Question
What is your understanding of the edification process and how it impacts a believer?
Response
The subject of our “godly edifying” is a large one. Since providing for it, and accomplishing it, is the object of everything God teaches us from Romans through Philemon, to describe it in detail would necessitate describing the doctrinal design, purpose, and effectual working of everything that God has written to us from Romans 1:1 to Philemon 25. And this is not something I can do at the present time, especially because I do not understand and appreciate the designed effectual working of it all. I understand and appreciate some of it, but that’s about it. In fact what I do understand is only ‘scratching the surface.’
Nevertheless, I can set before you a simple statement of my general and basic understanding on the issue.
First off, “godly edifying” is what God has designed and purposed to accomplish with us by means of what He has written to us in Paul’s epistles. “Godly edifying” is not some man-made theological concept, nor is it some sort of mystical, or ethereal, or spiritual relationship with God that defies explanation or description. Rather it is just what it says that it is: “godly edifying,” that is edification (or progressive education) that results in godliness (the issue of thinking like God does, living like He does, and laboring with Him in things that He is doing.) And the provision for this edification that results in godliness for us in this present dispensation of God’s grace is resident in Paul’s epistles. The godly edification process begins with the establishment doctrines set forth in Romans, and it progresses on from there (in perfect accordance with it being an edification process) with the doctrines that are set forth in I Corinthians, then II Corinthians, then Galatians, and so on. Paul’s epistles are not randomly put together, nor improperly put together. Instead they are perfectly put together in their proper edificational order in accordance with them being the curriculum, so to speak, for our “godly edifying.” They begin with the establishment doctrines to our “godly edifying,” and they progress on from there with the further advancing doctrines that build upon the established foundation that is laid by Romans. And when a Christian proceeds through Paul’s epistles as such, the effectual working within him of each of the doctrines that he progressively learns produces within him the “godly edifying” that God has designed for them to produce.
Our “godly edifying” in this present dispensation is also in accordance with the issue of God having given us “the adoption of sons.” In so doing God has put us in the position of adult sons and He is dealing with us as such. And this includes the issue of educating us as a father would educate and train his son so that his son can learn his father’s business and be able to eventually work with him in his business. And as God’s “sons” in this present dispensation this is what God is doing with us through the process of “godly edifying.” Therefore, the doctrines for our “godly edifying” from Romans through Philemon not only have a natural progression to them from foundation to building; from “milk” to “meat”; from “babes in Christ” to “perfect” men; but they also possess the format of sonship edification that provides for the kind of education that a son would receive from his father as he is being trained by his father to function in his business. And as such our “godly edifying” also equips us for the day when following the conclusion of this present dispensation we will be manifested as “the sons of God” and will begin to work with God our Father in His business.
This is a brief gist-type statement of my understanding of the issue of our “godly edifying.” I’m working on producing a small booklet that addresses the issue and describes it in a little more detail. In fact, much of what I have briefly set forth here comes from what I am saying in the booklet. I don’t know just when I will have the booklet done, but hopefully when I do it will provide a clearer and more descriptive statement and presentation on the issue of our “godly edifying.” Nonetheless, I hope that this is of some help to you for the moment.
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries
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