The Doctrine of Christ’s Ascension to Heaven
Last week, we commemorated the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. But Christ’s redemptive work would not be complete without His ascension into heaven. Luke the physician, and writer of the Gospel according to Luke, and the Acts of the Apostles, was careful in recording for us the bodily appearances of the risen Christ to men for 40 days between His resurrection and His ascension. Luke 24:50-51 records, “And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” This was very clearly confirmed in Acts chapter 1, on Mount of Olives (vs 12), how when Jesus was speaking to His disciples, “… while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of sight” (vs 9). This record from the Scriptures shows that Jesus’ ascension was a literal, bodily return to heaven. He rose from the mount gradually and visibly, witnessed by many intent observers. Continue reading “The Herald Weekly Vol XVII : 17”