Edification

1 Cor 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

When we think about Spiritual gifts received from God, we must additionally think about the purpose for which those gifts have been given. Would the Lord give you a gift to keep to yourself? Would the Lord give you a gift to draw attention to yourself?

Of course, the answer to both of those questions is a definitive: “No!”

Why then do we see so much of this in the Corinthian church? We see some people keeping their gifts to themselves, never using their gift(s) in the Body of Christ for the benefit of the Body of Christ - and alternately we see some people using their gift(s) in a self-seeking way, attempting to draw attention to themselves that they may receive glory, as being “more Spiritual” than those around them.

Paul would bring all of this back to a baseline of LOVE. That is, what is the most loving thing we can do with the gift(s) we receive from God? Paul tells us we have received the gift(s) we have received singly in order to “edify,” or to build up the Body of Christ. This happens in two ways. One way is to draw new members into the Body of Christ. A second way is to somehow strengthen the existing members of the Body of Christ, (which we call ‘discipleship.’)

Each of us must have an eye toward knowing what our Spiritual gift is, and then how that gift is being employed: to be loving!

-  Pastor Bill