God Has Gifted Us Differently

As Paul puts it in Chapter 13 of this letter: “when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” The NIV is even clearer – “when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” When you have the Bible that God had intended to create, you have His perfect witness, and it only makes sense that the imperfect gifts that established and authenticated it would disappear from the church.

After you've finished building a building you don't keep the scaffolding, and temporary housing, and equipment that enabled the workers to build it in place, you clear them away. This is also vital in that those passing by seeing that equipment in place would assume that the work of building is ongoing. I look at a building surrounded by scaffolding and workers and equipment and I think – not finished, still more work to be done, imperfect. God clearly didn't want to convey that impression about His Bible and so it makes sense that when it was complete, He cleared away the materials used in its construction, but kept and indeed multiplied the materials used in its proclamation and application.

That is why, for instance, while prophets have ceased, ministers haven't, and why while healings have ceased, deacons haven't.