- #GC61 What Is it not to dishonour the Lord Jesus, to say He was subjected to the curse, and that before God? By no means, for in taking it upon Himself He abolished it, by His power, yet in such a way that He did not cease to be blessed throughout in order that He might fill us with His blessing.
- #GC62 Explain the rest? Since death was the curse on man as a result of sin, Jesus Christ has endured it, and in enduring it overcame it. And to show that He underwent a real death, He chose to be placed in the tomb like oth...
- #GC63 But nothing seems to redound to us from this victory, since we do not cease to die? That is no obstacle. The death of believers is nothing else than a way of entering into a better life.
- #GC64 Hence it follows that we ought no longer to dread death as if it were a fearful thing, but we should willingly follow Jesus Christ our Head and Captain, who precedes us, not in order to let us perish, but in order to save us? That is so.
- #GC65 What is the meaning of the additional clause: "He descended into hell" That He not only suffered natural death, which is the separation of the body from the soul, but also that His soul was pierced with amazing anguish, which St. Peter calls the pains of death (Acts 2:24...
- #GC66 Why and how did that happen to Him? Because He presented Himself to God in order to make satisfaction in the name of sinners, it was necessary that He should suffer fearful distress of conscience, as if He had been forsaken by God, and...
- #GC67 Was His Father then opposed to Him? No. But He had to be afflicted in this way in fulfillment of what had been foretold by Isaiah, that "he was smitten by the hand of God for our sins and wounded for our transgressions" (Isa 53:5; 1Pe 2...
- #GC68 But since He is God Himself, how could He be in such dread, as if He were forsaken by God? We must hold that it was according to His human nature that He was in that extremity: and that in order to allow this, His Deity held itself back a little, as if concealed, that is, did not how its po...
- #GC69 How is it possible that Jesus Christ, who is the salvation of the world, should have been under such damnation? He was not to remain under it. For though He experienced the horror we have spoken of, He was by no means oppressed by it. On the contrary, He battled with the power of hell, to break and destroy it.
- #GC70 Thus we see the difference between the torment which He suffered and that which sinners experience when God punishes them in His wrath. For what He suffered for a time in Himself is perpetual in the others, and what was only a needle to sting Him is to them a sword to deliver a mortal wound? It is so, for Jesus Christ, even in the midst of such distress, did not cease to hope in God. But sinners whom God condemns rush into despair, defy, and even blaspheme Him.
- #GC71 May we not gather from this what fruit we receive from the death of Jesus Christ? Yes, indeed. And, first, we see that it is a sacrifice by which He has made satisfaction for us before the judgment of God, and so has appeased the wrath of God and reconciled us to Him. Secondly, tha...
- #GC72 Do we not have any other benefit from it? Yes, we do. If we are true members of Christ, our old man is crucified, our flesh is mortified, so that evil desires no longer reign in us.
- #GC73 Expound the next article? This is: "On the third day He rose again from the dead." By this He declared Himself the conqueror of death and sin, for by His resurrection He swallowed up death, broke the fetters of the devil, and...
- #GC74 In how many ways does this resurrection benefit us? First, by it righteousness was fully acquired for us. Secondly, it is also a sure pledge to us that we shall rise again one day in immortal glory (1Co 15:20-23). Thirdly, if we truly participate in Hi...
- #GC75 Continue? "He ascended into heaven."
- #GC76 Did He ascend in such a way that He is no longer on earth? Yes. For after He had performed all that He was enjoined by the Father, and was required for our salvation, there was no need for Him to remain on earth.
- #GC77 What benefit do we obtain from this ascension? The benefit is twofold. For inasmuch as Jesus Christ entered heaven in our name, as He had descended for our sake, He has given us an entry, and assured us that the door, previously shut because of si...
- #GC78 But did Christ in going to heaven withdraw from us, in such a way that He has now ceased to be with us? No. On the contrary, He has promised that He will be with us to the end (Mat 28:20).
- #GC79 Is it in bodily presence that He remains with us? No, for it is one thing to speak of His body which was taken up into heaven, and another to speak of His power, which is spread abroad everywhere (Luke 24:51; Acts 2:33).
- #GC80 How do you understand that He "sitteth on the right hand of the Father It means that He has received the dominion of heaven and earth, so that He reigns and rules over all (Mat 28:18).
- #GC81 But what is meant by "right hand", and by "sitteth" It is a similitude taken from earthly princes, who are wont to place on their right hand those whom they make their lieutenants to govern in their name.
- #GC82 You do not mean anything more then than Paul when he says that Christ had been appointed Head of the Church, and raised above all principality, has secured a Name which is above every name (Eph 1:22; 4:15; Php 2:9)? That is so.
- #GC83 Continue? "From thence He will come to judge the quick and the dead." That is to say, He will appear again from heaven in judgment, as He was seen to ascend (Acts 1:11).
- #GC84 As the judgment is not to be before the end of the world, how do you say that some men will then be alive, and thus will be dead, seeing it is appointed to all men once to die (Heb. 9:27, 28)? See Heb 9:27-28 - Paul answers this question when he says, that those who then survive will suddenly be changed so that their corruption will be abolished, and their bodies will put on incorruption (1...
- #GC85 You understand then that this change will be for them like a death, for it will abolish their first nature, and raise them up in a new state? That is it.
- #GC86 Does the fact that Christ is to come gain to judge the world bring us any consolation? Yes, indeed. For we are certain that He will appear only for our salvation.
- #GC87 We should not then fear the last judgment, and have a horror of it? No, since we are not to come before any other judge then He who is our Advocate, and who has taken our cause in hand to defend us.
- #GC88 Let us come now to the third part? This is faith in the Holy Spirit.
- #GC89 What do we gain by it? The knowledge that as God has redeemed and saved us by Jesus Christ, He will also make us partakers of this redemption and salvation, through His Holy Spirit.
- #GC90 How? As the blood of Christ is our cleansing, the Holy Spirit must sprinkle our consciences with it that they may be cleansed (1Pe 1:19).
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