1 Cor. 3:9-17, Our Objective: Edification

The purpose of the Church is to glorify God.

The Church glorifies God by exalting Christ as her Lord.

The Church exalts Christ through evangelism and edification.

Edification is simply the process of building something, in this case the Church.  This is what Jesus said He would be doing in these days: And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it (Mt. 16:18).  Therefore, we are called to join Christ in what He is doing.  It is His work; but He does this through His people.  As today’s passage puts it, we are God’s fellow laborers.

Paul illustrated this in his ministry.  There is no other foundation than that which is Jesus Christ.  He also says, I have laid the foundation.  Then there were others that built on top of the foundation.  What is being built is a building, specifically, a temple.  Peter says, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house with Jesus being the chief Cornerstone (1 Pt. 2:4-8).  Paul told the Ephesians, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted 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 (Eph. 2:19-22).

The Scriptures also uses the picture of the Body of Christ to speak of this idea of being build up.  The plan given by Christ in Eph. 4:11-16 speaks of the need of God’s people to be equipped for works of service so that the body might be built (v12) with the end result being a mature man where Christ works through each supporting ligament so that it grows in love (v16). 

In both pictures you see that Christ is at the core of what is being done.  But you also see that His Church (the members) is building itself up in Him.  There are specific and clear commands for edification.

·       Ro. 15:2: Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

·       1 Th. 5:11: Therefore comfort each other and edify one another.

·       1 Cor. 14:12: Since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

·       2 Cor. 12:19: But we do all things, beloved, for your edification.

The subject is highlighted all throughout the epistles.  We should add one other note: evangelism is part of edification.  We noted that making disciples according to Mt. 28:19-20 involves a person believing in Christ as preached in the gospel and then learning what Jesus commands.  The holy temple is constantly growing numerically, as God adds to the church through the gospel preaching; and then it is growing as those members mature in the grace and knowledge of Christ.