the promise that the Gates of Hell will not prevail against His Church - thank God for that! I sure thank God for that! Actually, God sent His Son to die and be resurrected, which proves that the Gates of Hades will not prevail against His "called out ones." This is our "blessed hope," right?
But I'm curious...what do you, personally, think that promise means?
Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." I think that is one of the clearer statements in Scripture - His Church is built upon Peter, and it will persevere in Truth until the End, despite the utmost efforts of the Adversary.