From the Pen of Paul. . .

Walking With God (Conclusion)

In this final installment in our series on "Walking with God," we want to notice a few more ways in which the New Testament uses the word walk to describe how the Christian should live his life. The Christian is to walk in good works. Paul wrote to the "saints which are at Ephesus" instructing them that, "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). As Christians, we are the "workmanship of God"; we have been begotten by Him and made complete by the direction and guidance He gives through His word. We have been "created in Christ Jesus" in order to perform the good works that God has appointed for us to walk in. Paul tells us in II Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." The good works that He has appointed for us to do are those contained in His commands for us. If God prepared works in which His children should walk before He created them in Christ Jesus, it seems quite evident that these good works are required—they are not optional! This means that he who fails to meet the purpose for which he was created in Christ Jesus must also fail to receive the rewards that are prepared for him in the world to come. These works in which we as Christians are to walk were prepared by God; they were not instituted by men. Remember Jeremiah said, "O, Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps" (Jer. 10:23). And God through the prophet Isaiah said, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. 55:8-9). Man must therefore, "Cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Cor. 10:5).

Many mistakenly believe today that since the Bible says, "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast," no kind of works are required of man in order to be saved (Eph. 2:8-9). There is nothing farther from the truth. It was in this context that the statement under consideration about God creating us to walk in good works was made. In fact, it is the next verse following the statements quoted here. God's purpose in His plan was that good works should habitually be done by Christians. It seems that His final plan was to make good works the very element of the Christian's life. In an earlier article, we mentioned what Paul said about the Christian and good works in Titus 2:14 and Titus 3:6, 14. Go back and carefully study these Scriptures.

Finally, Paul instructed the Thessalonians about their walk: "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus" (I Thess. 4:1-2). In this epistle Paul had instructed the Thessalonians about their walk as Christians. The thrust of this verse is that the brethren at Thessalonica had been informed by Paul about how they should live; to please God it was necessary for them to grow or abound more and more in their Christian walk.

Do you want it to be said of you, "He or she walked with God," as was said of Noah and Enoch? Then study carefully these Scriptures, and let all of us strive to bring our Christian "walk" into harmony with the Word of God!

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

—Paul M. Wilmoth

From the Preacher's Viewpoint. . .

Christ Rose From the Dead

"Can you prove that Jesus Christ arose from the dead? If so, please do so. We would like to see it."

Yes, I can prove that Jesus Christ arose from the dead. There are many who say they believe it but cannot prove it. They say they feel it in their heart. This is no proof at all. Suppose the other fellow says he feels in his heart that Jesus did not arise from the dead. Then who is right? Subjectivism is not Biblical. A blind leap in the dark is not Christian. The Bible says, "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good" (I Thess. 5:21). Bible faith has evidence upon which it is founded (Heb. 11:1).

There are many theories that try to explain away the fact that Jesus arose from the dead. There is a theory that is called the Swoon Theory. This theory holds that Jesus did not die on the cross, but that He merely got close to dying. Those holding this view tell us that they took Jesus down from the cross and placed Him in the tomb thinking He was dead. But when they placed Him in the tomb He revived and got up and walked out. This will not work with reference to the resurrection of Christ. First, the Romans always made sure the person was dead when they removed that individual from the cross. Second, Jesus was weak and had been beaten by the Romans, which beating often killed the individual. Third, there were two guards at the grave. How did Christ get around them? How did Christ roll away the stone? What happened to His body if He did not arise from the grave?

There is another theory that tries to explain away the fact that Christ arose from the grave. It is called the Optical Illusion Theory. This theory holds that Christ did not arise from the grave. It holds that those who saw Him just thought they saw Him. Let us examine this theory. First, the disciples of Christ did not think that Jesus would arise from the grave, and so they would not be looking for Him to do so. Second, what happened to the body of Christ? It was not in the tomb. If He did not arise from the grave, then the disciples died for a hoax. We know better than this. Why did not someone present the body after the disciples of Christ preached that He had been raised?

Some say the friends of Jesus stole the body. What would they want with a dead body? How did they get through the Roman guard at the grave? Why did the disciples of Christ die for a dead Christ, if He did not arise from the grave? Why did not someone present the body of Christ when His disciples preached that He had been raised?

Another theory has it that the enemies of Christ stole His body out of the grave. If so, then why did not they present it when the resurrection of Christ had been preached? The enemies of Christ wanted the Roman guard at the grave to keep someone from taking His body. The enemies of Christ wanted Him to stay in the grave.

These are only four of many different dodges to try to prove that Jesus did not arise from the grave. All of the other explanations the enemies of Christianity try to present against the resurrection of Christ are just as flimsy, and are easily answered. The facts in the case verify that Christ arose from the grave on the third day and this proved Him to be the Son of God (Rom. 1:4).
—Malcolm L. Hill