The Rock and Chief Cornerstone

Dearly beloved of God, in Matthew 16: 18 the Lord Jesus Christ made a remarkable statement. “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.”

Jesus Christ told Peter that he was “Petros,” which means, “A loose, movable stone; a rolling stone, in one place today and another place tomorrow.”

The Lord did not give Peter this name because of his steadfast, unwavering commitment, and unmovable stand; quite the opposite. Peter was a vacillating disciple; he blew hot and cold.

Just a few verses later in Matthew 16 we are told, from that time forth Jesus Christ began to show his disciples that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Peter took him aside and reproved him. “But he [Jesus] turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savorest [to mind or to regard or care for] not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

No, the Lord did not build his Church on Peter. He said, “.. on this rock, [“petra,” an unmovable rock as distinguished from a “petros”, a movable stone] I [Christ] will build my church….”

Jesus Christ himself was the chief cornerstone on which he would build his Church. No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. The stone the builders rejected, Jesus Christ, has become the cornerstone.

“So this is what the Lord GOD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.” Isaiah 28:16

For it stands in Scripture: "See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame." I Peter 2:6

Jesus Christ is the rock upon which he builds his church.
Jesus Christ further said, “… and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The English word “hell” is the Hebrew word “sheol,” and the Greek word, “hades” in the critical texts. Both words mean, the state of death, or gravedom; the dominion or power of the grave.

The only exit from the state of death is resurrection, and only the Lord Jesus Christ holds the power and authority of resurrection from the dead.

“I am he that lives, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:18

Jesus Christ is he that was dead but is alive forevermore. God raised him from the dead validating that he was indeed both Lord and Christ. He has the keys capable of releasing people from the state of death.

Christ builds his church, and the gates of hell, meaning gravedom, does not have the power to hold its subjects forever; it will not prevail over the Church.

God gave the keys of hell and of death to His Son Jesus Christ. When he comes he will open the gates and release its captives.

Hell, the Greek word “Hades,” comes to us from pagan origins. Its teachings come from the Greek philosophers, Plato being the one credited for its popularity. He is the one that gave us the traditions of the immortality of the soul and punishments of hell that many espouse today; they did come not from the Word of God. They come from Greek philosophy and mythology.

Plato said that when one dies he immediately goes to either heaven, a place of bliss, or hell, a place of burning and everlasting torment, depending on whether he was good or bad.

Plato arrived at his belief through the Orphic and Eleusinian mysteries in which Babylonian and Egyptian traditions were strangely blended.

The pagan belief of the immortality of the soul had its roots in Genesis 3, when the serpent said, "You shall not surely die."

Babel followed the serpent's teaching and gave us the teaching of hell as well.

This doctrine was perpetuated in Egypt, passed down in Greek philosophy and mythology, embraced by Judaism, and later formalized as “Christian” doctrine by the church of Rome. Today more Christians believe in Platonism than in the resurrection from the dead.

The Word of God reveals that when a person dies they are dead, not alive in any state, and they stay in the state of gravedom until Christ returns and raises them from the dead.

Sheol in used 65 times in the Word of God and Hades, 11 times. If you look them up, you will know all that is possible is to know about the state of gravedom.

The resurrection of the dead will only occur after Christ returns to raise the dead to life again. Until then, the dead are dead, and corrupt in the grave. They are held captive in the state of death.

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's [WHEN?] at his coming.” I Corinthians 15:20-23

If Plato was right, there is no need for resurrection, and if there is no need for resurrection, nor is there a need for Jesus Christ to resurrect the dead.

Jesus Christ said that the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth. He will separate out the dead, and resurrect some unto life and others to damnation. That is vast power indeed!

The Word of the Lord also reveals that when Christ returns for the Church of the Grace of God, he will raise the dead in Christ, and then we which are alive, and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Jesus Christ is in a league all his own. He is the only one to have died and who now lives forever. He is the rock upon which he builds his Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. He is the only one with the keys that will open hell and give his people release from gravedom.

God says that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all in heaven and on earth and in the grave, and every knee will bow to him.

Plato said you die and go to heaven or burn in torment in hell. Which one will you believe?

Christ Jesus the Lord is the rock, the chief cornerstone, and other foundation can no man lay. In him the entire building is being framed together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom we also are being built together for God’s dwelling place by the spirit. Jesus Christ the Lord is the way, the truth, and the life.

Rejoice forevermore, dearly beloved, he is coming!.