The Pilgrim’s Progress in our Church

Many Christians are familiar with John Bunyan’s, THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS, but IF you will look around you at church this Sunday, you may be surprised to see some of these allegorical characters sitting right next to you in the pew or carrying on conversation at a table in your Sunday school social group.

Hopefully you will recognize some of our own local (yet well-worn) doctrinal drifts among lost ones of the flock where we claim Christ as a ‘professor‘ of the faith.

From THIS LIFE To The Next

The Pilgrim's Progress From This World to That Which Is to Come

Oh, that You would rend the heavens!
That You would come down!
That the mountains might shake at Your presence—
As fire burns brushwood,
As fire causes water to boil—
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
When You did awesome things for which we did not look,
You came down,
The mountains shook at Your presence.
For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
- Isaiah 64 [A Prayer for Help] vs. 1-4, NKJV

As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I came to a certain place where there was a cave.. As I slept I dreamed a dream.. I saw a man clothed in rags, standing in place with his face turned away from his own house.

“He had a BOOK in his hand and a heavy burden upon his back,” says Bunyan.

It is the same BOOK of Scripture, the BIBLE which Christians claim as HOLY.

(This is where it all fits into Doctrine – Christian TEACHING claimed in the PULPIT to come from the book.)

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

– Gospel of Luke 14:33 NKJV

A Christ-like concern for preaching, learning and following the doctrines of an authentic Scriptural faith permeated the writings of Augustine, Luther, Bunyan and many others.

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Some Key Moments of Pilgrims passing through THIS LIFE

I looked then, and saw a man named Evangelist coming to him, and asked, Wherefore dost thou cry?

Sir, I perceive by the BOOK in my hand, that I am condemned to die..

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Hebrews 9:27-28 NKJV

.. AND after that to come to Judgment!

.. AND I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second.

Then said Evangelist,

Why NOT willing to die, since THIS LIFE is attended with so many evils?

The Man answered,

Because I fear that this burden that is upon my back will sink me lower than the Grave, and I shall fall into [the place of passing thru the fire]..

IF THIS is your condition, why do you stand still?

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The man's pilgrimage begins here (and it's only somewhat different for his wife) -- that difficult journey of faith and hope even before coming to the Cross with the BOOK. 

Bunyan points to our destined damnation as a result of this LIFE and Salvation only in the Cross of Christ Jesus.

Christian’s dilemma which he shares with Evangelist is the BURDEN of every unsaved man, the BURDEN of every unsaved woman: JUDGMENT, our destined damnation as a result of THIS LIFE

BUT THE BOOK has shown him Salvation found only in the Cross of Christ Jesus.

DEATH, JUDGMENT and pointing so many SOULS of LOVED-ONES we know are not saved is the Gospel of the Christian Evangelist. So few find the narrow gate and follow the only path of pilgrimage prescribed to THE WAY of ETERNAL LIFE by grace of the Cross of Christ.

To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Hebrews 9:28

WHAT MUST I DO?

“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John 7:10b NKJV

Some Characters Confronting Pilgrims

As I have already mentioned, YOU will have met some of these on your own journey of faith, perhaps even 'in church.' 

(Go ahead, 'What's the NEW Name they go by in YOUR local church?' 
Later you can see what Bunyan thought to do with their doctrine.) 
Why not SHARE in a comment (without 21st c. names) the fruit of what they do in YOUR church LIFE.)

• Mr. Worldly Wiseman
• Obstinate
• Pliable
• The Professor
• Talkative
• Ignorance
• Lord Hate-good
• Hopeful, Faithful & many others

a Quick-glance at Character in the Characters

Obstinate represents an intolerant class of people who think it is foolish and senseless to give up all the comforts of this world.. — its friendships, opportunities, riches, security and approval. – C.J. Lovik

Pliable and Obstinate are neighbors. One tends to stand in his worldly comfort against any change, but Pliable is a curious sort always looking to ‘something better’ than he has in THIS LIFE.

Pliable: “And do you think the words of your book are certainly true?”

(Later, as both are stuck in the mire of the Slough of Despond)

“Is this the happiness you have told me all the while of?”

.. with that he.. got out of the mire, on that side of the slough which was next to his own house, Bunyan notes of his turning back, so away he went, and Christian saw him no more.

I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the LORD.

Do YOU know this from PSALM 40 in the BOOK?

Does your church’s ‘worship team’ sing about the LORD like this?

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Almost immediately on our Journey of Faith

Worldly-Wiseman told him, “You will find the relief you seek in a nearby village called Morality. In that village resides a gentleman whose name is Legality, a judicious man of very good reputation.’

A current version of Mr. Worldly Wiseman is any liberal, broad-minded, and compromising person who has no regard for the atoning work of Jesus Christ and would rather believer a “gospel” advancing morality and social reform.. He is everywhere today, disguising his error and heresy by proclaiming a gospel of contentment and peace..

IF he mentions Christ, it is NOT as the Savior who took our place, bur as a GOOD EXAMPLE of an exemplary life.

– C.J Lovic

Evangelist: “How is it that you have so quickly turned aside? .. The man you have met is Mr. Worldly-Wiseman, and he is well named because he loves only the DOCTRINE of THIS WORLD.

They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

First Letter of John to the Church 4:5 NKJV

Evangelist continues:

“Now these are three things in this man’s counsel that you must utterly abhor:

1. His convincing you to leave the right path.
2. His effort to make the cross repulsive to you.
3. His sending you on the very way that leads to death.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew 7:13-16a, New King James Version

Evangelist: “From this narrow gate, and from the way that leads to it, has this wicked man turned you, and by so doing he has almost brought you to your own destruction.

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a few ‘not-so-honorable mentions’

Once again, it's seems I'm going a bit long on my Character mentions. So let's step quickly ahead in the Pilgrims Progress.

“Talkative is my most familiar brother whose like I have listened to listlessly in many a Bible study and small group. – RH

The theoretical talk is one dimension that is in constant contrast and disharmony with the behavior.. the high-sounding rhetoric is set alongside the double-dealing, self-centered, and abusive behavior that litters the path down which he has trod.

C. J. Lovic

• Does your local church try to hide Talkative’s character because they bought his talk into a position of leadership or teaching?

Ignorance (another familiar follower): “I know my Lord’s will, and have been a good liver; I pay every man his own; I pray, fast, pay tithes, and give alms, and have left my country for whither I am going. “..I know you not: be content to follow the religion of your country, and I will follow the religion of mine. I hope all will be well.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 25:12 NKJV

Hopeful: “.. let us pass him by, if you will, and talk to him anon, even as he is able to bear it.

Bunyan adds, “So they went on, and Ignorance followed.

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As a Pastor looked out over the congregation he observed three men asleep. Bunyan gives them a mention and you can read of their consequence.

John Bunyan also points to at least two scenes which convict me of my own need to continue in the pilgrimage which at times becomes difficult. For today we must look past his most convicting character who brings a chill to the darkness apart from the Light, the Professor in the iron cage.

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Sunday at Vanity Fair

A contemporary Evangelist once observed a Vanity Fair along a well-traveled road (even on Sunday) – a highway to all the places with shops and sport and the lure of lucre where passing pilgrims to buy every worldly treasure. This Evangelist in the 21st century of our Lord Jesus Christ WARNED of Mr. Hate-Good, the Prince of the Fair, Envy, Superstition and Flattery; Lord Old man and Sir Greed and many others in his preaching (though many lost of his flock were not present).

Bunyan relates the trouble and trial resulting from Christian and Faithful passing through Vanity Fair:

One merchant, observing the strange conduct of the pilgrims, mockingly said to them, “What will you buy?”

But they, looking sternly at him, answered, “We buy the truth.”

This caused great offense, Bunyan notes.

• Does your witness to the Way the Truth and the Life in Jesus Christ offend any at Vanity Fair?

“Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Gospel of John 14:5b-6 NKJV

The Great One of the Fair (could it have been Jeff or Bill, perhaps a less common name like Elon 🙂 presides over Bunyan’s trial of Christian and Faithful (who is condemned to death). The Judge * ‘elected by the Fair’ is Lord Hate-good. Jurors * include: Mr. Blind-man, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Live-loose, Mr. Hot-head, Mr. Hate-light and others.

• * Juries now must include Ms. Guided, M. Undetermined and a M/Ms. Color-character.

Faithful is sentenced to death for his witness of Jesus Christ.

The question is not mine, but remains valid:

• IF a jury of ‘your peers’ examined your Christian witness, would they have enough evidence to convict you?

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