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Christ promised the Holy Spirit to His Church and stated the gates of hell would not prevail against it.

I'm amazed at how often this verse is misapplied. It so often seems to be interpreted as saying that hell will be attacking the church but the church will be able to survive it. In fact, it is saying that the church will be advancing against hell and the gates of hell will not prevent them from doing so. The Body of Christ...all believers bound together by their faith in the risen Lord...continues to advance as His Kingdom expands daily.

I thought that was a lie and for 1500 years, the Church had been without truth and the gates of hell had prevailed.

As a Calvinist, I have never believed that the church had been without the truth until the time of the Reformation. Rather, just as God at times had to purify His covenant people by fire, so His Church had to endure the Reformation in order to cleanse itself of some of the false teachings. And just as God's covenant people of Israel had split during its history and then eventually exploded beyond the boundaries of a single nation, so the Church has had the same happen.

Any Reformed Protestant who believes there was no true church until the 16th century didn't pay much attention to the words of the Reformers and is likely letting their opposition to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church lead them to throw the baby out with the bath water.

As a Calvinist, I have never believed that the church had been without the truth until the time of the Reformation. Rather, just as God at times had to purify His covenant people by fire, so His Church had to endure the Reformation in order to cleanse itself of some of the false teachings. And just as God's covenant people of Israel had split during its history and then eventually exploded beyond the boundaries of a single nation, so the Church has had the same happen.

Any Reformed Protestant who believes there was no true church until the 16th century didn't pay much attention to the words of the Reformers and is likely letting their opposition to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church lead them to throw the baby out with the bath water.

well said

Wherever there are three persons, even though they are laymen, there is the church. Every man lives by his own faith, and God does not distinguish between classes. Since, in cases of necessity, you have the right to act as a priest, then you must also accept priestly discipline. It is God's will that all of us should be in the right spiritual state, at any time or place, to administer His sacraments. ... Tertullian (160?-230?)

It's no longer Rome's to dispense

Im a little "c" catholic

Any Reformed Protestant who believes there was no true church until the 16th century didn't pay much attention to the words of the Reformers and is likely letting their opposition to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church lead them to throw the baby out with the bath water.

Can't be said often enough, Fru. Thanks for posting it!

I'm amazed at how often this verse is misapplied. It so often seems to be interpreted as saying that hell will be attacking the church but the church will be able to survive it. In fact, it is saying that the church will be advancing against hell and the gates of hell will not prevent them from doing so. The Body of Christ...all believers bound together by their faith in the risen Lord...continues to advance as His Kingdom expands daily.

Amen.

"So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." -- Acts 19:20