Volume 47   Number 9                                                                       May 2005

God created us in His Own Image. He has always desired a home with us. The carnal mind presumes that God’s home can be made with human hands out of brick or stone. But the Bible says that God “does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things.” (Acts 17:24b,25) Even King Solomon, who erected for Jehovah one of the most impressive religious structures of all time, understood that the true house of God was not something that a man could build with his own hands: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27)

If we cannot make a house for God with materials from Home Depot, what exactly is this house that God desires?

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Corinthians 3:16,17) What a great truth: God says that the Temple of God on earth is His Church! “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

So we see that we are the house of God, and each of us is a living stone in the eternal structure, as Peter says, “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5) Building God’s house takes time. And workers. One living stone must be joined to another in order to build up the walls which will define the final form of the edifice. When the hard work of building up is done and every soul has been added to the church (Acts 2:47), God will finally have the home He desired from the beginning!

If you are a child of God, consider yourself a member of God’s divine construction crew. We have been given a primary directive from our Overseer in Heaven (1 Peter 2:25). Our Lord said He would build His Church (Matthew 16:18), and His crew follows His example by “edifying” the Church!

Listen to the Apostle Paul deliver this work order: “Let all things be done unto edifying.” (1 Corinthians 14:26b) The verb edify in the original means “to be a house-builder, i.e. construct or (figuratively) confirm”. Every child of God must realize that our place is not out on our own selfishly following our own heart away from God’s people. Our divinely appointed place is to be a living stone in the best house ever erected, building up and being built up in the Faith! (Jude 20)

The Scriptures are clear and emphatic on what is expected of us as builders: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Romans 14:19) “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.” (Romans 15:2) (See also 2 Corinthians 12:19; Ephesians 4:11-16) Edifying one another is the cure for selfishness. Thinking only of yourself is guaranteed to cause depression sooner or later. But when we shift our focus from having our own way to building up our brethren, we not only please God but we are much happier ourselves!

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” (1 Corinthians 10:23) Here is one of the tests we should always apply to our actions since we are building a house for God made out of living souls: “Will these thoughts, words, or actions build up my brethren, or will they tear down by offending and discouraging?” How much more progress will be made on God’s project if we just keep our minds on the job!

When the church comes together in one place, edification is Job #1! Prophesying, or making known the will of God, was highly commended by Paul for this very reason. “Even so you, forasmuch as you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that you may excel to the edifying of the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:12) Excellence in the church is measured not by how many words you speak or how you look and sound, but by how much you actually edify and strengthen your brethren!

“But he that prophesies speaks unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. I would that you all spake with tongues, but rather that you prophesied: for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.” (1 Corinthians 14:3,5; See also 14:17.) The church at Corinth was entertained by speaking in tongues even though no one was being edified. Yet entertainment and edification are not the same thing. (1 Corinthians 14:19) Many churches employ instrumental music in their assemblies even though it does not edify and its use is not taught in the New Testament. When they are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:7, Paul calls them lifeless! Edification comes from living stones!

The rule in Paul’s life was always consistent. “Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.” Paul understood that he was put in the Body of Christ to build it up. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29) Do you reckon anyone is edified by complaining? Rather than add to the rot of the world and bring someone down by complaining about how high gas prices are, why not redeem the moment, lift up your brother, and graciously speak about how high God is?

“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Brothers and sisters, we have a house to build for God!