Transcript

Ghassan Thomas leads one of the few public churches that emerged [in Baghdad] after Saddam Hussein was toppled.

His congregation erected a sign on their building that said, “Jesus Is the Light of the World,” but the church was raided by bandits who left behind a threat on a piece of cardboard. It read: “Jesus is not the light of the world, Allah is, and you have been warned.” The note was signed “The Islamic Shiite Party.”

In response, Pastor Ghassan loaded a van with children’s gifts and medical supplies—which were in critically short supply following the American invasion—and drove to the headquarters of the Islamic Shiite Party.

After presenting the gifts and supplies to the sheikh, Ghassan told the leader, “Christians have love for you, because our God is a God of love.”

He then asked permission to read from the Bible. Ghassan turned to Christ’s words in John 8, “I am the light of the world.” He then showed the cardboard note to the sheikh.

The Muslim leaders, astounded by Pastor Thomas’s actions and courage, apologized.

“This will not happen again,” [the sheikh] vowed. “You are my brother. If anyone comes to kill you, it will be my neck first.” The sheikh later attended Pastor Thomas’s ordination service at the church.

The abiding trinity of faith, hope, and love is what God desires out of His Church, the Body of Christ throughout the current dispensation of grace. We see this pastor putting these virtues in action to Muslims in Iraq.

Whether in Baghdad, Iraq or wherever we are, the Church is to demonstrate faith, hope, and love to the world around us. We show Christ’s light in us by these things.

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul teaches how the miraculous sign gifts like the gift of prophecy, the gift of tongues, and the gift of knowledge would cease and fail, but love never fails, and faith, hope, and love abides forever.

1 Corinthians 13:10: “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”

“When that which is perfect is come” refers to the time when Paul would receive the full revelation from Christ concerning His truth for this age and the instruction for the Body of Christ in it. When this full knowledge was given this completed the Word of God.

This is when “that which is in in part,” or the miraculous sign gifts would be done away.

To better demonstrate when the miraculous sign gifts stopped, it is helpful to arrange Paul’s 13 letters in the sequential order that he wrote them. The way they appear in your Bible is not the order Paul wrote them. Paul did not write Romans first and Philemon last.

They way you find them in your Bible has to do with length of the letters, and they are also grouped by his nine letters to churches first, and 4 letters to individuals second.

While the order I explain here of what I believe is debated by others, it is close, and it serves the purpose to make the point about the miraculous sign gifts.

Because in their sequential order, the first 6 letters of Paul were written during the Acts period, while his last 7 were written after the Acts period. And it is interesting to observe the change that takes place with the gifts when you look at Paul’s letters this way.

Galatians was likely Paul’s first letter. After his first missionary journey when he went throughout the region of Galatia, Paul returned and wrote to the Galatians, marveling that they were “SO SOON removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” (Gal. 1:6).

Soon after Paul’s return from his first journey in Acts 14:27, he wrote Galatians.

On Paul’s second missionary journey, he went to Thessalonica and established a church there. We learn about this in Acts 17. Paul was driven out of Thessalonica by persecution and went to Berea next. From there he went to Athens and then to nearby Corinth.

In Acts 18, while Paul was in Corinth for a year and a half, he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. A proof of this is a comparison of Acts 18:5 and 1 Thessalonians 3:6, which both refer to Timothy’s return to Paul in Corinth from Macedonia and Timothy giving him a good report about how the Thessalonians were doing.

In Acts 18:22, we learn how Paul returned to his sending church at Antioch and from there he again launched out on his third apostolic journey.

On that journey, in Acts 19, we learn how he stayed and ministered in Ephesus for two years. Here during his stay in Ephesus, Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. Ephesus was in Asia Minor, and in 1 Corinthians 16:19, Paul wrote them that “The churches of Asia salute you.”

Leaving Ephesus, Paul traveled to Macedonia according to Acts 20:1. He refers to this in 2 Corinthians 2:13 where he wrote: “I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.” And in Macedonia is where Paul wrote the second letter to the Corinthians.

In Acts 20:2-3, Paul arrived in Greece, and specifically in Corinth. He spent 3 months there with a brother named Gaius. Here he wrote the Book of Romans.

We know he was in Corinth because Gaius is mentioned by name as a member of the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 1:14. Then at the close of Romans, Paul wrote, “Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother” (Rom. 16:23).

From this verse, there is an encouraging extra-biblical proof in Corinth called the Erastus stone. Paul wrote that Erastus was the chamberlain, the treasurer, of the city of Corinth.

And from the excavation of a first century road among the ruins of Corinth a stone was found that has the name “Erastus” on it and makes mention of him as a public official. I’ve had the privilege to see that stone.

Romans is the last letter Paul penned during the Acts period. In Acts 21, Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. He remained a prisoner in Caesarea for two years.

Paul had appealed to Caesar and was then taken to Rome where he was a prisoner in a rented house and that takes you to the end of Acts.

Shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while he was still a prisoner in Rome, Paul wrote four letters, many times called the “prison epistles.” These letters are Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. In each of these letters he writes of his “chains.”

I believe Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry probably for a couple years at least. During this time, he wrote two letters: 1 Timothy and Titus.

Paul was then arrested again and put in prison in Rome. In the letter, he anticipated his impending death and wrote his last letter of 2 Timothy.

To summarize, during the Book of Acts, Paul wrote six letters: 1) Galatians—after Acts 14. 2) 1 Thessalonians in Acts 18. 3) 2 Thessalonians in Acts 18. 4) 1 Corinthians in Acts 19. 5) 2 Corinthians in Acts 20. 6) Romans in Acts 20.

After the Book of Acts, Paul wrote seven letters: the prison epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, then epistles after he was released of 1 Timothy and Titus, and finally his last letter in prison in Rome: 2 Timothy.

So how does this help us to understand when the miraculous sign gifts ceased?

In Acts 19:6, we read “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” In Acts 19, Paul wrote the letter of 1 Corinthians which mentions the gifts of tongues and prophecy.

In Acts 19:11-12 we read, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” In Acts 19, Paul wrote the letter of 1 Corinthians which mentions the gifts of healing and working of miracles.

In the first six letters, all written during the period covered by the Book of Acts, we find that the sign gifts were operating in these churches.

Galatians: “He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (3:5).

1 Thessalonians: “Despise not prophesyings” (5:20).

1 Corinthians: “To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.” (12:10).

2 Corinthians: “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds” (12:12).

Romans: “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy…” (12:6).

However, during this time period of Acts, in Acts 19, the Lord revealed to Paul that the sign gifts were going to cease in the future “when that which is perfect is come,” or when the full revelation of God’s Word was completed.

And they did stop, because when you turn to the letters written while Paul was in prison in Rome: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, there is not a hint of the gift of tongues, no mention of the gifts of working of miracles, faith, wisdom, knowledge, or discerning of spirits.

There is no word about the gift of healing. Instead, you find Paul unable to heal three co-laborers: Timothy, Epaphroditus, and Trophimus.

The miraculous sign gifts had ceased and were no longer working after Acts 28.

You do find mention of prophecies made about Timothy in 1 and 2 Timothy and the gifts of apostles and prophets in Ephesians, but in those places he is referring to something in the past that took place years earlier, and of the foundational gifts at the beginning of the Church when Christ initially revealed the dispensation of grace to Paul.

The gifts of tongues, prophecy, healing, knowledge, and so on, were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during that time. But when we turn to the seven letters written after Acts, we find that the sign gifts either aren’t mentioned at all or they were no longer operating in Paul’s life.

And what Paul could do during the Acts period, such as healing, he could no longer do during the time he wrote Philippians or 1 and 2 Timothy.

Arranging Paul’s letters in the order he wrote them allows us to see the pattern of truth and the change that takes place with the sign gifts in God’s Word.

And the contrast is sharp between the earlier letters and the later letters, between the time when all the sign gifts were operating, and the time when all the sign gifts had ceased.

When did the sign gifts cease? The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. Why did the sign gifts cease? That’s what we’ll look at next.

1 Corinthians 13:11 reads, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

A Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. A little boy then interrupted, “My Mommy looked back once too while she was driving, and she turned into a telephone pole!”

Like Paul wrote, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child.” Over time, children mature in their speech, understanding, thinking.

In verses 11 and 12, Paul used two illustrations to confirm his argument about the temporary nature of the sign gifts. He begins by contrasting childhood with becoming an adult—the immature with the mature. The sign gifts were the immature way, the incomplete way. Like with childhood, knowledge is incomplete at that point.

A child’s speech is undeveloped, understanding is simple, and knowledge is incomplete. But when a child becomes an adult, they mature in all these areas.

My father, Pastor Paul Sadler, once wrote, “When we became adults we put away all our childhood toys. Hence, our immaturity was gradually replaced with a fuller understanding of things once we became adults. Thus, the supernatural gifts were put aside with the maturing of the dispensation which came with the completion of Paul’s revelation.”

The sign gifts belonged to childhood, which speaks to the beginning of the dispensation of grace, the infancy of the Church, the Body of Christ, and the unfolding of the mystery, and the incomplete knowledge of God’s will for the church that accompanied that time.

Here’s something for you to consider: the words “spake,” “understood,” and “thought,” in verse 11 seem to correspond respectively to “spake” speaking of the gift of tongues, “understood” referring to the gift of knowledge, and “thought” to the gift of prophecy.

Paul says, “when I became a man, I put away childish things.” This speaks of the maturity of the dispensation with receiving the full revelation of the body of truth for this age and the putting away of the childish things of the sign gifts.

Once that which is perfect was come and achieved, the full revelation of the mystery and the completion of God’s Word, there would be no need for that which is immature.

And Paul is gently pointing out to the Corinthians that it should not be desired either. Like when you become an adult you put away childish things, the sign gifts should be put away. Paul is teaching the Corinthians that they should not try to live by sign gifts once they have ceased and the Word of God was complete.

This gracious challenge is needed today for those still try to do this. The challenge is to put it away, turn to the Word of God, and grow and mature spiritually by the Word.

The healings and speaking in tongues of today that so many are enthralled over are not signs of spiritual maturity. They are a sign of immaturity according to God’s Word.

1 Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

From the example of growth from a child to an adult, Paul next uses the illustration of a mirror to further reinforce his argument that change was coming for something better.

“Now we see through a glass, darkly” speaks of the time when Paul wrote this letter. The “glass” was something looked into with the purpose of seeing a reflected image, or a mirror. Unlike our mirrors today, in biblical times they were often just flat pieces of polished metal from which one could barely make out his image.

They didn’t give off a clear reflection like our mirrors. Paul says, now we see through a glass, “darkly,” or dimly, indistinctly, the image is not perfectly clear.

Similarly, the sign gifts were like looking into an ancient mirror; they were an indication that everything had not yet come into focus.

“But then,” or after that which is perfect is come, the image would be “face to face” or crystal clear, perfectly clear. Paul gives a contrast between their mirrors which gave off an imperfect reflection with looking at someone directly in the face, able to see everything clearly in perfect detail.

When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, he still had an incomplete and unclear view of the whole picture for this dispensation of grace, it was like seeing through a glass, darkly.

“But then,” or but when that which is perfect is come, and the full revelation is given, it will be face to face. It will be like two friends meeting face to face. They immediately recognize each other. And everything is clearly seen.

This speaks to the clearer perception and understanding that would come about through the full revelation and full knowledge of the body of truth for this program.

When the revelation of the mystery was complete and fully revealed by Christ, Paul would see face to face and see and understand things perfectly and clearly.

Then as he wrote in verse 9, he wrote again, that “now I know in part.” He reminds the Corinthians again that he had only a partial knowledge of God’s plan and His revelation for this dispensation at that point.

“But then shall I know even as also I am known.” The “but then” again is referring to “but when that which is perfect is come” or when he has received the full revelation of the mystery.

And Paul said that “then shall I know even as also I am known” or someday the image will be as clear as if he were actually looking at himself without a bad mirror.

He would know how he looks with the same accuracy that others know him, without a flawed reflection from an imperfect mirror. It would be like looking at our mirrors today.

Paul said in verse 12 that “now I KNOW in part; but then shall I KNOW.” The first word “know” is translated from a different Greek word than the second word “know.” The second word “know” here is epiginosko in the Greek, which means full knowledge.

Paul was telling the Corinthians that a time was coming that his partial knowledge, like incomplete knowledge when you’re a child or like seeing your imperfect reflection in a bad mirror, this would be replaced by full knowledge, as if he were a mature adult looking at himself in perfect clarity.

This would be when he would have the completed, full revelation regarding the present dispensation of grace. It is then that the sign gifts would cease and be done away with.

And in his later epistles, Paul wrote, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the KNOWLEDGE of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened…” (Eph. 1:17-18).

Like in 1 Corinthians 13:12, the word “knowledge” here is the Greek word meaning full knowledge. Paul at this point had received the full revelation of the mystery, he had the full knowledge of God’s truth for this age, the full knowledge of Christ according to His heavenly ministry today.

And he prays that the Ephesians would be enlightened to this full knowledge by the ministry of the Spirit, and that they would have a full knowledge of Christ as a result.

Through the completed revelation of the mystery, God made it possible for us to see more clearly the whole counsel of His will and His eternal plan for the earth and His eternal plan for the heavens.

And most importantly, God’s revelation for today, allows us to see Christ more clearly, having a full knowledge of Christ according His heavenly ministry in His exaltation at God’s right hand, and His office today as the Head of the Church, the Body of Christ.

The revelation that comes to us from God is a reflection of God. We see the glory of Christ, here, in the Word. As you gaze into the Word of God, you see the reflection of God and the glory of Christ, and we are changed into His image as we grow in it.

As 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us, that we “are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” And the Spirit uses His Word to transform and change us more and more into the image of Christ.

So why did the sign gifts cease? Because God fully revealed His message for today and the Word of God is complete.

And in accordance with God’s promise, “when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away,” the miraculous sign gifts were done away.

Now God wants us to grow and mature in Christ, by faith in His Word.

1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

The “now” and “then” contrasts of this passage finish here with Paul saying, “now abideth.” This did not await the completed revelation of the mystery. Paul was teaching them that now, and for the entire dispensation of grace, NOW abideth, faith, hope, and love.

These three crowning graces abide throughout the age. While the miraculous sign gifts would cease, faith, hope, and love would remain and abide. Faith, hope and love are the foundation for our Christian lives.

We are called to walk by faith, to walk in love, and to be “looking for that Blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Paul didn’t look for tongues, healings, and miracles in the churches he established, he looked for faith, hope, and love.

As he wrote the Colossians: “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your FAITH in Christ Jesus, and of the LOVE which ye have to all the saints, For the HOPE which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel” (1:3-6).

This is the true measuring stick of spiritual maturity in Christ and a strong church. Any size church that has these three virtues in it, is a full church.

In 12:31, Paul wrote “and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” Faith, hope, and love are the more excellent way, and the greatest of these is love. These are the three essential qualities for the Christian life.

Our lives are to be lived by and filled with this abiding trinity. Life is a journey of faith in Christ. We live by faith with our hope in Christ before us comforting and strengthening us, driving us forward in our service for Christ as we journey towards our hope.

And we live by the greatest of these, “love,” the love of Christ, showing His selfless love to others along the way till we go home, when we are welcomed home by His great love and grace, and then we will experience His love which never fails, for all eternity.