Communion in Glory with Christ in This Life: Reflections on WLC 83

The Westminster Larger Catechism has been tracing the believer’s communion with Christ. In the previous question (WLC 82), we considered our communion in grace with Christ—the real fellowship believers have with Jesus now through union with Him. WLC 83 takes the next step: if we are united to Christ, what do we experience already of the glory that will be perfected later?

As the Catechism states:

“What is the communion in glory with Christ which the members of the invisible Church enjoy in this life?”

“The members of the invisible Church have communicated to them in this life the first-fruits of glory with Christ, as they are members of him their head, and so in him are interested in that glory which he is fully possessed of; and, as an earnest thereof, enjoy the sense of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and hope of glory; as, on the contrary, sense of God’s revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of judgment, are to the wicked the beginning of their torments which they shall endure after death.”

The Catechism’s point is simple: communion in glory with Christ begins now—not in fullness, but in real “first-fruits” and a true “earnest.”

Communion in Glory with Christ Begins with Union to Christ

Question 83 grounds communion in glory in our union in Christ: believers are “members of him their head.” If Christ is the Head, then what belongs to Him is shared with His people by covenant bond and spiritual union.

Paul makes this startling claim: God “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6). This does not say Christians are already perfected, but that their life is already anchored where Christ is. The believer’s status is not measured only by what is seen on earth, but by what is true “in Christ.” That is the framework for everything that follows: Christ possesses glory fully, and those united to Him possess it truly—though not yet completely.

First-Fruits of Glory with Christ in This Life

The Catechism calls these blessings “first-fruits of glory with Christ.” First-fruits are not imaginary; they are the beginning portion of a real harvest. This protects us from two errors. On one side, we must not pretend the harvest is already complete (as if Christians should live with unbroken peace and constant ecstasy). On the other side, we must not live as though nothing from Christ’s glory touches us until death. Communion in glory with Christ is real in this life, but partial.

That partiality is not a defect in Christ, but part of God’s design. The Lord gives foretastes that strengthen faith, deepen longing, and teach us to live by promise rather than by sight. The Christian life is not the absence of struggle; it is the presence of Christ in the struggle.

The Earnest of Glory with Christ by the Holy Spirit

Question 83 says these first-fruits are given “as an earnest.” Scripture uses the same logic. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:5). And Paul calls the Spirit God’s pledge: He “has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Cor. 1:22).

So communion in glory with Christ is not mainly about unusual experiences. It is the Spirit’s steady ministry of applying Christ to the believer—making the gospel not only true in the abstract, but personally enjoyed and practically sustaining.

Four First-Fruits of Communion in Glory with Christ

Question 83 names four graces believers receive as part of communion in glory with Christ in this life.

The Sense of God’s Love

Romans 5:5 describes God’s love “poured into our hearts” by the Holy Spirit. This is not the invention of feeling; it is God’s gracious communication of His fatherly love. Mature Christians know this “sense” can rise and fall. Yet its source is not the self; it is the Spirit. When God grants it, the believer tastes something of heaven’s atmosphere.

Peace of Conscience

“Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Peace of conscience flows from peace with God. The conscience is not finally calmed by denial or distraction, but by the righteousness of Christ received by faith. Romans 5:2 adds that this justification produces steadfast standing: “we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:2) This is communion in glory with Christ: the coming world is a world without guilt, and believers begin to taste that freedom now.

Joy in the Holy Spirit

Romans 14:17 describes the kingdom’s present reality as “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Joy is not mere temperament or favorable circumstance. It is a Spirit-wrought delight in God grounded in Christ. This joy can coexist with sorrow; it often shines most clearly when trials press hard, because its root is not comfort but communion.

Hope of Glory

Romans 5:2 says believers “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Hope is a confident expectation secured by Christ Himself. Because the Head is already glorified, the members will be glorified. Communion in glory with Christ creates durability: the Christian can endure present weakness because the end is certain. Hope does not deny pain; it places pain inside a story that ends with resurrection and reward.

The Dark Contrast to Communion in Glory with Christ

Question 83 ends with a sober contrast: what believers taste now of glory, the wicked taste now of judgment—“sense of God’s revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of judgment.”

Scripture illustrates this inward torment. Cain cries, “My punishment is greater than I can bear” (Gen. 4:13). Judas confesses, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matt. 27:4). Hebrews speaks of “a fearful expectation of judgment” (Heb. 10:27). Paul describes “tribulation and distress” under God’s judgment (Rom. 2:9). And Jesus’ warnings about hell underscore the dreadfulness of that end (Mark 9:44). These texts are not meant to satisfy curiosity, but to press urgency: refusing Christ is not neutrality. It is the beginning of a path that ends in terror.

Walking Today in Communion in Glory with Christ

Question 83 teaches believers to interpret their daily Christian life through union with Christ. If you belong to Him, then even now the Spirit gives first-fruits: tasted love, real peace, Spirit-born joy, and resilient hope. You are not manufacturing these blessings; you are receiving them as gifts of communion in glory with Christ.

So pursue the ordinary means God uses to deliver extraordinary grace: Word, prayer, worship, fellowship, repentance, and faith. And when your sense of these first-fruits feels faint, do not assume your union has failed. Return again to the Head. The fullness is coming. But by the Spirit, the first-fruits are already yours.

Soli Deo Gloria