Completion of canon as "that which is perfect"

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dolfan Jun 27, 2016

I read this a few years ago and it was an eye-opener on the history of the view of canon completion as the perfect of 1 Cor. 13:10. This article is written by a cessationist, too.

No desire to debate cessationism. I just think this little piece of scholarship is helpful on the very narrow issue of the history of using 1 Cor. 13:10 as a reference to the canon completion.

http://ntresources.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/perfectpaper94.pdf

sermonindex Jun 28, 2016

Thanks for that Tim, very interesting although the writer has shown his bias by not describing the third option very well which he calls 'maturity' when it should read holiness according to other interpretations of the word perfection taken in context, nor in the quoting of its proponents which are very sparce.

However, he blows the cessationist view completely out of the water for me by quoting a writer who said that if the perfect is come (canon) and what was known then was only in part, then we now know more than Paul which is preposterous.

'Face to face' is an important point, and Paul is following verse 10 :

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

with an analogy with childhood:

11 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.

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.

He speaks again of his idea of seeing through a mirror again in 2 Corinthians 3:13-18:

13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

So he is saying that the darkness is taken away for those who have the Spirit and they see the glory of the Lord 'face to face' because they are changed into His likeness.

Nowhere does Paul speak as himself being as a child, but urges us on:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4

The measure of the fullness of Christ is not to see Him darkly through a mirror, but to know Him as we are known. So this perfection cannot be of that to come in the next life. We are urged to 'be ye perfect as He is perfect'. There is no sense for the command to be given if it is automatically fulfilled in the next life.

sermonindex Jun 28, 2016

Very good analysis, Brenda.

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Christinyou Jun 29, 2016

I can see only one man perfect in the flesh, that is Jesus Christ the 100% God and 100% man. If I am to be perfect in this flesh and if I could attain that perfection why would I have to die to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? I can press forward toward the upward calling of God and want to be perfect as I am in Christ only now, knowing I will be perfect when I can get rid of this flesh and have a resurrected or changed in the twinkling of an eye body like His, then and only then will I be able to attain perfection by His will.

"Be ye perfect" is a statement that by Faith, I am perfect in Jesus Christ and His perfection which is absolutely Perfect lives in me. How can perfection live in imperfection? My spirit was lost and ruled by Satan, until Jesus Christ by the Father was born again in me, Now Satan is out and Jesus Christ is now my Spirit, which is the Hope of Glory. My soul is now being sanctified by the Holy Spirit teacher of that Christ that is now in me. When My soul and spirit are separated from this cursed body of flesh, Then and only then can perfection be attained and that by Jesus Christ and Him Only forevermore by what He did on the Cross, in the grave that could not hold Him, by His resurrection I am alive forevermore.

A new Spirit, a sanctified, wise and righteous being that God intended me to be from the beginning of which I am made by the Father, 1 Cor 1: 30 I will be a new creation in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:4-13 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Wow, what a promise In Him:

Phillip

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StirItUp Jun 29, 2016

Hi brothers and sisters,

I believe the " perfect" in Corinthians certainly, in context,points to the Day of Christ when we shall, actually, SEE Him face to face, as He is in glorified state.
Brenda, the veil being taken away clearly speaks of the understanding being blind until the Gospel is believed.We certainly do not see Him "face to face" yet in an actual physical outward eye sense.
John says, Beloved, we know that we are the children (sons) of God. We know not what we shall be but we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Blessings,

sermonindex Jun 29, 2016

William

Face to face does not mean physically in this life. If we are transformed into the likeness of God which is to take place in this life, the meaning of face to face is that we know Him in a deep intimate way and know Him like He knows us.

sermonindex Jun 29, 2016

Philip

There has been only one man who has been without sin - of course Jesus Christ. We still have to die - there is no perfection that excludes mistakes and errors in knowledge.