He Makes Me Fit for Heaven

Q. How does Christ’s ascension into heaven benefit us? 

A. First, He is our Advocate in heaven before His Father.

Romans 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Second, we have our flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that He, our Head, will also take us, His members, up to Himself. 

John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” 

John 17:24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” 

Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…. 

Third, He sends us His Spirit as a counter-pledge,

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever… 

Acts 2:33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 

2 Corinthians 1:21,22 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 

2 Corinthians 5:5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

by whose power we seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, and not the things that are on earth.

Colossians 3:1-4 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

The Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 18