WLC54

The WESTMINSTER LARGER Catechism

WLC 54. How is Christ exalted in His sitting at the right hand of God?

A. Christ is exalted in His sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man He is advanced to the highest favour with God the Father,¹ with all fullness of joy,² glory,³ and power over all things in heaven and earth;⁴ and doth gather and defend His Church, and subdue their enemies; furnisheth His ministers and people with gifts and graces,⁵ and maketh intercession for them.⁶

Proofs
^{1 Phil 2:9;²Acts 2:28; cf. Ps 16:11;³Jn 17:5;⁴Eph 1:22; 1 Pet 3:22;⁵Eph 4:10–12; Ps 110:1;⁶Rom 8:34
Comments
The Scripture speaks about the ascended Christ being seated at the right hand of God in many places (e.g. Mk 16:19; Acts 2:33, 5:31; Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; Heb 10:12). This does not mean that the Lord Jesus is literally sitting on a throne at the right hand side of God. God is a spirit. He has no body and He is omnipresent. Therefore, there is no such place as a literal right hand side of God! Therefore, when the Scripture speaks of Christ being exalted to the right of God, we must understand it as a metaphorical expression describing the fact that "as God-man [Christ] is advanced to the highest favour with God the Father."
Notice the careful language of our catechism. As the second person of the Trinity, Christ is equal in substance and equal in power and glory with the Father from all eternity. But as the God-Man,—whose human nature is finite and has a beginning,—He was exalted by the Father to the highest place in heaven next to Himself (Phil 2:9). He was exalted to this position as a reward for His obedience, suffering and death according to the terms of the covenant of grace (Phil 2:8-11).
In this position as the God-Man, He enjoys the fullness of joy (Acts 2:28; cf. Ps 16:11), the glory that the Son of God enjoyed with His Father from all eternity (Jn 17:5) and exercises authority and power over all things in heaven and earth (Eph 1:22; Mt 28:18; 1 Pet 3:22).
Christ the God-Man is already in this position, and He will be in this position as the Sovereign, holding ‘the reins of universal dominion’ (Charles Hodge; see also Heb 1:2), until "he hath put all enemies under his feet" (1 Cor 15:25; cf. Ps 110:1). At that time, says the apostle Paul:

"…shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all" (1 Cor 15:28).

This is not to say that Christ will cease to be King, for as the angel Gabriel declared: "He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Lk 1:33). Christ the God-Man will forever be the head of His redeemed people (Jacob), but when the last enemy, death, is destroyed (1 Cor 15:26), He shall hand over the reign of universal providence and dominion to the Father.
In the meantime, as the King of kings, He is gathering and defending His people, and subduing all their enemies. And as the Great Prophet of His people (Ps 110:1), He endows His ministers and people with gifts and graces (Eph 4:10-14). And as their Great High Priest, He is making continual intercession for them (Rom 8:34).
Thank God that He who has our nature and was tempted at all points like as we are is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Thank God that all power has been given unto Him. All praises to Christ our Prophet, Priest and King. With Him at the rein of universal dominion, we cannot but have confident assurance that all things will work together not only for the glory of God, but for the good of His church and of all those who love him. W}