Table of contents
  1. The Bible
  2. The Biblical Dispensations
  3. The Triune God
  4. His Virgin Birth
  5. His Person
  6. His Blood
  7. His Blood Atonement
  8. His Soul And Spirit’s Dissension, Bodily Resurrection, Bodily Ascension, High Priesthood, And Bodily Return
  9. God The Holy Spirit
  10. The Creation Of The Universe
  11. The Creation And Fall Of Man
  12. The Christian’s Two Natures
  13. The Christian’s Service
  14. Satan And Fallen And Unfallen Angels
  15. The Fall Of Man
  16. The Righteous And The Wicked
  17. Salvation Only Through Christ
  18. Repentance
  19. The New Birth
  20. Justification
  21. Sanctification
  22. Eternal Security Of Believers
  23. Assurance Of Believers
  24. The Church
  25. The Church’s Great Commission
  26. The Church’s Two Ordinances: Baptism And The Lord’s Supper
  27. Biblical Separation
  28. Civil Government
  29. Israel
  30. The Rapture--The Blessed Hope
  31. The Tribulation
  32. The Second Coming Of Christ
  33. The Eternal State

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Article of Faith
What We Believe

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST– HIS SOUL AND SPIRIT’S DISSENSION, BODILY RESURRECTION, BODILY ASCENSION, HIGH PRIESTHOOD, AND BODILY RETURN

A. His Soul and Spirit’s Dissension. We believe that after the Lord Jesus died on the cross, His soul and spirit went immediately to the center of the earth for three days and three nights during which he spent an unspecified time in both paradise and hell. “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40); Grace Baptist Church’s ARTICLES OF FAITH 5 “Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.).” (Romans 10:7.)

After His death, He descended first. Ephesians 4: 9,10 states “(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)”

There are two key words in verse nine, “first” and “parts,” meaning “first”– before his ascension, and “parts” – meaning two – paradise and hell. Psalm 16:10 states “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” “Thou” – meaning God, did not leave Him (Jesus) in hell, neither did he allow His (Jesus’) body to begin to decay (“corruption.”)

B. His Bodily Resurrection. We believe that, according to the Scriptures, Christ arose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He had lived and died (Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6, 39-40; John ?0:20, 27; Acts 2:27-31; 5:30; 13:34-37; 1 Corinthians 15:4); and that His resurrection body is the pattern of that body which ultimately will be given to all believers. (Philippians 3:20.)

C. His Bodily Ascension. We believe that in departing from the earth in His resurrection body, Christ ascended into Heaven (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; John 20:17; Acts 1:9-10); that there in heaven, He presented His Blood on the Divine Mercy Seat in fulfillment of the Day of Atonement type (Leviticus 16:14-15, 17; John 20:17; Hebrews 9:7, 12-14, 22, 24; 12:22-24); and that He was accepted of His Father and that His acceptance is a final assurance to us that His redeeming work was perfectly accomplished. (Hebrews 1:3.)

D. His High Priestly Work. We believe that, in Heaven, He now sits at the right hand of God the Father as our Great High Priest, interceding for His own (Mark 16:19; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:3; 2:17; 5:9-10; :25; 12:2; 1 John 2:1); that He became Head over all things to the church which is His body; and that, in this ministry He ceases not to intercede and advocate for the saved.

E. His Bodily Return. We believe that Christ will return in this same body to fulfill all the Scriptures pertaining to the events surrounding His Second Coming (Acts 1:9-11); that He will come first in the Rapture of the Church before the Tribulation of seven years (1 Thessalonians 4:16); that He will then return with His saints in power and glory to set up the Millennium as the Messiah of Israel (Zechariah 14:4; Matthew 24:29- 31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7; 3:21).