The power of the Holy Spirit is revealed through various gifts – given for the purpose of edifying the church.
The word ‘edify’ comes from the root word ‘edifice’ – which refers to building. The Holy Spirit is given in order to build up the church, individually and collectively.
Apostle Paul would say. “Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.” (1 Cor. 14:12)
Further he says, “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;” (Eph. 4:11-13)
Apostle Peter says, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10-11)
This is to say that each and every gift of the Holy Spirit that is given to anyone in the church must be used to build up and not tear down.
For instance, each gift listed in Ephesians 4:11 helps build up the church. The ones listed in 1 Cor. 12 7-10 and Romans 12:6-8 also help to build up.
1 Cor. 14:1-14 helps us to know that the gifts of the Holy Spirit is not profitable if the church is not edified.
“The perfecting of the saints.--The word rendered "perfecting" (akin to the "perfection" of 2 Corinthians 13:9) is derived from a root which signifies either to "mend" what is broken (as in Matthew 4:21), or to "complete" what is unfinished (as in Luke 6:40; Romans 9:22); and hence is used spiritually for to "restore" the fallen (Galatians 6:1), or to "perfect" the imperfect Christian (Hebrews 13:21; 1 Thessalonians 3:10). Both processes are necessarily implied in that perfection of the individual saints here spoken of, and more fully described in the next verses.”1
1. Elicott's Comentary For English Readers. Accessed July 17, 2018. http://biblehub.com/ephesians/4-12.htm.
