Seated at God’s Right Hand
The Bible tells us that at the time of His ascension Christ was set at God’s right hand (Eph. 1:20). This also is part of His redemptive work as our Saviour and Mediator.
Since, according to His divine nature, He is God, this being at God’s right hand must refer to His human nature. In our flesh and as a man He was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven and is now at the right hand of the Father.
Since we know that God has neither body, parts nor passions (cf. Westminster Confession, 2:1), He cannot have a physical and fleshly right hand. Scripture therefore teaches that to be “at the right hand” of someone great and mighty is to have a place of high honour, great power and blessing (Gen. 48:8-22; I Kings. 2:19; Matt. 25:33-34).
That Christ is seated at God’s right hand must therefore refer to the fact that He is exalted to a position of the highest honour, glory and power. At God’s right hand He is the Lord of lords and King of kings.
That He is seated there must also refer to His kingly glory and power. Seated at God’s right hand He is enthroned in majesty. In one passage, however, He is seen “standing” at God’s right hand (Acts 7:55), an obvious description of His readiness to come again in glory to receive His own and to avenge their blood.
This honour and glory is His reward for His finished work, that which was promised Him by the Father from the beginning (Phil. 2:9; Heb. 1:3).
It is very important to realise that He receives all this and is exalted and honoured in our human nature. As the Son of God He does not and cannot be exalted.
But as man He is, and that on our behalf. He honours, glorifies, empowers and blesses us in Himself. He receives for us, His people, and gives it to us through the outpouring of His Spirit. That is what Peter meant on Pentecost when he said, “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts. 2:33).
By that same glory and power He not only sheds forth what He has received, but also prepares our hearts to receive it, gathers us into His church, prepares a place for us in His Father’s house of many mansions and subdues all our enemies. And at His Father’s right hand He makes continual intercession for us. For whom would the Father hear if not His own beloved Son, and Him seated at His own right hand?
Thinking of the ascension of Christ, then, we must say, “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour” (Acts. 5:31). Rev. Ron Hanko
Denying the Lord That Bought Them (1)
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (II Pet. 2:1).
Quite a number of texts have been suggested by our readers for discussion which have to do with statements in Scripture that some use to deny the preservation of the saints. The text quoted above is one of them.
It is not the case that our readers doubt this doctrine. Some have written to say that they heartily embrace it as taught in Scripture. Their concern is rather with certain passages that appear to teach the opposite and which are often used by those who deny it.
It is our purpose in this and subsequent articles to deal with these texts.
Before entering into the passage quoted above, it is necessary to be clear on what the preservation of the saints means. It would be well, therefore, to keep this issue of the News for reference, so that when future articles appear, the doctrine may be readily recalled. We will not repeat this material in subsequent issues.
The following points may briefly be made concerning this doctrine.
1) Most basically, this doctrine means that once a person is made a child of God, he remains a child of God throughout his life, through death and into eternity. He cannot be saved today, fall away for a time and then cease to be a saved child of God.
2) This doctrine rests on many passages of Scripture. Two well-known examples are: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29); and “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
3) While it is possible to speak of the perseverance of the saints, the term preservation is used deliberately. The child of God remains a child of God because of God’s work. God preserves His people. If He did not, they would fall away. It is true that believers persevere, but they do so only because God preserves them.
4) This work of preservation is not the same as election. Those whom God has elected from eternity are also saved in time, and those who are saved in time are preserved. But preservation views the matter from the standpoint of God’s work in time. It is a gift of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.
5) The preservation of the saints does not mean that a child of God cannot fall into sin. It is a fact that God’s people may fall deeply into sin, so that they lose the consciousness of their salvation and, as far as their life is concerned, appear ungodly. Nevertheless, if they have truly been saved, God preserves His work of regeneration in them. Even when they stray far, they are brought back through repentance to the joy of salvation and a sanctified walk. David and Peter are clear examples of this.
6) The doctrine of the preservation of the saints is one of the five points of Calvinism. It is taught in the confessions of the Reformed and Presbyterian churches (cf. Canons of Dordt, V; Westminster Confession, XVII). It is not an isolated doctrine. The system is one, so that to deny one point is to undermine the whole.
7) This doctrine is a most precious one, full of comfort for the child of God. It brings comfort in temptation, for it assures him that no one can pluck him out of Christ’s hand. It also comforts him when he falls into sin, for he knows that God will complete the good work He has begun.
8) For this reason, the doctrine has great pastoral value. It is of immense help to ministers as they care for Christ’s sheep in the sorrows and temptations of life. The fifth chapter of the Canons of Dordt is written in this spirit and is full of comfort. It is strongly recommended that it be read. If a copy of the Canons is not available, one may be requested and will gladly be provided.
We will take up the actual teaching of II Peter 2:1 in the next article. In the meantime, keep these points in mind, remembering that true faith, wrought in man by the hearing of the word of God and the operation of the Holy Ghost, regenerates and makes him a new man. Prof. Herman Hanko
