Resurrection, Ascension, and Session
As taught in the Reformed / Presbyterian tradition
The significance of Christ's physical resurrection and His current reign at the right hand of the Father.
The doctrine of the exaltation of Christ—specifically His resurrection, ascension, and session—stands as the definitive answer to the question of the ongoing efficacy and status of the Mediator in the Reformed tradition. While the death of Christ on the cross is often the focal point of popular piety, the Reformed tradition, following the trajectory of the New Testament, insists that the work of Christ is incomplete if viewed apart from His triumph over the grave and His subsequent enthronement in the heavenly places.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the four stages of Christ’s exaltation within the Reformed tradition: resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of God (session), and His coming again to judge the world.
- **Distinguish** between the "State of Humiliation" and the "State of Exaltation," explaining the theological necessity of the transition for the application of redemption.
- **Explain** the Reformed understanding of the "Extra Calvinisticum" and its relationship to the localized presence of Christ’s physical body in heaven.
- **Articulate** the significance of the "Session" as Christ’s exercise of His Kingly and Priestly offices in the heavenly sanctuary.
- **Trace** the concept of Christ as the "First-fruits" (Gaffin) and how His resurrection serves as the "Proleptic" arrival of the New Creation.
- **Defend** the physical, bodily nature of the ascension against modern tendencies toward a purely "spiritualized" interpretation.
- **Apply** the doctrine of the Session to the believer’s assurance, noting how Christ’s intercession and headship provide security and power for the Christian life.
- **Compare** and contrast the Reformed view of Christ’s presence in heaven with the Lutheran view of ubiquity and the Roman Catholic view of the perpetual sacrifice.
Scripture
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