Many women have asked about what they can do for God’s Church. They want to be more involved. They want to be useful and to feel useful. Frequently, they invest time and energy in doing a wonderful and generous physical service. However, they would especially like to do something that is spiritual, also. They wonder if they can ever have a real spiritual part. And, the answer is YES! Here is one way. Let’s now let the BIBLE SPEAK!
In the Church of God at Corinth, there were Brethren who were very concerned (“zealous” KJV) about spiritual gifts. So, God inspired the Apostle Paul to focus attention on a very important concept relevant to spiritual gifts. Paul wrote about edifying or building up the Brethren God had called into His Church in several New Testament books.
Building up the Church of God is most certainly needed in this end-time generation, maybe even more so today than in the early New Testament Church. So, what can we glean from Paul’s writings?
Notice the emphasis God places on each one of us having a part in edifying or building up God’s Church spiritually. In numerous Scriptures we find exhortations to edify each other. God tells us (men and women) to “excel” at it.
1 Corinthians 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
1 Corinthians 14:26(b) Let all things be done unto edifying.
Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Ephesians 4:29 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.
Notice that the edifying is to affect the whole body and, it is to be done in love.
Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Clearly, edifying one another is part of our calling. God has given us both the opportunity as well as the responsibility to be a part of this edification.
Edifying one another in love is truly an important spiritual assignment!