We have been studying the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians--a chapter all about love. The great climax of this chapter comes in verse 8 with the words, "Love never faileth...." In other words, love is the only thing that is eternal--the only link we have with eternity. Now the Corinthians had emphasized spiritual gifts, ministries, and other good things, but they had forgotten that which was best. They had forgotten what Paul calls in 1 Corinthians 12:31, the "more excellent way"--love. So Paul writes chapter 13 and makes a major statement on the essence, the character, and the quality of love.

I. THE PROMINENCE OF LOVE (vv. 1-3; Perfect Love, pp. 8-38)

II. THE PERFECTIONS OF LOVE (vv. 4-7; Perfect Love, pp. 43-108)

III. THE PERMANENCE OF LOVE (vv. 8-12)

A. Gifts Are Temporary--Love Is Eternal (v. 8)

"Love never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away [lit. `be rendered inoperative, abolished, done away']; whether there be tongues, they shall cease [lit. `stop by themselves']; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away [lit. `be rendered inoperative, abolished, done away']."

Now Paul is using these three gifts--prophecy, tongues, and knowledge--as a composite of all the gifts. The most significant gift was prophecy, the least significant gift was tongues, and the gift representative of the middle would be knowledge. So Paul is simply saying, "Gifts are a passing reality; they are not a forever item. They have their time and their place, but they are not permanent or eternal."

In our previous lessons, I showed you the distinction that Paul made between the gifts of prophecy and knowledge, and the gift of tongues. We saw that he used the verb pauo in the middle voice, which says that tongues will stop by themselves. The verb he used for prophecy and knowledge (katargeo) is in the passive voice and means that something will stop those gifts, halt them, or bring them to an end. And what is it that stops those two gifts? The "perfect thing" of verse 10.

So, prophecy and knowledge didn't cease with tongues; they continued on, and are now waiting for the "perfect thing" to stop them. Verses 9-10 say, "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." The partial things--knowledge and prophecy--are going to stop when the perfect thing comes, because they're only temporary. Now, they are important. In fact, they're essential. But they're only part of time, not eternity.

Now, Paul's second point in his discussion of the permanence of love is:

B. Gifts Are Partial--Love Is Complete (vv. 9-10, 12)

If you look at verses 9, 10, and 12, you'll see that the words "in part" are used four times. Four times in these three verses, Paul uses the Greek word meros, which simply means "a part of the whole." The gifts, then, are partial. That's very clear. By the way, it's interesting to notice that tongues do not appear in verses 9-13. Why? Because they have stopped. In Paul's illustration here in 1 Corinthians 13, the only things that will be around when the perfect thing comes are prophecy and knowledge. There will be other gifts, of course, but the representative gifts that Paul refers to here are prophecy and knowledge. By the time the "perfect thing" comes, tongues will have already stopped by themselves.

1. THE CONFINES OF PROPHECY AND KNOWLEDGE (v. 9)

"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part."

a. The Lack of Completeness

1) Prophecy Is Partial

I may study diligently and do everything I can to preach the Word of God; but at best, I can only preach a part of all the truths of God. Why? Because I'm limited to what God has revealed, I'm limited to my own understanding of what God has revealed, and I'm limited by the fact that a human mind cannot understand a superhuman God in His fullness. So at best, preaching (or prophesying, which literally means "to speak before") is partial.

2) Knowledge Is Partial

The gift of knowledge, which is the Spirit-given ability to draw principles out of the Word of God, is only partial. There is no way that we can know everything there is to know. I admit that I thought I knew everything when I graduated from seminary. But I've been losing that attitude along the way.

No Christian can have perfect knowledge. Let me give you some biblical support for this:

a) 1 Corinthians 8:2--"And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." Knowledge is limited. In fact, if you think you know everything, at that point you don't know anything. Why? Because the basis of knowledge is the realization that you can't know everything.

b) Job 11:7-8--"Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than sheol; what canst thou know?" In other words, it's impossible to attain the fullness of the knowledge of God. You can't climb high enough or descend low enough. It's beyond the capacity of man to fully understand God.

People often ask how Bible teachers or mature Christians can disagree. Well, it's because all of us are dealing with limits in our knowledge. We're trying to put all the pieces together and make conclusions without a fullness of revelation.

c) Job 26:14--After talking about God, and how marvelous and powerful He is, Job exclaims, "Lo [which in this case would be equivalent to saying `Wow!' in the English], these are parts of His ways; but how little a portion is heard of Him! But the thunder of His power, who can understand?" It's beyond all of us to grasp the fullness of God's power, God's ways, God's truth, and God's nature.

d) Psalm 40:5--"Many, O LORD, my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are toward us; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee...." In other words, David says, "When I try to catalog and systematize them, and offer them back to You, there's something missing." Then he says,"...If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Systematizing God is very difficult because we don't have all of the information.

e) Psalm 139:6--"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." The knowledge of God is far beyond us.

f) Romans 11:33-34--"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counselor?"

g) Colossians 2:3--You say, "But when you know Christ, don't you get it all?" No, because in Him "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." To know Christ is to know that wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him. Not everything has been revealed.

b. The Level of Competency

We have to remember that we're always dealing with a part of the truth in terms of its total. But I want to hasten to say, that just because we have partial truth does not mean we have error. It simply means that we don't have all the truth there is. For example, you might teach your child that two and two is four. If you do, you have taught him truth. However, it's a long way from algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. Even if your child is able to apprehend the fact that two plus two equals four, there is so much more to know that your child would not be able to understand. In a similar way, the knowledge that we have is not wrong or unreliable, it is simply incomplete. As we grow as Christians, we continually learn more and more--but we won't get it all. May I hasten to add that even though our knowledge is partial, we have all that we need.

1) 2 Peter 1:3a--Peter said that God "hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." In other words, we have all we need.

2) 1 John 5:20a--The Apostle John said, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true...."

3) 1 Corinthians 2:12--Paul said that "we have received...the Spirit who is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God."

So, we know as much as we need to know, of what God wants us to do. But we don't know everything. We're just a bunch of students trying to get a hold of the basics.

c. The Logic of Concealment

You say, "John, why didn't God give us all the knowledge there is to know?" Well, I think there are basically two reasons:

1) The Capacity of Our Minds

The human mind would never be able to understand all of God's truths, so God limited what He gave us and kept it simple. It's so simple, in fact, that a child can know it. God kept it simple so we wouldn't get confused. Another reason God didn't give us all truth is...

2) The Corruption of Our Minds

A sin-defiled, depraved, human mind couldn't deal with ultimate truth in its whole unless it was a perfect mind. So, since it isn't perfect, God didn't bother to give it all to us. Someday, when we get a perfect mind, we'll get all truth. But, that's in the future.

So, we have partial knowledge. Some of it comes through the gift of preaching as men declare to us the Word of God, and some of it comes as men draw out principles in the Scripture with a word of knowledge and teach them to us. So these are, in part, contributing to what we know.

2. THE CLARIFICATION OF THE "PERFECT THING" (vv. 10, 12)

"But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away [Gk. katargeo=abolished, rendered inoperative]....For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then, face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known."

Imagine! There's coming a day when we won't need books, sermons, classes, or Bible studies. We won't need any of those things because we'll know it all. In fact, there won't even be a need for any of the gifts. However, one thing will remain: love. That's Paul's whole point. Love will remain throughout eternity.

Now what about the "perfect thing"? What is it and when does it come?

a. The Present Vagueness

Verse 12 says,"For now we see in a mirror, darkly...." That's referring to prophecy. We can perceive what God is doing, we can perceive His Word, and we can perceive His program...but only partially. Someday, though, we will be face to face and will have full perception. Further, referring to the gift of knowledge Paul says, "...now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known."

The illustration of seeing in a mirror darkly was very appropriate to be used with the Corinthians. They would know exactly what Paul was talking about because one of the trades in the city of Corinth was mirror making. In those days, they made mirrors by flattening out a piece of metal and polishing it to a high shine. If you've ever looked into a metal mirror, though, you know that it tends to have little wavy places which somewhat distort the image. Additionally, after a period of time, metal mirrors are prone to decay--becoming blotched and marred. So Paul is saying, "For now, we are looking in a mirror which reveals a rather vague and confined image."

When you look in a car's rearview mirror while you're driving, the information available to you is limited by the small size of that mirror, isn't it? Have you ever looked in your rearview mirror as you began to change lanes, only to be startled by a loud honk from a car that you hadn't seen? You hadn't seen the car because it was in your blind spot. That's essentially what Paul is saying here in verse 12. There is a vagueness, a dimness in what we see. There are limitations to what we see in terms of the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. Our knowledge is limited as well. But there's coming a day when we will be able to see the real picture without a mirror--face to face. The time will come when we will know, without any limitations, the fullness of knowledge. That's a fantastic promise, isn't it? Just imagine the day when we will know everything and see everything the way it really is.

You say, "When is that going to be? What is the `perfect thing' and when is it going to come?" Well, let's look at it. Here are the options:

b. The Popular Views

1) THE COMPLETION OF SCRIPTURE

Some people say that the "perfect thing" is the completion of Scripture and has, therefore, already come. This is a very, very popular view today. It is believed that when the completed New Testament was added to the Old Testament, the "perfect thing" had arrived. This view also says that the Scriptures cause us to see face to face and to know as we are known.

I think this view is weak for the following reasons:

a) This view would have been obscure to the Corinthians. Remember, Paul was basically writing to a group of people to get a message to them that they would understand. In a sense, we are eavesdropping on Paul's correspondence with the Corinthians. I don't think that the Corinthians would have comprehended the word "perfect" in that way. Why? Because in Matthew 5:48 Jesus had said, "Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as your Father, who is in heaven, is perfect." In the mind of the Corinthians, then, where would perfection be? In heaven! Jesus was setting the ultimate standard of absolute holiness. Perfection is always the highest level of attainment. I don't think that the Corinthians would have comprehended it as the New Testament. It's more likely that they would have seen perfection in terms of being like Christ or like God-- fully matured.

A second reason I feel this view is weak is...

b) This view requires prophecy and knowledge--which were primarily related to proclaiming and teaching the Word of God--to cease upon the completion of the canon. Basically, this view eliminates the manifestations of those gifts. While Scripture was being written, the writers of Scripture were preaching from passages that were already written. So the gift of prophecy was revelatory as well as reiterating what had already been revealed. If the "perfect thing" is the Bible, then the spiritual gifts of prophecy and knowledge would have had to stop when the Bible was completed. Well, I find it rather hard to believe that the gifts of proclaiming the Scriptures and drawing truths out of Scripture stopped once Scripture was completed.

A third reason I think this view is weak is...

c) This view forces the conclusion to be made that there is no proclaiming or teaching throughout the entire Church Age, Tribulation, and Kingdom. This is hard to believe because Joel 2:28 says that there will be prophecy in the Kingdom, and Revelation 11:3 refers to two prophets that God raises up during the Tribulation. So, if there is prophecy in the Tribulation and in the millennial Kingdom, has prophecy ceased? No. There is still yet a future for prophecy. To say nothing of the proclaiming and the teaching going on throughout the Church Age.

Those that hold to this view say, "Well, the gifts of prophecy and knowledge stop and then start up again." But that can't be true for two reasons: First, the verb used in 1 Corinthians 13:8 regarding the future of these gifts means "to be abolished." Second, if these gifts start up again, Paul's whole point in 1 Corinthians 13 is destroyed. He's saying, "Some things stop and they're done, but love is forever." His contrast isn't, "Certain things come and go, but love is forever." That's a weak contrast. His point is the strong contrast of, "Some things stop, but love goes on forever."

Another reason I don't think the "perfect thing" can be the Scripture is...

d) The phrase "face to face" can't be explained by this view. Now I ask you: You own a Bible, but have you ever seen God face to face? No! In fact, we haven't even seen the one who reveals God--the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Peter 1:8 it says, "Whom, having not seen, ye love...." Having a Bible doesn't mean that we've seen God face to face. Now, someday that will happen--when we go to heaven, and when God's glory fills the new heaven and the new earth and shines out of the midst of the Holy City. Then we'll see His glory face to face, but it hasn't happened yet.

Further, if you interpret the "perfect thing" as Scripture...

e) The phrase "then shall I know even as also I am known" is not explained by this view. Because I have a Bible do I know God as well as God knows me? No! God knows me perfectly, but I only know Him in part. Even though I have a Bible, I don't know all there is to know about God. In John 10:15 Jesus says, "As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father...." I can't say that, can I? No. I don't know the Father in the same sense that He knows me. My knowledge of Him is limited.

So, the view that Scripture is the "perfect thing" is weak for the following reasons: it would have had an obscure meaning to the Corinthians; it ends prophecy and knowledge long before the Kingdom and the Tribulation, where they do appear; it can't explain "face to face"; and it can't explain "then shall I know even as also I am known."

Let me give you a second view that is held regarding the identity of the "perfect thing":

2) THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

This is probably the most common view of the identity of the "perfect thing." In fact, this is what I believed for many years. But I think this view is also weak because, like the first view, it can't explain why prophecy and knowledge are going on in the Tribulation and the Kingdom if they cease at the Rapture. Now this view admits that prophecy and knowledge are present in the Church Age and in the Kingdom, but it denies that they are present in the Tribulation. But if these gifts cease at the Rapture, they can't start up again in the Kingdom. Once they're abolished, they're abolished. Further, how does this view explain the prophesying of the two witnesses during the first three and one-half years of the Tribulation (Rev. 11:3)?

Incidentally, the word "perfect" (Gk. to teleion) in verse 10 is neuter. This is significant because any term that is used in reference to the Rapture or the Second Coming is always feminine in the Greek. So it's unlikely that the Rapture is the "perfect thing." Otherwise, the word would be in the feminine form.

A third view for the identity of the "perfect thing" is...

3) THE MATURING OF THE CHURCH

This view states that when the church reaches its maturity--in other words, when everybody's in and the body is complete--that's the "perfect thing." Well, that is simply another way of identifying the Rapture. Why? Because when everybody's in the church and the body is complete, the church is raptured, right? What would the church do if it was complete and there wasn't anybody left to win to Christ?

Now the basis of this view is the translation of to teleion to refer to maturity rather than perfection. However, it still has the same problem as the other views: If prophecy and knowledge cease when the church is mature and taken out of the world, then how does one explain the existence of prophecy and knowledge in the Tribulation and the Kingdom?

A fourth view identifying the "perfect thing" is...

4) THE SECOND COMING

This view basically states that Christ, or His Coming, is the "perfect thing." The problem, however, is that to teleion is neuter. If it was referring to the Second Coming the word would be feminine, and if it was referring to Christ, it would be masculine. Christ isn't a thing, Christ is a He. Furthermore, if Christ comes and ends prophecy and knowledge, why is the Kingdom filled with prophecy and knowledge? It just doesn't seem to make any sense. The Kingdom is going to be loaded with teaching and preaching.

Will there be preaching and teaching in the Kingdom?

Yes, there will be teaching and preaching in the Kingdom--a tremendous amount of it. Let me show you some passages out of Isaiah and Jeremiah to prove this point:

1. ISAIAH 11:9--If you read this entire chapter, it will be abundantly clear to you that it is describing the millennial Kingdom. With that in mind, verse 9 says, "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." Somehow, the entire globe is going to be engulfed in knowledge, instruction, teaching, and preaching. It's going to dominate the Kingdom.

2. ISAIAH 12:3-4--Still talking about the Kingdom, Isaiah says, "Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." If there's going to be salvation in the Kingdom, there's going to have to be proclamation in the Kingdom as well, because you have to hear the message before you can believe it. Verse 4 continues, "And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted." In other words, God is calling on Israel to preach and proclaim His name in the Kingdom, to bring people to salvation.

3. ISAIAH 29:18--"And in that day [the Kingdom] shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness." In other words, there's going to be instruction in the Kingdom. No longer will people be deaf and blind to it. The instruction will go on, and it will be carried out effectively.

4. ISAIAH 30:20-21--"And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." In the Kingdom, there are going to be teachers all over the globe, and they're going to be saying, "Don't do that! Don't go that way, go this way." God is actually going to have emissaries all over the world directing people in the way they are to walk and in the way they are to go. There will be tremendous instruction during the Kingdom.

5. ISAIAH 32:3-4--"And the eyes of those who see shall not be dim, and the ears of those who hear shall hearken. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly." There will be knowledge, understanding, and an apprehension of information and truth so that people will be led to righteous behavior as well as to salvation.

6. ISAIAH 41:20--Verses 15-19 talk of the blessings of the Kingdom, which will produce the following effect: "That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it." In the Kingdom, information will be dispatched in order that people might know the truth about God.

7. ISAIAH 2:2-3--"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." God's Word will literally proceed from Jerusalem to the world. There are going to be teachers all over the place, proclaiming and preaching the Word of God.

8. ISAIAH 29:24b--In the Kingdom, "...they that murmured shall learn doctrine." The Kingdom will be filled with teachers and preachers.

9. JEREMIAH 23:4a--After the Lord gathers His flock and brings them into His Kingdom, He says, "And I will set up shepherds over them who shall feed them...." And what does a spiritual shepherd do to feed his flock? He gives them the Word.

So it is clear to me that there is teaching and preaching in the Kingdom.

Now, if there is going to be teaching and preaching in the Kingdom, then those gifts haven't ceased. And if they haven't ceased yet, then the "perfect thing" hasn't come. That leaves us only one other possibility for the identity of the "perfect thing." I believe that the "perfect thing" is...

5) THE ETERNAL STATE

The eternal state--the new heaven and the new earth--that begins at the end of the millennial Kingdom, fits all the requirements for the identity of the "perfect thing." In other words, what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 13 is, "You're going to need these spiritual gifts while you're existing in time, but love is all you'll need for eternity." It is a contrast between time and eternity.

Let me give you several reasons why I believe the "perfect thing" is the eternal state:

a) This view is the only view that allows for the neuter use of to teleion. Verse 10 refers to a perfect thing, not a person. And I believe the thing referred to is heaven (or the eternal state).

b) This view is the only view that allows for prophecy and knowledge in the Church Age, the Tribulation, and the Kingdom. One day, when we go to heaven, we won't need preachers and teachers and Bible studies and classes. Why? Because we will be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.

c) This is the only view that fits the context of 1 Corinthians 13. Paul is contrasting spiritual gifts with love by showing that the gifts only exist in time, but love will go on throughout eternity. This contrast would be lost if Paul was saying, "The spiritual gifts only last until the completion of Scripture, or until the Rapture, or until the Second Coming, or until the maturing of the church." Paul is trying to contrast what is temporal with what is eternal. So, if the "perfect thing" is identified as anything short of eternity, the contrast is severely weakened.

d) This is the only view that explains the phrase "face to face" in verse 12. The only time we will ever see the manifestation of the Shekinah of God is when we enter into our eternal state. After the creation of a new heaven and a new earth, John saw the new Jerusalem descend from God to the earth (Rev. 21:1-2). Then in Revelation 21:11 and 23 he talks of the glory of God being present there, lighting the city. In this place of our eternal abode, we will see His glory face to face (cf. Rev. 22:4).

You say, "What about in the Kingdom? Won't all believers see His glory in the Kingdom?" No. In the Kingdom, there will be believing people living on earth who are still in their physical bodies while the New Jerusalem (where the glorified saints of the Church Age will be living) is suspended over the earth. God will dwell in the New Jerusalem, so the people on earth will not see His glory. They will, however, see His Son manifest on the earth. So the fulfillment of "face to face" doesn't occur historically until the Kingdom ends and God's glory is manifest to all the saints.

e) This is the only view that explains the statement "then shall I know even as I am known" in verse 12. The only time we'll know as much as there is to know is when we're in heaven, right? Only then will we have perfect knowledge because then we'll be like Christ.

Now, let me clarify something. Historically, the "perfect thing" is the eternal state. But personally, we enter the eternal state whenever we go to be with Jesus Christ. If I died right now, I would immediately enter into the presence of God. Paul said, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). John tells us that when Christ returns, "...we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (1 Jn. 3:2b). That's the eternal state for us. If we live till the Rapture, that's when the eternal state begins for us. Historically, then, the eternal state begins after the millennial Kingdom in the new heaven and the new earth when all the saints of all the ages are all glorified and made perfect. The personal aspect of the eternal state is the perfection that comes the moment we go to be with Christ. The minute we enter His presence, there is no longer any need for teaching, preaching, Bible study, classes, or any of those things. Why? Because we will have instant knowledge and insight. This is the only view that fits the context.

Paul's argument here in 1 Corinthians 13 is to contrast love and spiritual gifts. In verse 8 he said that gifts are temporary, but love is eternal. In verses 9, 10, and 12 he said that gifts are partial, but love is complete. Then in verse 11 he says...

C. Gifts Are Elementary--Love Is Mature (v. 11)

"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."

I think verse 11 is a personal word from Paul to illustrate his argument. You see, for a Jewish boy, maturity wasn't a process, it happened the moment he had his Bar Mitzvah. The day before his Bar Mitzvah, he was immature; but once he had his Bar Mitzvah, he was mature, a son of the law. So Paul is saying, "I'll deal with these elementary things until I have my spiritual Bar Mitzvah. But when that happens I'll be like Jesus, and I'll be able to put those childish things away. When I get to heaven, there won't be any more preaching or teaching for me to do. I'll be able to simply enjoy God without going through the work."

Well, if gifts are limited to time, and love is forever, what should we put our emphasis on? The obvious answer is love. So, Paul sums it up in verse 13 with a statement on...

IV. THE PREEMINENCE OF LOVE (v. 13)

"And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Do you know why love is greater than faith and hope? Because faith is going to come to an end. Right now we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7); but someday we'll walk by sight, not by faith. The same holds true for hope. Right now we have hope; but that hope will disappear once we see what we're hoping for (Rom. 8:24-25). So, both faith and hope are going to disappear, but love is eternal. That's why Paul says, "...the greatest of these is love."

Your gifts, your abilities, your ministries, your talents, your faith, and your hope--all of these things are important. But they are temporal. Love, on the other hand, is forever. The point, then, is this: You'd better learn to love, because it's the only link you can have with eternity. That's how important love is in the assembly of believing people. In fact, it's so important that the next three words are, "Follow after love..." (1 Cor. 14:1a). That's the more excellent way!

Focusing on the Facts

1. Why is it significant that the gift of tongues is not mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:9-13? 

2. Why does Paul consider the gift of prophecy only a partial gift? 

3. What is the gift of knowledge? Why does Paul consider this gift a partial gift? 

4. Why do Bible teachers with a solid grasp of Scripture often disagree on certain points of doctrine? 

5. Why is it beyond our capabilities to fully understand the nature of God? 

6. Does the fact that we only have a portion of the truth mean that the knowledge we have is wrong or unreliable? Explain. 

7. Do we need more information than what God has given us? Explain. 

8. What are the two reasons God didn't give us all the truth there is to know? 

9. What did Paul mean when he said, "For now we see in a mirror, darkly..." (1 Cor. 13:12a)? Why was this illustration appropriate for the Corinthians? 

10. According to 1 Corinthians 13:10, when will we have full knowledge? 

11. What are the five views of the identity of the "perfect thing"? 

12. The view that identifies the "perfect thing" as the completion of Scripture is weak for a number of reasons. What are these reasons? 

13. What is probably the most common view of the identity of the "perfect thing"? What are the problems with this view? 

14. What is the basis behind the view that the "perfect thing" is the maturing of the church? What are the weaknesses of this view? 

15. Based on the Greek text, why can't the "perfect thing" be the Rapture or the Second Coming? 

16. Will there be preaching and teaching in the millennial Kingdom? How do we know? Why is this such an important point? 

17. Of the five views given for the identity of the "perfect thing," which one is the strongest? What are the five reasons which support this view? 

18. Explain the difference between the historical aspect and the personal aspect of the "perfect thing." 

19. What is Paul's contrast in 1 Corinthians 13:11? What is the personal illustration behind this contrast? 

20. Why is love greater than faith and hope? 

Pondering the Principles

1. Do you understand how Jesus could be 100% God and 100% man? Do you understand why men are responsible to respond to the gospel if God has already sovereignly chosen them for salvation? Do you understand how one God can exist in three distinct Persons simultaneously? Do you know what happens to babies in the Rapture? What about unborn children? Do you know when the Rapture will occur? Well, there are many things that God has not revealed to us. Our knowledge, therefore, is partial. Oftentimes, we try so hard to systematize and compartmentalize God, that we lose sight of the fact that our understanding of God is limited. And when that happens we try and explain things that have no explanation. If you are someone who has to have closure on everything, ask God to help you to accept the fact that His ways are higher than your ways. Also ask Him to help you to be able to live with some of the obvious tensions or apparent paradoxes of Scripture. Then memorize and meditate on Romans 11:33.

2. Your spiritual gifts, your abilities, your ministries, your talents, your faith, and your hope are all insignificant in comparison to love. Why? Because only love is eternal. Where are you concentrating your efforts? Are you committed to love? Read over the qualities of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Which of these qualities are you weakest in? Step out in faith, and ask God to bring circumstances into your life which will strengthen the weak areas in your overall ability to love. And remember, when those circumstances do come, that love is the greatest of all Christian virtues--the only one that is eternal.