Systematic Theology: Lesson 14 - The Works of Christ in Heaven
THE WORKS OF CHRIST IN
HEAVEN
Christology - Lesson 14
I.
CHRIST OUR LIFE
a. Union with Christ (Rom
6:5)
b. Last Adam (1 Cor 15:45-47)
- So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The
last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but
the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the
second man is from heaven.
c. New Creation
i. 2 Cor 5:1 - For we
know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a
building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
ii. Gal 6:15 - For
neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
d. Col 3:3 - Christ,
who is our life
e. “The work of Christ as the
last Adam is therefore one of forming a new creation our of individual
believers in whom is placed eternal life. The very fact that it is compared to
creation implies that God is the source of its power, execution and
consummation and that the new creation is a supreme demonstration of grace and
power.”[3]
II.
CHRIST OUR PRIEST
1 Tim 2:5 - For
there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus,
“In his human nature alone Jesus could not of course be such a great high
priest for all his people all over the world. He could not hear the prayers of
persons far away, nor could he hear prayers that were only spoken in a person’s
mind. He could not hear all requests simultaneously (for in the world at any
one moment there are millions of people praying to him). Therefore, in order to
be the perfect high priest who intercedes for us, he must be God as well as
man. He must be one who in his divine nature can both know all things and bring
them into the presence of the Father. Yet because he became and continues to be
man he has the right to represent us before God and he can express his
petitions from the viewpoint of a sympathetic high priest, one who understands
by experience what we go through. Therefore, Jesus is the only person in the
whole universe for all eternity who can be such a heavenly high priest, one who
is truly God and truly man, exalted forever above the heavens.”[4]
“As the high priest entered into the most holy place with the blood of bulls
and goats, which he had sacrificed without, to appear in the presence of God,
in like manner Jesus Christ, the high priest of the church, called of God to
that office, by the one sacrifice of himself, or by his own blood, entered into
the holy place in heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us…a high priest
and offered his sacrifice before he so entered into the heavenly sanctuary.”[5]
a. CHRIST OUR INTERCESSOR
i. Heb 8:1-2 - Now the
main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has
taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a
minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched,
not man.
ii. Rom 8:34 - Christ
Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of
God, who also intercedes for us.
iii. Heb 7:25 - Therefore
He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since
He always lives to make intercession for them.
iv. Heb 9:24 - 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;
v. 1 John 2:1 - My
little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And
if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous;
vi. Job 16:19 - Even
now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And my advocate is on high.
vii. John 17 is a great example
of His intercession for us.
b. CHRIST OUR PROPITIATION
i. Heb 10:4 - For it is
impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
ii. Heb 9:26 - Otherwise,
He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now
once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by
the sacrifice of Himself.
iii. 2 John 2:2 - and He
Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for
those of the whole world.
iv. The finality of Christ’s
sacrifice (Heb 7:27; 9:12, 24-28; 10:1-2 10, 12, 14; 13:12).
v. Heb 4:14 - Therefore,
since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
c. CHRIST OUR HIGH PRIEST
“Christ is continually presenting His completed sacrifice to the Father as the
sufficient basis for the bestowal of the pardoning grace of God. He is
constantly applying His sacrificial work, and making it effective in the
justification and sanctification of sinners.”[6]
i. Heb 6:19-20 - This
hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one
which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us,
having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
ii. Heb 10:19-22 - Therefore,
brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of
Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil,
that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let
us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
iii. 1 John 2:1-2
iv. Zech 6:13 - Yes, it
is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will bear the honor and
sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the
counsel of peace will be between the two offices.
III.
CHRIST OUR KING[7]
a. Christ rules over the
church by His Spirit and through His appointed elders.
b. “Christ has all the forces
of heaven at His command: the angels are His messengers, always ready to convey
His blessings to the saints, and to guard them against surrounding dangers. He
exercises authority over the forces of nature.”[8]
c. “The Messiah would not be
a mere Davidic king but would be a universal sovereign, sitting at God’s right
hand, honored as Lord even by his ancestor David.”[9]
d. Luke 19:38-40; Matt 21:5;
John 1:49; Acts 17:7
e. Matt 2:2 - “Where is
He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have
come to worship Him.”
f. John 6:15 - So
Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make
Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
g. John 18:36 - Jesus
answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world,
then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the
Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
h. The offer of the Kingdom
(Matt 4:17, 23; 12:28).
i. Eph 1:20-22 - which
He brought about in Christ, when He 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,
j. Matt 28:18 - And
Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in
heaven and on earth.
k. 1 Cor 15:25 - For He
must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
l. Matt 26:64 - Jesus
said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you
will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the
clouds of heaven.”
m. Rev 19:16 - And on
His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS.”
n. Rom 14:9 - For to
this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead
and of the living.
o. Heb 2:7-8 - You have
made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with
glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have
put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to
him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all
things subjected to him.
p. Judge of all the earth
(Matt 19:28; 25:31-34; Luke 3:17; Rom 2:16; 14:9; 2 Cor 5:10; 2 Tim 4:1; Jas
5:9).
q. “The practical value to
the believer of Christ’s presence on this throne is demonstrated in that though
the power of Satan and the temptations of the world are very real, Christ in
this exalted position is able to sustain the believer in his hour of need.”[10]
IV.
CHRIST OUR PROPHET
“Before He parted with His
disciples He promised them the Holy Spirit, to aid their memories, teach them
new truths, guide them in all the truth, and enrich them out of the fulness of
Christ.”[11]
a. John 1:1 - In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
b. John 14:9 - Jesus
said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know
Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us
the Father’?
c. John 14:26 - “But
the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will
teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
d. John 16:12-15 - “I
have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. “But when
He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He
will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and
He will disclose to you what is to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take
of Mine and will disclose it to you. “All things that the Father has are Mine;
therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
e. Heb 1:1-2 - God,
after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in
many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed
heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
f. Deut 18:15-18 - “The
Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your
countrymen, you shall listen to him…‘I will raise up a prophet from among their
countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak
to them all that I command him.’”
g. Not called The Prophet by
the epistles. “Although Jesus is the prophet whom Moses predicted, yet he is
also far greater than any of the Old Testament prophets.”[12]
h. The inspiration of
Scripture, the preaching of the apostles, guiding the church, making the church
the pillar and foundation of the truth, making the truth effective in the
hearts and lives of believers.
V.
CHRIST OUR HEAD
a. Acts 2:47 - praising
God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their
number day by day those who were being saved.
b. 1 Cor 6:15 - Do you
not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the
members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
c. 1 Cor 12:12-14 - For
even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the
body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
d. Eph 2:16 - and might
reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to
death the enmity.
e. Eph 4:4-5 - There is
one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your
calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
f. Eph 4:15-16 - but
speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is
the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together
by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each
individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in
love.
g. Eph 5:30 - because
we are members of His body.
h. Col 1:24 - Now I
rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf
of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s
afflictions.
i. Col 2:19 - and not
holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held
together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
VI.
CHRIST OUR SHEPHERD
a. Heb 13:20 - Now the
God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep
through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord.
b. Luke 15:3-7 -
c. John 10:16 - “I have
other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will
hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
VII. CHRIST OUR VINE
John 15
VIII. CHRIST OUR FOUNDATION
a. 1 Cor 3:11-15 - For
no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ.
b. Eph 2:20 - having been
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself
being the corner stone,
c. 1 Pet 2:4-8 - And coming
to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and
precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as
a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who
believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for
you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders
rejected, This became the very corner stone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a
rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word,
and to this doom they were also appointed.
d. Isa 28:16 - Therefore
thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A
costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it
will not be disturbed.
IX.
CHRIST OUR BRIDEGROOM
a. 2 Cor 11:2 - For I
am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband,
so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
b. Eph 5:25-33 - Husbands,
love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for
her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water
with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory,
having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and
blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh,
but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we
are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and
mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the
church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife
even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.
c. Rev 19:7-9 - “Let us
rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has
come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe
herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous
acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are
invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These
are true words of God.”
d. “Heaven…is a prepared
place for a prepared people.”[13]
e. “The bride in her natural
beauty and endowment could never hope to be admitted to the courts of heaven
and the immediate presence of God unless a dramatic transformation was
effected. Even if admitted to heaven, the bride in her present condition would
be very uncomfortable and unsuited for a heavenly situation. It is accordingly
indicated in the Scriptures that Christ has undertaken in this present age to
prepare the bride for her future role and to give her the beauty and spiritual
character required to be in the presence of a holy God.”[14]
[1]
It should be noted that Heaven is a
physical place. “The fact that Jesus had a resurrection body that was subject
to spatial limitations (it could be at only one place at one time) means that
Jesus went somewhere when he ascended into heaven.”[1] The New
Jerusalem is described in Revelation 21-22 as a physical place in which the
redeemed will dwell (cf. also John 14:3).
[2] Berkhof, Systematic Theology,
295. “It would be equally wrong to conclude from the emphasis on the royal
dignity and government of Christ, naturally suggested by the idea of His
sitting at the right hand of God, that the work in which He is engaged during
His heavenly session is exclusively governmental, and therefore neither
prophetical nor priestly.”
[3] Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our
Lord, 227.
[4] Grudem, Ibid, 628.
[5] Owen, The Priesthood of
Christ: Its Necessity and Nature, 288.
[6] Berkhof, Ibid, 295.
[7] In my opinion, many theologians
are not careful enough in distinguishing texts that speak of Christ’s current
authority on the Father’s throne over the universe and the future earthly
dominion over Israel and the world.
[8] Berkhof, Ibid, 295.
[9] Bowman Jr and Komoszewski, Putting
Jesus in His Place: A Case for the Deity of Christ, 244.
[10] Walvoord, Ibid,
225.
[11] Berkhof, Ibid,
296.
[12] Grudem, Ibid,
625.
[13] Gaebelein, The
Gospel of John, 266, quoted in Walvoord, Ibid, 251.
[14] Walvoord, Ibid,
251.
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