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“THE END OF MIRACLES (IN NT PROPHECY)”

Thesis: To impress on the hearer the God imposed limitations of the miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit, and to expose improper application of the scriptures concerning the work of the Holy Spirit and how it applies to us today.

Text: John 14:16-17; 16:13; Mt 28:20; Acts 2:38-39; 1:5-6; 2:17-20; Eph 4:7-14; 1 Cor 1:4-8; 13:8-10

Introduction,
1. In out previous studies we have been looking at the “end of miracles.” We defined a miracle as “an extraordinary occurrence which could not be explained by the laws of nature and, therefore, is evidence of the intervention of Deity. Man cannot, by his own power, duplicate a miracle.” Many today want to call unusual occurrences miracles, but closer looks into such events usually expose said things not to be miracles at all, but rather, something out of the norm, but not proof of the intervention of God.

2. We looked at “the purpose of miracles” and seen that the purposes for which God intended concerning miracles had been fulfilled, and that by God’s design, the miracles ceased, and God’s natural laws (the seed principle) took over, both in creation, and in the giving of His laws to mankind.

3. Then we looked at “prophesies in the OT concerning the duration of miracles in NT times,” even before the Messiah came, God had determined, and revealed through the prophets of the OT (pre-exilic; exilic; and post exilic), that sometime near to the coming of Christ, prophets, visions, miracles (marvelous things), unclean spirits (demon possession) would be sealed up, would end, would pass out of the land (Zech 13:2), God’s new covenant would be confirmed for a specific period of time (Dan 9:24), the confirming miracles (Mk 16:20; Acts 14:3; Heb 2:4) would take place for the same period as in the coming out of Egypt (about 40 years; Micah 7:15).

4. All pointing to a specific termination point and that point being AD 70, when God destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and therefore put to death once and for all the system of Judaism through the Roman legions, thus fulfilling Mt 23:36-24:35 wherein Jesus is proved to be the long awaited prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15-19 (Acts 3:22-23).

5. In today’s lesson, we will be looking at NT prophecies which also confirm the cessation of miracles, and see that they also point to a termination point of AD 70, and that the main purposes of miracles were at that time fulfilled, the church/kingdom (Mt 16:18-19; Heb 12:23, 28) was established and the gospel was spread throughout the entire civilized world (Col 1:5-6, 23), thus people were able to be forgiven of their sins through the precious blood of Christ, and God’s revelation to man (the bible) was at that time fully revealed, confirmed, and recorded(Jude 3); so that individuals throughout time could read, believe, and obey it from the heart unto eternal life (Rom 6:17-18).

6. Therefore we will look at prophecies from the NT concerning the end of miracles given . . .
1) Before the establishment of the church/kingdom (John 14:16; 16:13; Mt 28:20)
2) During the establishment of the church/kingdom (Acts 2:39; 17-20)
3) After the establishment of the church/kingdom (Eph 4:7-14; 1 Cor 1:4-7; 13:8-10)

I. PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE END OF MIRACLES GIVEN “BEFORE” THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH/KINGDOM (John 14:16-17; 16:13; Mt 28:20).

A. (John 14:16-17)

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, Joh 14:17 even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.

1. In the gospel account of John, in chapters 13-17 we have one of the records of what took place on the night of our Lord’s betrayal, He gives them a final lesson in humility in the form of foot washing (13:1-20),

2. He identifies Judas as the betrayer (13:21-30),

3. He speaks of going to heaven and affirms that they would also go there at His 2nd coming (13:31-14:6),

4. And He declares that He and the Father are one (14:7-10),

5. And then in verse 11 He brings up the miraculous works that He has done connecting said works with their purpose (belief in Him to be one with the Father), and prophesies that they will do greater works than Him.

a. They would do a greater quantity of miracles, and would spread the gospel to even more souls (14:10-13),

6. And He pointed out what was to be their motivation for obeying Him, “love” (14:15),

7. And then He told them that He would make request of the Father for the Comforter (the Holy Spirit), and He would abide with “them” forever (14:16).

8. There are many that would go to this passage and attempt to support their belief that every faithful Christian is in possession of the Holy Spirit.

a. I first off would like to state (even though the bible seems to speak in this type of language) that the Christian does not have God (but that this language speaks of being in fellowship with Him if they are faithful; 2 John 9),

b. But rather it is the other way around, it is God that has the Christian; he is purchased, redeemed, possessed lock stock and barrel by the living God (Mt 28:19; Tit 2:14).

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of (the possession of) the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:

Tit 2:14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works.

c. Also in this passage there is “no talk whatsoever” about anything of a non-miraculous sort, yet I personally have heard brethren apply this passage to things such as calling to remembrance a bible verse.

d. Just like in the prophecy of Joel (Joel 2:28-29) there is “only” the speaking of the miraculous, we need to take note that we are commanded “not” to go beyond the things which are written (1 Cor 4:6), which many do in an attempt to propagate the doctrine of a modern day literal indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

e. The Holy Spirit’s work that one reads of in the Scriptures is almost entirely that of a miraculous nature (when it is not addressing the use of the word, His sword; Eph 6:17), and even that, in the 1st century, was delivered and confirmed by miraculous means.

f. There simply is “no crossover fossils” so to speak, just like the theistic evolutionist would like to find crossover fossils (the so called “missing link”) to propagate his erroneous belief that God used evolution to bring about what we see today (but there is none), in the same manner, those that attempt to hold up the doctrine of the personal, literal, non-miraculous indwelling of the Holy Spirit attempt to fabricate crossover fossils, but in like manner, there is none.

g. The Holy Spirit’s office so to speak, is that of miraculous power, and as this study clearly sets forth, has, and was, and always purposed by God to be temporary,

h. Today the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit representatively abide in the faithful child of God as they abide in the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9; John 14:23),

2Jo 1:9 Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son.

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

i. As they are led by the teachings of the Spirit which were formerly revealed through inspired prophets and are forever recorded in our bibles (Rom 8:5, 9a)

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Rom 8:9a But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.

j. The reason that the Holy Spirit is not specifically mentioned in passages such as 2 John 9 and John 14:23 is because at that time they understood that this talked about miraculous power given by the Holy Spirit,

k. And the verses that talk about that being hindered would be such as 1 Thess 5:19 and 1 Tim 4:14, (“quench not the Spirit”, “neglect not the gift”) the bottom line is there is simply “no crossover fossils,” there were miracles, and then they ceased.

9. And in our verse (John 14:16) it states that the Comforter would abide with the “apostles” forever, not any one else, we need to understand that not everything promised to the apostles applies to everyone that follows Christ, this is implied in Peter’s statement in Luke 12:41 . . .

Luk 12:41 And Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even unto all?

10. This teaching is reaffirmed in Mt 28:20 (turn to Mt 28:20)

Mat 28:20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

a. Look at this carefully, “Teaching them (the disciples in the context) to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you (the apostles).” Note the change in the pronouns from “them” (the disciples) to “you” (the apostles),

b. “And lo, I am with you always” (lit, “all the days”) again “you” refers to the apostles “only,” “not” the disciples, most likely referring to Christ being with them through the Comforter.

c. “Even unto the end of the world (lit. the consummation of the age; ASV footnote).

d. The word “age” here is “aion” it is very contextual, and is defined by its context,

e. Thayer defines it as such “forever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, the worlds, universe, period of time, age”; most modern bible versions translate it “age.”

f. And considering the context, and who is being spoken to (the apostles), and how the Lord is specifically making a distinction between them and future disciples,

g. We must conclude that this is talking about a “period of time” most likely referring to the consummation (or end) of the Jewish age, again probably referring to AD 70 when the outer shell of Judaism (the temple and Jerusalem) were destroyed,

h. It is also interesting that the same phraseology “the consummation of the age” is used in Mt 24:3, where reference is being made to the future destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in AD 70, which the Lord did prophecy of, and established Him as the prophet of Deut 18:15-19 likened unto Moses.

i. Let us therefore note that everything that was promised to the apostles was “not promised” to Christ’s disciples, but they (the disciples) “are commanded” to obey everything that He commanded the apostles.

11. And looking back at our verse concerning the Comforter (John 14:16), Christ stated “that he may abide with you forever.”

a. Again in this context it is easy to see that a distinction is being made between the apostles and others by the uses of the pronouns in the immediate context, (“he” “a man” “him”) referring to a person (singular), as opposed to (“you” a plural pronoun as seen in older more accurate versions; ASV; KJV) referring collectively to the apostles to whom He is presently speaking.

b. And again this word translated “forever” can mean “forever” but it is our same word “aion” and literally states “(un)to the age” (YLT) and probably refers to a specific period of time, which is when the miracles would cease (again probably a reference to AD 70) the end of the Jewish age, in fact out of this specific group of men only one (the apostle John) lived to see AD 70, the rest were killed for spreading the truth about the unsubjective gospel (without the pure gospel of Christ, you are lost, destined for eternal punishment; Mt 25:46; John 14:6; Mk 16:16), this message is also unpopular today.

c. John could or could not have had miraculous powers after AD 70, many believe that Revelation and his epistles were written prior to that date and there is heavy evidence to this being fact, but even if he did retain said powers, he was the exception, rather than the rule (see John 21:21-23).

12. Turn to (John 16:13)

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.

a. In John 16:13 it states that the Spirit would guide “you” (plural pronoun, the apostles) into “all the truth,” this refers to the entirety of God’s revelation to man, the completed NT, which was most likely once and for all time delivered by the year AD 69, when the epistle of Jude was written, there just is no more truth out side of “all,” “all” means “all” and that is “all” there is to it.

b. And after the “consummation of the age” (Mt 28:20), unto the age (John 14:16), after “all the truth” (John 16:13,) “the faith” was once and for all delivered through the miraculous working of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit (Jude 3) . . .

Jud 1:3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.

c. . . . Then the miracles ceased, and the seed principle took over, the word of God (Luke 8:11), that sword (instrument) of the Spirit (Eph 6:17) took over, and is cutting into the hearts of individuals even to this very day.

d. As far as I am aware of, there are no conservative scholars that do not believe that God’s written revelation to man (the canon of Scripture) was not closed by at least the end of the 1st century (if John’s inspired writings are late dated), the only dispute whatsoever concerning the canon was what actually belonged therein (e.g. Revelation and 2 Peter were contested by some congregations as being canonical).

II. PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE END OF MIRACLES GIVEN “DURING” THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH/KINGDOM (Acts 2:38-39; 17-20).

A. In Peter’s sermon on that first Pentecost after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, when the church/kingdom was established, the temporary nature of the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit was also then brought forth.

1. In Acts 2:38-39 it is written. (Acts 2:38-39) . . .

Act 2:38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Act 2:39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.

a. Many want to use this passage to assert that all Christians are promised the personal literal indwelling of the Holy Spirit,

b. And others that all Christians are promised the spiritual blessings that are “in Christ.”

c. Yet neither of these assertions hold up under careful consideration, for the fact that whatever is the promise (it must be the one in the context, and if not, why not; Acts 1:4-5; 2:33) it is only promised to 2 generations “unto you and your children” and to the Gentiles (those “afar off”; Eph 2:13, 17) living at that time.

d. A thorough study of this type of phraseology (“you and your children”) will show that this type of language is always literal in the bible,

e. Thus if the personal dwelling of the Holy Spirit is the subject, it was only promised to 2 generations; and if it is a reference to the spiritual blessings only available “in Christ” then again, only 2 generations were promised salvation, and we cant be saved,

f. Yet don’t despair, for neither are correct. The “promise” is the one in the context (the miraculous, look at Acts 1:4-5, 2:33),

Act 1:4 and, being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for THE PROMISE of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me: Act 1:5 for John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.

Act 2:33 Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father THE PROMISE of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear.

g. And the words “shall call unto him” (in Acts 2:39) come from one Greek word “proskaleomai,” which is defined as “to designate a special task or office”(Arndt and Gingrich Lexicon, p. 722) or “to call to the performance of a thing; appoint” (The Analytical Greek Lexicon, p. 350)

h. This word is never used in reference to salvation, nor is it the word translated “call”(kaleo) as in the gospel call (2 Thess 2:14), this word is used 30 times in the NT, and it is always used as a specific call, or appointment, (which when given was never refused, people oftentimes hear the gospel and refuse it).

i. And here that would be the appointment by God to receive the miraculous “gift of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:11; Heb 2:4)

j. Which indeed is defined as the miraculous by the only other time this phrase “gift of the Holy Spirit” is used in scripture (Acts 10:45), where it refers to the Holy Spirit falling on Cornelius and his near kinsmen and friends by which they spoke in tongues and magnified God (Acts 10:44-46),

Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word. Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

k. Thus this phrase “gift of the Holy Spirit” does not refer to salvation (for Cornelius and his were not yet baptized for the remission of sins) for the Jewish Christians did have it in their mind to withhold salvation from the Gentiles (who they considered 2nd class in the eyes of God) thus Peter’s statement (Acts 10:47) . . .

Act 10:47 Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?

l. Nor does the “gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38) refer to a non-miraculous personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit (because the miraculous was plainly manifest in the case of Cornelius; Acts 10:46), and nothing else was spoken of, thus we must conclude that this speaks of the miracles of the 1st century, striving not go beyond what is written (1 Cor 4:6) by inventing crossover fossils.

m. And that (the miracles), were to be manifest for only 2 generations “to you . . . and to your children” (approx. 40 years) again looking to AD 70, we must let the bible interpret itself!

2. In this context (Acts 2) we can also look at Acts 2:17-20 and see if these conclusions are harmonious with the context (Acts 2:17-20)

Act 2:17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams: Act 2:18 Yea and on My servants and on My handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy. Act 2:19a And I will show wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Act 2:19b Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable day.

a. Here it speaks of the mode of the Holy Spirit’s work (again only miraculous; v 17-19a).

b. And then in verses 19b-20 it uses “apocalyptical language,” which commonly refers to the fall of nations and leaders (see Isa 13:10; 34:4-5; Ezek 32:7-8; Mt 24:29),

c. And in this case, like Mt 24:29 it specifically refers to Jerusalem in AD 70, but take careful note of the way this is put together,

d. All these miraculous things (v 17-19a; remember no crossover fossils) are going to take place “before” (v 19b-20) “the great and notable day of the Lord come” (in AD 70), if this was to continue, why this language?

e. I believe this locks these miraculous manifestations into a period that would end, consummate “before” the “day of the Lord” in the context would come, speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, when the last unlawful dregs of Judaism were put to death by the judgment of God, again its almost amazing how much evidence points to this fact.

III. PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE END OF MIRACLES GIVEN “AFTER” THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH/KINGDOM (Eph 4:7-1; 1 Cor 1:4-8; 13:8-10)

A. Turn to (Eph 4:7-15)

Eph 4:7 But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. Eph 4:9 (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) Eph 4:11 And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors (shepherds; YLT) and teachers; Eph 4:12 for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: Eph 4:13 till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Eph 4:14 that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; Eph 4:15 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;

1. In Eph 4:7-8 it speaks of the miraculous gifts that were given to Christians in the 1st century through the baptism in the Holy Spirit (note that the Administrator of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is Christ; Mt 3:11; Acts 2:33) and through the laying on of an apostles hands (Acts 8:18; 19:6; Rom 1:11; 2 Tim 1:6), others were empowered through this miraculous manifestation.

a. After His blood was shed in His death (John 19:34) Christ was resurrected and “ascended” into heaven (v 9), thereby paved the way for the faithful that would follow at His 2nd coming (1 Cor 15:23), He is our forerunner into heaven (Heb 6:20), the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Cor 15:20), He in this manner freed those captive from sin, who were without hope unto a living hope (1 Pet 1:3).

b. He also “descended” (v 10) He spent 3 days in paradise in the Hadean realm (Luke 23:43; Acts 2:31; which the faithful will do also who die before His coming) in order that He would have the pre-eminence in all things,

e. In verse 11 a list of some of the miraculous gifts are listed (there are more in 1 Cor 12:8-10),

f. In verse 12 the purpose of the gifts are given . . .

i. For the building up of the body of Christ numerically,

ii. And spiritually,

iii. And for the work of benevolence.

g. Now look at v 13, these gifts would continue “till” we all attain unto the unity (or oneness) of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a fullgrown man.”

h. In other words, these gifts would continue “till” the system of faith was a unit, all its parts (which were currently being given by various prophets were gathered together and united) this speaks of that completed, once and for all delivered faith (Jude 3), the NT in its consummated form, in its entirety.

i. And that (the NT), would make is possible that Christians would not tossed to and fro by every type of false doctrine (v 14),

j. But rather they could look to God’s completed, all sufficient word, and successfully refute the errors of men by speaking the truth in love, and grow and mature through the milk of the word (v 15; 1 Pet 2:2).

k. Again I believe this took place before AD 70, and looks at AD 70 as a time, when through the completed NT, that Christians would be better equipped to deal with false teachers and false doctrines, than in the age of miracles.

l. We need to remember that there was a part given to one, and a part given to another, and many times being vast distances apart, this is Paul’s partial, immature, “seeing in a mirror darkly” (1 Cor 13:11-12), but when the canon of scripture was complete (the NT), and complied, those that had it were armed better that any before them, despite the cessation of the miraculous, which was simply as temporary scaffolding that enabled the building (the church/kingdom, that temple of God) to be built, and when it was, the scaffolding was removed; how blessed are we to have God’s completed word! Which gives us everything we need to be complete in the eyes of God(2 Tim 3:16-17), it gives us “all things” that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).

B. Turn to (1 Cor 1:4-8)

1Co 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; 1Co 1:5 that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; 1Co 1:6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 1Co 1:7 so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 1Co 1:8 who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. In 1 Cor 1:4 Paul writes of how he thanked God often, in behalf of the Corinthians, for the favor of God which was given them (which in this context are miraculous gifts “all utterance,” “all knowledge,” v 5)

2. Which was given to them by Christ (probably through the laying on of Paul’s hands; Acts 8:18; 19:6; Rom 1:11; 1 Cor 9:1-2; 2 Tim 1:6),

3. And that they would be enriched through these manifestations, because these things “confirmed” (this is same word as used in Mk 16:20 which refers to miracles) the testimony of Jesus as the Christ in them and applied to them (v 5-6),

a. And that they (the Corinthians) would come behind in no gift, while they awaited the 2nd coming of the Lord (v 7; probably referring to Paul’s plea that they use these gifts to advance in their Christianity, and not digress therein, which seemed to be a major problem with them, i.e. “carnality,” "worldliness").

b. And in verse 8 it states “Who (Christ) shall “confirm” (again this same word which refers to miracles in Mk 16:20) you “unto the end,” “for the purpose” that they may be blameless on the Day of Judgment through their adherence to the gospel of Christ; in other words, the miracles of the 1st century revealed and confirmed what they were to obey unto the life eternal, the gospel.

c. The word “end” here is “telos” which Thayer defines as “end, termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be (always of the end of some act or state, but not of an end of a period of time).”

d. In other words this passage is looking at some “thing” rather than a specific “time” therefore it can’t be a specific reference to AD 70 (a point in time),

e. But rather it is looking at a certain “thing,” which I believe to be a reference to the completed revelation to man, that once and for all time delivered system of faith (Jude 3), that perfect law of liberty (Ja 1:25), the full and complete gospel of Christ (Rom 1:16), with its facts to believe, promised to receive, commands to obey, and warnings to heed, which I believe was revealed, confirmed and recorded in its entirety by AD 70, coinciding with the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple, and the dead system of Judaism, thus this harmonizes with the rest of the bible, but simply uses a different approach (looking at a certain thing; completed revelation; instead of a certain time; AD 70)

C. Now let us look at our final passage (1 Cor 13:8-10)

1Co 13:8 Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. 1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 1Co 13:10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.

1. Note the passage carefully, it speaks of miraculous gifts that shall be done away (v 8), there is the “part,” then there is the “perfect,” in other words, there is the “partial thing,” then there is the “complete thing” (v 9).

2. Therefore if the “complete thing” has arrived (“is come”), then any claim for present day prophecies, tongues, or inspired knowledge (the partial thing, that “in part”) would be false.

a. The word “perfect” here is “telios” which would be better translated “complete” or “complete thing.”

b. My purpose is not to deal with all the incorrect interpretations of this passage, but I will quickly bring up that “Christ,” nor “heaven” is mentioned in the passage,

c. And “love” is something that is mentioned as already abiding in this context (v 13), the Corinthians were told to follow (pursue love; 14:1), the “perfect” was something that would be “arriving” not something to be “pursued,”

d. The context and the main subject is miraculous gifts (1 Cor 12:1), and this continues through the end of chapter 14, miraculous gifts took not the place of Christ nor Heaven.

3. The “complete thing” would be whatever made up the “partial thing,” one would simply be partial the other complete, were miraculous gifts likened unto a partial Christ, a partial Heaven?

a. Prophecy, tongues and miraculous knowledge were revealing God’s revelation to man at that time, therefore it follows that when that when revelation was completed (the complete thing) arrived, probably a reference to the revealing, confirming, and recording of that revelation (the NT),

b. Then that which was partial, incomplete would be done away (the miracles of the first century).

c. Thus when God miraculously delivered His complete will for man, and established it, then the seed principle took over, as Jesus said in Luke 8:11 “the seed is the word of God.”

d. And now any person on this earth today can acquire a literal translation of bible, and know of a surety that they have the very words of God (1 Thess 2:13).

e. And with that revelation complete, and all sufficient (2 Pet 1:3), one can obey it from the heart, and be in like manner complete before the all seeing eyes of God (2 Tim 3:16-17),

2Ti 3:16 Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. 2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.

f. Therefore let us receive meekly the implanted word (Ja 1:21), and obey it from the heart unto salvation (Rom 1:17-18), that perfect law for an imperfect man (Ja 1:25), the gospel of Christ (Rom 1:16), for it can save our very souls (Ja 1:21), how?

One must . . .
1) Hear the Word of God (Acts 2:37; Rom 10:17);

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2) Believe that Jesus is the Divine Christ (Acts 8:37; John 8:24); and that God rewards those that earnestly seek after Him (Heb 11:6). Jesus said . . .

Joh 8:24 . . . for except ye believe that I am, ye shall die in your sins.

3) Repent of sins, (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3, 5) Jesus stated . . .

Luk 13:3 . . . except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish.

4) Confess Christ before men (Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9) as did the eunuch, he proclaimed. . .

Act 8:37 . . . Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

5) Be baptized (immersed) into Christ (Gal 3:27) into the death of Christ (Rom 6:3) where His blood was shed (John 19:34) unto (for) the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38; 22:16); at which point God adds you to the church (Acts 2:47) translates you into the kingdom (Col 1:13) adds you to that one body (1 Cor 12:13) which Christ promised to save (Eph 5:23).

6) And live a life that is holy, set apart for God in every aspect (1 Pet 1:15), determined to follow God’s divine instructions, thereby demonstrating our hope in the truth of the resurrection (1 Pet 1:3), setting our sights on heavenly things (Col 3:1-4), while serving our God with His earthly blessings (Mt 6:19-21, 33).


"That in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written"

Contact us:
Evangelist - Kenneth Windbiel
715-866-4873
kensanwind@hotmail.com

We teach publicly and from house to house (Acts 20:20),
therefore if you would like to set up a house teaching session
or meet in a public place to discuss the gospel of Christ,
please contact us through any of the options listed upon this web site.

 Salute the church that is in their house . . .
The churches of Christ salute you. Rom 16:5, 16