How does the church exist after being produced? Please note the words of the Lord: “Upon this rock I will build My church.” The church being built upon this rock means that the church exists upon this rock. The church collapses as soon as it leaves this rock. Without a foundation, there is no way for a structure to exist. The producing of the church is out of Christ, and the existence of the church depends on Christ. Therefore, the testimony of the church is also completely dependent on Christ. To be dependent on Christ means to be joined to Christ, to hold Christ, and to live in Christ (Eph. 4:15; Col. 2:19). If the brothers and sisters daily are joined to Christ, hold Christ, and grow up into Christ in all things, the testimony of the church surely will be very strong. If the brothers and sisters are not living in Christ, not joined to Christ, and not holding Christ, the testimony of the church will be very weak. It will be like a lamp whose light is dying and is not brightly shining. Therefore, the existence of the testimony of the church depends completely upon the church being joined to Christ.
The existence of the testimony of the church also depends on receiving the cross, that is, on denying the self and taking up the cross, as spoken of in Matthew 16:24. To be joined to Christ is to allow the content of Christ to be expressed. Receiving the cross means that we allow the old creation, our self, to be terminated. Whether or not the testimony of a local church is strong depends on two points. First, are the brothers and sisters joined to Christ? Are they in Christ, do they live in Christ, and do they grow up into Christ in everything in their daily life? Second, are the brothers and sisters willing to let the cross do a work of terminating the desires of the flesh, their old creation, and their self? Do they have the mark of the cross upon them? Do they bear the cross daily? These two points determine whether the testimony of the church is strong or weak, bright or dim. Therefore, we must not merely pay attention to the truth concerning the testimony of the church. We must see that the existence of the testimony of the church in a locality altogether depends upon the believers’ being joined to Christ and receiving the cross.
Let us look at the relationship of the testimony of the church. This relationship has many aspects.
The first aspect of the testimony of the church is related to Christ. According to Matthew 16:18, the Lord will build the church upon Himself as the rock. Therefore, as the rock, He is the foundation of the church and also the base of the testimony of the church. Christ, the rock, is the foundation laid by God (1 Cor. 3:11), the One on whom people can believe (Rom. 9:33), and a “living stone” (1 Pet. 2:4). He grows in those who believe into Him to be their everything so that they may be built up as the church. Therefore, He is not only the foundation of the life of the church; He is also the base of the living, the testimony, of the church.
While Christ is a rock, the church is an aggregate of stones built together upon Him. He is a living rock that grows in those who believe into Him and trust in Him. The church is an aggregate of living stones that grow up in Him and grow together because of Him. In this way they can be built together upon Him, being joined and knit together, to become a spiritual house, a dwelling place of God in spirit, which is the church (1 Pet. 2:5; Eph. 2:20-22; 4:16). This speaks not only of His relationship with the church in its life but also of His relationship with the church in its testimony.
In Matthew 16:18 the Lord spoke of the gates of Hades immediately after saying, “Upon this rock I will build My church.” Whenever the heavens are mentioned, we are reminded of God, and whenever Hades is mentioned, we are reminded of the devil, Satan. The heavens are the dwelling place of God, whereas Hades is the realm of Satan. God’s authority is in the heavens, and Satan’s power is in Hades. Therefore, Hades refers to Satan.
When the Lord spoke of Hades, He mentioned the gates of Hades. What does this mean? The gates of Hades are for shutting and holding people in Hades. This can be compared to the gate of a prison. When a criminal is arrested and brought to the gate of the prison, an iron gate is opened to receive the criminal. When the gate is shut, it holds the criminal inside. Therefore, the gate of a prison receives a person into prison and then shuts him in and holds him in the prison. Similarly, the gates of Hades are for bringing the church into death and for shutting and holding the church in death.