"Perfect," as Paul uses it here in 1 Corinthians 13:10, implies completeness in the sense of maturity. This is immediately underscored for us by what Paul says next:

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child: I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

The phrase "put away" here is translated from katargeo, which, as we saw previously, can mean to do away with something that is no longer needed or serves no useful purpose. Mature adults do not act or think as children do, because they have reached a stage of development where their previous behavior is no longer appropriate or advantageous to them. Adults dispense with childish thoughts in favor of mature thinking.

Paul then draws another comparison for the purpose of illustration:

"For now we see through a mirror dimly: but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part: but then I will know even as I am known."

"Dimly" is translated from two Greek words: en, which is often translated as "in," and ainigma, which refers to something that is obscure or enigmatic. Thayer's Greek Lexicon notes that the word as used in this passage "denotes the object in the discerning of which we are engaged." It seems fitting then to ask: what are we engaged in discerning?. 

I believe the apostle Paul gives us the answer in Hebrews chapter 5:

We are in the business of discerning between good and evil, between that which is in conformity with the will of God and that which is not.

Paul tells the Corinthians that, at present, we discern such matters "dimly...as through a mirror," by the partial revelation knowledge that has been given to us. In Paul's day, mirrors were made of solid metal. The reflections they provided were often dim and murky in comparison to their modern counterparts. Paul has this imperfect likeness in mind when he goes on to say: "but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part: but then I will know even as I am known." 

The apostle is offering us a classic comparison/contrast here. He compares our present spiritual understanding to the dim reflections provided by ancient mirrors, and then goes on to say that, "when that which is perfect has come," we will no longer see dimly, as if we were using one of those mirrors, but rather, as clearly as we see people when we look at them face-to-face. Paul had never actually seen a clear reflection of himself, or at least not as clearly as other people could see him; but when the perfection he speaks of at last comes, he says that he will "see" ("I will know") just as clearly as people see one another ("...even as I am known" - that is, seen by others). In other words, this perfection will bring full spiritual enlightenment rather than just the snatches of insight we must settle for in our imperfect state.

So what then is this "perfection" that Paul is speaking of?

I believe we can discern this from the context, especially as we remember that 1 Corinthians 13 is something of a parenthetical thought in the midst of Paul's discussion of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. Consider the following:

Again, we see that the context in which Paul speaks of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, with emphasis on the gifts of revelation, is that of edification: building up the body of Christ, which is accomplished when the gifts are exercised in brotherly love, for the good of the whole. We also saw that Paul said that the gifts would eventually cease when they were no longer needed.

The implication here is that the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit will not cease until the body of Christ has reached full health and maturity, since this is the purpose for which the gifts were given; and when this aim has been attained, they will no longer be necessary.

In Ephesians 4, we find very similar language to what we have seen in 1 Corinthians 12-14:

Again, we see mention of Christ giving gifts for the purpose of building up the body, until it reaches unity and maturity in "the knowledge of the Son of God."

So when will this happen?

We can answer this question by breaking down the elements that Paul lays out for us. He says that the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit is:

Ask yourself the following: 

• When will the saints be done with their work of service?


• When we will all attain to the unity of the faith, to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, and to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ as a corporate body of believers?

Scripture testifies indisputably that these things will not take place for the entire body of Christ until he returns to set up his kingdom.

In Hebrews 4:9, Paul tells us: "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God [meaning the Millennial Kingdom]. For the one who enters His rest has himself also rested from his works." In Revelation 3:11, Jesus tells the church at Philadelphia: "I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown." In Revelation 14:13, a voice from heaven announces the following in regard to saints who have been killed for refusing the Mark of the Beast: "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!' 'Yes,' says the Spirit, 'so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.'"

A believer's earthly service for the Lord ends only with his or her death, or with the coming of the Kingdom. Why then should gifts that were given to the body for the completion of the work expire before the work is complete? Paul says that the gifts were designed so that we might all attain. We know that the body will go right on growing until Christ returns; therefore, it only makes sense that the gifts that were designed to bring the entire body to perfection must continue until the entire body is completely assembled. How can we all attain if we're not all here yet? The book of Revelation refers to "a great multitude" that will "come out of great tribulation" (see chapter 7), and in chapter 19, when heaven is opened and the Lord returns with his angels, we're told that the bride "has made herself ready." It is therefore evident that the corporate body of Christ will not be complete and ready for the Marriage of the Lamb until the time of his second coming.

Further, consider what the apostle John says in 1 John 3:2-3: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when he appears, we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is."

With this in mind, how is it possible to attain "to the knowledge of the Son of God" entirely in his absence, since John tells us we will not be like him until we see him?

Indeed, Paul wrote to the church at Corinth in such a way as to indicate that he expected spiritual gifts to continue until the coming of the Lord:

This passage does not specifically address the duration of the gifts, but it does strongly imply that Paul expected the gifts to continue functioning until the coming of the Lord. And while some might argue that the gifts referenced here are not necessarily supernatural gifts, but could be other types of gifts (such as teaching or helps), note that, immediately prior to mentioning the gifts, Paul says that the "testimony of Christ" was confirmed in the Corinthians. Keep this in mind as you read the next section and see if the connection between the gifts and the confirmation of Christ at work in the Corinthian church does not take on a particular significance.

For these reasons, I am persuaded that supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit passing away in favor of "that which is perfect," as discussed in 1 Corinthians 13, is a reference to the unity and maturity that the entire body of Christ will attain when he returns to set up his kingdom. The gifts were given to aid in our service to the Lord's work, and for building up the body. Until these things are complete, the gifts will remain to aid us.

Why "that which is perfect" cannot be the Scriptures

I believe the evidence we have seen here convincingly demonstrates what Paul had in mind when he referred to "that which is perfect." The context, as well as parallel passages, demands that it is the full maturity of the body of Christ, not the completion of the canon of scripture. Still, there are a few other reasons to believe that Paul did not have the scriptures in mind here:

First, he does not discuss the scriptures beyond quoting from Isaiah 28:11-12 in 1 Corinthians 14:21, where one of the purposes of tongues in concerned (as a sign to unbelievers, just as can be seen in the events of Pentecost, see Acts 2). Again, the context here is the supernatural gifts aiding in the edification and maturing of the body of Christ, not serving as a supplement for missing books of the Bible. The apostles used both the written word and the supernatural gifts in their ministry, just as Jesus had done in his own preaching:

The New Testament pattern is the supernatural gifts manifesting as a testimony to the truth of the Word of God. It is not an either/or proposition. The gifts and the Word compliment one another in the proclaiming of the gospel message. Indeed, Jesus was the living, breathing Word of God, yet his preaching was still accompanied by miraculous signs. Consider that Jesus once remarked to his disciples: "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves." (John 14:11). Was Jesus unjustly downplaying the Word here (his own teachings) in favor of the miraculous signs?

Second, we should reflect that, for the most part, the New Testament books are letters of exhortation and rebuke to the various churches that the apostles had established and taught. It is readily apparent from them that much of what is said in them was designed to underscore what the churches had already been taught, thereby calling the disciples to faithfulness. Witness how Paul, while writing to the Thessalonians about the events prior to the coming of the Lord, says to them: "Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?" (II Thessalonians 2:5). He was recapitulating what they had already been taught, not revealing something new. Further, consider what he says to the Asian believers in Acts 20:18-20, while on his way to Jerusalem:

The churches that the apostles founded had already been taught what they needed to know to live as disciples of Christ. Yet, the gifts continued to function among them, even after they had believed the gospel and received their training. Apart from the book of Revelation and the written gospel accounts, they had already received the Word of God. Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that anyone at the time knew how many books the canon of scripture would ultimately contain or that they were actively waiting for it to be finished. If they did, there is no indication of this in the New Testament.

Third, the two witnesses in Revelation 11 perform miraculous signs, yet their arrival is still future in our day and we have a complete Bible. Why the signs then, if the complete written Word is "that which is perfect"?

Fourth, Jesus linked miraculous signs to the proclaiming of the gospel and stated they would be performed as a direct result of his "going to the Father": 

"Those who have believed," and "he who believes in me" seem rather straightforward as being applicable to all who believe in him. There is certainly nothing said here that would imply that the "he" in "he who believes in me" would apply only to the first generation of Christians. Granted, there is no discussion of duration here (and we do know that the gifts will eventually end), so I realize that this is something of an argument from silence, but note further that Jesus says that those who believe in him will do his works "because I go to the Father." The power to do the works of Jesus is given because of his physical absence from the Earth. Why, then, should supernatural signs end while he is still with the Father and the work for which the gifts were given is yet unfinished? The proclaiming of the gospel continues today. Why should the accompanying verifying signs have stopped?

Miscellaneous Arguments against the Gifts Continuing

Apostolic Laying on of Hands

In Romans chapter 1, Paul tells the believers in Rome that he longs to see them "so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established" (Romans 1:11). From this, it is alleged that the gifts of the Spirit could only be conferred by the laying on of hands by an apostle, and thus: no more apostles, no more gifts.

While it is certainly true that the typical means of conferring Holy Spirit gifts in the New Testament was by the laying on of hands, this does not mean that God is somehow limited to that method of operation. To use an applicable if somewhat worn expression, it is unwise to "put God in a box." He can confer the gifts as he sees fit. Jesus himself sent the Spirit upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, but did not physically lay hands on them at the time. Previously, he had breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:22). Also, consider the manner in which the Holy Spirit fell on the gentile Cornelius and those of his household in Acts chapter 10, while Peter was preaching to them. Peter did not lay hands on them. For that matter, he did not even finish his sermon!

There are even Old Testament examples to consider. In I Samuel chapter 10, the Holy Spirit fell on Saul and he prophesied. The prophet Samuel had anointed him with oil and kissed him immediately prior to this, so obviously there was a laying on of hands, yet there is no mention of anointing oil being used when the Spirit fell on people in the New Testament, so the pattern is not an exact match. The Spirit also came upon Samson a number of times; and while his birth was announced by the angel of the Lord, there was no anointing or any specific laying on of hands in his case that we're aware of. The Spirit of the Lord also came upon men like Gideon and Jephthah, without reference to any laying on of hands or anointing. These things may have taken place, but if so we are not told about them. 

Furthermore, we are not told that the gifts of the Spirit could only be conferred by apostles. This is an assumption based on an incomplete record. The book of Acts is not concerned with relating a full account of everything that was done in the power of the Spirit or by whom it was done. It's primary focus is on the ministries of Peter and Paul, and to a lesser extent the other apostles who were sent forth by Christ. This shouldn't be too surprising when we consider that the book's full title is: The Acts of the Apostles. Yet, while it focuses on the apostles, Acts also tells us that numerous other believers were involved in spreading the gospel. In light of this, it makes little sense that God would have excluded believers from the gifts of the Spirit simply because they had no access to an apostle, especially given the statements from Jesus that we have already reviewed. It is quite possible, even likely, that non-apostles were also able to convey and operate in the gifts.

For one last point here, consider that Paul's mention of his wish to convey gifts to the congregation in Rome does not necessarily mean that they were not operating in any gifts at all. We do not know exactly what Paul had in mind when he wrote this. It could be that he had some type of special gift in mind. Indeed, Acts 19:11 tells us that God did "extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul." Apparently, Paul was able to operate in some types of gifts that others were not exercising, and this may have been what he meant by what he wrote. 

It's also interesting that Paul considered the gifts he had in mind for the believers in Rome as essential to "establishing" them. This clearly indicates that Paul did not consider the gifts of the Spirit to be a "take it or leave it" bonus of some type. On the contrary, he thought of them as important. The Greek word translated "established" is sterizo, which Strong's defines as meaning: "to set fast, i.e. (literally) to turn resolutely in a certain direction, or (figuratively) to confirm: (e-)stablish, stedfastly set, strengthen." Paul's eagerness to convey spiritual gifts to those in Rome indicates their importance, as does his lengthy discussion in 1 Corinthians 12-14 of their benefits to the body of Christ.

Tongues were given solely as a Sign to Unbelieving Jews

In 1 Corinthians 14:21, Paul writes:

Based on this, I have heard it argued that tongues were specifically intended to be a sign to unbelieving Jews, as per Paul's quotation from Isaiah 28:11-12. Certainly, it was a sign - and an effective one - to unbelieving Jews on the day of Pentecost, as chronicled for us in Acts 2. Yet, in I Corinthians 14, Paul does not limit the application to unbelieving Jews. He merely says "unbelievers." Also, he plainly tells us that tongues can be used for other purposes:

From this, it is obvious that tongues can be used for believers to edify themselves in their worship of God, and even to edify the church if an interpretation is given. Paul goes on in verse 15 to remark that he even sang "with the Spirit"; in other words, in a tongue.

Wherefore, also, those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name perform [miracles], so as to promote the welfare of other men, according to the gift which each one has received from Him. For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have been thus cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ], and join themselves to the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions, and utter prophetic expressions. Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them, and they are made whole. Yea, moreover, as I have said, the dead even have been raised up, and remained among us for many years. And what shall I more say? It is not possible to name the number of gifts which the Church [scattered] throughout the whole world, has received from God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and which she exerts day by day for the benefit of the Gentiles, neither practicing deception upon, nor taking any reward from them [on account of such miraculous interpositions]. For as she has received freely from God, freely also does she minister [to others]. 

In like manner we do also hear many brethren in the Church, who possesses prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men, and declare the mysteries of God, whom also the apostle terms 'spiritual,' they being spiritual because they partake of the Spirit... 

...daily some [of you] are becoming disciples in the name of Christ, and quitting the path of error; who are also receiving gifts, each as he is worthy, illumined through the name of this Christ. For one receives the spirit of understanding, another of counsel, another of strength, another of healing, another of foreknowledge, another of teaching, and another of the fear of God. 

And thus we-who both acknowledge and reverence, even as we do the prophecies, modern visions as equally promised to us, and consider the other powers of the Holy Spirit as an agency of the church for which also he was sent, administering all gifts in all, even as the Lord distributed to every one as well needfully collect them in writing, as commemorate them  in reading to God's glory; so that no weakness or despondency of faith may suppose that the divine grace abode only among the ancients... 

...these modern miracles are scarcely known even to the whole population in the midst of which they are wrought; and at the best are confined to one spot. For frequently they are known only to a very few persons, while all the rest are ignorant of them, especially if the state is a large one; and when they are reported to other persons in other localities, there is no sufficient authority to give them prompt and unwavering credence, although they are reported to the faithful by the faithful. 

It does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were common in the church for more than two or three centuries. We seldom hear of them after that fatal period when the Emperor Constantine called himself a Christian, and from a vain imagination of promoting the Christian cause thereby heaped riches, and power, and honour, upon the Christians in general; but in particular upon the Christian clergy. From this time they almost totally ceased; very few instances of the kind were found. The cause of this was not (as has been vulgarly supposed) "because there was no more occasion for them," because all the world was become Christian. This is a miserable mistake; not a twentieth part of it was then nominally Christian. The real cause was, "the love of many," almost of all Christians, so called, was "waxed cold." The Christians had no more of the Spirit of Christ than the other Heathens. The Son of Man, when he came to examine his church, could hardly "find faith upon the earth." This was the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the Christian Church - because the Christians were turned Heathens again, and had only a dead form left.