The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Augustine said the expression "at the right hand" places Christ in a state of "perfect blessedness." Additionally, Christ is a ruler. In what manner does he rule and reign? The author of Hebrews references His suffering and sacrificing for humanity as the perfect lamb. His love and compassion was evident throughout His earthly ministry. His suffering for us knew no limit, just like His love.
But some Christians focus only on Christ up to His resurrection and miss the full power, reign, and authority He holds over all creation. There are benefits to Christ's ascension that have direct implications for us. We know from Scripture that "we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense" (1 John 2:1). We also have a promise that we have our flesh in heaven, and that He will too take us to dwell in Glory.
The Incarnational nature of Christ permanently unites us with Him. Bonaventure said he can show "to the glorious face of His Father the scars of the wounds which he suffered for us." He is the perfect advocate because Christ knows what it's like to suffer in the flesh. Hebrews 2:16 declares, "For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham."
Jesus, who is the radiance of God's glory, looks down upon us from His heavenly Kingdom and in all of our ungratefulness and wickedness calls us His own. He adores us and lifts us up as the eternally empowered advocate. He is the shepherd and overseer of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). The Lord still aches for us to be with Him and he still searches for those who are lost, and for those who are broken. Luke's Gospel says there will be a vast rejoicing for the repentance of one single sinner.
Among many people, there seems to be a lot of confusion about who Christ is and what authority he holds. Religious pluralism has opened up a wide door that adds to this confusion. Some say Christ is just one authority of many or believing in Him is just one equal belief among many. The right hand metaphor for Christ should clear up vague and misguided perceptions about His ability to save, uplift, and restore all things to perfect harmony. As Revelation 15:11 proclaims: "And He will reign for ever and ever."
