Popular tradition often pictures the Church of God as a physical edifice—a place where worshippers gather weekly on Sunday or Saturday. But if we take Jesus as the sole founder of His Church, we must set aside the idea of a material building, for He never constructed one. Instead, He regularly taught in Jewish synagogues on the Sabbath, as was His custom. Yet those synagogues and their congregations were not His Church; His true Church was established through His disciples.
Though largely unrecognized at its inception, Jesus’ Church is inherently indestructible—by His own word. His works were publicly displayed, yet only a few truly recognized Him as the Christ. Founded on the apostles, this Church received Jesus’ definitive promise that the gates of Hades would not prevail against it. That assurance points to a spiritual reality hidden from worldly eyes: a Church Jesus declared imperishable, because its foundation is eternally rock-solid.
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah (Matthew 16:17-20 NIV).
Peter perceived something extraordinary, unseen by many. Yet Peter’s death does not fit the world’s idea of a blessing, even though it was, in its own way, as special as Jesus’ death. This reveals a deep misunderstanding of what blessing truly means. To be counted worthy to die for the cause is a privilege beyond comparison—a special blessing the world considers a curse. The striking paradox of the indestructible Church is its lack of popularity, and yet it is indestructible. Only common things are destined to perish.
At its inception, God’s Church was viciously treated like a cult. Many things that excite ordinary people are destined to perish. The esteemed Pharisees of Jesus’ day, so visibly popular then, are now only a historical footnote. An observant reader can discern certain characteristic marks that identify God’s Church. Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them” (John 6:44). Let’s examine seven features revealing the indestructibility of God’s Church.
Truth
Jesus never delegated the building of His Church to anyone else; He emphatically told His disciples that He Himself would build it. The actual construction would take place in the future, after His death and resurrection. Everything Jesus taught embodied the truth that nothing could substitute. Every time the religious teachers tried to trap Him, they failed. Even at the crucifixion, the Pharisees struggled to produce a justifiable charge against Him.
They resorted to a vociferous crowd to stir up commotion and bolster their claim of guilt. Yet Governor Pilate, a Gentile, could not find Him guilty based on the testimonies presented. Pilate had the authority to release Jesus, but doing so would cost him popularity with the Jews. He washed his hands, declaring Jesus’ innocence, as though sensing the magnitude of what was unfolding.
Even without knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures, Governor Pilate bore witness to the truth: Jesus was not guilty of any crime deserving crucifixion. To convict Jesus, the Jews fabricated lies—shades of truth blended with falsehood. Lawyers are famously skilled at that trick. But truth is aligned with God, and it takes an analytical mind to separate truth from lies. Ordinary people are easily carried away by a torrent of words.
As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God” (John 19:6-7 NIV).
Interestingly, though a Gentile, Pilate seemed conscious of the gravity of condemning an innocent man. This shows that truth cannot be propped up by religious convictions alone. God’s law requires no addition or subtraction. The Jews knew this well, yet, like so many people, they indulged in fabricating lies to serve their interests and suppress others. The Sabbath laws, for example, had long been twisted out of context.
The Jewish leaders insisted they had a law that mandated death for anyone claiming to be God’s Son. Pilate should have demanded, “Show me that law!” Of course, no such law existed. Ordinary people assumed it existed simply because the leaders, who were a law unto themselves, said so. Where exactly, in the Law of Moses, is there a condemnation for calling oneself the Son of God? Those who venerate hierarchical structures never dare ask such questions.
God’s Sons
“You are doing the works of your own father,” said Jesus. “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me” (John 8:41-42 NIV).
Was there any real basis for the dispute when Jesus claimed to be God’s Son? No, because they themselves claimed to be God’s children. Presumably, they had some criterion for being God’s child. What standard were they using? And did they truly grasp what it meant to be God’s children? Such double standards exposed those Jewish leaders as frauds.
The Jews claimed to be God’s children but could not live up to the standard. They could not identify with Jesus, who came from God. Only God’s true children can perceive what those Jews failed to see. This reveals that truth cannot blend with falsehood. Those who belong to God’s Church are God’s children. Jesus instructed them to call no one “father” (Matthew 23:9), a command as profound as His own claim to be God’s Son.
Those who can truly identify themselves as God’s children make up the membership of God’s Church. They know they are God’s children, and God knows them. The Jews also identified themselves as God’s children, but could not meet the standard. God’s children defend their convictions easily, without considering the viewpoints of those of this world, taking their instructions directly from God, just as Jesus defended His own. The sole mark that qualifies one as God’s child is the Holy Spirit, according to Paul (Romans 8:9).
Persecution
Another chief mark of God’s Church is hidden in the labyrinth of persecution—something ordinary people cannot identify with. A willingness to endure persecution for holding to one’s convictions is a further sign of belonging to God’s Church. Very few are willing to suffer for the truth; most crave the enjoyment of life, mistaking it for blessing, while they vehemently oppose God’s standard. Heaven-domiciled, God’s Church is foreign to the world.
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood” (1 John 4:4-6 NIV).
The apostle John spoke like Jesus, claiming to be from God—words incomprehensible to the worldly. Members of God’s Church are persecuted, just as Jesus was, for claiming an identity that the world cannot understand. Ordinary people cannot recognize God’s Church; they mistake it for the opposite. So they celebrate the opposite as blessings, but failing to see what is described as a blessing.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12 NIV).
This Scripture portrays blessings that simply do not register in the ordinary mind. To most, “blessings” mean personal favors, monetary gain, and the like. Only God’s children can appreciate persecution as a blessing—it confirms their identity. Nowhere in the Gospels does Jesus tell His disciples to rejoice when people praise them for doing God’s work; instead, He says, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12).
The apostles’ persecution began after they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2). The outpouring of the Spirit brought many converts, but it also marked the start of their troubles. As God’s children, they could never be comfortably at home in a sinful world. The persecution they endured brought them comfort, exactly as Jesus had foretold. God’s approval was not shown by favorable treatment from people; it was marked by vile treatment from the Jews.
“…They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” (Acts 5:40-42 NIV).
Flogging was excruciating, used to enforce a deterrent on the subjects. But note the apostles’ response: “they left the Sanhedrin, “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41). They were emboldened, ignoring their persecutors’ warning, viewing it as insignificant. Their resolution and joy came from aligning with Jesus’ command to rejoice and be glad under extreme persecution.
Secrecy
Ordinary people cannot perceive the obvious because of prejudice. The truth about God’s Kingdom is hidden within prejudice. That is why the Jews condemned Jesus for calling Himself the Son of God, even while claiming to be children of God themselves. Truth is as plain as Governor Pilate saw it, yet it remains hidden to those clouded in prejudice. The people of this world are preoccupied with worldly opinions rather than what John portrays (1 John 4:4-6).
Consider those from His hometown who took offense rather than rejoicing when Jesus displayed wisdom beyond theirs (Mark 6:1-5). They got offended because they considered Him as unsophisticated in Kingdom matters, invalidating Him because of His background. They missed the blessing of being in the company of such a profound man. Crowds followed Jesus for miraculous benefits; others recognized He was no ordinary man and wanted to hear more. Yet to these, Jesus spoke in parables, which amazed His disciples.
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” (Mark 4:10-12 NIV).
There is an element of counting the cost before coming to Christ (Luke 14:25-33). In His loving mercy, Jesus did not indiscriminately invite everyone to accept His teachings. Since He required them to renounce everything as a condition of following Him, He knew this was difficult and would deter ordinary people. The popularity associated with much of Christianity actually serves to preserve the secrecy of His true Church. Only people of substance can be attracted to joining His Church; the chaff is blown away.
The gospel must be proclaimed, yet unless we realize that it carries the very opposite of the popularity touted by false preachers, the gospel remains veiled. Hearers are expected to make informed decisions based on Jesus’ words, not on what excites the crowd. Jesus never intended to make the gospel accessible to all, except on superficial terms, but to those genuinely determined to receive it. Teaching in parables ensured that those seriously attracted to it would do so, based on substance, fostering self-determination, rather than reliance on miracle-workers.
Humility
Nothing is as unpopular in this world as humility, and it serves to repel the proud from embracing true Christianity, as Jesus never intended to redeem the proud, except after repentance. Humility creates a separation between the acceptable and the unacceptable. The poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Jesus spoke from the vantage point of understanding human nature; the great stumbling block is pride.
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NIV).
Proud people can never accept what comes from the despised. They assume that knowledge flows only from respected quarters. That mindset keeps them far from God’s Kingdom. In their judgmental attitude, they focus on the messenger rather than God’s message. Only the humble swallow their pride and change. The gates of Hades prevail against the proud, who are easily offended, unlike the humble, and who remain resilient, even under extreme persecution.
The easiest gateway to the secrets of God’s Kingdom is the willingness to experience anything, just as Jesus was willing to experience the cross. Humility is a stumbling block that keeps the proud at a distance, but fostering a readiness to change in the humble. That is why the proud cannot embrace transformation. When Jesus said the gates of Hades would not prevail against His Church, He grounded that promise in the reality that a humble person—willing to change when proven wrong—can endure anything, even death.
Spiritual Seal
God’s Kingdom is spiritual. It cannot be accessed through our physical nature alone. Even the disciples, who willingly left everything, had their own failings because of physical limitations. Without God’s Spirit, it is impossible to enter the Kingdom’s secrets, because the flesh fears the unknown. The process requires repentance before baptism. Peter’s attitude changed only after he received the Spirit.
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38 NIV).
It takes honest self-examination before submitting to baptism for the receiving of the Holy Spirit, who seals one as God’s child. For such a person, death is considered a gain rather than a loss. Baptism is the public declaration of a decision to follow Christ against all odds, though God can also work with a truly repentant heart. Baptism is by immersion into the water, but the apostles were spiritually baptized at Pentecost. Paul declared that one can’t be a Christian without the Holy Spirit.
“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9 NIV).
Christianity remains the world’s largest religion, yet only a fraction of its adherents can truly be counted as followers of Christ. This conviction stands only when we weigh contemporary beliefs and practices against the actual teachings of Jesus. Wearing the Christian label may be socially convenient, but the reality of authentic discipleship is the very opposite. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the ultimate determining factor—yet tragically, the vast majority of professing believers neither comprehends nor acknowledges this reality.
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:15-17 NIV).
Boldness
The apostles could not stand with Jesus at the cross, yet after receiving the Spirit of Truth, they became bold. God’s children are fearless; they tread where others fear to walk. Others cannot confront them face to face—like cockroaches scurrying in the dark, they gossip and wish them dead, but lack the courage to face them. God’s children can be found in various denominations, and even outside institutional Christianity. At times, they may be mistaken for arrogance, but they are the humblest of all. Their boldness springs from conviction grounded in truth.
The boldness such people exude can easily attract followers to some. Yet the majority of them have no followers and may die without any. Although rejected by their own, they cling to the truth more than they worry about rejection. Most are persecuted or despised by those unaware of the consequences of opposing God. Only at Christ’s second coming will such persecutors realize their foolishness.
God’s Church is strong because of the resilience of the humble people who grace it. Harsh conditions only deepen their conviction and assurance of God’s Kingdom. They are not of this world. The Church is galvanized, not discouraged, by the negative forces around it. God is pleased with their seemingly negligible numbers, for they comprise His Church. Its fabric remains untainted by false accusations and repeated persecutions. There is no turning back for those joined to the Church founded by Jesus, for they rejoice in persecution.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, relieving those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions, leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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