Introduction: - We have seen briefly about the meaning of spiritual edification and the importance of it. As we take it seriously and approach the word of God with a view to grow in our knowledge and faith we come to realize that the Lord wants us to grow in three avenues.
A. Personal Edification. Colossians.2:6, 7
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught...”
Each believer must be concerned about his/her own personal spiritual growth and do all what they can do to get strong and matured in Christ.
We should remember that our conversion is only a beginning. There is much more to be done in our life. Philippians.1:6. God has begun a good work in us, and He will complete it, but not over now! As we yield to Him and His word it is the Holy Spirit who works with in us to make us conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. If we are careless and disobedient in this work of God, how can we grow?
B. Edifying one another. Romans.15: 2.
“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” Here it has to do with our effort to edify others. We must sacrifice our interest and ego to make sure that the weak in Christ grow. In Ephesians 4:19 Paul refers to control our words with the same intention. For the sake of some one’s spiritual progress we may have to keep quite! Or we may have to choose appropriate words. Such conscious effort is needed from each of us to see the other is growing and edified.
1Corinthians. 8:1b. “We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”
This is another noteworthy principle in relation to edifying one another. We can not help others grow just by repeating facts. Our knowledge must be balanced with love for others. Then only we can edify one another.
C. Edifying the Church. 2Corinthians.12:19b.
“We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things beloved, for your edification.”
Here Paul refers to the Corinthian Church. The local Church as a whole must develop. The building up of the local assembly must be the goal of every preacher, teacher or elder. Paul says he never used the God-given authority to destroy the church. 2Corinthians.10:8; 13:10.
Yes, never, ever a servant of God should give harm to the Church of Christ. Our effort must always be the edification of the entire Church. Exploiting and manipulating the people of God for the benefit leaders and in turn weakening the testimony of the Church will be a great disservice to the cause of Christ.
The Lord, who has bought His Church by His precious blood, wants that His people as a whole may grow up, and be established.
Thus we can notice that there are three distinct yet well connected areas where edification is necessary. We can not just separate these and focus on one or two. Personal edification makes us fit to edify others and that in turn leads to the edification of the entire Church.
Do we have spiritual edification as our priority? How is our personal spiritual development?
What are we doing for the building up of one another as well as the local Church?
IV. The Means of Edification: - How is it possible?
