1 Corinthians 13:8-13

8: Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
9: For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
10: but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
11: When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
12: For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
13: But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

*** 

After listing the attributes of love, Paul stated that love never fails. It, along with faith and hope, will remain. The gifts of the Spirit given for the common good will eventually stop. They are only tastes and portions of the fullness of God—a word of knowledge, prophecy, tongues etc. are given until the perfect comes. When the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

What is the perfect? There is only One who is perfect and when He comes, we will be like Him. Even just the hope of becoming like Him purifies us (1 John 3:2-3). The revelation of Jesus continues throughout all generations until a full revealing comes at His physical return. Now, we are given these gifts to aid us into maturity and a more complete understanding of who He is. We don’t see clearly now, but when the Lord returns to fully reveal Himself, we will. Now we are fully known by Him, but we do not fully know Him yet. He will appear a second time for salvation to those who eagerly await Him (Hebrews 9:28).

These gifts are aids, but if we do not pursue them in love, we will not reach the full potential they could provide. They will not be able to do the maturing work in us that they are given for if we do not remain in the love of God. We must remember the big picture and not get so caught up in the gifts God gives and their supernatural, sometimes spectacular, nature that we forget the solid, stable guide of love, faith, and hope. The gifts apart from the Giver do not do the work they are given for. Pursue this most excellent way of love above all.

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