The church was founded by our Lord Jesus
Christ. It is He who knew the value of the Church in man's life. Let us
study the scriptures so we may come to know the truth on the divine purpose
of Christ in establishing His church and the importance of the Christ's Church in the life of man.32A.1 What is the
divine purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ in building His own Church?
What is the uniqueness of
Christ's Church which distinguishes it from other churches?
In Matthew 16:18, Our Lord Jesus Christ said:
"And I say to you that you are Peter,
and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall
not prevail against it." (NKJV)
Christ divine purpose was revealed when He said "the gates Hades shall not prevail against
it" He wants to emphasize that "Hades" shall not
succeed against His Church. This is one
unique characteristic and value of the Church that can not be found in
other Churches.
32A.2 What
is Hades?
Acts 2:31 provide the meaning:
"he foreseeing this, spoke concerning
the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades,
nor did His flesh see corruption." (NKJV)
Hades is a place of bodily corruption, decomposition or decay,
generally known to be the
graveyard where corpses are buried. In Greek, it is called
"Hades". When our Lord Jesus Christ
died, His body was placed in the grave. However, in the grave His body
was not abandoned to corruption for God raised Him from the
grave.
32A.3 Why is Christ' Church
unique when He emphasized that Hades shall not prevail against it?
Hades refers to the grave. Hence, "the grave
shall not prevail against Christ's Church.
Matthew 16:18, in another version of
the Bible, this is written:
And
I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my
church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
(RSV)
Christ's Church is unique because the
"powers of death" shall not prevail against it.
Why did Christ said
that the powers of death will not prevail against His Church?
For the husband
is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church;
and He is the Savior of the body. (Ephesians 5:23, NKJV)
Because it is only Christ that has the God given power—as head of
the church—to save the
body, the Church.
32A.4
Would it mean that the
members of Christ's Church shall neither taste death, nor shall be buried
in the grave?
In John 11:25, Our Lord Jesus Christ emphatically declares:
Jesus said to her,
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though
he may die, he shall live. (NKJV)
Why did Christ say that He is the
resurrection?
"For as the Father
raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to
whom He will. (John 5:21, NKJV)
Why did Christ teach that He is the Life?
"And this is the will
of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him
may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.''
(John 6:40, NKJV)
A member of Christ's Church may die
(cessation of breath), but subsequent to death,
according to our Lord Jesus Christ, "he shall live".
Why did Christ
said "he shall live"?
Because Christ is the "resurrection, and the
life". Christ will give everlasting life to those who
believe in Him, by
raising him up at the last day.
32A.5
Who in particular
is Christ is referring to when He said "
I will raise him up at the last day.''?
The following verses gives us the
answer:
You have given
Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal
life to as many as You have given Him. (John 17:2, NKJV)
praising God and
having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the
church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47, NKJV)
For the husband
is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church;
and He is the Savior of the body. (Ephesians 5:23, NKJV
Christ was referring to the
"members of His Church" who were given to Him by the Lord God.
It is Christ who is the Savior of the body— the Church. Christ was
given the authority to save and give eternal life to as many as God
has given Him.
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"Hades or the powers of the death" shall not
prevail against His Church because Christ is the
Savior of the Church—His Body. God gave Christ the authority, so He
should give eternal life to as many as God has added to the His Church.
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