17. Chapter Four
Chapter Four E xplains, secondly, how Christ's ascension influences a believer's noncondemnation, based on the second premise that Christ represents us.
The assurance that faith can derive from this.We have seen how Christ's ascension and his sitting at God's right hand provide triumphant evidence and demonstration that Christ, as our Guarantor, has undoubtedly conquered our enemies and sins, and satisfied God. Let's now consider further the power, effectiveness, and influence of these two actions (both his ascension and his sitting at God's right hand as our representative) towards the assured fulfillment of the salvation of believers, his chosen ones. From this second point, our faith may be further confirmed and strengthened in its confidence. "Who shall condemn? It is Christ who is at God's right hand." I will include (as before) both his ascension and his sitting at God's right hand.
1. First, regarding his ascension, consider these two aspects that can support our confidence.
(1.) The primary goal and purpose of his ascension, the mission he ascended for, was "to prepare and provide a place for us," and to pave the way for our arrival there. He assures his disciples of this in John 14:2, "In my Father's house are many rooms: I go to prepare a place for you." Just as Joseph was secretly sent ahead by God's intention to prepare a place in Egypt for his brothers, whom God planned to bring after him, so Christ ascends to heaven, openly declaring that to be his mission: "I go to prepare a place for you," and it is my Father's house, he says, where I can provide for you and make you welcome. You heard before, how God welcomed
Christ when he first arrived there, and what he said to him, and Christ said (as it were) back to God: I do not come alone, I have many companions, many of my brothers and followers to come after (for it was the declared and avowed purpose of his coming to prepare a place for them), I prayed when I was on earth, "that where I am they might be also," John 17:24. And now I am here, my followers must come too, I am not complete without them; if you receive me you must receive them also, and I am here to secure lodgings for them. Thus the Captain of our salvation, having been "made perfect through sufferings," and then "crowned with glory and honor," in "bringing many sons to glory," as Hebrews 2:10, of which company he was
Captain, is portrayed as saying to God. Hebrews 2:13, "Behold I and the children which God has given me," he speaks it when brought to glory. I am their Captain, and they must follow me; where I am they must be. Look! I am here, and I am not to come alone, but to bring to glory all the children which you have given me. They shall all be welcome (says God), there is room enough for them, "many rooms;" so that we need not fear, nor say in
our hearts doubting and despairing, "Who shall ascend up to heaven for us," to bring us there? (as in Romans 10:6). Christ has done it; that is the first thing, but that is not all.
(2.) He entered into heaven in our very names, and so is to be considered in that act as a representative (as well as in his death and resurrection), and so representing us, and also taking possession in our right, and we in him, as a guardian takes possession for heirs who are minors. Hebrews 6:20,
"The forerunner has entered" into heaven "for us." "The forerunner for us," that is our forerunner. A forerunner is a forerunner of followers, and of those who do not lag far behind, and usually goes ahead as a harbinger, to secure and reserve lodgings for those who are to come, and writes the names of those who are to come over the doors of such and such rooms, so that they may not be taken by anyone else. And so in Hebrews 12:23, the names of "the firstborn" are said to be "written in heaven," or registered there. And in 1 Peter 1:4, their places or rooms in heaven are said to be
"reserved for them;" they stand empty as it were, yet reserved, so that no one shall take them from them, their names and titles to them being entered and inscribed. And so he truly entered, pro nobis, for us, that is in our place and in our names, as a representative; and therefore the high priest (in the type) entered into the holy of holies, with all the names of the tribes on his chest; even so does Christ with ours, even as a representative in our names, thereby showing that we are likewise to come after him. And this is more than simply preparing a place, it is taking possession of a place, and giving us a right to it.
So that your faith, through this consideration, may see yourselves as good as in heaven already, for Christ has entered as a representative for you.
Justification has two parts: first, acquittal from sin and freedom from
condemnation, as here, "Who shall condemn?" and secondly, "justification of life," as it is called in Romans 5:18; that is, which gives title to eternal life. Now dying and rising as a representative for us, procures the first, sets us perfectly enough in that state of freedom from condemnation. But then, this Christ, his entering into heaven as a representative, sets us far above that state of non-condemnation. It places us in heaven with him. You would think yourselves secure enough if you were ascended into heaven. As Heman said of his condition, that he was "free among the dead," Psalm
88:5; that is, he considered himself (in his despair) free of the company in hell, as well as if he had been there, thinking his name enrolled among them and his place reserved. So you may "reckon yourselves" (as the word is in Romans 6) free of the company of heaven, and your places reserved there.
So that when you come to die, you shall go to heaven as to your own place, by as true a title, though not of your own, as Judas went to hell, which is called "his own place," as (Acts 1) the apostle speaks. What a leap is this!
How far have you left below your pardon of sins and non-condemnation!
You are ascended above. How confidently may you say, "Who shall condemn?" Christ has ascended and entered into heaven. This is the first aspect of the second point, the influence that Christ's ascension has on our justification and salvation.