We are in the process of building a new storage shed on the church property. That building began with an idea; we should build a bigger storage shed. Then someone prepared the site. Then they poured concrete. Then they set the walls up, and then the roof. Now we are preparing for siding. We all understand the process of building.

Spiritually speaking, all Christians are somewhere along in the process of building. We begin the process by being saved—faith in Christ is the foundation of our building, and then the rest of our lives, we are in the process of building. We want to experience that building up process in our own lives, and we want to promote the building up process in the lives of others.

The word that describes the process of building up is “edify” (οἰκοδομή). To edify is to build up spiritually.

I titled the Summer Sermon Series that we’ve been going through Building Up One Another because all the one another responsibilities are means of building up one another. We edify one another by fulfilling these one another responsibilities.

Today we will finish our One Another series by focusing on the word “edify.” The word is often used literally of building a structure and figuratively of Christian growth.

Rom 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Rom 15:2  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

1 Th 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

The Bible commands us to edify one another. All of us ought to be involved in this process. Let’s notice several things about the edification.