INTRODUCTION:

Evidence that proves that the revelation gifts have ceased:

"…[W]hether there be PROPHECIES, they shall FAIL;  whether there be TONGUES, they shall CEASE;  whether there be KNOWLEDGE, it shall VANISH AWAY.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in  part.  But when THAT WHICH IS PERFECT is come, then THAT WHICH IS IN PART shall be DONE AWAY.  When I was a child, I spake as a child,  I thought as a child:  but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see through a GLASS, darkly;  but then face to face:  now I know in part;  but then shall I know even as also I am known." (I Corinthians 13: 8-12)

EVIDENCE #1:

That which is Perfect versus that which is in part:  "[W]hether there be prophecies, they shall fail;…whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." (I Corinthians 13:8-10)  What is "That which is Perfect," and "that which is in part?"  That which is in part are the revelation gifts of 1) prophecy,  2) the word of knowledge, and 3) tongues.  Paul was given part of the revelation,  Peter was given part,  the Lord’s half-brothers,  James and Jude were given other parts.  Luke and Mark were given their parts, Matthew was given a part, and John completed the New Testament revelation with his part.  All these men had either the;  gift of prophecy or the word of knowledge, or both so that they could write their part of the revelation. "But when That which is Perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."  (I Corinthians 13:10)  The phrase, "That which is Perfect", is translated from a single Greek word which means:  full grown, mature, complete, finished, perfect, and it signifies "that which has reached it’s end." (Zodhiates, Vine)  Some teach that "That which is Perfect" is the perfect state of all things, to be ushered in by the return of Christ from Heaven. (Thayer),  but there is nothing in the context of the passage which indicates this interpretation.  The context of I Corinthians 12, 13, and 14 is clearly speaking of spiritual gifts.  In our passage of I Corinthians 13:8-13 Paul is contrasting the permanence of love or "charity" (note verses 8 and 13) with the impermanence of the gifts of tongues, the word of knowledge, and prophecy (note verses 8, 9, 10).  The Word of God , itself, answers our question as to what "That which is Perfect" is:

"...[R]eceive with meekness the engrafted WORD, which is able to save your souls.  But be ye doers of the WORD, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the WORD, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a GLASS: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into The PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:21-25)

The Greek word translated "perfect" here (v. 25) is the same word as in I Corinthians 13:10.  "That which is Perfect" is "The Perfect Law of Liberty," The Word of God!  It is also called "The Faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3)  The Greek word translated "once" in this passage means: "of  perpetual validity, not requiring repetition (Hebrews 9:27, 28; I Peter 3:18;  Jude 3)."  (Vine)  That which is Perfect, The Perfect Law of Liberty, has been delivered, and it is of perpetual validity, not requiring repetition.  Therefore, the sign gifts, which were given to confirm the Word (Mark 16:20), are no longer required, and the revelation gifts, which were in part, have been done away with because the Bible is now complete (I Corinthians 13:8-10).  The Bible is the only perfect thing on planed Earth today!

EVIDENCE #2:

Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord:  "For now we see through a GLASS, darkly;  but then face to face:  now I know in part;  but then shall I know even as I am known."  (I Corinthians 13:12)  The glass in this verse is the mirror of the Word of God:  "For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a GLASS: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway fogetteth what manner of man he was.  But whoso looketh into the Perfect Law of Liberty, and  continue therein,  he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:23-25)   James defined "That which is Perfect" as the Word of God, and here he defines the "glass" as the Word of God also.  The word "glass", meaning mirror, appears only one other time in the New Testament, and the context again proves it to mean the Word of God.  In II Corinthians 3:5-16 Paul is contrasting the New Testament with the Old Testament (both being the Word  of God), and concludes that when one turns his heart to Christ he is liberated and changed by the Spirit of the Lord (II Corinthians 3:18; cf. Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:10)  Paul was saying:  "[N]ow  [around 56 A.D.] we see [understand] through a glass [the Word], darkly [obscurely, because the Word is not yet complete]; but then [when the Word is complete] face to face: now [56 A.D.] I know in part [have only bits and pieces of the revelation]; but then [around 90 A.D. when the Word was completed]  I shall know even as I am known."  (I Corinthians 13:12)  To be sure the complete and perfect Word of God is like a mirror where we come "face to face" both with the sinner that we are, and "the glory of the Lord".  Let us use God’s glass to get our selves cleaned up (James 1:21) and changed into the image of Christ (Colossians 3:10; Romans 8:29; II Corinthians 3:18).  So now we have two words (perfect and glass) in the context of I Corinthians 13:8-12 that are shown in James 1:23-25, and II Corinthians 3:17-18 (note the word "liberty" in these passages also), to mean "the Word of God", and the context also indicates that in Paul’s day the revelation was not yet complete (perfect) and so only and obscure (dark) reflection could be seen then, but now we have come "face to face" with the Truth of the God breathed, infallible, complete, holy, perfect, and final Word (I Corinthians 13:12;  II Corinthians 3:18; James 1:23).

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;  Who also hath made us able ministers of the NEW TESTAMENT; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life....But even unto this day, when MOSES IS READ, the veil is upon their heart.  Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is LIBERTY.  But we all, with open face beholding as in a GLASS the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:5-6, 15-18)

EVIDENCE #3:

Revelation and sign gifts were for the infant church:  "For we [those with revelation gifts]  know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when That which is Perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child [infant], I spake as a child, I understood as a child,I thought as a child:  but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now I know in part [have only part of the revelation]; but then [when the revelation is complete] shall I know [all of God’s doctrine] even as also I am known."  (I Corinthians 13:9-12)  The Prophet Isaiah wrote:

"Whom shall [God] teach knowledge, and whom shall He make to understand doctrine?  Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line;  here a little and there a little:  For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people.  To whom He said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear." (Isaiah 28:9-12)

The "rest," and the "refreshing" were preached in other "tongues" to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:11, 2 6, 27, 3:19) as a sign and as revelation, and 3,000 were saved.  Today, however, we have something even better, the Perfect Law of Liberty.  The revelation was authenticated with signs and wonders following and is now complete.  The sign and revelation gifts were necessary when the Church was in it’s infancy, because they did not have the whole Bible yet.  The apostles needed to prove their authority to speak as God’s proxies of Christ (John 16:13-14; Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 2:42-43; Ephesians 2:19-22; I Timothy 4:16;  II Timothy 3:16). Now that the Church has been "weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts," we must understand doctrine and teach knowledge "precept upon precept, line upon line" from the completed Word of God, "here a little and there a little" (Isaiah 28:9-10).   The Church today is to "preach the Word… with all longsuffering and doctrine" (II Timothy 4:2). Today, with the complete Bible, we have a clearer picture and know more spiritually than even the prophets of old (I Peter 1:10-12).  The Church is no longer in it’s infancy, and no longer needs tongues; it has "put away childish things." Now we are exhorted to "earnestly contend for the Faith [God’s Word] which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3; cf. Revelation 22:18).  Now we are to declare "all the council of God" (Acts 20:27).

EVIDENCE #4:

What happened to the revelation gifts?  "[W]hether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part… [T]hat which is in part shall be done away." (I Corinthians 13:8-10)  The Greek word which is used three times in this passage, and is translated "shall be done away" means "shall be abolished" or "shall be rendered inactive" (Zodhiates), but the Greek word translated "shall cease" means "shall come to an absolute end" (Zodhiates).  Paul was saying that the revelation gifts of knowledge and prophecy would be abolished, and since tongues would no longer be necessary, the gift would just come to an end.  Biblical tongues simply ceased.  The gift of tongues is mentioned along with knowledge and prophecy in I Corinthians 13:8, but only prophecy and knowledge are referred to in the next verse;  tongues had already dropped out.  Tongues was the very first spiritual gift to be manifested on the Day of Pentecost, and it appears to be the very first gift to end also.  Spiritual gifts are listed for us in three books of the New Testament: 1) I Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30;  2) Romans 12:6-8;  3) Ephesians 4:11.  Only I Corinthians lists tongues.  I Corinthians was written in 55 or 56 A.D.,  Romans around 57 or 58 A.D., and Ephesians about 61 or 62 A.D. (according to several references).  It seems that tongues had already ceased by the time Romans was written.  Tongues are never referred to, by any New Testament writer, after the year 56 A.D.  Tongues had ceased!

EVIDENCE #5:

The sign Apostolic authority:  There were five "signs of an apostle"   (II Corinthians 12:12).  After the Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection He said, "these signs shall follow them that believe…" (Mark 16:17)   In this verse, [t]he verb, believe in the Greek is in the aorist tense…which refers to those who did believe,  not those who would believe at that time or in the future." (Spiros Zodhiates)   In this verse the Lord is speaking to "the eleven" apostles (Mark 16:14) who should have already believed.

The five signs that followed the believing apostles were:

1)  They cast out devils (Acts 5:16, 16:16-18, 19:11-12).

2)  They spake with new tongues  (Acts 2:3-4).

3) They took up serpents  (Acts 28:1-6).

4)  They could not be hurt by drinking poison  (tradition says that an attempt to poison John failed).

5)  They laid hands on the sick and they recovered  (Acts 3:1-11, 5:12-16, 14:8-11, 28:8-9).

The purpose of the signs of an apostle:

"And the apostles went forth, and preached every where,  The Lord  working with them, and CONFIRMING THE WORD WITH SIGNS following."  (Mark 16:20)

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was CONFIRMED UNTO US BY THEM THAT HEARD HIM; GOD BEARING WITNESS, BOTH WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" (Heb 2:3-4)

The Lord confirmed the preaching of the apostles, and the inspired written Word of God penned by them with the five signs of an apostle.  Some of the apostles’ associates like Mark, Luke, James, Jude, Barnabas, Philip, and others most likely also had some of the sign gifts which authenticated their revelation gifts.

The qualifications of an Apostle: An apostle had to have been especially selected by Christ.  The norm was that they had to have been baptized by John the Baptist, and had to have "went in and out among" the Lord Jesus and the other apostles, and must have witnesses the Lord's ascension.  The Lord specially selected Paul who was the one and only exception to the rule.

"And when it was day, he [Jesus] called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;  Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor." (Luke 6:13-16)

"And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.  For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry....[I]t is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take. Wherefore OF THESE MEN WHICH HAVE COMPANIED WITH US ALL THE TIME THAT THE LORD JESUS WENT IN AND OUT AMONG US,  BEGENNING FROM THE BAPTISM OF JOHN,  UNTO THAT SAME DAY HE WAS TAKEN UP FROM US, MUST ONE BE ORDAINED to be a witness with us of his resurrection." Acts 1:15-22)

"And that he [Jesus] was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.  And last of all he was seen of me [Paul] also, as of one born out of due time." (1 Cor 15:5-8)

CONCLUSION:

It is clear from the Word of God that the revelation gifts have ceased along with the sign gifts.  There are no more apostles alive today that the Lord gave special authority to give new revelation.  Today,  only the service gifts remain,  because the sign gifts were to authenticate the revelation gifts,  and when the Bible was completed both were done away with

"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." (Deut 4:2)

"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." (Prov 30:5-6)

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Rev 22:18-19)