Hi thanks for the reply. My two cents
Why should we not endeavor to edify (build up) our own selves?
Building up our personal
one self or the body of Christ.?
Building up our one self would seem to a recipe for pride. After all what do we have if we do have if God has not freely given it? And if He has why would we boast as if he did not?
We have no problem when someone eats healthy, nutritious food in order to keep his/her physical body edified (built up).
I would agree in that way we are to offer by faith our bodies as a living sacrifice in lieu of His great mercy in hope of eternal life. Something I need to improve in needing prayer. But that is in respect to our necessary food to sustain these bodies of death. But as Christ says: he has food that we know not of, as the food of the doing the Father will,
But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?Jesus saith unto them,
My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. oh 4:32
In that way we have two kinds of necessary foods. Literal bread as that seen for these bodies of death and the daily bread spoken of as a request or prayer that we might do His will on earth. Both kinds are necessary.
Thy kingdom come, Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. Mat 6:10
There is an interesting revelation from God in the book of Job 23 that I believe helps us to understand what I am trying to offer as an opinion more adequately.
Job 23:11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips;
I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (Literal bread for these bodies that will die) But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:Job 23:11-16
Literal bread cannot perform making our hearts soft, Belly yes, new hearts no
I think the parable below that was offered to again teach the disciples the kind food they did not know of.
And he saith unto them, Are ye so
without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. Mar 7:18
And how do we know that the church is not edified when a believer is edified (built up) by speaking in tongues in order to prepare him/herself for whatever endeavors he/she needs to deal with that day?
Did you mean speaking (prophecy) in tongues to edify his own one self or edify the whole church who would understand the prophecy, the word of God?
Are you suggesting the church should rejoice that a person has build them self up when the person tells them he did speak in tongues? Some churches pray a person does and would rejoice in that way .But what are they really building up seeing they would be walking by sight, and not the faith (the unseen) that alone comes from hearing through the scriptures? Could it be false doctrine?