1 Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Paul encouraged us in chapter twelve to cherish the better gifts. He didn’t say which ones were better and I think he left that up to the imagination of the reader. Perhaps the better gift is the one the Lord has bestowed upon you. Perhaps it is a gift you see in others that you do not possess. How you feel about that is really up to you. Then Paul ends the chapter with these encouraging words, “Let me show you a better way.” Then he extols the virtue of charity, Agape, God’s indwelling love.

I skipped over all that Paul said and settled upon verse ten and sat in awesome wonder about all the wondrous things I do know because of the Lord and saw it disappear as if it were another vain imagination. Knowledge was included in those things which we are given in part which will be done away with when perfection comes.

I cannot imagine what I cannot imagine. It is vanity to think that I can. Spiritual gifts as wonderful and powerful but they will no long be required. The gifts of service are a blessing beyond belief but they will no longer be required. I can understand that because they are meant to help the needy, the weak, the babes in Christ, even the mature. We all cherish those gifts as being from God because we are in Christ. But they will not be required when all are perfected. What can I do without knowledge and understanding? I cannot understand that.

It is beyond my imagination.

Hebrews 12:26,27,29 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. For our God is a consuming fire.

What do I have that cannot be shaken?

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

My cousin posted a comment in Facebook today. “If you are dead, you don’t know it.” Yes that is true, but spiritual death is different from physical death. It occurs in two distinct phases.

1 If you are dead in your sins, you do not know it.

2 If you are dead in Christ, you do know it.

Romans 6:4 defines the differing points of view. It all depends upon where the body is buried. If I am dead in my sins, I am buried in the world. The world does not know they are spiritually dead and as such see others who are spiritually dead as normal. “You are one of us.”

Being dead in Christ means that I know I am dead to sin and now walk in newness of life. Yet we walk among the dead in sin as we walk in newness of life. Because we know we are dead in Christ and that this walk in newness of life is the cure for being dead in sin, we want others to see and share this life in Christ.

John 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

We walk about dead in Christ and are seen and treated as zombies. They run from us in fear that we are going to eat their brains and turn them into zombies. We walk differently than they do. We walk by the Spirit, they do not. They run away, we are patiently persistent in our approach. Our flesh is falling away as we walk in newness of life, they see it as something ugly.

Yes, I am a zombie for Christ.