Core Truth: Far from being the impotent, irrelevant, and inconsequential presence that much of the world assumes it to be, when Christ returns His Church will be the ONE thing He considers worth saving and the primary means by which He will one day rule the world, and all who accept His call to join Him in His great work must understand several important things.
Scripture: Matthew 16:13-17
Now when Jesus went into the region of Casesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of man is? And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? Simon Peter replied, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus answered him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah (son of John). For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros – a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra – a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven;