Union with Christ in His Ascension

The believer's union with Christ includes union with him in his ascension - this is accomplished by work of the Holy Spirit - it is a mystery, but it is also reality. Four key words will be used to describe this great union of the believer with their Lord in his ascension: 1) "glory" - the fundamental meaning of "glory" as seen in the Old Testament is something of great heaviness or weight, such as gold. Christ has always shared in glory with the Father and Spirit in eternity but when he was incarnated and suffered for sins at the cross his glory was manifested in a powerful way. In John 17:24 Jesus prayed to the Father that his people would be able to be with him and see his glory. 2) "home" - salvation fundamentally involves placing us in union with his Son. Since Jesus' home is with the Father, it is the home of his people also! Christ is in the home and we are in him, so it is our home also. 3) "victory" - we see in Colossians 2:15 that at the cross Christ disarmed rulers and authorities and in his resurrection and ascension he defeated these enemies so that he now brings his redeemed people with him into the Father's presence by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 4) "seated" - the New Testament states that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father and therefore the believer's life "is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). By the Spirit we are also seated with him there, though we still live on earth. Union with Christ involves these four great realities: glory, home, victory, and seated.