Section 18: Lord’s Day 18

How dost thou understand these words, “he ascended into heaven?”

That Christ, in sight of his disciples, was taken up from earth into heaven;^a and that he continues there for our interest, until he come again to judge the quick and the dead.^b

1. a. Acts 1:9; Mark 16:19

   Acts 1:9

   Mark 16:19

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

2. b. Hebrews 4:14; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 4:10

   Hebrews 4:14

   Romans 8:34

   Ephesians 4:10

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

Is not Christ then with us even to the end of the world, as he hath promised?

Christ is very man and very God: with respect to his human nature, he is no more on earth; but with respect to his Godhead, majesty, grace and spirit, he is at no time absent from us.^a

1. a. Acts 3:21; John 3:13; John 16:28; Matthew 28:20

   Acts 3:21

   John 3:13

   John 16:28

   Matthew 28:20

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

But if his human nature is not present, wherever his Godhead is, are not then these two natures in Christ separated from one another?

Not at all; for since the Godhead is incomprehensible and omnipresent,^a it must necessarily follow that the same is not limited with the human nature he assumed, and yet remains personally united to it.^b

1. a. Acts 7:49; Matthew 24:30

   Acts 7:49

   Matthew 24:30

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

2. b. Matthew 28:20; John 16:28; 17:11; John 3:13

   Matthew 28:20

   John 16:28

   John 17:11

   John 3:13

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

Of what advantage to us is Christ’s ascension into heaven?

First, that he is our advocate in the presence of his Father in heaven:^a secondly, that we have our flesh in heaven, as a sure pledge that he, as the head, will also take up to himself, us, his members:^b thirdly, that he sends us his spirit as an earnest,^c by whose power we “seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, and not things on earth.”^d

1. a. Hebrews 9:24; 1 John 2:2; Romans 8:34

   Hebrews 9:24

   1 John 2:2

   Romans 8:34

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

2. b. John 14:2; Ephesians 2:6

   John 14:2

   Ephesians 2:6

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

3. c. John 14:16; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5

   John 14:16

   2 Corinthians 1:22

   2 Corinthians 5:5

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

4. d. Colossians 3:1; Philippians 3:20

   Colossians 3:1

   Philippians 3:20

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible