We need to seek His face. We are so easily distracted to
seek His hand. The gift is from His hand, but the Glory is
in the unveiled face of Jesus, clearly visible in His body as
we are being perfected in love. We are not to be a poor
reflection, but with open face, truthful speech in love, gifts
and signs constrained by the love of God and with decency
and order in worship for the sake of others but our own
absolute abandonment to the Lord, we are to become a
revelation of Jesus Christ who so richly lives in those who
by faith have believed Him and received the Holy Spirit.
Not a mere reflection but a light shining in the darkness.
Now we see but a poor reflection. When the perfect comes,
we will see face to face.