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Edify defined: "to instruct or improve spiritually, build, establish, to instruct and improve esp. in moral and religious knowledge" (Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary). According to the Bible, an important function of the church is the mutual edification of its members.
| Acts 9:31 |
Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. |
| Ephesians 4:11-16 |
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and
some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the
work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we
all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a
perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness
of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up
in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ -- from whom the
whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to
the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the
body for the edifying of itself in love. |
| Romans 14:19 |
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by
which one may edify another. |
| 1 Thessalonians 5:11 |
Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. |
| Jude 1:20,21 |
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the
Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. |
| 2 Corinthians 12:19 |
Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in
Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. |
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