When the Perfect comes
Meditation on 1 Cor 13
13 September 2010
1 Cor. 13:9-11 ‘we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.’
GIFTS AND LOVE
Does this passage tell us that the gifts are not important, or not so very important? I think not! Paul is trying to show us how to exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit in a ‘more excellent way’ (1 Cor 12:30). Meaning it is not an ‘either gifts or love’ choice. The better way is the gifts with the love of God. The gifts exercised in such a way that the recipient experiences the love of God in the impartation. He is not saying that Love is more important; he only says that the gifts without love are meaningless and empty. It has no power. It is only a sounding gong. It will profit me nothing, and it is unlikely to bear fruit in the recipient.
Some have argued that the same portion of Scripture says that prophecy will pass away, and that tongues will cease (v 8), meaning that the gifts are not as important as love. But the same verses also say that the ways of a child will pass away. It doesn’t mean that the child will pass away. It only says that the child will grow up, and leave behind his childish ways. We do not kill the child to have him grow into a mature person. We only lay aside the immature ways. In the same way we do not stop the prophesying or the miracles, or any of the gifts; we must only stop exercising these gifts without love.
In fact the apostle is encouraging the church to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts and at the same time to pursue love (1 Cor 14:1;39). He desires everybody to prophesy (v5). Prophecy seems to be the vehicle whereby so many of the gifts are ministered to people. Word of wisdom comes by speaking; so does the word of knowledge; so does discerning of spirits; tongues, and interpretation. The Corinthian church does not seem to have lacked in the manifestation of the gifts, but in the manifestation of the gifts accompanied by love. They may have had the gifts, but lacked the power of God.
GOD IS LOVE
Paul goes on the say that we now ‘see as in a mirror dimly, but then face to face’ (v 12). Ancient mirrors were made of polished metals like bronze, and one’s reflection was even more dim than in modern mirrors. But he must be referring to the day when we shall see Jesus face to face. 1 John 3:2 says that when we see him we shall be like Him. We shall be changed into His likeness. God is love. When God comes, Love comes. We shall live in the fullness of His love. We shall love with His love. We shall view one another clearly and be moved by the compassion that Jesus had when He walked upon the earth. We shall have perfect wisdom, knowledge, faith, power to work miracles, and discerning the truth. The gifts will not be gone, it will simply be enveloped, clothed in His love.
There is an apparent move of God today in His church worldwide that is restoring the truth of the Gospel. A new revelation of the Truth of the gospel and thus sound theology is at the root of every new move of God. However, let us not view this truth in cold academic terms. Truth is in Jesus. As we pursue Him, let us press on to know Him. Let us be baptised into Him and into His love. I feel the promise of God is that, as we meet he person of Christ in a greater knowing, we shall be filled with His spirit afresh. We shall be filled with His spirit and His love. This will bring the manifestation of the gifts in a greater way. We shall do the works that Jesus did, and greater. (John 14:12) this is the time when we no longer do things to be seen by men and to receive glory from man. But our lives will drip with the love of God; with His compassion for the lost and the needy.
THE MESSAGE
God wants the Word and the Spirit to unite in the lives and hearts of His people; for the worshipers to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. In the same way I believe God wants the church to arise in the fullness of the manifestation of the spirit, and all the signs and gifts to be manifested, filled with His love. Jesus was moved by compassion; then He acted. He was the truth, and He manifested God’s love. This changed people’s lives. Jesus instructed the disciples to keep His commandments and to abide in His love. (John 15) By this the world will know. By this the message will get out; that the world may take notice. The Word united with Spirit, in the lives of ordinary Christians, and without the self serving and self glorifying traits of human nature. What a day this will be: When the Perfect One is ministering through us. When perfect Love, the love described in 1 Corinthians 13, is evident in our words and deeds! We may perhaps never reach the fullness this side of heaven; but we are encouraged to seek this ‘more excellent way’. To press on to it; to believe for it. Not to rest until we see more of him and less of our carnal natures.
Come, O perfect Lover! Pour out Your perfect Love.
Callie Swart
Article:> http://www.3ci.co.za/article/when-the-perfect-comes-meditation-on-1-cor-13/
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