And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18
The influence of the church on society today is considerably less than in days past. Alas, modern British culture and society have very little interest in the things of God. However, in these days of godlessness still, the church stands. Christ said that no matter what happens in the world the true church will never crumble or fade away; the gates of Hell shall not destroy the bride of Christ. Earthly kingdoms and empires come and go, but God’s kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting.Matthew 16:18
Many ask the question. Is Christianity still relevant in the 21st Century? Many people claim not to believe in God and think that most Christian views and beliefs are “old fashioned” and some may say that our beliefs are immoral in this day and age. There is a growing doubt of the Bible and many will call Christians mad to believe the things of the Bible. So, is the church dying? Scripture teaches us that there is a remnant according to the grace of God (Romans 11:5). Despite what many say the church is not dying. In the Western world, the church may be a shadow of its former days, but in other parts of the globe, the church is growing daily. Christ’s promise will stand, the gates of Hell will not prevail. King Jesus still reigns and still sits on His heavenly throne.
Remember Christian that the kingdom of God can never be destroyed, conquered, broken or divided. His kingdom remains forever. The prince of darkness can never overcome the Prince of light and truth. Light will always drive out darkness. The question we need to ask ourselves today is are we doing enough to point people to the Saviour? Do you have a burden for the lost?
It is estimated that 6,300 people die each hour, over 151,000 every day, and over 55 million every year. To put these figures into context the population of an avenge village in England is about 6,000 people. The population of Oxford is just over 150,000 and the entire population of London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Johannesburg, Shanghai and Tokyo combined is an estimated 55 million people. Just imagine all those people passing into eternity and the vast majority ending up in Hell. That is a shocking statistic. If this does not wake us up and cause us to share the Gospel, then nothing will. If this does not shake us to our core, then the question must be asked are you really living for Christ. Are you truly a Christian? To those who are not moved by this, may God warm your cold heart and stir you up unto good works for the kingdom. When I wrote this and understood the reality of how many die each year, I must admit a cold shiver went down my spine.
Let’s us be people that care for the lost and want to see them saved. May we pray that God in His mercy will grant us the gifts and ability to share Christ?