Let’s look at those verses wherein on the surface Paul seems to be saying the gifts of the Spirit would shortly cease, or be withdrawn. This is a passage that warrants our remembering Peter’s cautionary advice that Paul wrote some things difficult to understand, things that those unlearned in the scriptures and spiritually unstable would think said one thing when in actuality Paul was saying something entirely different.
Here is the passage many THINK proves the gifts of the Spirit ceased when the Bible was completed or the last apostle died: “Charity (love) never fails, but whether there be prophecies, THEY SHALL FAIL, whether there be tongues, THEY SHALL CEASE, whether there be knowledge, IT SHALL VANISH AWAY, 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. 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, for now we see through a (looking) glass (a mirror) darkly (vaguely, out reflection unclear), but THEN face to face. Now I know in part, but THEN shall I know even as also I am known. And now abides faith, hope, charity (love), these three, but the greatest of these is charity (love)” (I Corinthians 13:8-13).
Now many say “that which is perfect” refers to the Bible being completed or a mature church now being established and, thus, gifts were no longer needed as they were given to aid in establishing the church. Once the church had been established and was ongoing the gifts were withdrawn. Those who teach that are in gross error just as they are in error in several other doctrines they put forth as God’s truth. Let’s let Paul himself tell us what he meant by “that which is perfect” and maturing from a child to a full grown man.
“And He (the Lord) gave some (to be) apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors, and teachers (my calling), FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS, for the work of the ministry, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, UNTO A PERFECT MAN, UNTO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST….but speaking the truth in love, MAY GROW UP INTO HIM IN ALL THINGS, which is the head, even Christ!” (See Ephesians 4:11-13, 15).
Paul, in this passage of Ephesians, tells us exactly what he meant in I Corinthians 13 when he wrote, “but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” He says that when every believer, every spiritual son or daughter of God measures up to the moral and spiritual equivalent of Jesus Christ THEN, and then only, shall the gifts of the Spirit no longer be needed. The pastor’s NUMBER ONE JOB is to bring the congregation over which he presides to moral and spiritual perfection wherein every member of the congregation is perfected in holiness. He is to be their example in such, being blameless and holy himself in his own personal life. Paul wrote Titus, “for a bishop (spiritual overseer, pastor) MUST BE BLAMELESS….just, HOLY” (See Titus 1:7-8). Those who are not are unfit for the office they have thrust themselves into while claiming “God called me to preach.” And those who tell their congregations that Paul himself was carnal, sold under sin, ever giving in to the passions of the flesh do the work of the devil and will answer to Jesus Christ someday for their folly.
Countless times the Lord has manifested the gift of the word of knowledge and spirit of discernment in my life, alerting me to the fact that misguided men were – and sometimes women – were conspiring against me, casting down the truth, calling me a deceiver and agreeing to stop me if I dared speak to a given congregation. No, the gifts of the Spirit have not ceased. Among the faithful they multiply continuously.
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley