Ascended with Christ, and Glorified

I am reading Francis Schaeffer's book, True Spirituality. Many people will expound on the crucified and resurrected life for all in Christ to live right now, but in my many years of being a Christian, I have never read or heard anyone expound on our living the ascended and glorified life right now.

Schaeffer started by recalling Paul's experience of being caught up to the third heaven "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). Then Paul, or this other man of whom Paul speaks, returned to earth and continued his ministry.

Schaeffer goes on to say that after this experience, Paul could never be the same. Nothing moved him, except to fulfill the calling Jesus had laid on him. He was harassed, beaten almost to the point of death more than once, stoned, shipwrecked, and much more, and nothing moved him. He considered his life of no value, except to fulfill his ministry.

Recall Jesus. 1 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2). Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before Him, the joy in Heaven awaiting Him.

We have this joy waiting for us, too. And so did Paul. That's why he could endure what he did. "Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). I'm quoting verses that Schaeffer didn't quote.

If we are in Christ, we are already ascended with Him. 4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7). So we are already seated in the Heavenly places with Him.

But we are still here, too, obviously. Once we are crucified, raised, ascended, and glorified with Him, we still have work to do. It's like the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17 and Mark 9. After the three disciples had seen Jesus in His glory, they still had to go down the mountain and minister to people.

Schaeffer tells his readers that it's like we've been to Heaven and seen unspeakable things. Nothing could ever be the same. Like Paul, nothing should move us, no cost be too great, no sustaining joy greater. Think how powerful our ministry would be.

I have been applying this in terms of sustaining joy, considering all the trouble that's coming on the world, and the prospect of persecution (piled on top of what I'm already going through). And I was reminded of two original songs, one that has to do with this very thing, and the other with what I'll see in Heaven after I die, or am caught up to be with Him forever. I'll not quote the songs here since this blog is already too long.

But I refer you to 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: 17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal".