What does it mean to see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12)?

Another illustration in verse 12 emphasizes this. At present we see as through a mirror in an enigma, but then face to face. Spiritual things now are learned with the help of reflections, types, symbols, and faith of course must be in exercise to discern in its measure the significance of all these teaching aids. It is not like seeing the object itself, but its reflection as in a mirror. We learn what the Church of God is by symbols, such as the Pearl of Great Price, the Building of God, the One Flock, the One Body, the Epistle of Christ, the Bride, and the Holy City. Thus now we gradually learn; but then what may seem too abstract to us now, will be seen in its full reality and blessedness.

This is not the same as 2 Corinthians 3:18, for there the words, "in a glass" are not included in more correct translations. For in that case, it is not merely spiritual things in view, but "looking on the glory of the Lord." There is no veil between, no hindrance whatever to the eye of faith in seeing the glory of the Person of Christ at God's right hand, and by the power of the indwelling Spirit. This is not partial knowledge.

The apostle proceeds to illustrate the present and the future by the childhood and full growth of a man as follows. "When I was a child, I talked as a child, I thought as a child, I reckoned as a child; when I am become a man, I have done away with the things of the child. For we see now through a mirror in a dark form, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall fully know, even as I also was fully known. But now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but [the] greater of these [is] love." (Vers. 11-13.) Clearly the drift of the passage is not to cast uncertainty on our present measure of knowledge, but to set forth its partial character, as compared with the fulness in glory. He confirms the difference by another similitude, the reflection of a mirror with no more than a dim shape seen thereby, and seeing face to face. The medium, or rather our seeing now, is necessarily imperfect, and the result more or less dark. By-and-by it will be immediate vision, and I shall know fully as I was also fully known. It is a difference not merely of measure but of manner too. Our very learning now, no matter how much we have learnt, proves our ignorance. It will not be so then. The state which needs to grow, as well as the means which contribute to growth, will have passed away. Truth will be fully known as a whole in that day, not learnt piecemeal as now.

"Believeth all things" is not being suspicious: one believes readily. It "hopeth all things"; it does not mean ill, it does not think of evil. Evil tends to depress the soul, but God is above all that. I find constantly the danger of thinking the evil is greater than the good; but if I bring in God, He is greater than all opposed. Christ was here in the world with no thought of suspicion, and that is the spirit in which we are to walk through the world. If you are always suspecting people, who will trust you? I feel the great difficulty in seeing the evil, which is apt to get the upper hand of your mind; though it is no good deluding oneself that it is not there, because it is there. But love will go on in heaven when there is no evil to think about; prophecies will fail, tongues cease, and knowledge vanish away. "When that which is perfect is come" (v. 10) means the time of glory, when everything is perfect, and these partial things will have ceased. Knowledge now is in degree, "we know in part"; all that kind of learning will pass away. Learning is a proof of ignorance, and this will not be then. Even in divine things we learn, and all that is testimony to ignorance. It gives a great idea of the littleness of man in that way. All these partial instruments of communicating will be done with when I know as I am known: which is, I believe, God's way of knowing; it is not knowing in part; it is not so much the measure as the manner of God's knowing. God can create ideas. I know so far as things are knowable to be known. Now we see "darkly" what we do not see clearly. It is just as I see through a window, instead of seeing the object at once. It is an extraordinary expression; we do not see clearly, but in a mystery, not like plain open things. It is an enigma, though I do not like that word, because it does not suit divine things.

But our partial knowledge of the truth will give place to knowledge in the measure in which "I am known." This is not by any means omniscience (knowing all things), but knowing all that relates to my position and condition in manhood, as God knows it. This of course involves a great deal more than is seen on the surface; and all will be seen then in a perfect perspective, not influenced by our present limited, unbalanced condition. These are necessary reminders when considering the actual exercise of ministry in chapter 14.

The passage in John 17:5, speaks of "the glory which the Son had with the Father before the world was." That is beyond the range of our survey, that precipitous descent from infinity is beyond our knowledge, nor shall we ever know. "But then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Cor. 13:12), is a scriptural dictum. But one must apply Scripture with reference to its context. In that case it is relative to love the way of surpassing excellence. We shall yet know vastly better than we do know now but we shall still be finite. God cannot make us infinite, and only the infinite can comprehend deity.

Having passed into heaven, the saints will then be manifested in the light; as the apostle says, "We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ." (Rom. 14:10, 12.) But this does not mean, observe, that the saints, as to their persons, shall stand in judgment. Christ has been judged for them, and they, as He says Himself, shall never come into judgment. But it does mean that all their works and ways will be seen in the light of His presence, and that we shall then know His estimate of all that we have done for Him. Being in our bodies of glory, we shall be incapable of experiencing anything like fear or unhappiness; but when manifested in the light we shall have a perfect knowledge, according to the mind of Christ, of every moment of our past history, the value which He sets upon it, and the praise which He gives. (1 Cor. 4:4-5.) All that was of self or of Christ in our motives, objects, and service, will then be seen — all that we failed to understand in time will be perfectly known then, at least as regards our connection with Christ, His church and service. But, surely, everything as to ourselves will be lost sight of when seen side by side with His patient grace; and we shall pass from His tribunal in admiring wonder and praise at the patience which bore with our ways in the wilderness, and brought us safe to glory. "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." 1 Corinthians 13:12.

No, it is not some special grace, reserved for certain special people, that they should "know Him." All who have Eternal Life "know Him," they know God, and Jesus Christ, whom God hath sent, — Yes, even the babes know Him: and yet he who knew Him best, could cry, — Oh, "To know Him!" It is like the child, who had always lived in an inland town, when first he went to the seaside: he kept telling all his friends on his return, "I have seen the sea!" And it was true, even though he had only seen a few miles of it; and of all the length and breadth and depth of it, he knew little or nothing. And so the babe in Christ can say with truth: "I know Him!" And the Apostle Paul can cry from the depths of his heart, and can cry truly, — "To know Him!" Down here that craving will never be satisfied: the better we know Him, the more we long to know Him better still. For while in the body down here, it must ever be: "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." (1 Cor. 13:12). Lord, Haste the day!

Then the Lord's presence, seeing Him as He is! All inability removed, with all the unlikeness to Him. Knowledge and enjoyment perfected in open vision. Divine love in all-revealing light.

We shall know as we are known, no longer see as through a glass darkly, but then face to face. And God and the Lamb in perfection of outshining will, when faith is changed to sight, and where the Spirit is all pervading, be seen and known in the pure light of redeeming, saving love. How blessed the foretaste now of such a portion yet to come!

Knowledge as we have it now will vanish away. If everybody in the world were a Master of Arts with first class honours, the degree of M.A. as a distinction would vanish away. We only know in part down here. One knows this, another knows that, and we can therefore speak of knowledge, for it is relative. But there all shall know as they are known.

Our present position is likened to a child in comparison to a full-grown person, to our looking at objects as through a dim window obscurely. In the future we shall see face to face. There will be no temple in the holy city, for God and the Lamb are alike the temple and the light of it. Then the “part,” precious as it is, and known in this life, will leap at one bound into perfect knowledge.