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to everybody. You can turn in 
your Bibles with me again, if you were here this morning, to 
Acts chapter 2. If you weren't here this morning, 
you can also turn to Acts chapter 2. I noted this morning, only 
very briefly, that we're going to have a look this evening at 
the cessation of the revelatory gifts. In particular, it may 
be primarily focusing on tongues, as we see that in this passage, 
but also prophecy and words of knowledge. I'm going to read 
two texts this evening. One is Acts 2, 1-21, and then 
1 Corinthians 13, 8-13. So this is, once again, the word 
of God. First, the reading from Acts 
2, beginning at verse 1. When the day of Pentecost had 
fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And 
suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty 
wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 
Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and one sat 
upon each of them. And they were all filled with 
the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as 
the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem 
Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound 
occurred, the multitude came together and were confused, because 
everyone heard them speak in their own language. Then they 
were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, Look, 
are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear each 
in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes 
and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, 
Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts 
of Libya adjoining Cyrene. Visitors from Rome, both Jews We hear them speaking in our 
own tongues the wonderful words of God. So they were all amazed 
and perplexed, saying to one another, whatever could this 
mean? Others mocking said, they are full of new wine. But Peter, 
standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to 
them, Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this 
be known to you and heed my words. For these are not drunk as you 
suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this 
is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. And on my men servants 
and on my maid servants I will pour out my spirit. And they 
shall prophesy, I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in 
the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The 
sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before 
the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall 
come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall 
be saved. And now if you'll turn with me 
to 1 Corinthians 13. 1 Corinthians 13, beginning in 
verse 8, this wonderful chapter, speaking with respect to love, 
continues and contains a portion dealing with the cessation, that 
is, the end of, the ceasing of, and so the temporary nature of 
tongues, prophecy, and knowledge. never fails. But whether there 
are prophecies, they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they 
will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it 
will vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy 
in part. But when that which is perfect 
has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When 
I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood as a child. I thought 
as a child. But when I became a man, I put 
away childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, 
but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then 
I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, 
love, these three, but the greatest of these is love. Amen. Let us pray. God, we rejoice 
again in this opportunity a second time in your Lord's Day to gather 
for worship. We pray that you will once again 
bless us in worship. We pray for the ministry of the 
Holy Spirit, as was prayed earlier, mentioned earlier, not only for 
the preacher, but also for the hearer, that we might, Lord God, 
honor you and glorify you in this act of worship. We do pray 
for your help from on high, that we might glory in your truth, 
that we might rejoice in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. and rest 
upon the glories of Jesus Christ and His perfect Word. We pray 
in His name. Amen. Well, we have in Acts chapter 
2 much going on. We noted this morning some things 
with regards to the blessings brings forth the knowledge of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, the proclamation of the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
then we have a narrative of those things that obtained by virtue 
of the preaching of Christ and the Spirit of the Living God. 
We back up now to the portion that led up to the text that 
we read this morning. Here we see the pouring out of 
the Spirit that the blessing of the Spirit or the ministry 
of the Spirit in the giving of other tongues to speak to particular 
men gathered at Jerusalem for the celebration of Pentecost. 
And as this particular instance has its confinement within a 
particular place in redemptive history, it's a good place to 
come and to examine what the Bible says with regards to the 
temporary nature, and now then, the ceasing of the revelatory 
gifts, those being summed up in 1 Corinthians 13 as tongues, 
prophecy, and words of knowledge. And we want to focus perhaps 
primarily on tongues, but as I say those things, you can also 
attach to that prophecy and knowledge. And what we're talking about 
is revelatory gifts. So we're talking about God, who 
at a time in history, a time in history, blessed particular 
recipients of the Holy Spirit with that spirit, with direct 
revelation that they might convey the truth concerning Christ to 
particular audiences, and that before the completion of the 
New Testament canon, which supplants the revelatory gifts previously 
given. So we're gonna do two things 
this evening. First, look at tongues in the Bible, and then 
secondly, the biblical witness to the or the end or the ceasing 
of tongues. So first off, tongues in the 
Bible, we want to note first off, under this head, that tongues 
were actual discernible languages understood by those to whom the 
words were spoken. And we say that because in our 
modern Christian landscape, there are those that define tongues than what I just said. That is, 
they believe it to be a particular unrecognizable Holy Spirit language 
known only to the person who is speaking those particular 
tongues. And we want to know that they 
are actual discernible languages understood by those to whom the 
words were spoken. Notice the language that we have 
beginning at verse 6 in Acts chapter 2. And when this the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 
and the speaking of tongues, when this sound occurred, the 
multitude came together and were confused, because everyone heard 
them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and 
marveled, saying to one another, look, are not all these who speak 
Galileans? And now we're speaking in our 
own particular language. And then later on, we see in 
a little bit of a preview of what is coming, notice the purpose 
of the giving of tongues. and we hear them speaking in 
our own tongues, the wonderful works of God. So tongues in the 
Bible, temporary as they were, were given, and given in such 
a manner that those who were receiving the tongues, those 
who were speaking the tongues were given this revelatory power 
from on high to speak in another language, the wonderful works 
of God, and those who were receiving this particular proclamation 
were able to understand. Simply, it's given, these tongues 
were given in this context because we have at the celebration of 
Pentecost in Jerusalem, as the text says, all of these people 
coming from different areas of Asia Minor and the surrounding 
area. They're coming by pilgrimage for this celebration in Jerusalem 
for the recognition and celebration of the day of Pentecost. And 
so they not speaking the native language. They come in for this 
celebration in Jerusalem. The apostles were empowered from 
on high to speak to them in their languages, because what an opportune 
time for the glory of the gospel to go forth in a punctuated manner 
at this particular time in history. Again, 50 days after the crucifixion 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, 50 days after the resurrection of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, all of these hundreds of people are 
gathered together in Jerusalem isn't divine providence or is. 
That at this time it's not only Jerusalemites that are gathered 
together, but it is people from every nation under heaven gathered 
together in Jerusalem. So these apostles are empowered 
from on high to speak in other languages the wonderful works 
of God that is simply the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, actual discernible languages 
spoken for a particular divine purpose. Gentry notes, tongues 
were foreign human languages spoken under a miraculous movement 
of the Holy Spirit. So they were actual spoken languages, 
and as well, there is an obvious coherency to the languages being 
spoken. You can turn with me to 1 Corinthians 
14. 1 Corinthians 14, it is not unrecognizable Holy Ghost language. It is not some sort of angelic 
or heavenly language, unrecognizable, or rather recognizable tongues, 
and it is not a moment of ecstasy on the part of the recipient 
of the revelatory gift, but a point and a moment of sobriety as a 
recipient of divine revelation is clearly receiving and then 
communicating things. with respect to the Lord Jesus 
Christ. So in 1 Corinthians 14, notice 
at verse 10. There are, it may be, so many 
kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the 
meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, 
and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so, you, since you 
are zealous for the spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification 
of the church that you seek to excel. So we have the fact that 
they are actual languages and that they are coherent in their And again, I don't want to lump 
everyone together. We need to navigate the landscape 
of this topic with a gracefulness, with a meekness, and a fear, 
because we have our, you know, brothers and sisters according 
to grace, and also perhaps some of our brothers and sisters according 
to the flesh. in certain contexts where they 
believe in the abiding validity and reality of tongues prophecy 
and knowledge. So we don't want to beat them 
up with the truth, but it's good to know the truth that we might 
encourage our brothers and sisters to adhere to that biblical and 
abiding protestant reality of sola scriptura, that the completion 
of the scriptures We have all that is needed for revelation. 
There is no ongoing need or abiding need for revelation from on high 
because we have it given to us in the Holy Scriptures. And so 
we want to know then the contrast between much of what we see in 
modern Christianity where tongue speaking is ecstatic and it's 
marked by frenzied response amongst the congregation. There is a 
remarkable similarity to Baalism and to paganism on the part of 
those, much of what goes on in those circles in modern Christianity 
with regards to ecstatic or frenzied tongue speaking things that are 
not recognizable to anyone in the congregation. In fact, just 
a few examples from history from a particular study. Winamon, 
a worshiper of the Egyptian god Amon, reported to have been overcome 
by the god in a frenzy of religious emotion and spoke in some ecstatic 
language. Plato records religious ecstatics 
rapturous delight, overwhelming emotion, under the control of 
gods who spoke in an unknown language. Apollo, a Dionysus 
worshipper, the oracle at Delphi, perhaps you've heard of that 
before, a Pythoness, as Chrysostom calls her, this same Pythoness 
said, being a female, to sit at times upon the tripod of Apollo 
Astride, And thus the evil spirit, ascending from beneath and entering 
the lower part of her body, fills the woman with madness. And she, 
with disheveled hair, begins to foam at the mouth, and thus 
begin a frenzy to utter the words of her madness. And then, lastly, 
dance and delirium in pagan and neopagan religion, where they 
conjure the presence of a deity to enter them and to so speak 
in unrecognizable languages. The biblical approach or the 
biblical declaration and revelation concerning tongues are that they 
are actual discerning and discernible languages spoken by those marked 
by sobriety and common sense. to those in need. Secondly, under 
tongues in the Bible, we want to know the divine purpose for 
the giving of tongues. So what was the divine purpose 
for the temporary giving of tongues? First off, they were proclamational. That was a word that we used 
this morning. The giving of tongues, the divine purpose, firstly, 
was that tongues were proclamational. That's what we see here in Acts 
2.11. We hear them speaking in our 
own tongues the wonderful works of God. So tongues are, in the 
first place, proclamational. Tongues are, secondly, validational. At the end of the Gospel of Mark, 
notice what we have there with regards to the Great Commission 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Mark Chapter 16, at the end 
of Mark Chapter 16, Notice what we read in the great commission 
given there. Later he appeared to the eleven as they sat at 
the table, and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, 
because they did not believe those who had seen him after 
he had risen. And he said to them, go into 
all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He 
who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does 
not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those 
who believe in my name. They will cast out demons. They 
will speak with new tongues. They will take up serpents, and 
if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them. 
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. So these 
revelational gifts, or spiritual gifts, or gifts of the Holy Spirit 
at that time, tongues, prophecy, knowledge, signs, and wonders 
were given in a validational nature. Thirdly, they were juridical. That simply means that they were 
marked by the dispensation In fact, you can turn with me 
to Deuteronomy 28. There's a link between Deuteronomy 
28 and 1 Corinthians 14 on the subject of tongues. So, Deuteronomy 
chapter 28. reality that tongues, temporary 
in their nature, were juridical. They signaled the promised covenant 
curse. Notice in Deuteronomy 28 at verse 
29. Excuse me, 28, 49. The Lord will 
bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, 
as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will 
not understand. Now, turn with me to 1 Corinthians 
14, keeping in mind that in Acts chapter two, the citizens or 
the men of Israel say, mocking, they are full of new wine, not 
understanding the language that is given. So in 1 Corinthians 
14, notice the language there that we have at verse 21. 1 Corinthians 
14 and verse 21. In the law it is written, with 
men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people, 
and yet for all that they will not hear me. There is a connection 
in the context between tongues as a sign to unbelievers, mind 
you, which we'll note shortly, but as a connection between the 
covenant curse and in this first century context. Beal notes, 
the tongues of foreigners, i.e. the Assyrians, being heard in 
Israel would indicate that judgment on the nation was commencing, 
as the foreigners were invaded to desolate the nation. Likewise, 
the same judgment appears with the tongues at Pentecost, though 
this time in the with her temple. The voices Israel 
hears are not those of the Assyrian soldiers preparing to destroy 
their land, but Galileans proclaiming that the establishment of a new 
temple had begun. So you see the connection between 
the covenant curses and finally this last time where the Roman 
armies would come and destroy the temple, marking in a punctuated 
manner the advent of the new covenant and the end of the Mosaic 
institutions, we have tongues given at that particular time 
temporarily to mark the reality of that juridical and promised 
covenant curse. Fourthly, we have the reality 
that the divine purpose of the giving of tongues are redemptive 
historical. You've often perhaps heard that 
we see in this, in this Pentecostal, in this Pentecostal narrative, 
a reversal of the curse of the Tower of Baal. Remember at that 
time, all of those nations were cast out and dispersed, and they 
were given different languages as a curse They're temerity to try to mount 
up to the mount of God, to the position of God. And so they're 
cast out and they're dispersed and they're given other languages. 
Here we have a reversal of the curse of battle. Men from every 
nation under heaven being brought together now, a reversal of dispersion. but rather now a gathering where 
they're all given the gospel of God from those speaking in 
their own particular language, united around the truth of Jesus 
Christ, the one who reverses the curse. Gil notes, these cloven 
tongues cannot but bring to mind the division and confusion of 
the tongues or languages at battle, which gave rise to different 
nations and different religions, but these divided tongues give 
rise to the spreading of the gospel and setting the true religion 
among the nations of the world. And you see, isn't that a blessed 
thing that we have in Christianity, is the uniting of every tribe, 
every tongue, every people, and every nation under the banner 
of the King of of these cloven tongues. Stott notes on this particular 
point very briefly, at battle, earth proudly tried to ascend 
to heaven, whereas in Jerusalem, heaven humbly descended to earth. What a beautiful reversal and 
that that is what we have in the giving of the Lord Jesus 
Christ in the advent of the gospel heaven humbly descending to birth 
Also early under tongues in the Bible we want to move along here. 
They were out of stall. I They were apostolic in their 
nature. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 
12, 12. And as you're turning there, 
simply note that since they are apostolic, and since the apostolic 
ministry, the office of the Apostle ends, so then too ends the revelatory 
gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge. They were apostolic. 
Notice 2 Corinthians 12 at verse 12. Truly the signs of an apostle 
were accomplished among you with all perseverance in signs and 
wonders and mighty deeds. And connected to that is, again, 
the great commission given by Jesus Christ to the apostles 
would accompany their particular ministry. Calvin notes in commenting 
on Mark 16, 17, and connected to 2 Corinthians 12, 12, though 
Christ does not expressly state whether he intends this gift 
to be temporary or to remain perpetually in his church, yet 
it is more probable that miracles were promised only for a time 
in order to give luster to the gospel. while it was new and 
in a state of obscurity. It is possible, no doubt, that 
the world may have been deprived of this honor through the guilt 
of its own ingratitude, but I think that the true design for which 
miracles were appointed was that nothing which was necessary for 
proving the doctrine of the gospel should be wanted at its commencement. And certainly we see that the 
use of them ceased not long afterwards, for at least, that instances 
of them were so rare as to conclude that they could not be equally 
common in all ages. And so they were apostolic. With 
the cessation of the apostolic office, so too comes the cessation 
of the revelatory gifts. Fifthly, that is fourthly in 
fact, they were for unbelievers. One of the things that we see 
in the modern landscape with regards to the so-called speaking 
of tongues is that they are for the tongue speaker or they are 
for the church. And oftentimes you'll see a preacher 
saying, give me that Holy Ghost language, and someone stands 
up and starts babbling, and then the congregation just starts 
to act in a frenzy and dance around. And it's such that these 
tongues are, in essence, given for the so-called edification 
of believers. But tongues are specifically 
stated as being given for unbelievers. Not only do we see that in Acts 
chapter 2, with unbelievers having come from all nations under heaven, 
but we see that explicitly stated in 1 Corinthians 14. You can 
turn there with me, 1 Corinthians 14, the reality that tongues are 
not for the tongue speaker, they are not for believers, but they 
are specifically given temporarily to apostles in the first century 
and for unbelievers. Notice in, excuse me, 1 Corinthians 
14, verse 21. Again, the language there, in 
the law it is written, with men of angels and other lips I will 
speak to this people, and yet for all that they will not hear 
me. Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, 
but to unbelievers. But prophesying is not for unbelievers, 
but for those who believe. So we see that tongue speaking, 
again, is given for unbelievers at that particular time prior 
to the completion of the canon so that those outside and believe by the power of the 
Holy Spirit. And lastly, under tongues in 
the Bible, we want to observe here that they were temporary. 
And we're going to, we're going to postpone some of the opening 
up of that until the end of the last point, but notice affirmations 
were, because the text Is first Corinthians 13 8 to 13 and that's 
the text we're going to close with when we close this evening 
But athanasius on the temporary nature of tom's prophecy and 
knowledge When did prophet and vision cease from israel? Was 
it not when christ came the holy one of holies? It is, in fact, 
a sign and notable proof of the coming of the Word that Jerusalem 
no longer stands, neither is prophet raised up, nor vision 
revealed among them. And it is natural that it should 
be so. For when He that was signified 
had come, what need was there any longer of any to signify 
Him? And when the truth had come, 
what further need was there of the shadow? On his account, only 
they prophesied continually, until such time as essential 
righteousness had come, who was made the ransom for the sins 
of all. And so we move now then to the 
biblical witness to the cessation of tongues. And just as we launch 
into this, just to open us up and to frame our minds, what 
our confession of faith says with regards to that. Because 
our confession of faith, summarizing, theologically concluding from 
the Holy Scriptures, argues for and states the cessation of tongues 
as the Scripture sets it forth. professionalists wrote, is the 
only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving 
knowledge, faith, and obedience. Although the light of nature 
and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest 
the goodness, wisdom, and power of God as to leave men inexcusable, 
yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and 
his will which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore, it pleased 
the Lord at sundry times and in diverse manners to reveal 
himself and to declare his will unto his church. And afterward, 
for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and 
for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against 
the corruption of the flesh, the malice of Satan, and of the 
world, to commit the same holy unto writing. Now notice, which 
makes the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former 
ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased. And 1.6, the whole counsel of 
God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, 
faith, and life, is either expressed in a set-down or necessarily 
contained in the Holy Scripture, unto which nothing at any time 
is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit or the 
traditions of men. So where then would we find this 
in the Bible? The biblical witness? to the 
cessation of tongues. We're going to spend most of 
the time in the New Testament, but back up with me to the Old 
Testament for a moment, to the book of Daniel. In the book of 
Daniel, there is a particular prophecy given that ties together 
the cessation of revelatory gifts with the advent of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. That advent essentially culminated 
in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70. But notice in Daniel chapter 
nine beginning at verse 24, 70 weeks are determined for your 
people and for your holy city to finish the transgression, 
to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for inequity, 
to bring in to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the 
most holy. The text goes on to speak more 
pointedly with regards to judgment by this Christ, but notice this 
language that with the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ 
comes the sealing up of vision and prophecy. So when we get 
to the New Testament, we ought to then anticipate The end, the 
sealing up of vision and prophecy, the cessation of revelatory gifts 
given. for a time, and we see that in 
the New Testament already in Acts chapter 2, 1-21 that we 
read this morning, the historical fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. Some set Joel's prophecy in our 
future, because he uses the language of the last times, or the latter 
days. The language being spoken, as 
Peter clearly brings forth though, is touching upon the first advent 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, because Peter says, 16 this is that this 
is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel this is what was what is 
was that was spoken by the Prophet Joel it is the giving of the 
tongues of Speaking in other languages to others gathered 
in Jerusalem the wonderful works of God Peter says this is what 
was spoken by the prophet Joel So what you now see in here what 
now is being poured out is what the prophet Joel was speaking 
about When he said and it shall come to pass in the last days 
Says God that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh your sons 
and daughters shall prophesy your young men shall see visions So there is a historical fulfillment 
to Joel's prophecy testifying to the cessation of tongues, 
that the particular prophetic fulfillment is attached to the 
first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, in the New 
Testament, the foundational utility of the gifts of the Spirit connected 
again to the Apostles in Ephesians chapter 2 we notice some key 
things there with respect to the apostolic ministry so in 
Ephesians chapter 2 at verse 20 we read this Having been built, 
while backing up to 19, now therefore you are no longer strangers and 
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of 
the household of God. Having been built on the foundation 
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the 
chief cornerstone. And then verse 11 of chapter 
4, and he himself gave some to the apostles, some prophets, 
some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping 
of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of 
the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith 
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to 
the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This 
is often, that language is often applied to the perfection of 
the church at the eschatological consummation, at the end of days, 
when the church is brought into glory by Christ at his second 
coming. But the language is really speaking 
to the maturity of the church, the perfect man, one who is complete, 
one who is mature. So at the point of the maturity 
of the church or the completion or the perfection of the church, 
there is an end to the apostolic ministry and those things that 
accrue by virtue of their foundational role. Thirdly, in the New Testament, 
we see the coordination of the gifts with the first advent of 
Christ and the apostolic era. Once again, if you could turn 
with me to Hebrews 1, or not once again. Once again, that 
reality that they're connected to, the first coming of Christ 
and the apostolic era. Notice Hebrews 1, verse 1 to 
verse 4. God, who at various times and 
in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 
has in these last days spoken to us by his Son. But you see, 
it continues Connected to the speaking of the Sun with the 
ministry of the Apostles in verse 1 of chapter 2 Therefore we must 
give them more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest 
we drift away For if the word spoken through angels grew steadfast 
and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward How shall 
we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which at the first 
began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those 
who heard him God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders 
with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according 
to his own will. So we see that connection to 
the first advent of Christ and then the apostolic era that followed, 
but then no further. We also want to note, fourthly 
under the New Testament, the pastoral epistle exhortations. The exhortations given in Paul's pastoral epistle, so 
you can turn with me to 1 Timothy. And as you're turning there, 
what do we mean by this when we say that the biblical witness 
to the cessation of tongues is seen in the pastoral epistle 
exhortations? Well, if tongue speaking was 
vital to the spirit and the character of the church, If tongue-speaking 
prophecy and knowledge, the seeking after them, the engendering of 
them, the culturing of these particular revelatory gifts were 
vital for the Church, and in some circles even vital for salvation, 
then we ought to see in Paul's exhortation we ought to see something with 
regards to the importance of these things, but we don't see 
that. In 1 Timothy 2 and verse 1, notice what we see, We see in verse 8, I desire, 
therefore, that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, 
without wrath and doubting, in like manner also that the women 
adorn themselves in modest apparel, etc. There are particular exhortations 
given, notice, in the same book at chapter 3 in verse 1. This 
is a faithful saying, if a man desires the position of a bishop, 
he desires a good work. And then Paul goes on to speak 
with respect to the qualifications of a bishop, and then following 
that, the qualifications of deacons, with no word specifically on 
revelatory gifts and the importance or possession of them, but rather 
with respect to character and other things related to teaching 
the word of God. We notice as well in Notice at 
verse 15. But if I am delayed, I write so that 
you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house 
of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and 
ground of the truth. And then he goes on to set forth 
what is important, what is primary, what is the key point of all 
revelation, that is the gospel of Jesus Christ, his incarnate 
condescension. And without controversy, great 
is the mystery of godliness, seen by angels, preached among 
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. Notice that foreword. Now the 
Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart 
from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines 
of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared 
with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain 
from foods which God created, to be received with thanksgiving 
by those who believe and know the truth. Now notice verse 7, 
but reject profane, reject profane and old wise fables and exercise 
yourself toward godliness for bodily exercise Godliness is 
profitable for all things. Notice at verse 10, for to this 
end, we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in 
the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those 
who believe. These things command and teach. There are other passages in 2 
Timothy 1.13, 2.1-2, and 3.60, the point being that as Paul, 
before his dying breath, writes to Timothy in order to order 
the church, in order for Timothy to go about the mission of the 
church in this lower world, they were about to die away with 
the end of the apostolic era and punctuated by the destruction 
of the city and the Temple of Jerusalem. Notice, fifthly, we 
have 1 Corinthians 13, 8-13, and we'll close with this because 
here we have, I believe, the most clear, the most perspicuous, 
the most obvious Biblical declaration to the end of tongues, prophecy, 
and knowledge. So 1 Corinthians 13, beginning at verse 8. And we'll 
close with this. Well, we'll close after this 
with the recognition and the application of the abiding ministry 
of the Holy Spirit. Because we're not saying, we 
want to note that there is a difference between the cessation of the Spirit's activity. When 
we say we believe in the cessation of tongues and prophecy and knowledge, 
we are not saying that we reject the abiding mission of the Holy 
Spirit, the abiding power of the Holy Spirit, the abiding 
work of the Holy Spirit. In fact, we lift up and uphold 
the most glorious miracles, the most glorious things that the 
Holy Spirit does, and those things touch upon bringing a dead sinner 
to life in Christ. The most glorious miracle that 
the Holy Spirit ever does is making a dead sinner believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of victorious and amazing 
grace. We see, as Gentry says, this 
points to the providential completion of the NT canon as that which 
renders tongues and other revelatory gifts inoperative. So I just 
want to read the passage again, make four particular notes, and 
then we'll close very briefly. Notice 1 Corinthians 13, beginning 
at verse 8. Love never fails. This is going 
to be important as we look at this passage. Love never fails. 
But whether there are prophecies, they will fail. Whether there 
are tongues, they will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it 
will vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy 
in part. But when that which is perfect 
has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When 
I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought 
as a child. But when I became a man, I put 
away childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, 
but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then 
I shall know just as I also am known. and now abide faithful 
love, these three, but the greatest of these is love. So you see 
the language of cessation given here, and it's perhaps a common 
understanding or a common approach that what the Apostle Paul is 
talking about here is the cessation of revelatory gifts at the end 
of days, at the consummation, when Christ comes to judge the 
living and the dead, and the church is brought into glory. 
Well, we want to know four things, and as we observe that Paul is 
speaking with regards to the near end, the near cessation 
of these revelatory gifts. And the first thing we want to 
know is, these three gifts, tongues, prophecy, and knowledge, have 
a design and determined end in view, and love doesn't. Notice 
that the emphasis here isn't really on the cessation of Tom's 
prophecy and knowledge, but it's on the importance of Christian 
love in the congregation. You see, perhaps what was going 
on was, you know, there's this obsession with regards, well 
not perhaps, what's going on if we read verses one to seven, 
we see that Paul is wanting to emphasize the vanity of revelatory 
gifts if love does not prevail and abide. And then he says, 
love never fails, but goes on to say that tongues, prophecy, 
and knowledge will fade away, but love never fails. Love abides. It abides forever. The greatest 
of these is love. Love never fails. And so Paul 
wants them to cultivate to be encouraged in, to engender, and 
to cultivate love, and not focus on tongues, prophecy, and knowledge, 
because those are going to come to a near end. But love never 
fails, and it always remains. So these three gifts have a designed 
and determined end of being. Love never fails, but prophecies 
will fail. That doesn't mean a prophecy 
given will not come to fulfillment. It's just to the piecemeal nature 
of prophecy, not bringing the fullness of revelation captured 
later by the perfect. It carries the same weight as 
will cease or will vanish away. So love never fails, but prophecies 
will fail, tongues will cease, and knowledge will vanish away. Not the simple fact of knowing 
things, but God immediately, by revelation, giving to an apostle 
particular knowledge that he might communicate to the church 
for the good of the church and the glory of God. A revelatory 
gift from God to communicate the works of God, not simply 
knowing by the Spirit the propositions of the word of God, which of 
course, abides to our own day. But all of that, to come back 
to this, Prophecy, tongues, knowledge, these three gifts have a designed 
and determined end and view and the text is clear on that. Secondly, 
these three gifts have a designed and determined piecemeal nature. That is, they are incomplete 
and they are partial. Notice the language here, for 
we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when that which 
is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done 
away. You see, the giving, the temporary 
giving of tongues and prophesying and knowledge were not the full 
breadth and weight of revelation that would come after, but until 
that time, they served that divine revelational purpose to proclaim 
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Once the perfect has come, that 
is, the New Testament canon, the fullness of divine revelation 
captured and inscripturated, then those partial things, those 
piecemeal things, are done away with. In fact, that's the third 
point. These three piecemeal, yes, tongues, prophecy, prophesying, 
and knowledge give way to something complete or perfect, and that 
being the New Testament canon. And why would we say that? Because 
these gifts are clearly revelational. Tongues, prophesying, and words 
of knowledge are clearly divine and revelational, and they're 
being compared with something by contrast, that is also then 
divine and revelational. They wouldn't be comparing, or 
Paul wouldn't compare these things to other things that we'll supplant 
or supersede if it wasn't something of the same category, but rather 
he's speaking with regards to revelational things and then 
that which is perfect in the inscripture-rated New Testament. 
This is gentry on this particular note, though Christ does not 
expressly state whether he intends this gift to be temporary or 
to remain perpetually in his church. Did I copy the quote 
from that? Let's see here, bear with me. Okay. Yet it is more probable 
that miracles were promised only for a time in order to give luster 
to the gospel. That's the Calvin quote. It is possible, no doubt, 
that the world may have been deprived of this honor through 
the guilt of its own ingratitude. Here you hear it over Peter Kellman 
again. Okay, well, I'll have to email you the quote. But suffice 
it to say, suffice it to say that what the Apostle Paul is 
doing here is comparing revelational categories And so tongues prophesying 
and knowledge, those things that are partial and piecemeal, are 
being compared to that which is perfect and whole. And fourthly 
then, notice the analogies used. A child and man, something temporary 
until maturity arrives, and then the mirror, dim viewing, giving 
way to clear viewing. Notice the language beginning 
at verse 11. When I was a child, I spoke as 
a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when 
I became a man, I put away childish things. And so what Paul is doing 
by this analogy, he is comparing the childish things, or the child 
reality of tongues prophesying and knowledge, with the perfect 
reality of a fully grown man. So these piecemeal aspects of 
revelation, and then this whole given revelation in the scriptures 
of the New Testament. And so then he goes on to use 
another analogy. For now, we see in a mirror dimly, 
but then face to face, that is when the perfect comes. but then 
face-to-face. Now I know in part, but then 
I shall know just as I also know. Now this language has often by 
great men been used to speak with regards to the end of times 
in heaven when we see Christ. This language of for now we see 
in a mirror dimly, but then face-to-face. Something that Something that, with regards 
to this language of healing, or this language of seeing, is 
used to argue that first, what is being seen is something other 
than Christ, and then later, Christ is being seen, with regards 
to this language of the perfect that comes. But what do we see 
when we look in a mirror? We see ourselves. So now we see in a mirror dimly, 
that is with this partial, with this piecemeal, with this incomplete 
revelation in tongues prophesying the knowledge, we don't yet see 
with perfect clarity because the entire capturing of the will 
of God and the word of God in the 27 books of the New Testament, 
that has not yet been given. But then, that is when the perfect 
comes, the text says, face to face. So then we're seeing, not 
Christ in the mirror. Hopefully when you look in the 
mirror, you don't see Christ. That would be a glorious thing, 
but that isn't what happens. When we see in a mirror, we see 
ourselves. So dimly with the piecemeal revelation, 
but then face to face, that is with perfect clarity, when the 
fullness of revelation comes in the New Testament scriptures. 
So Tom's prophesying knowledge Fade away, they cease, and then 
the perfect comes, that is, the revelation that we have given 
to us by the grace and condescension of God in the books of the New 
Testament and, of course, the Old Testament as well. And so 
hopefully we see in a very short time what tongues were in the 
Bible, and then the biblical witness to the cessation of tongues. If you have more questions on 
this particular text, this particular passage, you can ask me. But hopefully we can observe 
and appreciate the measure of clarity it brings with regards 
to cessation and the glory. We can close with a couple of 
things pertaining to this. The glory that we have in the 
completed revelation of the word of God. You see, when we remark 
negatively, that is negatively, like with regards to a denial 
of something, when we say the cessation of tongues and prophesying 
and knowledge, we're conversely and positively exalting the completed 
Word of God to the perfection that it is from God to communicate 
the will of God in the Gospel of Christ. And so the negative 
assertion of the cessation of piecemeal and temporary gifts 
is to then which page after page, chapter 
after chapter disclosed the price to whom those piecemeal gifts 
pointed prior to this perfect that we have. And we ought never 
to take it for granted that we have a completed work of God. 
Never to take it for granted. In the Western world, we take 
everything for granted. I think we can sort of, we look 
at ourselves in America clearly. We can see ourselves as those 
who take a lot for granted. And as Christians, we should 
be instructed by spirit and word to not take anything for granted 
because it is God who gives us these things and certainly not 
his word. Certainly not the word that men 
and women have died for. Certainly not this completed 
word that God brought forth progressively to the point of completion that 
we might know 2,000 years after the advent of his precious son 
that his son came into the world's centers to save. What a glorious 
thing we have. And as reformed Christians who 
observe the cessation of tongues and prophesying and knowledge, 
we certainly observe at the same time, though, the abiding power 
and ministry of the Holy Spirit. What a blessed thing we have 
in our triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit, and appropriated 
to the Spirit the reality that he comes with power and with 
great conviction to dead sinners to bring them forth to life in 
Christ. There is no greater miracle. 
There is no greater work of the Spirit. It's connected to the 
very power of divine creation. in the Bible. I think also Paul 
as well in his next letter that the salvation that God brings 
us by the power of the Holy Spirit is that same power that God brought 
forth all things from nothing in the space of six days and 
all very good. And we should glory and rejoice 
in the fact that not only is the Holy Spirit active in bringing 
forth dead sinners to life, but he's also active in continually 
Communicating to us grace that is active in community that continually 
communicating to us illumination Opening our eyes continually 
as we grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ What 
a blessed thing that we have in the enlightened ministry of 
the Holy Spirit is To open our weary and our cold and our languorous 
eyes as we go about this lower world and our remaining corruption, 
we should pray for ourselves and the ministry of the Spirit 
that He would lift us up from our off laziness and open up 
the word that we might avail of the completion, the perfection, 
and the revelation that God has given us. So, as we go about 
our Christian walk, we are to glory in the Holy Spirit, not 
seeking after those things that had a temporary and divine purpose 
but have ceased, but glorying in those abiding things that 
declare to us the power of God in the salvation of sinners. 
the edifying of the saints, the empowering of preachers, and 
the rousing of those who hear the preaching to behold their 
triune God and the Christ of our blessed salvation. Well, 
let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your truth. 
We thank you for your word. We rejoice in the completion 
and the perfection of it. We thank you that it declares 
to us the whole counsel of God, that it declares to us Jesus 
Christ, incrucified, resurrected, and ascended, and the giver of 
multitudinous blessings. We do pray that you help us in 
this lower world to reflect with great joy upon the abiding power 
and ministry of the Holy Spirit, that we would pray for the Spirit's 
ministry in the church, that we would rejoice in the fact 
that our Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit works without 
a helper, bringing dead sinners to life, that they may behold 
the Son of Gloria. We pray that you'd go with us 
into this week, that you'd help us to conduct ourselves in a 
manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, and that we would honor 
you here in this poor world. We pray in Christ's name, amen. 
Well, we'll have a brief time of meditation.