HC 47

Q47. Is Christ, then, not with us until the end of the world, as He has promised us?

Christ is true man and true God. With respect to His human nature He is no longer on earth, but with respect to His divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit He is never absent from us.

Proof texts

• Matt. 28:20 — [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• Matt. 26:11 — [11] For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
• John 16:28 — [28] I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
• John 17:11 — [11] And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
• Acts 3:19-21 — [19] Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, [20] that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, [21] whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
• Heb. 8:4 — [4] Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.
• Matt. 28:18-20 — [18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• John 14:16-19 — [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, [17] even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. [18] “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. [19] Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
• John 16:13 — [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Matt. 28:20 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 9 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q20 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WSC Q21 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q20 · WSC Q21 · WLC Q30 · WLC Q36 · WCF 7.1 · WCF 8.1 · BC 5.2 · BC 5.3 · BC 5.4 · BC 5.5 · BC 5.6 · 1689 7.1 · 1689 7.2 · 1689 7.3 · 1689 8.1