Exactly zeb!
I especially enjoyed this portion of the article, which drives the point home. It states verbatim,
THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT CONSIDERED
1 Corinthians 12:10 speaks of "Gifts of the Spirit" that have to be consider INSPIRED activity from God. It says:
"to yet another operations of powerful works, to another prophesying, to another DISCERNMENT OF INSPIRED UTTERANCES ..."
Statement of Fact: In considering the above bible text, those that are blessed with a "Gift of the Spirit" would have to be considered inspired of God. Isn't that true?
Therefore, if interpretation of scripture is clearly shown to be a Special "Gift of the spirit" from God , then why do we (Jehovah's witnesses & ex-Jehovah's witnesses) insist otherwise? Why do we do this?
Think about it!
In other words, why do we UNINSPIRED people, continue to attempt to interpret Holy Scripture (inspired utterances) ... when God's Word makes it clear you can't do it, without his INSPIRED help .
After experiencing over 120 years of FAILED bible interpretations on the part of the Watchtower Society, haven't we had enough of the disasterous results from this kind of activity, to reach that humble conclusion?
Actually, we are very familiar with what is commonly retorted when asked about why Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that the "gifts" of the spirit are present today. When asked this question, they immediately refer one to 1 Corinthians 13:8 as proof that the "gifts" of the spirit have "ceased" today. But is that what the bible account is actually saying, I ask?
Let's consider it together.
"Love never fails. But whether there are [gifts of] prophesying, they will be done away with..."
Did you notice above, the words "gifts of" are in brackets within the New World Translation , published by the Watchtower Society? [Recent note: Newest New World Translation released the year of 2013 has removed the brackets around these words altogether...I wonder why?] That's because they are INSERTED WORDS by the translator, to enhance meaning. So the verse really , really, really didn't actually say "gifts" would be "done away with" or "cease," did it? Only, the Watchtower Society did. Think about it.
But let's continue:
"...whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially but WHEN THAT WHICH IS COMPLETE ARRIVES, that which is partial will be done away with ." - 1 Corinthians 13:8-10
Clearly, the emphasis is upon "that which is partial," — partial as in "partial prophesying", "partial knowledge" and so on. Meaning, the first century congregation actually had a "partial" knowledge and a "partial" understanding of scripture. They even "prophesied" partially, as Paul said above. What this means is that:
Their permitted understanding of God's Overall Grander Purposes was, yes, "PARTIAL", or limited. This was God's Will for them. Thus, this would invariably mean the great "Mystery of God", would continue or persist, as John realized when he got the vision of Revelation and was shown this. (Revelation 10:7)
The Great Mystery of God...would persist...among Christians...until the "last days."
But nevertheless, Paul did remind the first century brothers that "partial knowledge" would not always continue and that one day, Jesus' disciples would finally understand the fuller and grander purposes of Jehovah, in a "COMPLETE" sense. As when "THAT WHICH IS COMPLETE ARRIVES". So, when "that which is COMPLETE [as opposed to "partial"] should arrive, namely the "Spirit of the Truth" that Jesus spoke about at John 16:13-15, then that which is "partial", yes their PARTIAL UNDERSTANDING , their PARTIAL PROPHESYING (where prophecies were confined to a first century application only) would be finally, by Almighty God's permission, be DONE AWAY WITH or discarded . "Done away with" or simply discarded as being of no use anymore. To be viewed as totally obsolete and irrelevant as to modem day application of prophecy to the congregation, and events thereof.
Therefore, the first century congregation were instructed to fully expect the discarding of "partial" things, so that when "that which is complete" was to arrive on the earthly scene, past "understandings" and explanations of scripture, would by God's permission, "BE DONE AWAY" with, thus leaving modern day disciples of Christ with a fuller, comprehensive understanding of God's Sacred Word. This explains why the book of Revelation points forward to the future wherein "new scrolls" would be opened for mankind's edification and enlightenment, and the old "partial" understandings of scripture and prophecy, would by necessity, and understandably so, BE DISCARDED to make way for "that which is complete" in UNDERSTANDING. Yes the "Spirit of the Truth." (Rev. 20:12)
To prove this is exactly what Paul was referring to he went on to say next:
"When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a babe. For at present we see in hazy outline [Lit., "in obscure _expression." NWT ftn] by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face to face. At present I know PARTIALLY [Or, "I am taking in partial knowledge" NWT ftn], but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known." — 1 Corinthians 13:11, 12
Paul revealed first century Christians actually had an "obscure", "hazy" unclear viewpoint of God's Overall Purposes. They only saw God's Grander Purposes, in a "hazy outline" fashion. So, the picture they had of God's Word was not quite so distinct, and clear as Paul admitted.
And believe it or not, even now that "indistinct", "hazy", "obscure" vision of the scripture persists...even down to our day. Why? Again, it is because God's Will dictates it to be so until the advent of the "Spirit of the Truth," or "that which is COMPLETE" should "arrive."
So then when we really think about it, actually what was promised to "cease", was not the "gifts" of the spirit necessarily , as the Watchtower Society teaches, no but what was promised to "cease" or be "done away with" was the PARTIAL or INCOMPLETE UNDERSTANDING of God's Prophetic Word found in the GREEK TEXT. Yes, the Greek Scriptures themselves or explanations thereof found in them, Paul actually showed was to be REPLACED one day , with a fuller, more complete understanding of God's purposes, wherein the Greater "Mystery of God" would finally be "finished," as Revelation 10:7 said.
And additionally we are told, exactly WHEN the "partial" aspects of their understanding was to be replaced...when?
Again, exactly when "that which is COMPLETE arrives," the promised "Spirit of The Truth" that Jehovah and Jesus would "send" to mankind to "guide them into ALL truth" and "declare the things coming" or the future to them. Where they would get the COMPLETE picture and understanding of things from God's Sacred Word. - 1 Cor. 13:10; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-15
Even today, if one would insist that the "gifts" of the spirit have already "ceased" and are no more present among the Christian congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, then we can still ask relative to that thought: Has "that which is COMPLETE arrived" yet?
And if the Watchtower Society's answer is yes, and they must believe "that which is complete" has arrived (as they do of course), then we must reason the Watchtower Society should have then, a COMPLETE and composite understanding of scripture, including that of all bible prophecy and the book of Revelation. And of course, they believe that too. But, most of us know for a certainty, that is NOT the case at all. So then if we believe that, we cannot say:
"That which is COMPLETE" then, "has arrived," can we?
And if we cannot say that, namely "that which is complete has arrived," then we cannot say for a certainty, that the "gifts" of the spirit have "ceased" either...
(Link to article found HERE.)
LL
