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Answer
First Corinthians 13:8–10: “Love never fails. Where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.” In the KJV, the tongues “will cease.” In other words, at some point after Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, the gift of tongues would no longer be in use.
First Corinthians 12–14 focuses on the proper use of spiritual gifts. Paul addresses the Corinthian church to correct the improper use of some gifts and the improper emphasis placed on certain more “spectacular” gifts. In the midst of his discussion, he emphasizes the superior quality of love. Despite the Corinthian church’s abundance of gifts, they were not utilizing them with love for one another. Paul further explains that all gifts will eventually cease to function, but love will endure. The question that many ponder is when these gifts will cease. Paul provides the answer in the text: “when completeness comes” «But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. », (1 Corinthians 13:10).
The subsequent question is, of course, what is the “completeness” or “the perfect” (NASB)? Essentially, there are two perspectives:
One perspective, often referred to as the “cessationist” view, posits that the sign gifts were operational solely during the apostolic era to provide special revelation until the completion of the New Testament. Before early Christians had the entire New Testament, they depended on words of knowledge, prophecy, and tongues to receive the full revelation of God. Once the church had the complete New Testament (the completeness), these gifts became unnecessary and faded away. Faith, hope, and love, on the other hand, will abide.
Love and knowledge continue to be in operation.
Often, the cessationist view will point out that the words used for the cessation of knowledge and prophecy are in the passive voice, indicating that they will be stopped by an outside force. However, the verb used for the cessation of tongues is in the middle voice, which indicates that they will cease “of themselves.” This is usually seen as further proof that tongues were temporary and would eventually pass away on their own. Regardless of the strength of this argument, the grammatical analysis leaves something out. Some verbs normally take the middle voice, and the verb translated as “be stilled” in the NIV is one of them; therefore, there is no particular significance to the change from passive to middle voice in this passage. In Luke 8:24, the storm is “stilled” (same word and voice); however, it is clear that Jesus actively stilled the storm.
Cessationists also point out that if tongues, prophecy, and knowledge continue, this continuing revelation would, in effect, be adding to Scripture. However, most continuationists (who hold to the current exercise of these gifts) do not view their revelations as being on par with Scripture but more like the “leading of the Spirit.” Many cessationists feel God led them to do something or “told” them to do something. They would maintain that this was some sort of communication from God but would never place it on par with Scripture.
The other primary view is that the “completeness” is the eternal state. At that time, there will be no more need for the miraculous gifts such as tongues because we will know everything fully. This view points to verse 12 as further describing the “completeness”: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” This can hardly refer to the completion of the New Testament canon. Paul’s point seems to be that tongues, prophecy, and words of knowledge will be unnecessary when we enter the eternal state.
The eternal state.
The continuationist position does not preclude the possibility that the need for the more miraculous gifts might fluctuate according to the need or diminish with the completion of the canon; rather, it simply does not explicitly state that these gifts will cease when the canon is complete. There are valid historical and theological arguments for the cessationist position, but they are not necessarily supported by 1 Corinthians 13:8. Similarly, the verse cannot be used as an endorsement of all claims of continuationists today. Paul dedicates three chapters to the misuse of the sign gifts, and many of the same abuses are still committed today by those who claim to practice tongues.
