The Most Misused Verse Against Protestantism

Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." This promise is often wielded against a Protestant view of church history. Here I recount two assumptions that are often made in such argumentation.

Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus.

Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai.

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DISCORD SERVER ON PROTESTANTISM

00:00 - Matthew 16:18 and Protestantism
01:50 - 1. The Meaning of "Church"
06:04 - 2. "Prevail" and "Gates of Hell"
10:30 - Comparable Promises to Israel

[有人叫我阿夫]

I think if the church was supposed to not commit errors then a lot of content of the epistles wouldn't exist

[curiousgeorge]

Sooo glad you became a YouTuber! I don't have the time nor the energy to read volumes of books on many of the subjects you address. You are a great asset to the church. By church I mean the body of Christ. All those who are regenerate by The Holy Spirit and are citizens of The Kingdom of God. I agree with you that it is undeniable that the Spirit is at work in true believers of all denominations.

[christopherjones]

As someone who for a while, (though no longer) was drawn by the RC church, I appreciate your breakdown that gives a nuanced balanced view of Chruch History. You give a solid, reasonable refutation to often broad brushstroke answers, which if dug into are not as clean cut as some say they are. I enjoy and commend your academically informed and charitable approach. Thank you for the time and energy you put into these videos. I genuinely think they glorify God and His desire for how his children should interact with issues and dialogue with one another.

[seandemura]

I adhere to a more Lutheran persuasion, but I have to admit your videos are incredibly interesting and helpful. God bless your ministry!

[tammywilliams-ankcorn]

I just got your book on triage and really enjoyed it. The papacy, icons, and Mariology are 3 reasons I could not become Catholic; although I love my Catholic brothers and sisters. I believe this verse means the same as in the Old Testament. Satan cannot thwart God and God always saves a remnant of faithful believers. Though the Church strayed like Israel strayed, God rescued and preserves the faithful.

[Em.G..]

Always appreciate your content-honest & informative! 👍🏾

[martinabizzarri]

My faith was shaken when first looking into orthodoxy. It was so hard to find a convicted protestant source to all the questions, but your videos have been a gold mine and given me so much clarity!

[rolandovelasquez]

Exactly, in principle, "prevail" implies a long drawn out struggle, at the end of which, the subject is victorious.
Thanks again and again Gavin. You're doing a good job. I should know. I'm almost 70 and I've been following That Person for almost 50 years, and I know Him whom I have believed.

[pedrohenriquemendonca]

Thanks for the excellent video Gavin! I benefit from your content a lot being a Protestante in a mostly Catholic country (Brazil). Let me suggest videos more related to the sacramental system, that would be nice.
Thank you 👍🏻

[jameswhicker]

Excellent - looking at all sides. You definitely made me think. Thank you for the work you put in to getting the truth - it is appreciated...!

[georgelulgjuraj]

I love what you’re doing brother. God bless you. I’ve shared your work with many of my friends. I pray that more Protestants will benefit from these videos.

[nataliapontirolli]

This is very edifying! Thank you, brother. May you keep bringing glory to God through your work 🙏🏻✨

[Ari-xvqr]

Thank you Dr. Ortlund. Your content is ever helpful. Such useful recourses which help us be grounded, and not blown hither and tither by every wind of doctrine!

[faithandautism-myjourney]

I’m enjoying your videos. They give me lots to think over. I found you whilst researching a Church History assignment on Sola Scriptura as part of my Bachelor of Ministry.

Thank you from Australia.

[marianhreads]

This was very interesting, thank you for sharing. I need to read more about the church councils... I've lately been reimmersed in Anglicanism after finding a new church and feel convicted to remain Protestant.

[threelilies]

What a straight to the point, helpful video. So glad I watched it.

[fellow_servant_jamesk]

Very well articulated Dr Ortlund.

It’s been interesting to observe this phenomenon in my conversations with others (most often Roman Catholics).

The deductive assumption of this phrase in relation to the proposed inerrancy of “the church” is deeply rooted in the question of interpretive authority.

Great video

[susanburrows]

Wow, the breadth of your knowledge & wisdom is helpful & encouraging. I'm amazed & God is glorified. Bless you and your family, Dr. Ortlund.👍🙏

[thedynamicsolo]

I found you through the Becket Cook site here. Thank you for going "deep" for all of us. In this day and age of "busy-ness" we can all fall back into forgetting scripture and its proper applications. Even as a church of Christ member we agree on so many things and as we study more, we UNITE more. Just as Paul told the Corinthians in chapter one, verse 10 "Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment". This is a COMMAND from Paul. The study of the early fathers and contrasts to scripture and all other areas keep me sharp. Thank you Gavin!!!!

[biblicalexegete]

I’d really appreciated a more detailed video on the iconoclast controversy from you. As someone who does a lot of scholarly research into church history and biblical theology who is on a journey inside of Christianity to something new and different from when my own tradition started me I find your videos to bring things to my attention I may not have caught on to as the literature is vast. I find myself lead heavily to high church traditions on theological and historical grounds. What you said on the events related to iconoclasm put a lot of questions in my head I wanna seek answers to from the Eastern Orthodox side and perhaps the Anglicans as well. You only slightly covered this here but while I’m still on this journey and finding myself without the time to really dig hard into the iconoclasm part of church history at the moment seeing a video from you I feel would probably help me greatly in knowing where to go and some resources to look at when I do in addition to what I hear from the other side.

Thank you and blessings to you for the balanced approach you take it is very helpful even if I agree on some things and not others with you.