The second step of Christ’s exaltation, was, his ascending up into heaven, Eph. 4:8, 10. The time of his ascension was forty days after his resurrection, Acts 1:3, “He tarried so long on earth, after his rising from the dead, to ascertain . . . Continue reading →
Christology
Heidelberg 49: The Benefits Of Christ’s Ascension (1)
Our sense of distance in the late-modern, ultra-high-tech world has changed dramatically. It was not that long ago that a long-distance telephone call was a major event. The pastor with whom I served, Norman Hoeflinger, served a congregation in a town where . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 48: Two Natures Inconfusedly, Indivisibly, United In One Person
Early in post-apostolic Christian history confused believers and heretics alike sought either to conflate the two natures of Christ, with the result that Christ was made, as it were, to have only one nature (the monophysite heresy) or to separate the two . . . Continue reading →
Creeds Are Unavoidable
Christianity is a creedal religion. You cannot separate Christianity from its ancient creeds. In fact, every true Christian adheres to the ancient creeds of the church, whether he knows it or not. We all have creeds. Whether formal or informal—whether written or . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 47: We Are Not Orphans
As a boy I attended a grammar school down the street from an orphanage. I remember one of the boys saying, “I saw my mom drive by. She’ll come by to pick me up soon.” I did not fully understand why some . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 46: A Painful, Profitable, Necessary Separation
It is never easy to be separated a family member, dear friend, a mentor, or even a coach. Whether through death or relocation or for some other reason when we suffer such a loss the grief is genuine. Today, because of social media, that . . . Continue reading →
Christ Condignly Merited His Glorification
[399] But a great many Reformed theologians believed otherwise and answered the above question in the affirmative. In their opinion, the answer to Christ’s prayer (John 11:42; Heb. 5:7) and especially the entire state of exaltation from the resurrection to his coming . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 45: Three Benefits Of Christ’s Resurrection (4)
Be4 I sign off learned a new word in church today: Eschatology. Anyone? — Katie Couric (@katiecouric) December 1, 2014 Couric, a television host took a lot of heat for admitting that she did not know what “eschatology” means. That’s unfortunate because . . . Continue reading →
Witsius On The Distinction Between Christ’s Resurrection And His Glorification
X. While Christ remained on the earth, however, his body was not advanced to that full perfection of glory, which it has possessed ever since its exaltation above the heavens. From condescension to the weakness of the disciples, he suffered it to . . . Continue reading →
Christ’s Humanity: Not Deified But Glorified
He rose the same person, the same Jesus Christ, very God and very man, which had died; he rose according to the nature in which he had suffered, which was his human nature, his true human nature, the very same which it . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 45: Three Benefits Of Christ’s Resurrection (1)
We live in the late modern world, at least in developed nations. There are benefits to living in late modernity. We might debate that we have these benefits because of modernity, however. It is frequently assumed that the world is better because . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 44: Why Did Jesus Suffer The Torment Of Hell?
Creeds and confessions are unavoidable. As many have noted even the slogan “no creed but Christ” is a short, inadequate confession. Let someone enter a congregation where that confession reigns and say, “We should say more about the faith” and what will . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 41: Why Was Jesus Buried?
Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of . . . Continue reading →
To Christ, For Us: The Savior And The Saved
Therefore, one can also say that the sacraments have sealed to Christ what is depicted in them for the elect. The Father promised and assured Him that, on the basis of His merits, everything represented in the sacraments would occur in the . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 40: Why Did Jesus Have To Die? (3)
In part 2 we looked at what it means to speak about God being just and about justice. In this last installment we need to consider what it means to speak of truth and the truth of God. During his interrogation of our . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 40: Why Did Jesus Have To Die? (1)
From a purely human point of view, from a historical point of view, from an intellectual point of view, there have been few historical figures as compelling and important as Jesus of Nazareth. Many regard him as a sort of Jewish Socrates, . . . Continue reading →
The Reformed Are Catholic
THE CREEDS OF FOUR COUNCILS RECEIVED. And, to say many things with a few words, with a sincere heart we believe, and freely confess with open mouth, whatever things are defined from the Holy Scriptures concerning the mystery of the incarnation of . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 36: Our Holy Mediator
When two people, social equals, are at odds with one another, the best thing to do is for one to approach the other to seek resolution and restoration. When, however, they do not have equal status, restoration becomes more complicated. When we . . . Continue reading →
Socinianism And The Denial Of Eternal Generation
Whereas our Savior is frequently, in Scripture, call’d the Son of God, the Socinians deny that he is so call’d with respect to his Eternal Generation, or being Begotten of his Father before all World’s; as also they deny that his Divinity . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 35: Of The Virgin Mary
Reformed Christians are understandably ambivalent about the Virgin Mary. On the one hand she was truly blessed. God graciously ordained that she should bear in her womb God the Son, that she would be what the Definition of Chalcedon (451) called the . . . Continue reading →