One tragic consequence of the controversy is that it has caused some believers to focus on the first part of verse 18 to the neglect of the second part. Winning the debate against false interpretations of the verse is a pitiful achievement compared to grasping the true significance of Christ's promise concerning the church. For this reason, now that we have laid the foundation, we will direct our attention to the second part of verse 18, where Christ says, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." Or, as the KJV and ESV read, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The expression represents the forces of Satan, including the power of death.

The statement in itself could be considered an unconditional declaration of intent. It is not a proposal to be approved, a possibility to be realized, or a reward to be earned. He says, "I will do this. It will happen." There is no chance that it would fail to occur. He declares it to his disciples as something for them to believe and recall, so that he also intends for it to be a promise, and it is entirely appropriate to think of it as such. The fact that it is unconditional means that it will happen for sure; nevertheless, it does not mean that its fulfillment will benefit every individual no matter what. The promise concerns the "church," and not to every person who claims to be a part of it. We will say more about this important point later.

There are three major points that we can derive from Jesus' statement. After that, to properly grasp and apply these points, we will have to keep in mind all that we have said in connection with verses 16 and 17, chiefly, the doctrinal content of Peter's confession, and the sovereignty of God in the matter of faith and unbelief, that is, in causing a man to affirm or reject such a confession.

First, Christ makes a promise regarding the construction of the church. He says "I" will build – he will do it, not men. The construction of the church will not depend on human ability or come under human authority, but Christ will build his church by his own power and wisdom. He will use human instruments as he sees fit, but the effects of these human instruments are still produced by divine power. And he calls it "my" church. He takes ownership of it. He assumes personal responsibility and takes a personal interest in it. He takes personal offense at any unruly conduct within the church, as well as any persecution directed against it. As for the "church" itself, it is a worldwide community of believers who affirm that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God," and who suffered death to atone for the sins of his people. He promises to establish a community of people who are united and governed by such a confession.

Second, in connection with the next point, there is the assumption that there would be opposition from the enemy. The forces of Satan will attempt to destroy the church. In fact, Scripture does not say that the demonic spirits have anything to do other than to usurp the purposes of God and to spread rebellion against him. And they usually attempt to achieve this by attacking and tempting his people. So, how much of the forces of hell are dedicated to the destruction of the church? "The combined strength and cunning of all the powers of hell" is the likely answer. And, what tactics and methods will they use to achieve their purpose? "Everything they can without any mercy, hesitation, or integrity" is the simple reply. If it seems that the powers of hell have been restrained throughout the centuries, that is a testimony to Christ's faithfulness to his promise. And as we will discuss, even the attacks that occur serve the purpose of the promise.

Third, Christ promises the perpetuation of the church – "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The "gates of hell," of course, represent not only direct attacks from demonic spirits, but also all the forces that fall under their category and their control, and this includes all non-Christians. As John writes, "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one" (1 John 5:19). He makes a sharp distinction between Christians and the rest of the world. Christians are the children of God, but non-Christians work for the devil.

This is a "we" against "them" situation (Matthew 12:30). Unbelievers ridicule such an attitude as unenlightened and counterproductive, but tout tolerance, dialogue, and cooperation. I say, rubbish! It is a tactic of the enemy to undermine our vigilance. But the very suggestion is in fact implicit surrender – if the non-Christians could snuff us out, would they really offer peace? Rather than detecting this sign of weakness for what it is and pursuing our enemy to the ends of the earth, it is astounding how many Christians have accepted this indoctrination – it is spiritual castration. And then, as the men of Judah betrayed Samson to the Philistines (Judges 15:12), these traitors turn around and persecute those who refuse to make covenant with the enemy. But whether we are facing demons, or unbelievers, or professing believers who betray the cause of the gospel, Christ promises that all the powers of hell will not overcome the church.

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