There are several references to mirrors in the New Testament. The references are to be found in (1Corinthians 13:9-13, 2Corinthians 3:18, & James 1:23-25). We shall now look at these in detail. The first reference in 1 Corinthians 13 is clearly a reference to the Old and the New Testaments. The first books of the, Old Testament had been in existence since the time of Moses, and the Book of Job possibly longer, but at the time of Paul’s writing, the New Testament had yet to be collated, and circulated amongst the Christian Churches. The Greek word for ‘glass’ in verse twelve is Es-op-tron, which means a looking glass, a glass that you look into. When we see in a glass darkly, we see but a dim reflection of what we look like. To understand this passage we need to remember that prior to the coming of the perfect mirror that we have today, those early believers only possessed a dull mirror, made of metal, and it was unlike the highly polished stainless steel that we have today even. This was what the Old Testament was to the believers of that time, it did give some reflection of what they looked like but the reflection was very poor indeed. The Old Testament was (as Paul said to Timothy), given by inspiration of God, and it was profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, and it did make the man of god to be fully furnished for every good work, (2Timothy 3:16-17). It was able to make men wise unto salvation,(2Timothy 3:15) but it did not set out in a clear way what the New Testament revealed as to the Church and its government etc. All that teaching awaited the coming of the ‘perfect’ mirror, (the New Testament).

We need also to remember that even the copies of the Old Testament were all hand-written and were very few, and would also have been quite expensive. Any copies that were in the hands of the Corinthian believers would have been only in the hands of the Jewish section of the congregation, (even if they had copies). This background knowledge sheds much light on those passages much used by some to mislead simple believers. It will be readily acknowledged by fair-minded Christians that the New Testament has shed much light on the Old Testament, and has been of enormous help in enabling us to understand, and also to apply the Old Testament Scriptures.

These words occur in verse ten of 1Corinthians chapter thirteen, and refers I believe to the coming of the completed New Testament. Though it is said that the Old would be done away, it means in the sense of being surpassed, by the greater revelation contained in the New. Now we do not go to the Old Testament to find Church truth, but to the New Testament, and in particular to the writings of Paul. The New Testament is perfect in itself, though there are many variations in the various translations into English that we possess. This is in part because of the imperfect knowledge that men have of languages, and whatever man has a hand in is sure to be imperfect. It is our practice to quote mostly from the Authorised, or the King James Version. Though its language is in some situations archaic, yet it has been proved to be the easiest translation to memorise. Our eldest so John, taught himself to read (at the age of seven years), by learning to read John chapter three in the King James Version. Also when I was in Bahrain once, I met an Indian boy, (whose mother tongue was Malayalam), yet he had been able to memorise and to quote 148 verses from the King James Version of the Bible. But it is not my desire to stir up a hornet’s nest, so we will let the matter of translations lie there.

The Corinthians knew only in part, and as a result they prophesied in part. There was an element of guesswork in what they claimed to be the revelation of God. Those who today would use the Old Testament to contradict the New, and those who claim to have a direct revelation from God, only deceive themselves, and much of what they say is (at best), only guesswork. Even in some of the things that Paul wrote he had to admit that he was not sure as to its origin, and he said "I think that also I have the Spirit of God". (1Corinthians 7:40) This does not mean that what he said was not wise or that he was not wise in what he wrote, but he was not quite sure (in this case alone), that it was Divinely inspired.

There are some who think that "that which is perfect", will come, only when the Lord comes at the rapture. By God’s grace we shall show in the following pages, that such a view is false. With the coming of the New Testament, the Old Testament was not discarded, but the New Testament shed great light on that which had only been dimly understood by the saints. The Old Testament is now only to be understood in the light of the New. The Old Testament was but a dim revelation of the truth, and was poorly understood by the Jews to whom it was given. It is still so today, for those Jews who reject the greater revelation of God that is given in the New Testament.

It was only after His resurrection from the dead, that our Lord Jesus opened the understanding of His disciples to understand the scriptures. It was then that He interpreted to then in the books of Moses, the Psalms and in all the (Old Testament), scriptures the "things concerning Himself". Thus we have established that the New Testament sheds great light on the Old Testament.

The Old Testament was indeed the dull mirror, in which we see but a dim reflection of ourselves, but the perfect mirror has come. When I look into the perfect mirror, I see myself as others amongst whom I live see me. This is the meaning of the verse that says "Then shall I know even as also I am known",(1 Corinthians 13:12) The fact that "Face to face", is mentioned in this verse, is interpreted by some as referring to the Rapture, however such a thesis will not bear examination. Though hymn-writers have used this expression to describe the experience of the believer after death, or at the time of the Rapture, the Scriptures do not use it in such a way. Face to face indicates an individual experience, whereas what will take place at the Rapture is totally collective. John seeks to protect this view by using the plural pronoun ‘WE’, we shall see Him as He is, we shall be like Him. This is not any experience that is limited to a favoured few, or even to a favoured individual, but it will be true for us all. (1John 3:1-2)

But with the completion of the cannon of Scripture, that which is perfect has come. Now when I look into the perfect mirror of God’s Holy Word, I see myself as others see me. When I look into the perfect mirror, what looks back at me is myself. The face that I see is my own, and I see myself as others see me. This explains the statement, "Then shall I know even as also I am known". Some think that this refers to what will take place when we are translated. That then our knowledge and understanding will be greatly expanded, that then I shall know God and spiritual things, as God now knows me. But I draw your attention to the fact that none of us will ever know God (even in eternity), as fully as He knows us now. Though what He is doing in us is both sinless and perfect, (Peter calls it the ‘Divine Nature’), and though it is soon to be clothed with a perfect body, yet we will never partake of Deity, we shall never cease to be creatures. Many excuse their present ignorance, and indulge their present laziness, comforting themselves that at the end of their life, God will make up for all their ignorance and laziness, by relying on a false understanding as such a verse as this.

Now is the learning time, let us buy up the opportunities that present themselves to us now, to gain by reading, (the scriptures, and good sound books that explain them), by study and attendance at meetings, by listening to the ministry of the word etc, let us fill ourselves with a deeper knowledge of Divine Truth. No the verse means that now in the perfect mirror of the word of God, I see myself as others see me, if I am honest, I will come to know myself, (with all my faults and failings), as others know me. It is quite interesting to note in passing that the word of God is spoken of as a mirror, and not as a microscope, which we might use to examine others and their lives. Let us learn from this to refrain from critically examining others, and instead let us be more aware of our own shortcomings. Let us thank God for, and let us make greater use of this perfect mirror, to examine ourselves, and to judge ourselves. We shall deal more fully with this thought when we come to the passage in James.

But still there may be amongst my readers those that question this proposition. Let us then look further at the passage. In verse eight we are told that love will never fail, or cease, but there are three things that were going to cease, but that love will continue on into heaven itself, long after the other things have ceased. The big question that we need to understand is "When will they cease?" There are many, who will reply, "When the Lord comes!" But is that reply true? Some use this conjecture as an excuse to try to practice the (so called speaking in tongues), today. But in reality the tongues spoken of in the Bible ceased long ago. The fact remains that the three things that we are told in verse eight would cease, fail, or vanish away, ceased with the coming of the ‘perfect mirror’, they had served their purpose, and were no longer needed.

Please note that in this verse it tells us that Prophecies would fail, (or cease, not be needed any longer). Prophecy was not to cease. It is just as valid today. "Prophecies", are foretelling future events, whereas Prophecy is inspired speaking in the Church. Prophecy is bringing the message of God from the word of God, to the people of God, as they are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. Prophecy edifies, exhorts, and comforts the Church. The New Testament exhorts us to "Walk by faith, and not by sight", thus I do not need to know what is going to happen to me tomorrow, or at any time in the future. In fact it goes so far as to tell me "Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin". Thus it is quite wrong for any other believer to come and tell me, "The Lord told me, that you should do this or that". Let us learn to get all our guidance from our infallible Guide.

This is a clear, plain, emphatic statement, which cannot be removed or altered. Historically it is true, because the ‘Gift of Tongues ‘did cease in the days of the Apostles. It was only claimed to re-appear when early in the twentieth century other false and heretical doctrines began to raise their ugly heads as well. They ceased because they were no longer needed, for the purpose of spreading the Gospel. Any who claim to possess such a gift today, are not being truthful. The sceptics will ask, "But when did they disappear?" We have already shown that they disappeared in the closing days of the Apostle’s testimony. However this passage itself shows that certain other things would also continue, and continue long after the three things mentioned were to cease. Those things are ‘Faith, Hope, & Love’, but we might ask how long do they continue? The answer to this question is that with the exception to the greatest of these, the first two were to cease at the Rapture, (or the coming of the Lord).

When the Lord comes, will we need faith any more? Surely not, because when that event takes place faith will give place to sight. (Hebrews 11:1) tells us that Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So that when the Lord Jesus comes, and we see Him as He is, faith will cease, it will be needed no longer. Hope also will cease then, because we will be in the enjoyment of the reality, hope will be needed no longer. (Romans 8:24-25). Whereas LOVE will continue into eternity, when all its fullness will be both known and expressed, whether it is by God, to God, or to each other.

The third thing that was to cease, to fail, or to vanish away was the gift of supernatural knowledge. We do not find today people who falsely claim to have this gift; such a claim would be so absurd. Before the completion of the New Testament when the Churches had very little instruction such a gift was quite important in the administration of the local Church. But with the coming of the perfect mirror, (the completion of the New Testament), such a gift was no longer necessary; so it was removed by the Giver, it vanished away. In the completed New Testament we have all the knowledge and the guidance that we could possibly need in any situation that we may face. Further to this we have dwelling in us the person of the Holy Spirit, and the Lord Jesus said of Him that He would guide us into all truth.

We have just examined the primary use of the Perfect Mirror; let us now look at another use of that same mirror. (2Corinthians 3:18), tells us that we all behold the gory of the Lord looking into that mirror. In the earlier verses Paul speaks of the veil of unbelief that lies on Israel’s heart. But he tells us that when the individual turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. The Corinthians, (and we also) have turned to the Lord, we have seen His glory in the Word of God, thus for us the veil is removed, and there is nothing remaining to hide, or to obscure His glory.

When we first look into any mirror it is ourself that looks back at us. This is meant to lead us to self-judgement, but while this is necessary, yet to be continually occupied with ourselves is to be depressed, disappointed, or downcast, self is a very poor occupation. But when we change the angle of the mirror we see the face and form of the One who stands beside us. This will fill our hearts with praise, adoration, and worship. To gaze upon His glory, will be our eternal occupation. The hymn-writer has written the lovely words, which follow;

There, with unwearied gaze

Our eyes on Him we’ll rest,

And satisfy with endless praise,

Our hearts, supremely blessed.

We never tire of looking at Him who is altogether lovely. We are meant to use our Bibles like a mirror. The New Testament enables us to understand the Old Testament, and shows us the glory of Christ, in the types of that Old Testament. Without the New Testament the Old Testament would largely remain a closed book to us, but now with the coming of that perfect mirror, the glories of Christ, and the secrets of the Old Testament are unlocked for us, or revealed to us.

We do not, (like Moses), have to make a pilgrimage to a mountaintop, or any centre in a foreign land, but in our Bibles we have such a treasure in our hands. The amazing thing for us is that the more we read the Bible, the more like Christ we become. The Holy Spirit, who inspired godly men to write the word, now dwells in us, and as we read that word, He uses it to transform us into the image of Christ, from glory to glory.

However we should not expect to be aware of any transformation in ourselves, but others both believers and also the lost, will see something different about us. Just as Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone. The reason for this was that he was not occupied with himself, but with Jehovah and His glory.

We come now to look at our final passage, (James 1:23-25) these verses hold some important teaching for us, and we would do well to take heed of what they say. If we are honest we will have to admit that though we may be often convicted by the scriptures, or a message from the scriptures, we do not always do something about what we read or hear, we go away and forget what we are like. If we look into the perfect mirror of the Word of God, it will surely show us any dirt or deficiencies that may be present in our lives. It is Divinely intended that we should confess to Christ, any failures that the reading of, or listening to, the word of God might reveal. John tells us that if we confess our sins, He, (Christ), is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9) It is important to do this at the time, not to go away, because we will soon forget what we are like.

There is no shortage of hypocrites around us, let us not add to their numbers. Let us practice what we preach, let us not be hearers only of the word, but doers of it also. May the Lord help us all to put into practice what we read in the Bible, or hear ministered to us from that book!