1 Corinthians 13:8-10 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away (fail); as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
Question
Why does prophecy fail (pass away)?
Answer
Prophecy fails (passes away) because it is in part or without love. Without love, perfection is absent. Prophecy that is not done by love will always fail because it is not finished. Whether spoken or received, prophecy will only be fulfilled by love.
Explanation
Reading 1 Corinthians 13 in its full context speaks of love as true perfection and how it never fails or never ends. In love, prophecy will never fail, and you will always finish what God starts because that's what love is and does. God is love, and love is from God, so with this in mind, it's easy to see that perfection is present when love is present. The apostle Paul is making a clear point that it's only through love that the gifts of the Spirit (mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12) are perfected. Any spiritual gift sent from God will pass without completion if it is not done by love.
Love is the bond of perfection; it binds everything together in perfect harmony and, therefore, will bring all things to maturity. If love is not at work, then all prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will fail because they are only in part without love. This is why Paul uses the example of a child who has not learned, loves perfection, and must grow to understand all parts of prophecy.
Jesus's words highlight this idea when He speaks about the lawless, those without love.
Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.
Lawlessness is present within you because love is absent. Even lawless people can access God's spiritual gifts, but without love, they will fail.
What to do
Reading 1 Corinthians 13 makes it easy to see why love is the center point of God's existence. Above everything else, we must put on love and be bound with Christ in perfect harmony. In unity with Him, prophecy will never fail.
Scriptural references
1 Corinthians 13; Colossians 3:14; 1 John 2:5; 4:7-8; Matthew 7:21-23
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