Question 47. Is Christ, then, not with us to the end of the world, as he has promised us? (a)
Answer: Christ is true man and true God. With respect to his human nature he is no longer on earth, (b) but with respect to his divinity, majesty, grace and spirit, he is never absent from us. (c)
(Scriptural proofs after the fold.)
…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
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.
For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
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.
…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.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 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. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
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.
…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
… to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,