The Doctrine of the Church, Matt16:18

Summary

The sermon explores the doctrine of the church, emphasizing that the church was established during Jesus' earthly ministry and not at Pentecost. It distinguishes between the universal invisible church, comprising all of God's people, and the local visible church, which is the organized body believers join. The preacher refutes the Roman Catholic view that the church was built solely on Peter, asserting instead that it is built on the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone. The sermon also discusses the perpetuity of the church, its identity, and the significance of church names and succession.