QUESTION: Our “Pastor” says that the “perfect” in I Corinthians 13:10 refers to the Second Coming. True?

ANSWER: No! “Perfect” in I Corinthians 13:10 cannot refer to the Second Coming, because when the “perfect is come” faith, hope, and love will still abide (vs.13). Such will not be the case at the Second Coming, since there will be no need for hope and faith when we see the Christ, for “faith” is the evidence of things “not seen” (Hebrews 11:1) and “hope” that is “seen” is not hope (Romans 8:24). I believe you indicated previously that you were affiliated with the Presbyterians. Allow me to quote Albert Barnes, the greatest Presbyterian Scholar and Commentator to have lived. He says that the word abideth must be understood as to “remain” and “must be understood to be used to denote permanency, when the other things of which he had spoken had passed away, and the sense is, that faith, hope, and love would remain when the gift of tongues should cease, and the need of prophecy, etc.; that is, these should survive them all.” (Barnes Commentary on I Corinthians 13:10, Page 257). Mr. Barnes has written correctly! Logically and scripturally, faith and hope will not remain at or after the Second Coming! Therefore, the “perfect” of I Corinthians 13:10 that ‘is to come’ before the cessation of gifts cannot logically or scripturally refer to the Second Coming.