Christ's Place in the Heavens

By Rev. Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts From Parson Farms:

How the Ascension Gives the Believer Peace

Good Morning!

Today in the grace of our God we are blessed to talk about what our Lord Jesus Christ is currently doing for us in our present time and place. It’s easy for us to make perfunctory motions towards Christ being Prophet, Priest, and King, but it is another thing to actually live in that truth. As you look at the Catechism questions below one of the key points that should jump out at your soul is the active work our Redeemer is engaged in daily, regularly on our behalf in each of those offices. His exaltation in His resurrection and ascension is where His ministry for the Church really hits the road. The more and better we see that, the more comfort we will have in our faith. However, if we refuse to take advantage of it either by apathy or through disregarding its importance then we should not be surprised when we remain infants in understanding, and continue to fight the daily urges to just get through the next moment. The men and women of Israel who persevered through the exiles were those who knew God, and as David says in Psalm 119 when he meditates on the law, he builds strength upon strength. That is one of the goals of things like the Larger Catechism. It is a help for us to see more clearly the benefits of being a believer both in this life and in the life to come. Let’s look at our Q/A’s for this week:

Q. 51. What was the estate of Christ’s exaltation?

A. The estate of Christ’s exaltation comprehending his resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of the Father, and his coming again to judge the world.

Q. 52. How was Christ exalted in his resurrection?

A. Christ was exalted in his resurrection, in that, not having seen corruption in death, (of which it was not possible for him to be held, and having the very same body in which he suffered, with the essential properties thereof, but without mortality, and other common infirmities belonging to this life,) really united to his soul, he rose again from the dead the third day by his own power; whereby he declared himself to be the Son of God, to have satisfied divine justice, to have vanquished death, and him that had the power of it, and to be Lord of quick and dead: all which he did as a public person, the head of his church, for their justification, quickening in grace, support against enemies, and to assure them of their resurrection from the dead at the last day.

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