"And I also 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.And I also 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.In his sermon Sunday, our pastor made a profound insight about Matthew 16:18. He said that many times when we read Jesus’ statement to Peter that “the gates of Hades shall not prevail” when it goes up against the Gospel (and the Church), we interpret it as saying that we will be able to withstand difficulties.
While that is a theme throughout the Bible, this passage isn’t really saying this. A gate is a defensive structure (it’s also immovable). Whereas looking at it defensively would say that the forces of evil (Hades) is coming for us and bombarding us, the opposite is actually true. According to Jesus’ wording here, we are supposed to be on the offensive.
I thought about this for a while. We often look to passages such as the sixth chapter of Ephesians, and take note that the sword (word of God) is the only offensive weapon, but we fail to notice something about this armor: it is mobile. Even when an army storms the gates it makes sure it is thoroughly protected.
We should be on the move. In a way we should be looking for trouble, trying to fight battles with
the forces of evil all of the time. This doesn’t mean we start going around as a super-saintly exorcist for hire, but it does mean we should radically live for God and do His will no matter what.
Christ didn’t call us to fortify the kingdom, but to advance the kingdom.
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