The Duration of Prophecy: How Long Will Prophecy Be Used in the Church? (Part 2) by Wayne A. Grudem

In addition, Gaffin’s suggestion does not seem to fit with the logic of the passage. Paul’s argument is that it is specifically the coming of “the perfect” which does away with prophecy, tongues, and knowledge, because then there is a new, far superior way of learning and knowing things “even as I have been known.” But until that time, the new and superior way of knowing has not come, and therefore these imperfect gifts are still valid and useful—the thing that will render them obsolete (the state of affairs at Christ’s return) has not yet come.

Finally, it is precarious to put much weight on something we think Paul might have said but in fact did not say. To say that Paul might have included “inscripturation” in this list means that Paul might have written, “When Christ returns, inscripturation will cease.” But I cannot believe at all that Paul could have written such a statement, for it would have been false—indeed, a “false prophecy” in the words of Scripture. For “inscripturation” ceased long ago, when the book of Revelation was written by the apostle John.

So Gaffin’s objections do not seem to dislodge the force of our conclusions on 1 Corinthians 13:10. If “the perfect” refers to the time of Christ’s return, then Paul says that gifts such as prophecy and tongues will cease at that time, and implies therefore that they continue through the church age.

2. “Prophecy ceased when the New Testament was complete”

Those who make this second objection argue that “when the perfect comes” means one of several different things, such as “when the church is mature,” or “when Scripture is complete,” or “when the Gentiles are included in the church.”

Probably the most careful statement of this view is found in the book by Robert L. Reymond, What About Continuing Revelations and Miracles in the Presbyterian Church Today?⁶ but another clear statement of a similar position is found in Walter Chantry’s book, Signs of the Apostles.⁷

Chantry’s argument depends on the fact that elsewhere in the New Testament the word here translated “perfect” is used to refer to human maturity (1 Cor. 14:20) or to maturity in the Christian life (as in 1 Cor. 2:6). Yet here again we must note that a word does not have to be used to refer to the same thing every time it is used in Scripture—in some cases it may refer to “mature” or “perfect” manhood, in other cases some other kind of “completeness” or “perfection.” It is used in Hebrews 9:11, for example, to refer to the “more perfect tent”—yet we would not therefore conclude that “perfect” in 1 Corinthians 13:10 must refer to a perfect tent (or tabernacle). The precise reference of the word must be determined by the individual context, and in 1 Corinthians 13, as we have seen, the context indicates that “when the perfect comes” refers to the time of Christ’s return.

Tags: church, duration, grudem, long, part, prophecy, wayne

Category: Spirit, Summer 2001