“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”
~ 1 Corinthians 13:12
Reading this passage I was struck by the reality that the Bible isn’t forever. Don’t get me wrong; I am in no way trying to downplay the importance of the Bible. It is essential for discerning the truth from lies, and for showing us the way to be reconciled to our Creator through Jesus Christ. Furthermore, it is God’s Word, and God’s word lasts forever. (1 Peter 1:25)
But God’s word is so much more than a book. It is truth itself. The Gospel message, the Truth of Jesus Christ—The Word—which is the very foundation of the Bible, will last forever. But the Bible itself will not.
You see, the Bible is only applicable on this side of eternity. It is meant to lead us back to God. Like a message in a bottle, sent adrift on the currents of time itself. But once we are in Heaven, its purpose will have been fulfilled. We won’t need the Bible to tell us about God—we’ll be able to see Him face to face, with our own eyes! Plus, there won’t be any sin or suffering in Heaven, so the rest of the Bible is immediately nullified the moment we arrive.
Which brings us back to the beginning of this chapter.
According to the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:12, a time is coming when all of our theological debates, thoughts, and musings will no longer matter. Every gray area and mystery in the universe will be revealed, and we will “know everything completely.”
Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?
The Bible is God’s Guidebook. It tells us how things began, how they went wrong, and how far we have fallen. It tells us how God came down from heaven and became one of us, in order to die for all of us, and how He rose from the dead so that we too, might have life through Jesus Christ our Lord. He told us everything we needed to know. No more. No less.
A pastor of mine put it this way: “Bible is an acronym. It stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.”
How true that is.
Once we shed this mortal coil and cross the veil of eternity, then we will “see everything with perfect clarity,” and all the things we wonder and hypothesize about—all the mysteries of God and the universe—will be revealed to us.
But until then, let’s follow the example of the believers in Acts 2:42, and devote ourselves to studying God’s Word. It is our guide after all. And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
~ Psalm 119:105
“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”
~ Proverbs 9:10
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