The Arrival of Perfection
Lets start off by reading 1 Corinthians 13:8-12.
As the revealer of all Truth, the Holy Spirit would confirm the word that was being revealed through the miraculous gifts of the Spirit.
Let’s read the following Scriptures: Mark 16:17-20, Acts 14:2-3, 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, Hebrews 2:3-4, Acts 5:12, 8:6, 14:1-3.
The gifts were to be a sign and warning of the great and terrible Day of the Lord. Acts 2:15
They were only temporary until the Day of the Lord, 1 Corinthians 1:6-8, 13:8 until the arrival of that which is perfect. Ephesians 4:8-16
The verse we read in Ephesians chapter four peaks about coming unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ until the end of the age, something that was coming very soon. Matthew 28:20, Acts 2:40.
There have been many “claims” of living inspired, authoritative, infallible prophets in churches today, but when we consider the prophetic office, we hardly need much evidence to know without any doubt that this office has ceased.
To be sure, there have been many individuals who have made such claims but cannot pass the test of Deuteronomy 18:20-22 and Revelation2:1-2.
If there were truly inspired, authoritative, infallible prophets in the church today, then we should know without doubt as the early church did. A true prophet manifested the following:
1. Know all things John 14:26, John 16:13 There are no men or women in the church today who possess knowledge of all things, who possess all truth, and have all spiritual knowledge. This is indisputably true.
2. Perfect remembrance of all the words of Jesus John 14:26, total recall of every word of Jesus including things not recorded. John 21:25
3. He will show you things to come. John 16:13 Nothing could be more self-evident than to say that we have no prophets alive today who are able to infallibly tell the truth about “things to come.” The sad history of the church in every generation is that one false prophet after another has declared that the end is near.
We know that the gifts of the Spirit have ceased because the inspired infallible authoritative prophets have ceased. We know this for the very same reason that we know psychics are charlatans.
Psychics don’t win the lottery.
People with the gift of healing do not go to the cancer wards of hospitals and clean them out.
So called “prophets” do not stand up and verify through “signs following” that they are of God and “show things to come”
This is obviously undeniable.
All prophecy was fulfilled at the time of the final resurrection. There was a guarantee that the gifts of the Spirit would continue until the Day of the Lord, the resurrection, the return of Jesus, and the judgment.
There was no further need for the prophetic office. Daniel 9:24 The 70 weeks of Daniel have been fulfilled. If the prophetic office has ceased, then all the gifts have ceased at the end of Israel’s covenant age.
Some say that “which is perfect” refers to the completion of the Bible. Others say it refers to the maturity of the church. Some say that it is the second coming of Jesus. There are also some who say that it is the coming of the New Heavens and the New Earth of Revelation 21-22, that is the New Jerusalem which is perfect.
THEY ARE ALL CORRECT!
The Greek word “perfect” is “teleios” Strong's G#5046 and is translated in the Epistles as “mature” God’s goal for the church was to come to maturity.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit were for the purpose of maturing the body of Christ. When the church came into a face-to-face relationship with Jesus, she entered into a perfect maturity and no longer needed spiritual gifts.
Those gifts were transitory. Ephesians 4:11-13
The gifts were used to bring the church from a state of infancy at Pentecost to adulthood at AD 70.
The word “perfect” in Ephesians 4:13 is translated “mature” and is the same Greek word “teleios” in 1 Corinthians 13:10.
Maturity is the perfect man defined as attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 1 Corinthians 13:10 says, “But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.”
The Law could not make you perfect. Hebrews 10:1, 12:23 According to Strong’s, the word “perfect” Strongs H#8549 in the Hebrew meant complete, whole, undefiled, upright, clean, full, restore, all, every whit.
Also, according to Strong’s, the word “perfect” in the Greek meant completeness, full age, to fit, mend, restore, to accomplish, to finish, to complete, consummate, to finish.
Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2, John 4:34, Philippians 1:6) This happened at the return of Jesus in AD 70.
In Daniel 9:24, Daniel was told that 70 weeks were determined upon his people and the city of Jerusalem.
Verse 24 says…. “to seal up the vision and prophecy” which means prophecies and prophets are sealed meaning the end and complete fulfilment of ALL prophecy.
What Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 is that prophecy will end when the perfect comes. Prophecy ceased with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Ephesians 4:13 the “till” means termination. Daniel said that prophecy will cease. Daniel 9:24 Paul says the same thing in 1 Corinthians 13, and in Ephesians chapter 4.
To seal up vision and prophecy would mean the cessation of the prophetic office through the fulfilment of all prophecy.
The gifts of the Spirit were to continue through the last days. Acts 2:16-20 The last days ended in AD 70. 1 Corinthians 1:5-8 Paul was speaking to the Corinthians in the 1st century.
They were eagerly waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Abrahamic promise involved the redemption of Israel, the true spiritual Israel.
Who is Zion? It is the heavenly Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ, the true Israel of God.
In Isaiah 52:8, Isaiah said that Israel would be in a face-to-face state when God, in the fulfilment of the Abrahamic promise, redeemed Israel. Israel was to see “eye to eye” when the Lord restored her.
When was the Lord going to restore Israel?
At the consummation of the 70 weeks of Daniel Chapter 9, which was the destruction of Jerusalem. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says “face to face”.
According to the Greek language and Strong’s, this expression “face to face” means presence as used in Genesis 4:14 “…the face of the Lord.”
Also, in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “face” Strong's G#4383 here also means “presence”. 2 Peter 1:16, the word “coming” is the Greek word “Parousia” Strong's G#3952 which means the presence of He who comes.
There is a lot of confusion today about spiritual gifts. Do you know why that is? It is because those gifts were for the last days. When the last days ended, so did the gifts.
This is why so many believers have no clue as to what their gift is because they don’t have one. The gifts of the Holy Spirit were a God-given capacity in which the Spirit supernaturally ministered to the church.
If the gift of teaching was functioning today, wouldn’t all teachers be saying the same thing?
If it were a supernatural function of the Spirit, would the Holy Spirit be teaching different things?
Conclusion
Perfection came in AD 70. The Old Testament and the New Testament were perfected together. Both groups, the “us” and the “them” would attain life together in that city at the same time. Hebrews 11:10, 40, 12:22-28
