Perfection

In my last post (here), I showed that James considered Christians to be the twelve tribes—the messianic-age “Israel of God” (Gal 6:16). This post will use this identity to make three related points: (1) James wrote with the idea of Israel’s “perfection” in mind; (2) the sufferings he mentions were…

This post continues our answer to a reader’s objection to our Miraculous Gifts post. There we dealt with 1 Cor 13:8–10 and said “that which is perfect” (1 Cor 13:10) refers to the messianic age.  If our identification of the “perfect” is correct, Paul was showing the Corinthians when God…

A gracious reader has raised questions about our Miraculous Gifts post. These queries arise from our view of “that which is perfect” in 1 Cor 13:10–12. There, Paul says: When that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a…

A “perfect” condition requires “perfect” people, a “perfect” relationship to God, and “perfect” knowledge. Paul envisioned all these for the saints: But when that which is perfect (Gk. teleios) has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a…

Metaphors matter. The Scriptures use them to give a full-orbed description of the “last days” of the Mosaic age (e.g., Heb 1:2; Gen 49:1). God gave Israel a “new birth” through Christ’s resurrection (1 Pet 1:3; Eph 2:6). Christ then began to reign in his kingdom after Israel’s “regeneration” (Matt…

  A valued reader disagrees with our interpretation of “that which is perfect” in 1 Cor 13:10. In our post The Miraculous Gifts we said the “perfect” stands for the messianic age in which we now live. Our reader says “this ‘perfection,’ teleios, to which Paul refers, is the eternal…

  One of our readers said, “As I read through your blog … I was struck to ask you one single question—so what?” We began our response in our last post (here). Our prophetic model—inmillennialism—makes a difference in five categories: Vision, Apologetics, Legacy, Understanding, and Experience. That post addressed the…

Most Christians desire spiritual experiences. They want to know the Lord and have communion with him. Paul desired to “know [Christ], and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10). Such desires are legitimate. Some believers seek spiritual experiences…

This post will continue tracing Paul’s thoughts as he persuades the Hebrews to stay true to their profession of faith in Christ. They must not cling to the Temple-based worship instituted by Moses but embrace the word God had now spoken through his Son. Paul presents his arguments in a…

Paul wants the Hebrew believers—and us—to know that Christianity excels Judaism. Our previous posts examined his two opening arguments: Christ excels the agents—angels (Heb. 1:4 – 2:18) and Moses (Heb. 3:1 – 4:13)—through whom God gave the law. This post will examine Paul’s next step as he argues that Christ…