Christ Our Exalted Savior

What happened to Christ after He ascended into heaven? What is He doing right now? These questions concern the very important biblical teaching on the exaltation of Christ. The Puritan theologian and pastor John Owen wrote that our neglect of this great truth is a cause of much of our discomfort and insecurity, as well as "most of our weakness in obedience." Owen recognized that Christ's exaltation is "...a principal article of the faith of the church the great foundation of its hope and consolation in the world."[1]

The two states of Christ In order to properly understand Christ's exaltation, we must see it in context with the whole of His life. The life of Christ may be divided into two periods (often called "states"). The two states are distinguished by "the different relationships Jesus had to God's law for mankind, to the possession of authority, and to receiving honor for himself."[2] The first state Christ experienced is called the state of humiliation. This state was the period of Jesus' earthly life from His conception until His resurrection, and consists of four stages -- Christ's Incarnation, suffering, death, and burial. Christ's humiliation was the basis for, and was followed by, the state of exaltation. This is the period from His resurrection into eternity future. It consists of four stages as well -- His resurrection, His ascension, His enthronement at God's right hand, and His return in glory.

Thus, the pattern of Christ's life was first suffering and lowliness, and then exaltation and glory. "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" (Luke 24:26). "But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor..." (Hebrews 2:9). "...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

The state of humiliation Because Jesus is God, He never had a beginning. From eternity past, He has shared in great glory with the Father (John 17:5). But 2,000 years ago, the eternal Son of God took upon Himself a human nature and became fully God and fully man in one Person. This is called the Incarnation, and was the first stage in and beginning of the state of humiliation. In the Incarnation, Jesus did not give up any of His divinity, but He did temporarily lay aside the exalted status and privilege that was His by taking upon Himself the status of a lowly servant obedient unto death. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).

Not only did Jesus deny Himself the full experience of honor and glory while on earth, He also placed Himself under God's law. "But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:4-5). God's law not only demands that disobedience be punished, but also that its requirements be perfectly met something which all people have failed to do. Therefore, before believers could be declared right with God, Christ had to perfectly obey the law for us. Christ did this in the state of humiliation. He made Himself subject to God's law and obeyed it perfectly so that we could have this perfect obedience reckoned to us in justification. God declares us righteous because Christ has perfectly met all of God's righteous demands for us. "..through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:19).

Christ also became subject to the curse of the law -- the punishment we deserve for breaking it in order to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could be forgiven. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us for it is written, `Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'..." (Galatians 3:13). In the act of justification, believers are forgiven because Christ paid the penalty for our sins, and we are given righteousness because He fulfilled the requirements of the law for us. It is with this understanding of Christ's relationship to the law (subject to it for our salvation) and to His receiving honor for Himself (having laid aside the full experience of His glory) that we should understand the remaining stages of His humiliation.

Christ's suffering, which He endured throughout His entire earthly life in varying degrees, is the second stage. Because of His sufferings, He is "A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3) and can therefore sympathize with us in our sufferings. His suffering climaxed in His death by crucifixion, the third stage, when He discharged the penalty of our sins. The last stage of Christ's humiliation was His burial. The thought of our bodies being buried in the ground does not need to be a frightening thing to the believer because Christ Himself has gone before us. Christ's "burial didn't merely prove that He was dead, but also served to remove the terrors of the grave for the redeemed and to sanctify the grave for them."[3]

The state of Exaltation Jesus died and was buried, but that wasn't the end of His life -- it was only the end of His state of humiliation. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and entered forever into His state of exaltation. His relationship to God's law, His possession of authority, and receiving honor to Himself changed. He had passed out of the state of being under the law for obtaining our righteousness and under the curse of the law for obtaining our forgiveness. He entered into the possession of the blessings He had won for us through His submission to the law. And, as we will see, He was given all authority over heaven and earth and was crowned with corresponding honor and glory.

After describing Christ's state of humiliation in Philippians 2:5-8, Paul tells us that Christ's humiliation was the basis for, and led to, His exaltation: "Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (vv. 9-11). God had answered Christ's prayer in John 17:5: "And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." Acts 5:31 says that Christ "is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior."

Christ's resurrection
This is the first stage, and beginning of, the exaltation. Christ rose from the dead physically (Luke 24:39), in the same body that had died (John 20:20), which was nonetheless transformed to a higher level of existence (Philippians 3:21; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44), and He will continue to have His body forever (see Revelation 1:18; Romans 6:9; Philippians 3:21). It would therefore be a mistake to think that the Incarnation is only something that lasted during the state of humiliation. While the union of Godhood and manhood in Christ began in the state of humiliation, this union will continue forever. Christ will be fully God and fully man forever.

Christ's resurrection has much significance for our lives. First, Christ's resurrection defeated death. Because He did not stay dead, Christ overpowered death and won the victory over it. Therefore, second, Christ's resurrection insures the future resurrection of all believers. Death no longer has any power over us because our savior has defeated it. "...He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring you into His presence" (2 Corinthians 4:14). Third, Christ's resurrection insured our regeneration. "We have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3). While God has from all eternity predestined whom He would save, the elect are not made actual partakers of the blessings of salvation until they are born again and believe the gospel. Fourth, Christ's resurrection insured our justification. When God raised Christ, it was His declaration of approval of Christ's work of redemption and a demonstration that it was complete. Since God "raised us up with Him" (Ephesians 2:6), then, by virtue of our union with Christ, God's declaration of approval of Christ is also His declaration of approval of us.[4]

Christ's Ascension
The resurrection of Christ is completed by His ascension into heaven forty days later -- the second stage of His exaltation. The ascension complements and completes the resurrection by indicating that the post-resurrection appearances were ending and by demonstrating "that His going away would be no fading out but His entry in to glory."[5] To ascend means "to go up." Thus, we may define Christ's ascension as His physical "going up" to a special place -- heaven -- for a special purpose -- to be coronated as King of Kings and to appear in the presence of God for us.

There are a few aspects of the ascension that I wish to highlight. First, Christ ascended bodily: "And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9). Second, Christ ascended to a place -- namely, heaven: "And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; and they also said, `Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:10-11). Thus, He did not give up His human nature, but entered into the heavenly sanctuary with it for the purpose of being our advocate before the Father: "For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Hebrews 9:24; cf. 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1). As our high priestly advocate in heaven, Christ continually intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25-26). Third, His entrance into heaven upon His ascension was an entrance into great glory. First Timothy 3:16 says that Christ was "Taken up in glory." Daniel 7:13 seems to describe the scene in heaven after Christ had been taken out of the sight of His disciples: "I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him."

Christ's seating at the right hand of the Father
As this verse in Daniel anticipates, the ascension led to Christ's taking His seat at the Father's right hand, the third stage of His exaltation. The majesty that Christ entered into upon His ascension was His seating at the right hand of the Father, when He received glory, honor, and authority that had not been His before as the God-man. The next verse in Daniel continues: "And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed." Thus, the Ascension is the connecting link between Christ's resurrection and seating at God's right hand: "Just as, looking backwards, the Ascension completes the Resurrection, so looking forward it leads us into His enthronement."[6]

There are many NT verses which speak of Christ's seating at God's right hand. "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31). Hebrews 12:2 commands us to fix our eyes on Jesus, who has "sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Colossians 3:1 exhorts us: "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God" (see also 1 Peter 3:22; Romans 8:34). What does it mean that Christ has sat down at God's right hand?

First, it shows the perfection of His work of winning our salvation, which He accomplished in His state of humiliation. Christ sat down because His work of obtaining our salvation is finished. His task is complete, and both He and the Father are fully satisfied with it. "When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they" (Hebrews 1:3-4). "...but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet" (Hebrews 10:12-13).

Second, when Christ was seated at the Father's right hand He received the authority to pour out the Holy Spirit on the church. It is not as if the Spirit had not been on earth and ministering to believers before, but that Jesus sent the Spirit to begin a new phase of ministry which was much richer than that experienced in the Old Testament. "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear" (Acts 2:32-33). John 7:38-39 shows clearly the connection between Jesus' glorification and the giving of the Spirit: "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, `From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." When the Spirit was poured out in His fullness on Pentecost, it was therefore a sure sign that Jesus had indeed been glorified.

Third, when Jesus ascended into heaven and took His seat at the right hand of the Father, He received great honor and glory that had not been His before as the God-man. Early we saw that in the state of humiliation Jesus had laid aside His exalted status and privilege by becoming man with a lowly status. In the resurrection, and more fully in His seating at the right hand, Jesus entered again into His pre-incarnate glory and exalted status (John 17:5). While He had experienced this glory from eternity past as God, He did not experience this glory as the God-man until His ascension and seating at God's right hand. In seating Him at His right hand, the Father "highly exalted [the Greek means super-exalted]" Christ because of His obedience unto death during His Humiliation. Hebrews 2:9 says that "because of the suffering of death," Jesus was "crowned with glory and honor." Jesus also received the glory of now being massively praised for His work of winning our salvation with words such as these by the heavenly chorus: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing" (Revelation 5:12).

Fourth, not only did Christ receive honor and glory that had not been His before as the God-man, He also received authority that had not been His before as the God-man. Christ's seating at God's right hand thus indicates that He has been enthroned as ruler of the universe. The right hand of God is a position of authority and rule. It is the top position of authority in the universe. "The right hand of God is metaphorical language for divine omnipotence and omnipresence, and it affirms that Christ is reigning everywhere as king and Lord, wielding the power of divine authority."[7] His entrance upon His seat at God's right hand was His coronation as King, an awesome and glorious ceremony in heaven in which Christ was officially and publically inaugurated as King of the universe. This is another reason that He received such glory and honor upon His taking His seat at the Father's right hand -- glory, honor, and praise that continues forever.

Paul writes of Christ being invested with cosmic authority in Ephesians 1:19-23, where He teaches that God "raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all." Notice four things here. First, God the Father is the one who raised Christ from the dead and seated Christ at His right hand. Second, God's right hand is the highest authority in the universe, because it is said to put Christ above all other authorities. Third, Christ will always be in His position of top authority of the universe -- both now and into eternity. Fourth, this means that all things are subject to Christ's rule. The Father has put "all things in subjection under His feet," which we will examine more fully later.

Thus, Christ has received supreme authority over the universe -- over all people and all spiritual forces, whether good or evil. He is the final authority, the top authority in all things, and thus everything is subject to Him and under His control (Philippians 3:21). Therefore Christ is "the head over all rule and authority" (Colossians 2:10). We need not fear troubles caused by threats given by wicked spiritual or human authorities, because they are all subject to Christ's rule. He has "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18), and is now "at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him" (1 Peter 3:22). This verse in 1 Peter beautifully brings out the connection between Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, seating at God's right hand, and receiving of authority. It is through His death that He rendered the devil powerless (Hebrews 2:14) and the Father "disarmed the rulers and authorities" (Colossians 2:15) so that Christ could have "angels and authorities and powers...subjected to Him" upon His resurrection -- which was visibly manifested in His ascension when He "rose above" all other authorities to take His seat at the Father's right hand, above all rule and authority, for His official installation as King.

Christ's natural Lordship and mediatorial Lordship. Christ's enthronement, however, raises a perplexing question: How was it possible for Christ to receive authority that Had not been His before? If Jesus is God, why did He say "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18)? This question faces us most forcefully in Acts 2:33, where Peter seems to say that in the resurrection and seating at God's right hand, God "has made Him both Lord and Christ." How can Peter say that Christ was "made Lord"? He has always been Lord! Christ was Lord at His birth: "..for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10). Jesus Himself said to Pilate before His crucifixion: "You say correctly that I am a king" (John 8:37). How, then, can Acts 2:33 seem to say that Jesus was made Lord at His exaltation and Matthew 28:18 say that He had been given all authority?

In order to answer this, we must first understand that there are two levels of Christ's Lordship. Peter Lewis wisely writes: "Jesus did not begin to be Lord at His ascension, but He began to be Lord in a new way. To Paul, Jesus did become the Lord of glory after he was crucified, for it was precisely the Lord of glory who was crucified (1 Corinthians 2:8). But for the first time He was in heaven in our nature, and at the right hand of God as the God-man."[8]

The two levels of Christ's Lordship are His natural Lordship and His mediatorial Lordship. His natural Lordship is the Lordship He possess by original right because He is God, and God rules over all (Psalm 103:19). He has always been Lord in this way, since He has always been God. His mediatorial Lordship, on the other hand, is the Lordship He has because He is Savior of the world. This Lordship is based upon His suffering and death, by which He won our salvation. "For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living" (Romans 14:9). Whereas His natural Lordship is original, His mediatorial Lordship was won. Whereas His natural Lordship is eternal, His mediatorial Lordship was acquired (Hebrews 1:5; 5:5).

Since He has been appointed to His mediatorial Lordship from eternity, and the success of His mission was certain, He has exercised His mediatorial Lordship since the fall. However, Christ did not officially and publically acquire or fully enter upon His mediatorial Lordship until His enthronement. "Though He was permitted to rule as Mediator even before His incarnation, He did not publicly and formally assume His throne and inaugurate His spiritual kingdom until the time of His ascension and elevation at the right hand of God, Acts 2:29-36; Phil. 2:5-11."[9] Christ's seating at the right hand of the Father was His official and complete entrance upon the exercise of His mediatorial Lordship because it is then that, as both God and man, He was publicly inaugurated as King and as such received "the reigns of government over the Church and over the universe, and is made to share in the corresponding glory."[10]

Thus, Peter's statement that God made Jesus `both Lord and Christ' (Acts 2:36), teaches that Christ has now entered upon the fulness of His mediatorial Lordship. Since He did not exercise the fullness of His mediatorial Lordship before, God had "made Him" Lord in His resurrection and enthronement. As John Murray writes, "Peter cannot be understood to mean that then for the first time Jesus became Lord and Christ. He is referring to the new phase of his messianic Lordship."[11] Likewise, Matthew 28:19 does not deny that Jesus has always had all authority as God, but teaches that in regards to His mediatorial Lordship He has now been invested with the reigns of government of the whole universe. To summarize, Jesus did not begin to be Lord in His exaltation, but entered upon a higher level of His mediatorial Lordship.

Romans 1:3-4 brings out the two phases of Christ's Lordship very clearly. "The gospel of God...concerning His Son...who was declared the Son of God in power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord." John Murray points out that the word translated as "declared" here everywhere else in the NT means "appoint." Thus, this verse says that Jesus was appointed the Son of God in power by His resurrection. But wait a minute -- hasn't He always been the Son of God? Of course He has. But notice that the verse doesn't say merely that Jesus was appointed the Son of God. It says He was appointed "Son of God in power." Thus, "The apostle is dealing with some particular event in the history of the Son of God incarnate by which He was instated in a position of sovereignty and invested with power, an event which in respect of investiture with power surpassed everything that could previously be ascribed to Him in His incarnate state."[12] This verse, then, teaches that by the resurrection, Jesus entered upon "a new phase of lordship and glory" as the Incarnate Son of God. In other words, Romans 1:3-4 refers to two successive stages in Christ's life. In the state of humiliation, Jesus was "Son-of-God-in-weakness" and in the state of exaltation He became "Son-of-God-in-power."

His mediatorial Lordship is not something exercised in a new realm, different from the realm of His natural Lordship. They are both in the same realm -- everywhere. Rather, His mediatorial Lordship is His natural kingship "invested with a new form, wearing a new aspect, and administered for a new end."[13]

Further, His mediatorial Lordship depends upon His natural Lordship, for it is necessary that Christ be God in order to be exalted to the height He is in His mediatorial Lordship as the God-man. "Jesus could never have become the Lord He became if He had not already (and eternally) been the Lord He was..."[14]

Christ's spiritual kingship and universal kingship. In addition to the two levels of Christ's Lordship (mediatorial and natural), there are two distinct aspects of Christ's mediatorial Lordship. They are His spiritual kingship and His universal kingship. His spiritual kingship is His saving rule established in the hearts and lives of believers, who are submissive to His commands, and His saving rule as it acts in the world to bring people to faith in Him. Christ's rule over His church is a manifestation of His spiritual kingship. He is head of the church (Colossians 1:18), He nourishes the church (Ephesians 5:29), He protects the church, causes the church to grow, and He governs the church through His commands in the Bible. The essence of Christ's spiritual rule is in bringing people to greater and greater submission to His moral will.

His universal kingship, on the other hand, is His kingship over the universe. This is His sovereign determination and control of all events, great and small. He makes sure that everything in the universe happens exactly the way He wants it. He is the "ruler of the kings of the earth" (Revelation 1:5) and He "does according to His will in the hosts of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay His hand or say to Him, `what are you doing?'" (Daniel 4:35). Thus, His universal kingship includes even the wicked forces. For everything is under His control (Philippians 3:21).

Christ's exercises His universal kingship for the sake of His spiritual kingship. In other words, He rules the world for the benefit of the church. His universal kingship is employed for the welfare of His people. Everything that He sovereignly does in the world is to somehow benefit the church. "...and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church" (Ephesians 1:22, RSV). Further, His sovereign authority over all of the universe is what enables us to fulfill the great commission: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (Matthew 28:18-19).

Christ's present and future spiritual kingship. Finally, there is both a present and future dimension to Christ's spiritual kingship as mediator. Berkhof writes that Christ's reign "is on the one hand a present, ever developing, spiritual reality in the hearts and lives of men, and as such exercises influence in a constantly widening sphere. Jesus and the apostles clearly refer to the Kingdom as already present in their time, Matt. 12:28; Luke 17:21; Colossians 1:13....On the other hand it is also a future hope...Matt. 7:21, 22; 19:23; 1 Cor. 6:9; 15:50; Galatians 5:21. Essentially the future kingdom will consist, like that of the present, in the rule of God established and acknowledge in the hearts of men," however at that time all of the opposition will be destroyed. No more will there be rebel forces opposing the kingdom. God has said to Christ "Sit at my right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet" (Psalm 110:1). Thus, while all things, wicked and good, are now subject to Christ ("Sit at my right hand") one day God and Christ will have fully eliminated everything that does not gladly submit to Christ's spiritual kingship ("until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet"). The universal kingship and spiritual kingship of Christ will thus be one, for all of Christ's enemies will have been judged and consigned to hell, and everybody who passes the judgement through faith in Him will then live forever in perfect obedience to Christ's moral will -- which is the same as saying that Christ's universal kingship will then be the same as His spiritual kingship. His sovereign will and His moral will, will be the same.

Christ's second coming.
This is the final stage in Christ's exaltation. In His ascension Christ was "taken into heaven" (Acts 1:11), in His Second Coming He will be "revealed from heaven" (2 Thessalonians 1:7). Peter tells us that "heaven must receive [Him] until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time" (Acts 3:21). I wish to point out eight things in regards to the second coming.

First, Christ will return in exactly the same way He left, and therefore physically: "This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). Second, Christ will return in great power and glory: "...looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus" (Titus 2:13). He will be "revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire" (2 Thessalonians 1:7). Third, Jesus' return will bring Him great glory and praise: "...when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed" (2 Thessalonians 1:10). Fourth, Jesus will resurrect the bodies of all believers at His return, making them like His own (Philippians 3:21). Fifth, our faith will result in Praise and glory and honor" to Christ when He returns (1 Peter 1:7). Sixth, believers will receive great joy when Christ is glorified and their labors of love are rewarded on that day (Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:19; Philippians 2:16). Seventh, believers are to place all of their hope on this day (1 Peter 2:13). Eighth, upon His return, Christ will judge the living and the dead to give believers their crowns and evaluate their works, and to condemn the unbelievers: "[He will] deal out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). "If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward" (1 Corinthians 3:14).

For all these reasons, we can see why the physical return of Christ is the highest point of His exaltation. As Berkhof says, "The highest point [in the exaltation] is not reached until He who suffered at the hands of man, returns in the capacity of judge." The Second Coming will signalize the competed victory of Jesus Christ, and usher in the renewed creation where only righteousness will dwell forever.

Implications Finally, there are many wonderful applications that these glorious truths have to our lives as believers. First, it is significant to recognize that believers follow in the path of Christ. As He was first in a lowly state of suffering, so also we are now in a lowly state of suffering. As He overcame and entered into His eternal glory, so also we will overcome and enter into His eternal glory (1 John 5:4; Revelation 3:21; Romans 8:17). As Christ rose from the dead, so also we will be raised from the dead at His coming (Philippians 3:21). As Christ ascended into heaven, we will also ascend up to heaven when our bodies are raised from the grave (1 Thessalonians 4:17). As Christ will return to judge the world, so also we will return with Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18) and even be given authority to judge (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). And as Christ reigns on His Father's throne, so also we will be made to share in His authority and reign with Him forever (Revelation 3:21; 22:5). This is truly amazing. What a glorious future God has in store for us! No wonder He commands us to "rejoice in hope" (Romans 12:12) and Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened so that we would know the hope we have (Ephesians 1:18).

Second, because of our union with Christ, we even now partially share in the authority that He has over the universe from the right hand of God (Ephesians 2:6).

Third, because Christ reigns as King of the universe for the benefit of the church, we can have comfort and security in our trials. Everything first passes through His hands, and He is working for our good in all things.

Fourth, what great encouragement we have in prayer, knowing that we have an audience with the top authority in the universe!

Fifth, we should find great joy, strength, courage, and awe in our knowledge of Christ as the exalted and enthroned king of the universe. Our Savior is powerful and exalted. Let us therefore worship Him and be strong in Him.

Sixth, because of our union with Christ, we are united with Him even as He rules in all His glory. This has stunning implications: "We often consider the joy communicated to believers by the Holy Spirit, but too rarely think of it as being Christ's joy shared with His church from His heavenly session. Our exultation is the result of His exaltation, the outflow of His own triumphant joy in having accomplished the work He was sent to do, in being in glory at His Father's right hand, and in seeing His church gathered in."[15]

Finally, understanding the exaltation of Christ gives us a wonderful perspective on the truths that we shall one day be where Christ is (John 14:1-3) and that in this place we will behold His glory (John 17:22-24). Thus, even as we are on earth we are centrally defined by Christ's place in heaven: "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-5).

Notes 1. Quoted in Peter Lewis, The Glory of Christ (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1997), pp. 398-399.
2. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Zondervan Publishing and InterVarsity Publishing, 1994), p. 620.
3. Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, new combined edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman's Publishing, 1938), p. 340.
4. These implications are mainly from Grudem, pp. 614-616.
5. Brian K. Donne, quoted in Lewis, 395.
6. Lewis, p. 395.
7. Donne, quoted in Lewis, p. 396.
8. Lewis, p. 254.
9. Berkhof, p. 410
10. Berkhof, p. 352.
11. John Murray, Epistle to the Romans, combined edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman's Publishing, 1997 edition), p. 10.
12. Murray, p. 10.
13. Berkhof, p. 406.
14. Lewis, p. 192.
15. Lewis, p. 397.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, by the Lockman Foundation.

See The Offices of Christ for a brief study of the three offices of Prophet, Priest, and King that Christ exercises in these two states for the sake of our salvation.

Go back to Contend for the Faith.

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