“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8)
1. The letter as a whole was written to Corinthians....it wasn't sent in sub sections or parts... as a result either paul was telling them the gifts are for all men...or they weren't for all men...cause again this was all sent at the same time. If your verse really meant what you claim it means...it would contradict this letter becuase then (if you were right) Paul argued for two different things...in the same letter.
2. you're taking this way out of context....
All Paul is saying is Love is more important then having any sort of gift... that's all this is saying... Charity in the greek here is agape LOVE ....that is the LOve of God...he's saying if one has gifts and not that...it means nothing... that's the focus...you're right about one thing though...your verse indicates gifts will go away...but that's a common sense thing and i'll explain why.
1 Corinthians 13 King James Version (KJV)
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have
not charity (AGAPE LOVE), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
and have not charity (AGAPE LOVE) , I am nothing.
he continues to describe this love below
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity
(AGAPE LOVE) suffereth long, and is kind; charity
(agape love) envieth not; charity
(agape love) vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
ANd then we have this...
8 Charity
(AGAPE LOVE) never faileth:
but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
1. To say knowledge has vanished would be ludicrous....we can read the bible and can get knowledge and God can give certain people that gift...where they just know the mysteries of the word...and so forth. There are great men with this gift today.
2. Paul says it will cease....he never says it did cease.....
But he does say when tounqgues and prophecies and all this will cease....
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.
Comment:
Paul is referring to a future state he will be in in the after life when he sees God face to face (look at the greek for face to face). Logically when we are in the after life...why would we need prophecy... to speak a word from God if he's right there? WHy tounques with interpretation to speak a word from God if God is right there?
This is what I mean by common sense....of course gifts will cease eventually...they aren't eternal...that's all Paul is saying...while AGAPE LOVE IS eternal...and God is love.... so value that more.
Lastly though why would God suddenly change his covenant....and you would need scripture to suggest he did....we had law.....then that transition period of law/Grace during JESUS time......now we have Grace...wehre one can have the HOly Spirit on the inside...and gifts with it.
Is there another covenant i'm not aware of? of course not.