Turn back to 1 Corinthians chapter
13. Verse 10, Paul says, but when
that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be
done away. I have not entitled this message,
when that which is perfect has come. I've entitled this message,
that which is perfect has come. It hadn't come yet when Paul
said this. but we have that which is perfect right now. Now, this verse of scripture,
I have always assumed, meant the full canon of scripture. When that which is perfect, when
that which is complete, when that which is finished, is come. When Paul wrote this, Most of
the New Testament had not yet been written. This may have been
the first epistle Paul wrote. Some could argue that first and
second Thessalonians were the first epistle, and that may be,
but this was either the first or the third epistle. And much
of the New Testament had not yet been written. Paul had not
yet written the book of Romans. What would the scriptures be
without the book of Romans? The book of Hebrews has not yet
been written. Ephesians has not yet been written. The gospel of John has not yet
been written. The full canon of scripture had
not taken place. And I was surprised when I read
that most commentators think this refers to heaven. Heaven
is a perfect place. Long to be in Christ's presence. without sin. Heaven is a perfect
place and everybody there is perfect, being made perfect. Here we're still so flawed, every
one of us, but there everyone will be without sin and perfect. So heaven doesn't really fit
with what Paul is talking about here because he had been talking
about the coming cessation of the gifts. Now they did have
gifts and these were being practiced in the church of Corinth. They
could speak in other languages. They could heal the sick. They
had all these gifts of the Holy Spirit that came as a result
of the Holy Spirit, that it was through him having the apostles
lay their hands on people. And it was only through the apostles
laying on of hands that somebody received the gift. If I had the
gift, if I laid my hands on you, it'd do no good. Only the apostles
could give this gift. And John was the last one to
die. And after he died, no one else had this gift transferred
to them. And he was actually speaking
of the cessation of these gifts. Look what he says in verse eight.
He said, charity never fails, but whether they be prophecies.
They shall fail. Now that doesn't mean there's
gonna be a prophecy that's wrong. But before the full canon of
scripture, we had people, prophets saying, thus saith the Lord. Not just giving their thoughts,
but giving a direct revelation from God. Thus saith the Lord. Now, when the scripture is fulfilled,
there's no more room for that. It's not needed. We have everything
God has to say in this book. This is a closed revelation.
There are no new revelations. These prophecies, thus saith
the Lord, will be no more. Everything God has to say is
in this book. This is that which is perfect. He says, whether they be tongues,
in verse eight, the ability to preach the gospel in other languages. Now, we're going to get into
1 Corinthians chapter 14 in the coming weeks, and the church
at Corinth had abused these gifts and they use them for purposes
they were never intended to be used. They were showing off with
them. They were trying to demonstrate how God had blessed them to be
able to do this and they were using them in the public services
even when there were no one to interpret the languages. They
would just go off speaking these languages to show how gifted
they were and how God had blessed them and Paul rebukes them for
this. We're going to see that particularly
in chapter 14. You're doing this wrong. but this ability to speak
in other languages is going to cease. There will be no people
with that gift and whether there be knowledge it shall vanish
away. Now he's talking about some kind
of supernatural gift of knowledge. You see, all knowledge is now
in this book. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in
him. And this knowledge that's a gift
is going to vanish away. It's no longer needed because
all knowledge is found in this book. And then Paul makes this
statement and I feel it so acutely. We know in part. We know. We do. We know. but our knowledge is so partial.
How much do you understand the character of God? How much do
you understand your own sinfulness? How much do you understand of
your need of grace? We know, but we know in part. And our prophesying is in part,
but when that which is perfect, And the word is completed. When
that which is completed is come, talking about the full canon
of scripture, all 66 books of the Bible, written over a 1500
year period by 40 different men. When that which is completed,
like I said, Paul still has at least 10 epistles to write. The
book of Revelation has not yet been written. The book of Hebrews
has not yet been written. when that which is perfect is
come and completed, that which is in part shall be done away
with. To the law and to the testimony,
if they speak not according to this word, it's because there
is, you might know the rest of the verse, no light. Not dim light, no light in them. Verse 11, when I was a child,
I speak as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child,
but when I became a man, I put away childish things. When you
have the scripture, you put away childish things. 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 and now abideth.
Faith, hope, charity, these three. This is what is left after these
gifts have ceased. This is what abides. This is
what remains. This is what is faith, hope,
and charity. But the greatest of these is
charity. The Bible is that which is perfect. It's the only perfect thing in
the world. It's perfect. It's complete. There's no error.
This is the word of God, that which is perfect, that which
is complete. Now, we don't have a copy of
the original scripture. And if we did, it would be something
that we would end up making an idol of. If you could make an
idol of the scriptures, we managed to do it. If we had one of the
original copies, all we have is copies of the copies, but
God preserved it. Somebody says, well, how do you
expect me to believe that? Because the Bible says all scripture
is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. It was inspired
by God and God who has the power or had the power to create the
universe from nothing, who simply spake the world in existence
and the universe appeared. He's got the power to preserve
His Word and cause these copies to be accurate. Now, there are
different translations. I've heard of people say, well,
the King James Version is inspired. The King James Version is a translation.
It's the best translation, in my opinion. It's the best, but
the inspired language is in Greek and Hebrew and Aramaic. And we
have these translations, but thank God we have the word of
God. The word of God is that which
is perfect that God has preserved. Now turn with me for a moment
to second Peter chapter one. Peter says in verse 16, for we
have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I love that. The power and the coming, he
came. He's not even talking about the
second coming just yet. He has omnipotence and he came. Those two simple, glorious statements
with regard to the Son of God. we were eyewitnesses of his majesty
for he received from God the Father honor and glory when there
came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is
my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased." They heard that audibly.
They were there on the mountain when this took place. They saw
the Lord's face shine as the sun and His raiment was white
as light. At this time, I don't know how
to explain this, but His deity burst through His humanity. What
else can you say about that? They saw His glory. They saw
His majesty. They heard the voice come from
heaven. You'll remember what Peter did. He didn't mention this here.
Let's make three tabernacles. Dumbest thing anybody's ever
said. Let's make three tabernacles. One for thee, one for Moses,
one for Elijah. And that's when the voice came
from heaven, the bright cloud overshadowed them. This is my
beloved son. Hear ye him. And the voice, verse 18, which
came from heaven, we heard. when we were with him in the
Holy Mount. And here is one of my favorite scriptures. We have
also a more sure word of prophecy. You have in your lap right now,
what Peter says is more sure than what we experienced on the
Mount. Isn't that amazing? Yeah. More
sure. This is the Word of God. You
know, what you remember, you don't even know if it really
happened the way you think it did. I mean, you take any memory
I have, I'm going to embellish it. It's either going to be better
than it really was or worse than it really was. And this, no embellishment
here, this is the Word of God, the inspired Word of God. We also have a more sure word
of prophecy, where unto you do well that you take heed as unto
a light that shineth in a dark place into the day dawn and the
day star arise in your hearts knowing this first. This is what's most important.
If we don't have this down, we might as well forget it. We're
wasting our time. Knowing this first, this is what
is most important. Everything else is vain, void,
disannulled. If we don't have this, knowing
this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. I wouldn't be, I probably am,
but I shouldn't be. I wouldn't be mean, but I don't
know how much I hate it when somebody says, here's what it
means to me. I don't care what it means to you. I want to know
what it means. Well, here's my interpretation.
Nobody cares what your interpretation is. What does it mean? What does God say in His Word? For the prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Every word moved by the Holy
Ghost, said exactly as God would have it said. This is why I am
amazed that people put such emphasis on confessions and creeds. And here's our confession. Can you improve on this? God
had every word exactly as he would say it. And you can improve
on that, make it easier to understand, make it more brief. God said
this exactly as he would have it said. This is that which is
perfect. No, I don't, I'm not interested
in any man-made document or confession. This is that which is perfect,
that reveals the Lord Jesus Christ. In Romans chapter nine, verse
17, you don't have to turn there, I'll just quote it. The scripture
saith to Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised you
up. Now wait a minute, scripture hadn't been written. It wasn't scripture that spoke
to Pharaoh, it was God that spoke to Pharaoh, even for this same
purpose. Did I say that right? No, I didn't.
The scripture saith to Pharaoh, this is the authority of the
word of God. When the scripture speaks, God
speaks. And our only response is to bow
to what he says. That which is perfect. the scripture speaks, God speaks
and if I have any less reverence for the scriptures than I do
God Himself, in reality, I have reverence to neither. This book is that which is perfect. Galatians chapter 3 verse 8 is
very similar for For the scripture preached before the gospel unto
Abraham, saying, And thee shall all the nations of the earth
be blessed. The scripture would not be written
for another 400 years, over 400 years. And yet this is the language
Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, uses. The scripture
preached before the gospel unto Abraham. 2 Timothy 3.16. All
scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof. That's proof. How do you know
if what you believe is true? Does the word teach it? For correction,
how we need continually corrected. for instruction in righteousness. I'm continually made to see that
the righteousness of Jesus Christ is the only righteousness. And
this is what the scripture teaches. You see, the Bible's only got
one message. People say, well, you need to have a confession
to kind of get it all together and simplify it. No, it's only
got one message. Jesus Christ and Him crucified. How can we know the scriptures
inspired? Because God said it, and he who
created the universe from nothing has the power to inspire men
to write a book and to preserve it through the centuries. And
that's what we have right now. When that which is perfect has
come, that reveals to us the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now here's what God has to say
about this book. Psalm 138 too. Thou hast magnified thy word,
above all thy name. Somebody says,
how could that be? I don't know, but that's what
the Bible says. Thou has magnified thy word above all thy name. Was he not speaking of the living
word, the Lord Jesus Christ? John 1 in the beginning was the
word and the word was with God and the word was God. Yes. But
how would you know that without the scriptures? You wouldn't,
you wouldn't have a clue as to the word of God without the scriptures. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter
four, verse 12. For the word of God is living,
quick, and powerful. Is that talking about the living
word? Yes. He lives. When I've heard people
say Jesus is alive, I thought, no, he's life. He lives. The word of God is quick and
powerful, omnipotent, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit. Now think
of that concept. It puts the difference between
the soul, the human soul, and the God-given spirit in the new
man. It makes that difference. Only
the Word of God can do that. Now, yes, it's the living Word. Yes, this is the written Word
that's living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.
dividing asunder even to the soul and spirit and as a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart. You know, it's only
from the Word of God you find out the thoughts of your heart
and the intents, the motives of your heart. It's only the
Word of God that makes that known. God gave us this book, that which
is perfect, to make known to us His character. Now there's things we can know
about God without this book. Turn with me to Romans 1 verse 20. For the invisible things, things
that you can't see with the eye, invisible, God's invisible. God's
Spirit. No man can see His face and live. He can't be seen. Jesus Christ
can be seen, but God can't. The invisible things of Him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen. Now note that language. He doesn't just say they're seen,
they're clearly seen. This renders all men without
excuse just seeing creation. Look what he says about this. being understood by the things
that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so that they
are without excuse. Now, you look at God's creation
and you know somebody made this. Something can't come from nothing.
Somebody made this and whoever made this, he was all powerful.
He made something from nothing. Only omnipotence could do that. And nobody made Him. He's eternal. Now that blows our mind, that
short circuits our mind to think of the eternity of God, how He
never began, but nobody made Him. And you can look at this
creation and see God is. only one who's all-powerful could
make this world. Now let's go on reading. But
because that here's these people who are without excuse because
that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither
were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their
foolish heart was darkened professing themselves to be wise they became
fools and change the glory of the uncorruptible God into an
image made like unto corruptible man and to birds and forfeited
beasts and creeping things. Wherefore, God also gave them
up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own heart, to
dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth
of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more
or rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause, God gave them
up into vile affections for even their women, to change the natural
use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the
men, leaving the natural use of the women, woman burned in
their lust one toward another, men with men working that which
is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of
their error, which was meat. And even as they did not like
to retain God in their knowledge." Now here's the wickedness of
man. He does not like to retain God in his knowledge. He doesn't
like the implications of it. So he changes God into an image
made like an incorruptible man and forfeited beasts and creeping
things. Now, without a written revelation,
all we have is my opinion and your opinion. I love the scripture
in Psalm 50, thou thoughtest. I was altogether such a one as
thyself." Here's where your opinion of God comes from because of
what you think you are. This is why, this is how I am.
I think God's like this. It's human reasoning, how wrong
he said, there is none like me. But thank God the Bible gives
us this character. There's no knowledge of God apart
from this book. That which is perfect is come.
How would we know that God is one God and three distinct persons
without the scripture? Would you figure it out? Canst
thou by searching find out God? Oh, Eureka, I've come up with
it. God's one God and three persons.
Hey, it wouldn't happen. This can only be known from the
revelation. the scriptures? How would we
know the creation story without the scripture? We'd be coming
up with all these man-made theories. How could we know of the eternal
covenant made before the creation without the scriptures? How could
we know that Christ is the Lamb's flame from the foundation of
the world without the scriptures? How could we know that all the
works were finished from the foundation of the world without
the scriptures? How could we know that Christ
agreed to save his people before time began that they were chosen
in him without the scriptures? I can't remember if it was in
the back or in here, but John 19.30 was read. It is finished. How would you know that without
the scriptures? It is finished. And whenever I think of that
glorious statement, I feel tension leaving my body. It is finished. My salvation has already been
accomplished by what Christ Jesus did. Now, how would you know
any of that without the Holy Scriptures? How would you know
salvation by grace without the Scriptures? How would you know what grace
means without the Scriptures? Grace is God's favor. You know,
I was amazed. I was talking to a guy this week.
And he's 71 years old. And he looked good. He thought so. I said, yeah,
you look good for 71. He said, it's the favor of God. I just turned around and walked
away. He knew I was pretty irritated by it. I've had history with
this fella anyway. I probably shouldn't be going
here. He calls me Brother Thomas and says, you're not my brother.
And he's not. And he's doing it. Why am I telling
this? This wasn't in my notes. I'm sorry. It's just something
that happened this week that just annoyed me so bad. But see,
I now forgot what I was saying. How would we know what grace
is without the Bible? God's grace is defined by every
single one of his attributes. That's why it's sovereign grace.
It's saving grace. It's absolutely just grace that
honors its justice. It's omnipotent grace. It's eternal grace. It never
began to be. It's independent grace. It doesn't
need you to do something before it can act. All of God's attributes
reveal his grace. How would we know that without
the Bible? How would we know without the Bible that God has
made a way to be just and justify the ungodly? I want you to think
of that concept. I hope no one ever says, well,
I got that down. Let's go on something else. No,
that's the most amazing concept in the world. That God, who will
by no means clear the guilty, says concerning this person,
he's without sin. Only the Bible tells how that
can be. This is that which is perfect
which has come and that which is perfect only has one message. Now, I haven't really understood
the Bible. If I've not understood that the Bible only has one message. You know, people have used it.
Well, the Bible tells you how to live. Well, there's a lot
of great things in the Bible, but the purpose of the Bible
is not to tell you how to live, it's to tell you how to die.
And if you know how to die, you'll know how to live. The Bible's
only got one message. Let me show you that from the
scripture. Turn to Luke chapter 24. Verse 25, then said he unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe
all that the prophets have spoken, ought not Was it not necessary
for Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his
glory? Was this not an absolute necessity?
And beginning in Moses and all the prophets, he expanded unto
them in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself. Verse 44, these are the words
which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all
things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses,
and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me. Then he
opened he their understanding, that they might understand the
scriptures. And he says, and then thus it's
written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise
from the dead the third day. that repentance and remission
of sin should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these
things. You see, the Bible only has one message, Jesus Christ
and him crucified. And if I don't see that, I do
not understand the Bible. Will the Lord be pleased to teach
us all this glorious truth? The scriptures are given to testify
of him. He is that which is perfect. The Bible is that which is perfect. This is the word God uses. James
1.18 says, of his own will beget he us through the word of truth.
This book that which is perfect is come now. I'd like you to
turn to first Peter chapter 1 This is the last scripture. We'll
look at First Peter chapter 1 Beginning in verse 20 Who verily the Lord Jesus Christ
was foreordained, foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you who by Him
do believe in God. I love the way it says that.
It doesn't say you who believe in God, but you who by Him believe
in God. Don't you know that if you have
saving faith, it's by Him? You're sure of that. I don't
have to argue with you about that. You know it so. The only
reason you have faith is because He gave it to you and it's by
Him. Now, who by him do believe in
God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory, that
your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing that you've purified
your souls in obeying the truth, the gospel, through the Spirit. And here is what that causes,
unfeigned, unfaked, genuine love of the brethren. See that you
love one another with a pure heart, fervently being born again,
not of corruptible seed. This has nothing to do with the
flesh. This does nothing to do with the will of man. I love
when the Lord said in John 1, 13, which were born not of blood,
not of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of
God. Here he's saying the same thing. Being born again, not
of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the Word of God. What we're
looking at right now, that which is perfect. Somebody says, you're
teaching gospel regeneration. Maybe I am, I don't know. But
I know that there is no regeneration apart from the Word of God. God
the Holy Spirit who gives life and he operates through this
word, through this book. Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible by the Word of God, which liveth
and abideth forever. And then he goes into Isaiah
chapter 40. This is a quotation from Isaiah
chapter 40. There's not a more important
chapter in all the Bible. This is the time when the prophet
heard the words cry, he said, what shall I cry? You tell me
to cry, what do you want me to say? Here it is, all flesh is
grass. That's where we begin. All flesh
is grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass, the
grass withers, the flower thereof falleth away, it rots, but Here's
what endures, the Word of the Lord. The Word from the Word, which
reveals the Word. The Word of the Lord, that's
what stands forever. You've heard that saying, life's
a vapor, it will soon be past. Only what is done for Christ
will last. No, no. Life's a vapor. It will soon be past. Only what's
done by Christ shall last. The Word of God. The Word of the Lord endures
forever. And this is the Word. This is the message. which by
the gospel is preached unto you. This is that which is perfect.
Now, when Paul said that, when that which is perfect has come,
it's come. that which is perfect, the written,
completed canon of scripture, which reveals the living word,
the Lord Jesus Christ, the word of God. Aren't you thankful for
the Bible? Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for your
Word that reveals the living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord, we ask in Christ's
name that you'd enable us to receive your Word, to understand
your Word, to believe your Word, to read your Word, to give us
understanding hearts when we read your Word. to preach your
word in this generation. Lord, let thy word go forth in
power. Cause your son to be glorified.
He who is the word in the preaching of the word. Bless this message
for Christ's sake. In his name we pray. Amen.