,
and likewise preaching, tongues and prophecy. These, then, must pass.
Paul continues,

"We know in part, and we prophesy in part."

31. "We know in part"; that is, in this life we know imperfectly, for
it is of faith and not of sight. And we "prophesy in part"; that is,
imperfectly, for the substance of our prophecy is the Word and
preaching. Both knowledge and prophecy, however, reveal nothing short
of what the angels see--the one God. "But when that which is perfect
is come, that which is in part shall be done away."

He proves this by way of illustration and contrasts the child with the
man. To children, who are yet weak, play is a necessity; it is a
substitute for office and work. Similarly, we in the present life are
far too frail to behold God. Until we are able, it is necessary that
we should use the medium of Word and faith, which are adapted to our
limitations.

"For now we see in a mirror [through a glass] darkly; but then face to
face."

32. Faith, Paul tells us, is like a mirror, like a riddle. The actual
face is not in the glass; there is but the image of it. Likewise,
faith gives us, not the radiant countenance of eternal Deity, but a
mere image of him, an image derived through the Word. As a dark riddle
points to something more than it expresses, so faith suggests
something clearer than that which it perceives. But in the life to
come, mirror and riddle, faith and its demonstration, shall all have
ceased to be. God's face and our own shall be mutually and clearly
revealed. Paul says, "Now I know in part; but then shall I know fully
even as also I was fully known [know even also as I am known]." That
is, God now knows me perfectly, clearly and plainly; no dark veil is
upon myself. But as to him, a dark veil hides him from me. With the
same perfect clearness wherewith he now knows me, I shall then know
him--without a veil. The veil shall be taken away, not from him, but
from me; for upon him is no veil.

THE GREATEST CHRISTIAN VIRTUE IS LOVE.

"But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of
these is love."

33. The sophists have transgressed in a masterly manner as regards
this verse. They have made faith vastly inferior to love because of
Paul's assertion that love is greater than faith and greater than
hope. As usual, their mad reason blindly seizes upon the literal
expression. They hack a piece out of it and the remainder they ignore.
Thus they fail to understand Paul