The Assembly (Part 8/9) – Gathered for Edification

Church/Assembly

4The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

– 1 Corinthians 14:4
(NASB® © 2020)
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Principle:

Christ is occupied every moment in love with His assembly, but in the meeting of edification (the ministry meeting), He is especially occupied with His own. The whole assembly (of a place) comes together in one place. If this is not possible due to fragmentation, it is still possible to gather on the basis of the one assembly (1 Cor 14:23) as an “assembly” (1 Cor11:18).

Essential characteristics:

  1. The Word ministers (Acts 6:4), and the Lord, in His authority, uses the gifts of the assembly (1 Cor 12) for this ministry.
  2. Spiritual gifts are acted out with love and zeal (1 Cor 14:1).
  3. The Spirit of God can unfold its effect (1 Cor 14:1).
  4. It is the word of God and not the word of man (1 Thes 2:13).
  5. Only the word of God has power, nothing else (Lk 8:11).
  6. The word testifies of the Lord Jesus (Jn 5:39).
  7. The word of God alone produces results (Acts 2:37, 41).
  8. The content of the ministry is Christ Himself (Acts 8:5.12;9:20 and Rom 1:1-4;15:19)
  9. What is said should be the sayings of God (1 Pet 4:11).
  10. The word of God must not be falsified (2 Cor 2:17)
  11. What is said must be understood and comprehensible (1 Cor 14:8; Mk 4:33).
  12. His is only possible with prayer and under the power of prayer (Acts 6:4).
  13. The great goal is the edification/exhortation/consolation of the assembly (1 Cor 14:3, 4, 5, 12)
    – by prophesying = speaking from the presence of God into a concrete situation (1 Cor 14:3.4.6)
    – by teaching doctrine = explaining biblical truth (1 Cor 14:6)
    – through instruction = practical application of the truth (1 Cor 14:19)
  14. Through prophesying, the soul is placed in the light of God (1 Cor 14:24, 25).
  15. In addition to the guidance of the Spirit, our mind should also be active (1 Cor 14:13-19)
  16. More attention is paid to quality than to quantity (1 Cor 14:19)
  17. The Spirit does not usually use one alone (1 Cor 14:26-33)
  18. If several people participate, there is no confusion but a succession (1 Cor 14:27, 29, 31).
  19. What is heard is tested and judged based on the Word of God (1 Cor 14:29; Acts 17:11).
  20. The women remain silent during the meetings (1 Cor 14:34).
  21. Order and peace are the result of the ministry of the word (1 Cor 14:33).
  22. Four characteristics are described in 1 Corinthians 14:22-25:
    – They had regular meetings.
    – They were not closed assemblies.
    – There was no fixed order.
    – The Lord Jesus is accepted as present in the midst.

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