It’s not a word that, I think, is used much in everyday conversation. In fact, as I think on it a bit, I’m not sure it’s a concept or a principle or a goal that many would consciously be led by or would purse. Edify . . . edification . . . I think those are words we should be using more . . . an outcome that we should be pursuing more.

Based on my “Bible helps”, the original word in the Greek is a combination of two other Greek words . . . one is the word for house or dwelling, the other is based on the root “to build”. So literally, to edify is to build something . . . to construct something. It has the idea of strengthening, fortifying . . . of building up. And what’s put “edify” on my mind this morning, is 1Corinthians 14 where, in the first 26 verses, the word is found 7 times. You think Paul wants to make a point?

Paul’s talking about doing church . . . specifically talking about the relative merits of speaking in tongues and prophesying aka speaking forth that which can only be known by divine revelation. And the measure by which something should be valued in the church is the degree to which it edifies the church . . . the extent to which it builds up the body.

“But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men (14:3) . . . He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, he who prophesies edifies the church (14:4) . . . he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification (14:5) . . . Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel (14:12) . . . For you indeed give thanks well [in tongues] but the other is not edified (4:17) . . . Whenever you come together . . . Let all things be done for edification (14:26).”

Edification . . . building one another up . . . that should be one of the priorities and one of the hallmarks of the church. When we come together, one of our driving purposes should be to strengthen each other . . . to refill the tank . . . to bulk out the body. Gathering with God’s people should a time when we build up and when we are built up. This body dynamic should be most apparent and most effective when we, as believers, get together . . . “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from Whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up (“edifying of itself” in the NKJV) in love” (Eph 4:15-16 ESV).

That’s what we should be expecting when we walk through those doors on Sunday morning, “Oh boy, oh boy! Here it comes! I’m gonna get revived this morning . . . this will help me get in shape . . . I’m gonna bulk out spiritually . . . bring on the edification!” And not only should we come expecting to be edified but we should also be on the prowl for those we can build up . . . ready to encourage . . . ready to comfort . . . prepared to strengthen another part of the body. Think about a Sunday morning where everyone came ready to build up others and anticipating being strengthened in their own faith . . . wouldn’t that create a certain dynamic . . . wouldn’t that set a certain air of expectancy . . . wouldn’t that electrify things a bit? I’m thinkin’ so . . .

When we come together . . . let it all be done for edification (14:26). All . . . everything . . . from teaching Sunday school to eating donuts . . . from the worship to the fellowship . . . from the speaking from the pulpit to the talking to one another over a cup of coffee . . . nothing done that isn’t done with a mindset of edifying the body of Christ. Kind of makes you wanna be there on Sunday, doesn’t it?

The church isn’t perfect . . . I know that . . . hey, I’m part of it! But it is God’s vehicle for His people to mutually build one another up. It’s the divine mechanism He has ordained for weary saints to be revived . . . it’s the living organism where our mustard seed of faith can be nurtured into a mighty tree.

Edify . . . that verb should be a well-used part of my “action arsenal” . . . for the building up of His people . . . for the glory of His name . . . amen!