The terms edify and edification, were some of Paul's favorite words, when describing our ministry in Christ's church as believers. The basic meaning of the Greek word for edify (oikodomeo) is "to build a house" and by extension led to mean the building of anything. When used in our New Testaments it took the meaning of growing spiritually and helping others to grow up in a spiritual way. Anything that contributes to spiritual growth was said to edify.

Peter exhorts everyone at the end of his epistle to "grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ" (II Peter 3:18), and to do that we can find in God's Word at least three basic means that God uses through us to grow others:

1. God's Word. As Paul was leaving behind the beloved church he had invested his life into for over three years, he told the elders of the church standing with him at the port city of Miletus, "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified" (Acts 20:32). The Bible, God's Word, is the key tool that the Lord uses to build our spiritual lives (John 17:17).
2. Preaching and teaching. Later in this letter to the Corinthians Paul tells them that, rather than being so concerned about speaking in tongues, they should focus on prophesying, or preaching, which "speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation." The "one who prophesies edifies the church" (1 Cor. 14:3-4).
3. Obedient Ministry prompted by Love. Our purpose as believers is to do "the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:12); and as Paul reminds us only with love can this edify others, because only "love edifies" (1 Cor. 8:1).

The conclusion is that every believer is called and gifted to be an edifier. Either we are or we are not. Either we obey or we disobey. I hope that you want to do what God made you to do in Christ's church!

"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself" (Rom 15:2-3).

"Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thess. 5:11).

At the instant of salvation, we become worshipers. But we have so many hindrances all around us to fully offering that worship that God the Father seeks from us. That is why we are studying edification. We need to be:

So, God gifts a complete set of workers to use to build up the individual members of Christ's church into fully functioning worshipers. Whatever gift, or blend of gifts, you have been given, exercise them faithfully as a stewardship from God.

When saints are out of fellowship with the Lord, out of harmony with each other, out of line in their spiritual lives-we can't offer pleasing worship. Only a clean, humbled, and Spirit-filled saint can offer acceptable worship. That is why every one of us has a spiritual gift set, just right for what God wants us to do.