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Edification
One of the words in the Bible used to describe Christian growth
is edification. Edification is the process of spiritual
growth in a Christian who is living according to the plan of God
and who is fulfilling the command to "grow in grace and in
the knowledge" of Jesus Christ.
The Greek word which is translated "edification" is
oikodome, a noun found in a number of New Testament passages:
Rom. 14:19; 2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10; Eph. 4:12,16,19; 2 Cor. 14:5,12
In all these passages, edification has two meanings.
* Collectively it refers to the building up of the body of Christ.
In Eph. 4:16, you can see that the edification of individuals
results in the building up of the church.
* For individual believers, edification refers to the spiritual
growth and momentum in the Christian way of life, resulting in
the glorification of God.
* When the collective connotation is used,
oikodome should
be translated "construction, building up," or "building
process." When the individual connotation is used,
oikodome
should be translated "edification."
To grow in Christ, a Christian must be consistent on a daily basis
in staying in fellowship with the Lord through confession of sin,
and learning and applying Bible teaching.
Edification is the means of advancement and productivity in the
Christian way of life.
Doctrine that is learned must feed both the human spirit and the
human soul for capacity for both human and eternal life. Edification
of the soul is the result.
Love is the means of reaching maturity and being edified (growing
in applied knowledge), 1 Cor. 8
The growth of Christian love is a sign that a person has been
learning and applying doctrine. "By their fruit you shall
know them..." The fruit of the Spirit is a result of edification.
* Personal love for God the Father is and motivation for the reception
of doctrine.
* Impersonal love for all mankind is functional love. It gives
one the ability to listen objectively to a pastor-teacher regardless
of his personality.
* Occupation with the person of Christ is the ultimate result
of love.
* Light. Eph. 5, "...walk as children of light.
* "Christ formed in you" Gal 4:19, connotes edification.
* "The new man," Eph 4; Col 3, refers to edification
* "The perfect man," James 1:4.
* "Imitators of God," Eph 5:
The responsibility of the pastor in edification is found in a number
of passages.
2 Cor. 10:8, For even if I should boast somewhat further about
our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not
for destroying you, I shall not be put to shame,
* The Corinthians wavered so much that Paul really had to get
tough with them and throw his rank around.
* The Corinthians were reacting to Paul's authority and so were
doing many things detrimental to their spiritual life.
* "Our authority" refers to those with the communication
gifts of pastor-teacher as well as apostleship, e.g., Apollos
and Timothy. The pastor establishes his authority through the
communication of doctrine.
* Paul makes it clear that edification depends upon accepting
the authority of a pastor-teacher who communicates doctrinal information.
2 Cor 13:10, "For this reason, I am writing these things
while absent, in order that when I am present, I may not use severity
in compatibility with the authority which God has given to me
for the purpose of your edification, and not for the purpose of
destroying you."
* No one can learn any subject without accepting the authority
of the one who teaches.
* Therefore, the importance of understanding that edification
comes through the teaching of a pastor in communicating the mystery
doctrine of the Church Age.
1 Thess. 5:12, "But we request of you, brethren, that you
respect those pastor-teachers who work hard among you [studying
and teaching], who have command over you in the Lord and give
you instruction."
* The road to edification is paved with hundreds and thousands
of lessons regarding the plan of God.
Heb 13:17, "Keep obeying those who themselves are ruling
over you, and submit to their authority [by learning Bible doctrine],
for these same keep watching for the benefit of your souls as
those who have to render an account. Keep obeying them, in order
that they may do this accounting with joy, and not with groaning,
for this is unprofitable for you."
* The threefold purpose of the pastor is found in Eph 4:12, "for
the purpose of equipping the saints, for the production of Christian
service, for the edification of the body of Christ."
* The "saints" refer to the family of God with emphasis
on the baptism of the Spirit.
* "Equipping the saints" refers to God's grace policy
and provision for the execution of the His plan.
* "Equipping" is the function of the pastor who, through
teaching doctrine, is able to see people grow and become mature,
productive Christians.
* All believers are in full-time Christian service from the moment
of their salvation. Christian service is the normal result of
spiritual growth but never the means.
Eph. 4:16, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together
by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working
of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the
building up of itself in love.
* Body function depends upon the proper use of joints. Athletic
coordination depends upon the proper use of the joints.
* The result of the communication of doctrine is edification in
your soul.
The Motivation of the Believer in Edification.
There are two categories of motivation: Positive volition and
humility
Positive volition is expressed in Rom 14:19. "Consequently,
we run after [pursue] those things related to prosperity and edification."
* Running, not walking, expresses positive volition toward the
mystery doctrine of the Church Age, which gives us all the details
regarding God's plan, purpose, and will for our lives after salvation.
* This includes the learning, understanding, and application of
the mystery doctrine of the Church Age as the means of executing
the plan of God.
* Prosperity and edification go together; both are the result
of continual positive volition.
* In order for consistent perception of doctrine to occur, it
is important to have a mental attitude of humility.
Rom. 12:2-5, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will
of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
"For through the grace given to me I say to every man among
you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think;
but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted
to each a measure of faith.
"For just as we have many members in one body and all the
members do not have the same function,
"so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually
members one of another."
* The standard of thinking from doctrine includes every aspect
of divine viewpoint, orientation to life through enforced and
genuine humility, and everything that makes us objective and teachable
toward the Word of God.
* "Many members in one body" emphasizes that although
we have different spiritual gifts and different personalities,
we all belong to one family, the body of Christ.
* Without genuine humility, there is neither objectivity nor teachability.
Without objectivity and teachability in life, you will be miserable,
whether you are a believer or unbeliever, successful or not. Without
objectivity and teachability, there is no edification.
Edification: The Key to the Proper Function of the Local Church.
1 Cor 14:12, "So also you, since you are eager to have the
function of spiritual gifts, seek to abound in spiritual gifts
that edify the church."
COMMENTS:
* The Corinthians were all eager to get the gift of tongues because
it was spectacular, and then they could assume they were spiritual.
In reality, the worst believers in the Bible are described as
having the gift of tongues.
* "Seek to abound" means you should give precedence
to those spiritual gifts which result in edification. The primary
spiritual gift in this category is the gift of pastor-teacher.
* The pre-canon temporary gifts did not edify the church.
* 1 Cor 14:26, "When you assemble, let all things be done
for edification."
There are a number of ways in which we worship God, but they must
all relate to our spiritual growth. Everything in assembly worship
should be done with a view toward the objective, which is edification.
The objective is to communicate the Word of God, the purpose of
which is to produce edification.
The key to the correct function of the local church is edification.
Edification, or the advance to spiritual maturity, is the objective
of the Christian way of life.
In the context of 1 Cor. 14, the gift of tongues did not fulfill
that purpose. 1 Cor 14:40 concludes that the gift of tongues did
not do "all things properly and in an orderly manner."
The gift of tongues illustrated how not to do things decently
and in order. For tongues did not contribute to the principle
of edification, nor did it contribute to doing things "properly
and in an orderly manner."
The Results of Edification
You begin with a foundation of eternal salvation and a body of
teaching, the revealed scriptures, "built upon the apostles
and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone."
The moment you personally believed in Jesus Christ, a foundation
was constructed, comprised of the many things from God. The foundation
is Jesus Christ.
TOPIC: SALVATION DOCTRINES
The foundation is constructed on the saving work of Jesus Christ
on the cross, [ See Topics: Redemption, Propitiation, Reconcilia-tion,
Imputation, and Justification ]
2 Tim 2:19, Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having
this seal; the Lord knows those who are His.
1 Cor 3:11 No one can lay a foundation other than the one which
is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
With edification you become spiritually self-sustaining and you
function under the privacy of your priesthood to resolve your
own problems, including the greatest problems in life.
Problems are resolved in two ways: through the use of the biblical
problem solving devices, and through understanding of specific
principles in the Word of God. [ See Topics: Confession of Sin;
Faith Rest; Occupation With Christ ]
Edification Motivates Believers
Edification is the motivation in the function of love in the congregation,
through which tolerance provides room for spiritual growth.
Rom 15:2, "Let each of us accommodate his neighbor for the
good to edification."
1 Cor 10:23, "All things are lawful, but all things do not
edify."
Acts 9:31, "All the church were having prosperity, having
been edified, and advancing in occupation with Christ."