Hello Mr. Smith,
I am currently re-reading your paper on the rich man and Lazarus. As noted before in previous correspondences with you I learn new things every time I revisit one of your papers. The reason for me writing to you is because I believe I found an answer to a question that I posed to you before in this very paper. My question was about Jesus and him saying that He will build his church and the gates of hades will not prevail against it. I never fully understood this since coming to the knowledge that He wasn't referring to a place called hell. After all, what would possibly pose an opposition so great that Jesus would say that not even hades can prevail against his church? After reading this my mind opened up and I just felt that I should share this as well as to help others who have wondered about this as well who may read this email. From the paper you wrote: "Though not a place of eternal torture i n fire, there is, nonetheless, a realm called "hades." It is an enemy of man and there are "gates" (not literal iron bar gates, but gates in the sense that passage is restricted to all who go therein). There are also gates and bars and locked doors in human prisons and penitentiaries. But there are guards and wardens who have "keys" to these doors and gates--they CAN BE OPENED. Well guess what? There are also "keys" to the gates of hades and it is NOT SATAN WHO POSSESSES THEM! IT IS NOT SATAN WHO HAS POWER OVER LIFE AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION! Rev. 1:18:
"And I [Jesus] have the keys to hell [hades, the unseen] and of death."
It is senseless to boast in having "the keys" if those keys will never be used to open the locks on the gates! Not only does Christ have the keys to all doors, HE IS THE DOOR!"
I gathered that it is death itself that will not prevail against the church of the living God. It can't prevail because Jesus Christ has the power over it and with that power will destroy death, hades, and the grave. Death will for a time pose a threat because everyone one of us is appointed a day to die in this life. But in God timing, Christ will use his "keys" to destroy the very opposition that posed a threat to us God's children and His church for so long. Thanks be to God. I said all this to say I answered my own question through revisiting your writings. Be blessed always and a blessing Mr. Smith.
"Truthseeker"
