Gates Of Hell, "how readest thou?"

I was thinking on the verse in Matthew

It is the only place where the expression "gates of hell" appears in the Bible, that makes it special!

It says they will not prevail against the church.

What does that say about the role of the church, the work of Christians and to what does this refer to?

I have my views, but I'm interested in yours!

Well, when looking at he verse itself it obviously states that Christ's church will be here forever because the gates of hell and all things evil have no power over it.

Now what exactly hell and evil are...I don't know. I've been struggling with my faith so I am not sure what I believe. It seems that if the gates of hell has no power of Christ's church...then...wouldn't that mean that no matter what evil will not prevail...so in that case would anyone ever be condemned to hell when they move on to their afterlife??? If that makes any sense. It seemse that if God was all merciful then he wouldn't condemn anyone to hell...I don't know, questions...so many questions...

Well of course god is merciful, but would you allow some phyco pathic killer into the gates of heaven with all the "good" people? I sure wouldn't! Even if I tried to give everyone another chance!

It's that second Y chromosone.....or satan!

Anyway, why would god even create gates of hell? I mean...couldn't he just "shut them down"

Ahh, more confusing questions with religion!

I always kind of thought that this verse meant more that the gates of hell would not withstand our assault!
With God with us, we can defeat satan.

just my two cents

Yes!! that, I believe, is the important bit.

Sure we can talk about heaven and hell, whether hell is a place of eternal burning as the traditional church believes - or not, but you have causght what to me is the gem in the text.

(the forces of) hell will not withstand the church, ie, we should be out there with the Sword of the Word, not cowering in a corner with the sheild of faith over our heads saying 'please come soon Jesus (tho' I DO pray He will).

God's Truth is truth indeed, He is above all other so called gods. Christians are the ones chosen to carry that message to the world. We have no reason to apologise for that truth.

In short, I believe the church needs to stand up and be bolder. Instead I see her watering down the gospel, pandering to the new agers, the political correctness and event the sin in society that is infiltrating the church.

This text screams to me....know who we are in God's Sight, what He has given us to do, and take His power and Strength to go out and do it.

It's exciting isn't it!!

One must first believe in hell for this passage to have meaning.

I see this script as a message to the Tribes of Israel to awaken themselves to the beliefs that they have been taught. It is a lesson to those of that time and belief to examine themselves and see if they are true to what they profess... I do not see it as a call to condemn or purge the world of other faiths!