presently looking through a mirror in an enigma, now then face to face; presently knowing from part then fully knowing just as I am also known (1 Corinthians 13:12)
An enigma is a puzzle, a mystery, inexplicable, something not so easily explained or seen or known. We look dimly as in a mirror, some translation say, because we do not see fully as we are known. It is an enigma of who we are as children of God. "Beloved, at the present existing children of God, and what we exist has not yet been revealed; but we know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2). There is no greater triumph of the enemy than that the children of God do not know who they are (Ephesians 4:14). And there is nothing that will hold them back, no greater victory than that they do.
now, abides faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:12)
I know in part of the mystery of faith, hope, and love, but then when I am fully know as I am known, I will know of the incomparable love of Christ and will be brought into the fullness of God. When the consummation of my salvation is complete, when I receive the salvation that I await, the redemption of my body. When God takes possession of his own, those he predestined for adoption as his own, through the mystery of hearing the gospel he sealed with the Holy Spirit as a pledge of eternal inheritance. When he takes possession of his own I will fully know as I am known. What is left to know when I am fully known? Faith and hope will be realized, but love will continue everlasting. The steadfast love of God endures forever (Psalm 136:26) Love endures and never comes to an end (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)
for we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when the completion comes that from part will be set aside (1 Corinthians 13:9).
Completeness Ï„Îλειος (teleios) is also translated as perfection, and is related to fullness. We see it also means maturity, in that we are being brought into mature adulthood as sons of God, into the fullness of the stature of the image of Christ (Ephesians 4:13-14). Which we see in the next verse 1 Corinthians 13:11, when I existed a child, I spoke like as a child, had a mind like a child, I reasoned like a child, when I became a man, I set aside the child. There will be a fullness, a completion of our maturity in Christ when we see him face to face one day, but we see him now, and as we look into his face which shines the glory of God, we are being transformed from glory to glory. One day we will be like him, we will see him in the fullness of his glory and we are fully know as we are known. God chose to make known this mystery to us, this wisdom being revealed so to present all mature in Christ (Colossians 1:27-28).
Only if we could grasp more of who we are in Christ, the things of this world would pale in comparison. I know who I am in Christ, thus the fleshly temptation I am experiencing, it has no power, I know who I am in Christ thus the lusts of the flesh, eyes and the pride of life go away as I am fully known in Christ. Oh to know more of Christ, so that we know more of who we are in him.
"making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing him..." (Ephesians 1:16-17).
Some translations say "that you may know more of him" and that is true Paul is already talking to those of faith, verse 1, so he is praying they know more of God so that they know more of who they are in Christ and the many spiritual blessings they have in him. The whole chapter speaks of this. So we pray to the Father of glory that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened so that we know more of who we are in Christ.