Since the church is built upon the resurrected and victorious Christ, it cannot be defeated by the gates of Hades. Instead, it is able to overcome the gates of Hades and release sinners held by them. For two thousand years, countless sinners who have been held by the gates of Hades have been released by the church. This is what the church does in preaching the gospel. Preaching the gospel frees sinners who have been captured by Hades and liberates the souls who are oppressed by Satan (Luke 4:18). This plunders the goods of Satan (Matt. 12:29). The church is able to do this because it is joined to the Christ who overcame Hades and Satan and because it bears the testimony of Christ’s victory. It is impossible for the testimony of the church to be destroyed by the gates of Hades; the testimony of the church will always deal with and overcome the gates of Hades.
The testimony of the church is related not only to the gates of Hades but even more to the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. In Matthew 16:18-19, after the Lord said, “Upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it,” He went on to say, “I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens.” The keys were given to Peter, but they were given to him as one who knew Christ and had become a living stone. Therefore, the keys were given to all who have become living stones through knowing Christ. In principle, all such persons have received the keys of the kingdom of the heavens.
The kingdom of the heavens is the ruling of the heavens. This is absolutely related to the testimony of the church. Wherever there is the testimony of the church, there is the ruling of the heavens. When a group of brothers and sisters are joined to Christ, live in Christ, and receive the cross to deal with themselves, they have the power of resurrection and the gates of Hades cannot prevail against them. Moreover, they also have the authority of the reign of the heavens. The kingdom of the heavens manifests its ruling through them. They can bring in the ruling of the kingdom of the heavens. On the one hand, the church affects the gates of Hades, and on the other hand, it is related to the kingdom of the heavens. On the one hand, the church cannot be held down by the gates of Hades; on the other hand, the church opens the door for the kingdom of the heavens to come in. The church really is a great matter. Whenever and wherever there is a group of people standing in the position of the church and manifesting the reality of the church, that is, the testimony of the church, the gates of Hades will be affected, and the kingdom of the heavens will be involved.
What is the meaning of the keys of the kingdom of the heavens? The keys and the gate are closely related. A gate is for shutting; a key is for opening. Do you want to enter the kingdom of the heavens? Here is a key that can open the gate to the kingdom of the heavens. The church cannot be shut out by the gates of Hades, but the church has a key that can open the gate of the kingdom of the heavens and bring people into the kingdom of the heavens. Both of these matters depend upon the church and are made possible through the testimony of the church.
The testimony of the church is also absolutely related to the cross. Wherever the testimony of the church is, there believers will surely receive and bear the cross.
Without the cross, the church will never have a testimony. If a local church is full of the things of the old creation, it is a church without the testimony. Conversely, if a local church is willing to receive the dealing of the cross and terminate all the things of the old creation, it will be a strong church with a testimony. Therefore, when the Lord spoke of the building of the church, He immediately revealed the cross, telling us to take up, to receive, the cross.
There is a sequence to the Lord’s word. First, He passed through the cross and accomplished the work of the cross. Now the church receives the cross from Him and bears the cross He accomplished. The cross that the church takes up is the accomplished cross of Christ. On the cross Christ terminated all the things of man, the natural things, the things of the old creation. The cross of Christ has already terminated all of these things; now the church needs to receive the cross, acknowledge the cross, and take up the cross. We must acknowledge that we cannot avoid the cross, because we have already passed through the cross. Rather, we have received the cross and must bear the cross. We cannot allow our flesh, our old man, and our natural life to have any place. The work of the cross has been accomplished; now we need to acknowledge it, receive it, bear it, and put it upon us. If such a situation exists among us, there is the testimony of the church. If such a situation exists among us, the gates of Hades cannot do anything. If such a situation exists among us, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens will be effective. However, if the believers avoid the cross rather than bear it and if they set their mind on the things of men rather than on the things of God, there will be no testimony of the church. Then the gates of Hades will prevail, and the keys of the kingdom of the heavens will be ineffective. The testimony of the church depends upon the dealing of the cross.
Therefore, while we are serving God, we must ask ourselves some fundamental questions. Do we have the cross upon us? Are we those who bear the cross? Christ has already accomplished the cross, but have we received it? Have we put it upon us? Are we bearing it daily? Do we refuse to give any place to our flesh and our mind? If this is the case, the testimony of the church will be shining brightly, the gates of Hades will be helpless, and the keys of the kingdom of the heavens will be powerful.
Once the cross is received, resurrection is manifested. All of the things related to resurrection are part of the elements of Christ, the riches of Christ. All of the riches of resurrection will be manifested in the church because of the cross. Today the main reason we are short of spiritual riches in our meetings and in our service is that we have not sufficiently received the cross. Many brothers and sisters know that they should receive the cross. Knowing this is one thing, but experiencing the cross by truly putting ourselves under it and bearing it is another thing. We should always remember that the testimony of the church depends upon our receiving the cross. Only the cross can enable the things of the old creation to be terminated so that we can live out the riches of the resurrection of Christ. Only the cross can cause the church to have a testimony.
The issue of the testimony of the church is to bring in the kingdom of Christ, the reign of Christ
The issue of the testimony of the church is also to glorify Christ and to express God. In Matthew 16, after speaking of the building, the kingdom of Christ is spoken of in verse 28. Furthermore, verse 27 of chapter 16 and the first section of chapter 17 refer to the Lord Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain. This was a miniature of the Lord’s manifestation in His kingdom in the glory of God. When the Lord manifests the glory of God in His kingdom, God will have a full expression. When the church receives the cross, overcoming the gates of Hades and opening the entrance to the kingdom of the heavens to testify concerning Christ, the result will be the bringing in of the kingdom of the heavens and the glorification of Christ. In other words, Christ will be able to reign and to manifest God’s glory so that God will have a full expression in Him.