Again, debating this with you is not worth my time if you are going to go way beyond what the text of the Bible actually says.
LOL. 1Cor 13 teaches, to resummarize:
(1) Prophecy in part (ek merou), as immaturity, anticipates prophecy in full.
(2) Spiritual maturity is therefore maturation in the gifts.
(3) Paul depicted himself mature relative to the Corinthians, and yet still immature (relative to Christ it would seem), prophesying in part, suggesting an endless cyle of relative maturity.
The point to be made here is that some noted cesssationist scholars already concede all three fundamental premises (prior to their back-pedaling). Examples:
Robert Thomas says, “The [Greek] idiom ek merou" [in part] is specifically quantitative in character.”
1 Along with other leading cessationists Weaver, Houghton, and Farnell,
2 Robert Thomas admitted that “„in part‟ (ek merou") anticipates quantitatively increasing “degrees of revelatory understanding…This is quantitative, not qualitative.”
3
Houghton conceded:
"In the quantitative contrast in verses 9 and 10 the partial is contrasted with the complete (or perfect)…The nature of the partial gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge…is that they are revelational in quality. Since this is so, „the perfect‟ [the mature]
must also be revelational.4
Robert Thomas asked, “By what criteria may
maturity in the body of Christ be gauged?…The criterion before Paul in 1Corinthians 13...
centers in knowledge, tongues, and prophecy...for special revelation and [miraculous] signs for verification of this revelation (cf. Heb 2:3-4).”
5 Likewise Gentry admits that “the mature” is the quantitative escalation of “partial” prophecy, knowledge, and tongues properly defined as revelatory experiences.
6
I can also cite cessationists Thomas and Farnell specifically on the concept of 'relative maturity'.
7
Ok so I just gave you a slew of cessationist scholars who concede all my fundamental conclusions regarding 1Cor 13. Therefore I must perforce disagree with your assessment:
Again, debating this with you is not worth my time if you are going to go way beyond what the text of the Bible actually says.
If my analysis is way out of line, so is the cessationist camp.
Footnotes:
1 Robert L. Thomas, ―Tongues…Will Cease,‖ Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vol 17:2 (1974), p. 82, Galaxie Software.
2. Cessationists Thomas, Houghton, Farnell, Weaver, Bellshaw all admit that knowledge and prophecy at 1Cor 13:8-13 refer to direct revelations such as words of knowledge, and that the fullness of what is in part (ek merou") anticipates a quantitative escalation of this direct revelation rather than a termination (see Myron J. Houghton, A Reexamination of 1Corinthians 13:8-13,‖ Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 153:611 (1996), pp. 349-350; Gilbert Weaver,Tongues Shall Cease,‖ Grace Theological Journal, Vol 14:1 (1973), pp. 12-25; F. David Farnell,When Will the Gift of Prophecy Cease?‖ Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 150:598 (1993), pp. 192-194; Robert L. Thomas, 1Cor 13:11 Revisited: An Exegetical Update,‖ Masters Seminary Journal, Vol 4:2 (1993), pp. 187-203); William G. Bellshaw, ―The Confusion of Tongues‖ Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 120 (1963), p. 151.
3. See Robert L. Thomas,1Cor 13:11 Revisited: An Exegetical Update,‖ Masters Seminary Journal, Vol 4:2 (1993), p. 190, Galaxie Software. ―When that which is perfect [or mature] is come, then that which is in part shall be done away‖ (1Cor 13:10, KJV). The ―in part‖ is quantitative.
4. Myron J. Houghton, ―A Reexamination of 1Corinthians 13:8-13, Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 153:611 (1996), p. 350, Galaxie Software.
5. Robert L. Thomas, ―Tongues…Will Cease,‖ Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vol 17:2 (1974), p. 88, Galaxie Software.
6. Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., The Charismatic Gift of Prophecy: A Reformed Response to Wayne Grudem (Memphis: Footstool, 1989), p. 54.
7. . For instance cessationist Robert Thomas speaks of "the relative maturity that is implied in the illustration of v. 11 as well as the absolute maturity that is depicted in v. 12" (Robert L. Thomas, Tongues…Will Cease,Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vol 17:2 (1974), p. 86, Galaxie Software). Twenty years later Thomas cited Robertson and Plummer as affirming that the verb kathvrghka ("I desisted childish things") is a relative maturity such that the desisting recurs with each new level of relative maturity (see Robert L. Thomas, 1Cor 13:11 Revisited: An Exegetical Update,‖ Masters Seminary Journal, Vol 4:2 (1993), pp. 187-203). Virtually quoting Thomas verbatim, cessationist Farnell postulates a "relative maturity implied by the illustration in verse 11 as well as the absolute maturity depicted in verse 12" (F. David Farnell,When Will the Gift of Prophecy Cease?‖ Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 150:598 (1993), p. 195, Galaxie Software). Again, "In verse 11, a relative maturity is signified, while verse 12 indicates an absolute maturity…[The relative maturity] is constantly changing and increasing" (ibid, p. 193). Thus, "Pauline usage of [mature]
never conveys the idea of absolute perfection" (Ibid.). Cessationist Houghton sees the child analogy the same way, namely as relative maturity (relative perfection) continually in progress (Myron J. Houghton, ―A Reexamination of 1Corinthians 13:8-13,‖ Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 153:611 (1996), pp. 349-350). JFB comments on 1Cor 2:6: "Perfect‘ is used not of absolute perfection, but relatively to babes."