We should live in light of Christ’s return, under the power of His intercession. Christ sits at the Father’s right hand to secure a place for us. He intercedes for us to make sure that we arrive there safely. He shall return in glory to receive us to Himself and to judge the world. All of life has meaning and purpose because its meaning and purpose lies in Christ’s final exaltation, which encompasses the salvation of His people.
Every good story has an end. This world has an end as well. The effects of sin in every area of life lead many people to ask whether there is meaning in any area of life. Yet, everything that God made has a purpose. He created all things and He governs all things, directing them to the right goal. This means that our salvation has an end or purpose as well. The purpose of all things is to glorify God. God glorifies Himself most greatly in Christ’s work of purchasing our salvation, and in the Spirit’s work of applying our salvation. Creation is marching towards its perfection and glorious completion in Christ at the resurrection and final judgment (Rom. 8:18–26; Col. 1:20). While many things are wrong in the world today due to the effects of sin, God will ultimately set all things right when Christ returns to judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31). The exalted Christ will ultimately exalt the glory of God in every way, both in heaven and on earth.
Christ’s resurrection and ascension are not the only parts of His exaltation. Westminster Larger Catechism 54–56 teaches that God exalts Christ in His session, intercession, and return in judgment. These things are important because Jesus’ place in heaven secures ours, His intercession for us makes our prayers acceptable to God, and He is coming as Judge to receive us to Himself.
How Is Christ Exalted in His Session?
After making purification for sins, Christ sat at the Father’s right hand (Heb. 1:3). Like a worker who sits down after finishing a hard day’s work, Christ sat at the Father’s right hand and rested from His work (4:10). Yet Christ did not rest from His work because He was tired but because God exalted Him by seating Him. His session is thus part of His glory. The catechism explains this in two ways.
First, Christ received the Father’s favor and honor. Sitting at a monarch’s right hand is the highest place of honor. None can add to or take away from the eternal Son’s glory. Yet as the incarnate Son, He was “advanced to the highest favor with God the Father” (Phil. 2:9). The man Christ Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). The highest favor God gave Him was the “name that is above every name,” ensuring that every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that “Jesus Christ is Lord,” to the Father’s glory (Phil. 2:9–11). Just as He rejoiced in spirit at the Father’s will on earth (Luke 10:21), so He has “fullness of joy” at the Father’s right hand in heaven (Ps. 16:11). In His session, the Father answered Jesus’ prayer that the Father would glorify the Son and that the Son would glorify the Father (John 17:1) by glorifying Him with the glory that He had with the Father before the foundation of the world (v. 5). As the Son of Man, Jesus was invested by the Father with “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18; see Dan. 7:13–14). Christ is Head over all things for the sake of the church (Eph. 1:22), which is good news for those belonging to the church. Christ’s session at the Father’s right hand is the seat of the highest honor and power.
Second, Christ is seated to gather and defend His church. His work in doing so reflects His threefold office as Prophet, Priest, and King. As King, He subdues us to Himself by His Word and Spirit, and He subdues His and our enemies, putting them all under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25). The kingdoms of this world are the kingdoms of the seated and reigning Christ (Rev. 11:15). As Prophet, He furnishes “his ministers and people with gifts and graces” (WLC 54; Ps. 110:1; Eph. 4:10–12). He teaches through His ministers (Rom. 10:11–17) so that those who hear Him are taught by God (Isa. 54:13; John 6:45). As Priest, He intercedes for His people (Heb. 7:25). The seated Christ stood to receive Stephen to Himself (Acts 7:56). The seated Christ still stands in our place to make sure there is room for us in God’s eternal house (John 14:2). Christ’s three offices converge in His session. He is the King who takes captives and distributes teaching gifts to the church to fulfill His prophetic office. The primary content of this prophetic office is His priestly work, culminating in His death on the cross (1 Cor. 2:1–5).
Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand to secure a place for us in heaven.
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