What is the perfect?

Welcome to Midway Church of Christ

What’s Your Question? for June 10, 2009

Paul said prophecies will fail, tongues will cease, and knowledge (as well as the other miraculous gifts, 1 Cor. 12:7-11), vanished away “when that which is perfect” came (1 Cor. 13:8-10). Some teach that the perfect refers to Christ. That ignores the context and other Bible teaching. Miraculous gifts were transferred by laying on of apostolic hands (Acts 8:18). Miraculous knowledge, tongues, etc., were in part (1 Cor. 13:9). Whatever is the nature of the part is the nature of the perfect. The truth was given “in parts,” but when revelation was complete and confirmed, those things in part ceased (Mk. 16:15-20). The contrast is not between Christ and miraculous gifts, but between the parts and the complete. The perfect has been given, and any addition to that is false, and brings the curse of God upon one who teaches it (Gal. 1:6-9).