THE DOCTRINE OF

CHRIST’S ASCENSION UNTO HEAVEN

A Look at what the Bible Says

 

 

Since God has revealed Himself to us in Scripture, and the doctrine that He wants taught in His church is nothing other than what the Bible says; it should be obvious that those who refuse to teach what the Bible says, or affirm that it is true, do so because another authority has replaced the authority of Scripture in their lives.

GOD’S RECORD OF WHAT TOOK PLACE

Luke chapter 24

45  Then he opened their understanding, so that they might understand the scriptures,

46  And said to them, This is what is written, that Christ should suffer, and rise from the dead the third day:

47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, starting at Jerusalem.

48  And you are witnesses of these things.

49  And, I will send you what my Father has promised: but remain in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endowed with power from on high.

50 ¶ And he led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

51  And it came to pass, that while he was blessing them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

52  And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

53  And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

 

Mark chapter 16

19 ¶ Then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

20        And the disciples went out, and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word through the signs that went with it. Amen.

 

Acts chapter 1

1 ¶ In my first book, Theophilus, I wrote about everything that Jesus began to do and teach,

2  Until the day that he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen:

3  To whom he also showed that he was alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them for forty days, and talking with them of things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4  And, while he was with them, commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, of which, he said, you have heard me speak.

5  For John truly baptized with water; but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.

6 ¶ So when they were together, they asked him, Lord, will you restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?

7  And he said to them, It is not for you to know the times or the dates, that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

8  But you will receive power, after the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the most distant parts of the earth.

9  And after he had said these things, while they watched, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10  And while they were looking intently up toward heaven as he ascended, behold, two men in white apparel stood by them;

11  And they asked, Why are you men of Galilee gazing up into heaven? the same Jesus, that has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.

 

Acts chapter 2

1 ¶ When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all present in one place.

2  And suddenly a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind came from heaven, and filled the entire house where they were sitting.

3  And what looked like tongues of fire appeared to them, and separated and came to rest on each one of them.

4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them.

5 ¶ Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven, staying in Jerusalem.

6  And when they heard this sound, a crowd came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speak in his own language.

7  And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Look, are not all these who are talking Galileans?

8  How is it then that each of us hears them in our own language, to which we were born?

9  Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

10  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts,

11  Cretans and Arabians, we hear them declaring the wonderful works of God in our own languages.

12  And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What does this mean?

13  Others mocking said, These men are full of sweet wine.

14 ¶ Then Peter, stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and said to them, Fellow Jews, and all who are in Jerusalem, listen to my words, and know this:

15  These men are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

16  On the contrary, this is what was foretold through the prophet Joel;

17  And it will come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams:

18  And in those days I will pour out my Spirit on my servants and on my handmaidens; and they will prophesy:

19  And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs on the earth below; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke:

20  The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of that great and glorious day of the Lord:

21  And it will come to pass, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

22  Men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know:

23  This Jesus, being delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain:

24  Whom God has raised up, freeing him from the agony of death: because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

 

THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST’S ASCENSION

 

He sent the Holy Spirit to testify of Him.

John chapter 16

7 ¶ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is to your advantage for me to go away: for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him to you.

8  And when he has come, he will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment:

9  Of sin, because they do not believe in me;

10  Of righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you will not see me anymore;

11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12  I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

13  However when, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth: for he will not speak on his own; but whatever he hears, he will speak: and he will show you things to come.

14  He will glorify me: for he will take what is mine, and reveal it to you.

John 14: 26 But the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and cause you to remember everything that I have said to you.

John 15:26 He will testify of me.

 

He lives to make intercession for us.

1John 2: 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Romans 8: 34 Who is there to condemn us? Christ who died, yea rather, who was raised from the dead, is at the right hand of God, and also intercedes for us.

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore he is able to completely save those who come to God through him, because he always lives to make intercession for them.

 

We shall all account to Him.

Acts 1:11 And they asked, Why are you men of Galilee gazing up into heaven? the same Jesus, that has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.

John 5:28 Do not marvel at this: for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice,

1Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first:

2Timothy 4:1  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.

1John 2:28 And now, little children, remain in him; so that when he appears, we may be confident, and unashamed before him at his coming.

Romans 9:33 Whoever believes on him will not be ashamed.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

The historical record of Christ’s ascension is just as much a doctrine of Scripture as anything else that the Bible says (2Timothy 3:16). Those who deny the truth of the Biblical account do not change that fact, nor do they change what the Bible says, they simply reject it.

 

“The pure doctrine is simply nothing else, absolutely nothing else, than the pure Word of God.” (Law and Gospel, page 349) “Neither ought any doctrine be taught or heard in the church but the pure Word of God, that is to say, the Holy Scriptures; otherwise accursed be both the teachers and hearers together with their doctrine.” (Martin Luther)

 

Gary Ray Branscome