Now that we’ve seen what “spiritual gifts” are, we can examine the passages that say these gifts would cease. 1 Corinthians 13 shows that they would cease once they had fulfilled their function. The key question, of course, is: when will that be?
Love
1 Corinthians 13 is a very well-known chapter about love and is therefore often read at weddings, for example. Yet, the content and the reason why Paul writes about this love are less familiar to many. The love sung about in the chapter is not the love people have for each other, but agape, which is the unconditional love of God.
1 Corinthians 12
31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts! And I show you a way that is even more excellent.
Exceeding and Exceeding
There is a more excellent or superior way than the gifts. In Corinth, spiritual expressions, such as speaking in unknown tongues, were greatly overrated. In the next chapter, Paul shows that the gifts of grace the Corinthians were so strongly focused on were temporary and intended to build up the ecclesia (church) (1 Cor. 14:3, 5, 12, 26). Once they had fulfilled their function, they would disappear.
Center
1 Corinthians 13 falls between two chapters, both of which deal with spiritual gifts. Paul makes it clear that love is the center and the most important. He clarifies this in 1 Corinthians 13, contrasting the temporary nature of the gifts with love, which is enduring.
Putting things into perspective
The gifts have their application and purpose, but anyone who reads these chapters carefully will conclude that Paul does everything he can to downplay the significance of the manifestations, which the Corinthians considered so important.