I was dumbfounded when I watched a short video of a ‘man of God’ claiming that if he leaves Christianity, he can single-handedly destroy the church. He further stated that he wields ‘secret information’ that can bring our Christian faith to its knees. This is shocking indeed!
Now, stay with me as we all go into the Bible to understand that not even Satan has been able to destroy the church of the living God.
Who Owns the Church?
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus Christ boldly declared to His disciples that He will build His church and “…the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it”. In Acts 20:28, Paul said that the church was purchased with the blood of the Son of God. From these texts, we learn that Christ Jesus owns the church and men of God are the undershepherds of Christ Jesus who cannot lay claim to ownership of the church.
The only One who redeemed us (Ephesians 1:7), brought us together (Ephesians 2:13), preserves us (Jude 24), prunes us to bear fruit (John 15:1-4), and will present us unto Himself spotless (Ephesians 5:25-27) is Jesus Christ our Lord. Just as the earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness (Psalm 24:1-2), the church belongs to Jesus Christ who died on the cross to reconcile us to God to be co-heirs with Him (Romans 8:17).
In Colossians 1:18, Paul said Christ, “… is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
Who Can Destroy the Church?
For anyone to destroy the church or any believer, he or she must destroy God, destroy Christ, and then destroy us. Colossians 3:3 says that “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Throughout history, principalities, powers, and dominions harbored the intention to destroy the church. Any attempt at persecution rather exploded the growth of the church and brought sinful men to their knees pleading for God’s mercy.
In the book of Esther 7-8, Haman planned evil to destroy the Jews and fatally failed. He was rather hanged on the gallows and died. In his old evil ways, Paul was consumed with rage against the Christians. He got letters from the high priest to the synagogues of Damascus to persecute Christians, but he encountered the Living Christ.
Acts 9:3-5 says, “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
In Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV), Apostle Paul gave us these assuring words, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Every student of the Bible knows the consummation of all things resides in Christ. He will return on earth; we will be raptured with Him, and reign with Him forever. The true historic Christian faith cannot be destroyed by anyone. If Satan himself will be destroyed in the end as Revelation 20 predicts, what can his agents do to the church?
Remain in the faith and walk worthy of your calling. (Ephesians 4:1-3)
