HELL: I AIN'T WORRIED

Will the Church disappear? Surely, the recent decision by the US Supreme Court, puts the Church at the brink of destruction. Christians are “on the wrong side of history on this one,” I’ve been told. WE are now, that is us fundamental-conservative-Bible-Believing-Christians, irrelevant. Actually, I would probably agree, if this was a man-made institution, but the Church is not, it is Christ’s. Now, least you misunderstand, the Church is not Baptist, Methodist, of Presbyterians. No, Jesus said, (Matthew 16:18 KJV) “…upon this rock I will build my church;…” this was in response to the confession made, the rock the Church is built upon, Matthew 16:16 (KJV) “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This is the Church, everyone who has made the same confession, by faith, declaring Jesus, Lord of their lives.

What is interesting, the 18th verse also includes this phrase,”…and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Another version has it like this, Matthew 16:18 (NLT) “…and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” And yet another has it like this, Matthew 16:18 (GW) “…And the gates of hell will not overpower it.” Notice Jesus used the word ‘gate’ (translated as such in most translations). What would he mean by gate? Let us examine this simple word, and it may help us determine the whole meaning of the phrase.

When exploring the Greek, πύλη, translates as ‘gate’ the 10 times its used in the NT. Very little ambiguity in that, gate probably means gate, but when we attach it to Hell (or Hades, in some translations), it carries another connotation, all together. Hell here is simply the place of the dead, some believe the holding place of the soul, or the grave itself. I tend to think it’s the holding place, and that is significant. Because we are not talking about the kingdom of Satan here, for he doesn’t rule Hell (sorry, to bust your bubble), no Satan rules here, now. Paul describes us, everyone before they are converted, as, Ephesians 2:1-2 (KJV) “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” Another translation puts it, “commander of the powers of the unseen world,” emphasizing the nature of Satan’s reign now.

So, what is the “gates of Hell” and why won’t it conquer the Church? Because the Church has the power of life. Death, Satan’s ally, has no power in it! Death was defeated the third day, the day the living, risen, savior overcame, as Peter (the confessor) preached on the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:24 (KJV) “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” Death couldn’t hold Jesus. Jesus allowed himself to be submitted to death for those few days, but Death had no true power, and that’s the clue. Death has no true power over the Church.

Worry not, my brother and sisters, we fear not Hell’s fury. Its gates are open to all, who walk the broad road, to their own destruction. Unless I’m not clear enough, the same sex married couples are steering into Hell, with the foot on full throttle. We fear not its power, Hell hath no power over the Church. The US Supreme Court is complicit in the crime, there is no doubt. They have become a tool of Satan, to move our country to its final downfall, described here: Romans 1:18-32 (NLT) “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. 28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.”

GOD HELP US!

#hell #gaymarriage #samesexmarriage #supremecourt