Adam knew Eve, and she was with child. But Christ is bodily in heaven and not on earth, and he says we’ll fast for it (Lk 5.33–35). Yet he also tells us,

But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgement: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged. (Jn 16.6–11)

‘It’s better this way’?

Unless the Holy Spirit makes Christ present with us – everyone who loves anyone knows there’s no other way for it to be better that Christ has ascended into heaven. Theologically, unless this is so, the Incarnation by which Christ dwelt among us is of no present use to us, either, having served its purpose upon the Cross, with nothing but an empty reminder today. As it is, through the Holy Spirit, Christ the Son of Man has ascended and lifted us up to the heavenlies to be our Emmanuel still.

Where is the Holy Spirit present, and Christ through him? If the most important answer is a simple ‘everywhere’, our relationship doesn’t exist. Where is the Holy Spirit, then? For we cannot say he’s found where we wish him to be, nor can we say he’s found in our mere thoughts of Jesus our Bridegroom: such answers are sterile, dead, useless, our misdirected faith without God’s works. The revivalists have Christ in their minds (in reason and emotion) and nowhere else, or else they subscribe to superstitions of miracles and tongues making Christ present. But these are all of them effects, not instruments, of God’s presence.

We say, ‘Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace,’ but his peace cannot be with us unless he is, because these his gifts come to us not by wire transfer but by relationship. But I’ve heard from Christ himself where we, having been lifted up to heaven, shall find him: ‘This is my Body’; ‘this is the New Covenant in my Blood.’

Lord, I’ll have thee, or I’ll none. ‘Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.’ O Lord, have mercy upon us; have mercy upon us. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee. O Lord, in thee have I trusted: let me never be confounded.