Can The Church Die Out?

In the Gospel of Matthew, it states “[a]nd I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” (Matthew 16:18 ESV). Jesus tells us here that the gates of Hell will not overcome His church. This verse seems to imply that the church cannot be overtaken or die out.

As Dr. Keener explains, “[t]he “gates of Hades” in the Old Testament … and subsequent Jewish tradition referred to the realm and power of death; death itself (cf. Mt 16:24-26) would not silence the church” (Keener 87). Death cannot overcome the church (Crossway 1855). Thus, the Bible makes it clear that the church will not die out.

References:

ESV Study Bible. United States, Crossway, 2008.

Keener, Craig S.. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 2nd Edition. United Kingdom, InterVarsity Press, 2014.