THE SCHOOL & FAMILY CATECHIST
by Rev. William Smith

The Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 38.

Q. 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?

A. At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged, and acquitted, in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.

EXPLICATION.

Raised up in glory. –That is, they shall be called forth from their graves, free from every stain of sin, possessing immortality, or an endless life, powerful and beautiful, like unto the glorious body of Christ himself.

Openly acknowledged. –Publicly owned by God as his people.

Acquitted. –Declared to be guiltless, or freed from all charges of sin.

Perfectly blessed. –Completely happy.

Full enjoying of God. –Living in the midst of that fulness of joy that is only to be found in God’s immediate presence, and of those pleasures which are at his right hand.

To all eternity. –For evermore.

ANALYSIS.

The doctrines of this answer are five :

1. That believers shall, at the resurrection, be raised up in glory. –Philip. iii. 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his (Christ’s) glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
2. That they shall be openly acknowledged at the day of judgment. –Luke xii. 8. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God.
3. That they shall likewise be acquitted at that day. –Matt. xxv. 23. Well done, good and faithful servant.
4. That believers shall also be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God. –1 John iii. 2. When he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
5. That this blessedness, or this happy state, shall continue to all eternity. –1 Thess . iv. 17. So shall we ever be with the Lord.