Who will I fully know

 

1 Corinthians  13:12

June 13, 2026

 

^“For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

The first question one must ask is, who will I fully know?  And who will fully know me?  Shall we look at Scripture that will give light to the answer?  Rick Warren quote: “It is not about you, it is about God.” 

Matthew 22:30 

“For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.“ Nowhere does it tell us whether angels are male or female; they seem to show up as male most of the time.

Revelation 21:1-7

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also, he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. ⁷ The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.”

I believe often we use earthly terms like emotions, but one must understand, your desire is not to see anyone but Jesus.  Jesus is your new groom, and the Church is His bride.  I do believe a follower ​of Christ needs to know the following: “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9. We also have 2 Corinthians 5;21.

If this verse were that the relationship you enjoy on earth would know all about you, that would bring sin into heaven. This verse is about you seeing clearly the ways of God, and in that you are in Christ, God sees you only as a son.

In 1 Corinthians 13:8–12, Paul speaks to the temporary nature of spiritual gifts and the hope that Christians have for a full, complete, and intimate knowledge of God in the future. This section reminds us that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and prophesying are not eternal. Love, however, is eternal and will never fail (verse 8 and verse 13). Therefore, love is what truly matters.

The expression face to face appears in 1 Corinthians 13:12. The full verse reads, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” The event described in this verse is often referred to as the “Beatific Vision” (to see God as He is), promised to Christians when Christ returns: “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). In our present state, however, we only have an indirect and imperfect knowledge of God’s infinite wisdom, glory, and love. Thus, we cannot see God as He is.

Paul compares our present knowledge of divine things to a dark reflection in a mirror. In New Testament times, a mirror was formed from polished metal, which could only reflect a dim and imperfect image. Yet Paul promises that God will exchange our dim images for a face-to-face encounter with Himself. On that glorious day, the light of God will shine upon us, and we will be free from all darkness. imperfection, and error. We will know Him fully, even as we are fully known by Him. This mutual recognition and understanding is the epitome of a deeply intimate relationship. (The following is from Got Question)

From our Back Porch,

Bob Rice