For the past two Sundays, we have been in 1st Corinthians 13—sometimes referred to as Paul’s “Love Chapter.” With Valentine’s Day coming up on Friday, it’s appropriate that we wrap up our discussion on chapter 13 by considering Paul’s final comments on what CHRISTIAN LOVE is all about. In verse 8, Paul tells us: “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” 1st Corinthians 13:8 (NIV)
Here, Paul reflects upon what he said at the beginning of this chapter. He had pointed out to the Corinthian church members that the things they treasured—like the gift of tongues, the ability to preach in an inspiring manner (i.e., “prophecy”), and the ability to understand and retain a wealth of knowledge—these were all worthless things if the people having them lacked the LOVE OF GOD. And now, he further emphasized that these gifts are temporary in nature. That is what he means when he said that “prophesies will cease,” “tongues will be stilled,” and “knowledge will pass away.” In contrast, “LOVE never fails.” We can certainly agree with that because GOD IS LOVE and God never fails in giving His LOVE to us. And so, GOD’S WAY OF LOVE is infinitely superior to these temporary spiritual gifts. Paul sees these spiritual gifts as merely “partial,” whereas God’s LOVE is everlasting and wholly complete.[1]
Paul’s next comment in verse 9 is both enlightening and humbling. He states that we, as mere human beings existing in this present world, have a glaring limitation. This limitation involves our capacity to know things. Listen to what Paul says about our human capacity in this regard: 9“For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” 1st Corinthians 13:9-10 (NIV) When Paul says we only “know in part,” to what extent is that the case? Well, he is talking about our ability to understand most anything. For example, scientists know a great many things about our universe, about the weather, about modern technology, etc. Doctors know a great deal about the human body. Lawyers know much about the law. Theologians know many things about God’s Word. These scientists, doctors, lawyers and theologians are experts in their fields. They know more about their areas of specialty than the average person on the street does. And yet, these experts don’t know it all. For the time being, there will always be things that these experts do not know. Mysteries abound in all areas of life. In fact, be careful if someone tells you that they are an expert in some particular thing. Why?—because an “expert” is actually someone who knows more and more about less and less until, in the end, they really don’t know anything at all! Paul would be in complete agreement with this. But, he indicates that this state of affairs will not persist forever. No, when “perfection comes,” the “imperfect will disappear.” What does that mean?
I think that we can all agree that our present state of affairs in this world is anything but “perfect.” We live in a world that is marred with imperfections. We ourselves are testaments to the truth of that statement. Things have been that way since our original ancestors, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God by following their own worldly desires rather than keeping God’s commandment. We picked up and carried on with sin where Adam and Eve left off. But, Paul points to a time when this state of imperfection—this sinful state in which we live—will be rectified. So, who will be transformed from this present state of imperfection to a blessed state of holy perfection? And, when will that take place? Let’s take those two questions in order.
First, not everyone will be removed from their state of imperfection. Only those who repent of their sinful, worldly lifestyles and are “born again” by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior will be eligible for this amazing transformation.[2] And yet, even when someone genuinely comes to Christ and is “born again,” they are still not “perfected” in the sense Paul is talking about here. The Bible teaches that when you first accept Jesus, you become “justified.” “Justification” is the theological term to describe that first step in a three-step process that takes you from the state of earthly imperfection to where God ultimately wants you to be: In a state of absolution perfection. Paul explained this to the Church in Rome when he told them: “Therefore, since we have been JUSTIFIED through FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 (NIV) In other words, when you first come to have faith in Jesus, you become justified—you are made right with God. You can only be right with God when your sins are paid for. Jesus paid for your sins with His blood shed on the Cross. There is no other way for your sins to be forgiven. But, even then, you are not perfect in the eyes of the Lord.
Having been justified, you then must allow the Holy Spirit into your heart. Gradually, He will begin the process of molding you into what God would have you to be. This process is called “sanctification”—it is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit that progresses throughout the lifetime of a Christian. Sometimes this process may seem like “two steps forward, and one step back”—but, overall your imperfections will be reshaped in a positive way. You will find that you have something you never possessed before. You will have a peace in your soul that surpasses all understanding.[3] For as Paul proclaims: “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith [i.e., “justified], we have [through this sanctification process] peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” Romans 5:1 (NLT2) But, even then, you won’t be perfect.
Now, let’s move to the second question I mentioned dealing with when this state of spiritual perfection comes into being for a believer? Well, here’s the thing: The movement toward perfection that comes with sanctification will never come to complete fruition in this earthly lifetime. Now, when I say that, it causes a great deal of distress for some people. The reason for this is that they know the Book of Hebrews says that without sanctification “no one will see the Lord.”[4] But, let’s consider what that means. If you are a faithful believer of Jesus Christ, then when you die, you will go to God’s Heavenly Kingdom. When standing before Jesus, you need not worry about the degree to which you have been sanctified. Despite the fact that you will not have achieved spiritual perfection before you die does not mean you won’t be allowed into Heaven. What is important is that, during this lifetime, you remained faithful to God and allowed the sanctification process to move forward. Even though you were not perfect (because occasionally you still sinned), you were diligent in persevering in the faith. You never gave up. You believed Jesus when He said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NIV) And so, after coming to Christ, you were committed to following His Way. You actively pursued His Truth. You gave up your old worldly ways of life in exchange for a Life in Christ. Christian writer, Sean Kehoe, puts it this way: “We have to continue in the process of being sanctified and pursuing holiness. Whilst ever we continue on the Way and are still in the process of being sanctified, bit by bit then, despite all our faults and mistakes, we are safe. We are secure because we are continuing. We are safe because we have not turned aside, or denied Jesus Christ, or abandoned Him, or betrayed Him, or ceased to follow Him. That is what matters.”[5]
It matters because when you pass from this life and stand before Christ, then your perfection will be made complete—if, but only if, you threw off your sinful ways and persevered in following Jesus as your Lord and Savior for the remainder of your earthly life. That point of perfection is called your “glorification.” Paul gets to this a bit more as he closes out chapter 13. So, let’s see what else Paul has to tell us.
Paul continues: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1st Corinthians 13:11 (NIV) Paul touches upon something here that is not always easy for people to do. It is hard for many people to put “childish ways” behind them. A fairly recent survey of 2,000 young American adults found that 67% feel compelled to look back to their childhood and buy a replica of something they loved to play with or enjoyed when they were growing up. It might be some toy, comic book, movie, etc. In the survey, those adults who admitted to such an attraction to returning to the things they loved as kids were referred to as “kidults.” [6]
I have to say that I must be a “kidult” when it comes to some of the “old-time” video games—like “Space Invaders,” “The Oregon Trail”, “Pac Man,” or “Gun Fight.” When our daughter’s family visited us last Thanksgiving, our 7-year-old grandson had a game system that included a few of these old video games. I had a hard time tearing away from playing them. Now, if you happen to be a “kidult” like me, don’t panic. That is not what Paul is talking about here.
Rather, the “childish ways” Paul put behind him after submitting his life to Christ were like the ways of a spoiled child. As one publication has stated: “Spoiled children are often raised to think the sun and moon rise and fall with their needs and wants.” This same article noted that psychologists today have identified several common traits of spoiled children whose over-indulgent parents never bothered to correct. Sadly, these traits carry over into adulthood. These negative character traits include: Selfishness, a sense of entitlement, lack of respect for others, a lack of empathy, lack of self-discipline, poor communication skills, an inability to control their emotions typified by anger, self-pity and a whining attitude, impulsive decision-making, intolerance of others, demanding that they get their way, failure to respect authority manifested by a resistance to anyone who tells them “no”, difficulties sharing, an inability to rebound from setbacks, and the tendency to worry all the time.[7]
Last Sunday, we reviewed the many attitudes and mindsets Paul listed that are typical of people who lack the LOVE OF CHRIST in their hearts. In this regard, Paul stated: 4 “[Love] does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” 1st Corinthians 13:4-6 (NIV) Wow—it took psychologists 2,000 years to come up with something that Paul already knew back in the 1st century A.D.! So, Paul is telling us to put these negative childish attitudes behind us because none of them are consistent with GOD’S LOVE. But, note that there are some “child-like” things you should always cling to.
We can see this on an occasion when Jesus was teaching His disciples the true meaning of “greatness.” In Matthew’s Gospel, we find this: 1 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ 2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And He said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:1-4 (NIV) You see, the problem with the disciples was that they were adopting the world’s standards of “greatness.” They wanted the praise of men and to be held in high esteem by others. But, Jesus used the humbleness of a little child to challenge the disciples’ misguided views. In Jesus’ day, young children were held to be of little worth. They could produce no income for a family at such a young age and, as such, were viewed more as liabilities than as assets. Thus, there were few who were more “humble” than a little child. Jesus was telling His disciples (as He tells you this morning) that if they wanted to experience eternal life in God’s Kingdom, then they needed to radically change their concept of what it means to be “great.” True greatness comes when one displays a childlike indifference to the things of the world that are deemed powerful or praiseworthy. When we show the humility of a child, only then can we begin to see that “greatness” is based upon one’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ and not upon human accomplishments, worldly riches or power. The world honors wealth and power and calls those who possess such things “great.” But, God views “greatness” from the standpoint of the “least” not the “greatest.”[8]
That is why Jesus once said: 11 “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11 (NIV) It is this declaration of Jesus that takes us full circle back to what Paul meant when he said: “When perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” 1st Corinthians 13:10 (NIV) You see, during John the Baptist’s lifetime, he was as great as any messenger of God’s Word. During John’s lifetime, he had been justified through His faith in God. During John’s lifetime, he was sanctified as the Holy Spirit transformed him more and more into a likeness of the image of what God intended him to be. But, that is the point: All of this occurred during John the Baptist’s earthly lifetime. But, when he died at the hand of Herod Antipas,[9] John the Baptist entered that last phase in the process of salvation. At the point of his death, he became “glorified.” Now, what does that mean?
Well, when a saved person dies, they go to Heaven. And, when they come face to face with our Savior, Jesus Christ, they immediately undergo their “glorification” whereby they are made spiritually complete. In other words, they take on “complete conformity to the image and likeness of the glorified Christ.”[10] As Paul concludes 1st Corinthians 13, he describes this “glorification” as follows: 12 “Now we see but a poor 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.” 1st Corinthians 13:12 (NIV) Here, Paul is assuring us that when we stand before Christ as we enter Heaven, we will be completely transformed by directly experiencing His LOVE. And, in that moment, we will be freed from all our spiritual defects. To use Paul’s words, we will be made “perfect” because we will be face to face with Perfection Himself—Jesus Christ!
This means that upon entering Heaven, our spirits will be glorified and made spiritual spotless and free from sin. We will not float about like ghosts. But, what form we will take is a mystery that is yet to be revealed. Paul provides a clue suggesting that we may receive an intermediate body when we first arrive in Heaven. Later, we will receive our resurrected bodies when Jesus comes again to this world.[11] Paul states: “Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling [potentially referring to an intermediate body], because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent [i.e., our present bodies during our earthly life], we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life [i.e., eternal life in Heaven].” 2nd Corinthians 5:2-4 (NIV). So, it is possible (but certainly not definite) that there may be one last part to the glorification process that will occur when Jesus comes again. In his letter to the Church in Thessalonica, Paul provides a glimpse of this when he wrote: 14 “For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.” 1st Thessalonians 4:14-18 (NLT2)
Do you see what an amazing passage we have in 1st Corinthians 13! It starts out correcting the Corinthians’ false notion about what is really important in life and concludes with the most important thing God graciously offers to those who repent and follow His Son, Jesus Christ. That most important thing, of course, is ETERNAL LIFE with God in His Heavenly Kingdom. And so, the final words of Paul in chapter 13 ring out, not as a sounding gong or clanging cymbal, but like a chorus of angels singing God’s eternal truth. For Paul ends with these words: “And now these three remain: Faith, hope and LOVE. But the greatest of these is LOVE.” 1st Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Do you know why “the greatest of these is LOVE”? Again, as I have said today and in the past two sermons, it is because GOD IS LOVE.[12] In fact, He loves you so much that He sent His Son to die on the Cross for you.[13] And, that is the GREATEST LOVE of all. For as Jesus said, 13 “Greater LOVE has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command.” John 15:13-14 (NIV) And what does He command? Again, it is all tied up in LOVE, for Jesus commands that we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.[14] And so, LOVE makes up the foundation of all that is taught in the Bible. Jesus affirmed this in saying: 37 “‘You must LOVE the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire Law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT2) Indeed, that is why “the greatest of these is LOVE”!
Have you experienced GOD’S LOVE in your heart? Or, have childish ways caused you to resist HIS LOVE? If so, then it’s time to stop speaking, thinking and reasoning in such childish ways. Come to Jesus Christ and you’ll no longer be looking into a cloudy mirror. Rather, the face smiling back at you will be at perfect peace reflecting a true child of God!
Let us pray.
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
February 9, 2025
©2025 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] “What does ‘We know in part and we prophesy in part’ mean in 1 Corinthians 13:9?” Gotquestions.org, https://www.gotquestions.org/know-in-part-prophesy-in-part.html (accessed February 6, 2025).
[2] John 3:4-7 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’” (NLT2)
[3] Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
[4] Hebrews 12:14 “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (NASB)
[5] Sean Kehoe, “Can we go to Heaven if we aren’t fully sanctified during this life?” Real Christianity Development, https://realchristianity.com/what-if-we-arent-fully-sanctified/ (January 16, 2020).
[6] Sophia Naughton, “Are you a kidult? Half of young adults buy nostalgic toys to relive their childhoods,” Study Finds (August 9, 2023), cited in PreachingToday.com, https://www.preachingtoday.com/search/?query=childish (accessed February 5, 2025).
[7] Beth Ann Mayer, “People Who Were 'Spoiled' as Children Usually Develop These 16 Traits as Adults, Psychologists Say,” MSN.com, https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/parenting/people-who-were-spoiled-as-children-usually-develop-these-16-traits-as-adults-psychologists-say/ar-AA1oi1Kw (August 5, 2024).
[8] Larry Chouinard, Matthew, ed. Jack Cottrell, Ph.D. and Tony Ash, Ph.D., College Press NIV Commentary (Joplin, Missouri: College Press Publishing Co., 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 323.
[9] Matthew 14:8-12 8 “Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.’ 9 The king [Herod Antipas] was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.” (NIV)
[10] Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki, Cherith Fee Nordling, “glorification,” in Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, (Downer's Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "glorification".
[11] Alcorn, Randy C. 2007. Heaven. Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 87-88.
[12] 1st John 4:8 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because GOD IS LOVE.” (NIV)
[13] John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV)
[14] John 15:17 [Jesus said:] “This is My command: LOVE EACH OTHER.” (NIV)
