Questions From Readers
● What did the apostle Paul mean in saying, “When that which is complete arrives, that which is partial will be done away with”?
These words appear in a setting that highlights the surpassing way of love. We read: “Love never fails. But whether there are gifts of prophesying, they will be done away with; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially; but when that which is complete arrives, that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a babe. For at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face to face. At present I know partially, but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known.”—1 Cor. 13:8-12.
Thus Paul showed that the miraculous gifts of prophesying, knowledge and speaking in tongues were not permanent. They were to cease. And cease they did. Evidently these gifts were only imparted in the presence of one or more of the apostles directly chosen by Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:1, 4, 14; 8:9-20; 10:44-46; 19:6) So with the death of these apostles, impartation of miraculous gifts passed away.
In view of the temporary nature of the miraculous gifts, Paul encouraged Christians at Corinth to pursue the permanent and surpassing way of love and not to consider those miraculous gifts as a Christian’s greatest attainment.
Though Paul himself was endowed with miraculous gifts to a superior degree, he recognized that his knowledge was but partial. (1 Cor. 13:1, 2; 14:18) He would have to wait until the arrival of “that which is complete” in order to understand spiritual things fully. In his own case this was not going to happen during his lifetime on earth. Upon attaining his heavenly reward, however, he would eventually see the fulfillment of all Bible prophecy and come to a complete knowledge of Jehovah’s will and purpose revealed in the Bible. Accordingly, the words “when that which is complete arrives” must relate to the time when the prophecies of the Bible as well as God’s will and purpose are fully understood.
The arrival of “that which is complete” is not synonymous with gaining the heavenly reward. There is no indication in Scripture that Jesus Christ reveals everything to members of his bride immediately upon their entering heaven. Jesus himself had to wait for his Father to make known certain aspects of His purpose. When on earth, Jesus said of the day and hour for the execution of divine vengeance: “Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32) Similarly, those becoming immortal spirit creatures in the heavens do not attain complete knowledge until God’s due time for revealing the full scope of his purpose. This is also true of God’s devoted servants on earth.
We today are living in the time when “that which is complete” is due to arrive. The physical facts in fulfillment of Bible prophecy confirm that Jesus Christ received kingly authority over the world of mankind in 1914 C.E. (Rev. 6:1-8) With that event the “sacred secret” or “mystery” of God was “brought to a finish,” in the sense that this event removed the ‘mysterious’ aspect about this kingdom. (Rev. 10:7; compare Matthew 13:11; Luke 8:10; Ephesians 3:3-9; Colossians 1:26, 27; 2:2; 4:3; 1 Timothy 3:16.) From that time onward God’s people have been experiencing a continued increase in spiritual knowledge and in understanding prophecy. This is in harmony with Daniel 12:4: “As for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of the end. Many will rove about [in the book], and the true knowledge will become abundant.” Accordingly, “that which is complete” refers to the full understanding of God’s purpose as revealed in the Bible. This being a time for such increased understanding of God’s Word and the fulfillment of its prophecies, that “which is complete” must be at hand.