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July 13, 2011

The Pilgrim’s Progress, Part 6

Though hardly begun in his journey, Christian is already weary from his struggle in the Slough. He is yet inexperienced in his pilgrimage and feels the weight of his burden now more than ever. In his desperation to rid himself of his burden he is ripe for the tempting, beguiling speech of Mr. Worldly Wiseman, who offers him a short-cut, a refuge away from the daily battles with sin.

This refuge is the Village of Morality. The Village of Morality represents that great host of people who seek to avoid the appearance of evil and practice good apart from any fear of God or judgment. They hope by being good people and doing good things that all will turn out right in the end. They keep the law outwardly in the eyes of men and can say along with the rich young ruler, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” (Mark 10:20) The World’s advise to Christian is essentially be a good person and all will be well.

The citizens of Morality look to Mr. Legality to ease their consciences. They cling to an outward keeping of the law, a works righteousness that continually seeks to outweigh any bad with the good. And if Legality is not home, then Civility will do. Simply try to get along with people, act in a decent and benevolent way towards your fellow man and again all will be well. Bunyan describes his own stay in this Village:

“Wherefore I fell to some outward reformation, both in my words and life, and did set the commandments before me for my way to heaven; which commandments I also did strive to keep, and, as I thought, did keep them pretty well sometimes, and then I should have comfort; yet now and then should break one, and so afflict my conscience; but then I should repent, and say I was sorry for it, and promise God to do better next time, and there get help again, for then I thought I pleased God as well as any man in England.”

This town, however is in even greater danger than the City of Destruction. In Destruction the danger was manifest; the wickedness and enmity against God was apparent. In this city, however, burdens are removed. Guilt is smothered and silenced. Its citizens are deceived into believing all is well. They say peace, peace! When there is no peace. (Jeremiah 6:14).

So Christian turned out of his way to go to Mr. Legality’s house for help; but, behold, when he was got now hard by the hill, it seemed so high, and also that side of it that was next the wayside did hang so much over, that Christian was afraid to venture further, lest the hill should fall on his head; wherefore there he stood still and did not know what to do. Also his burden now seemed heavier to him than while he was in his way. There came also flashes of fire out of the hill, that made Christian afraid that he should be burned. Here, therefore, he sweat and did quake for fear.

Swayed by the counsel of Mr. Worldly Wiseman, Christian strays from the Way. As he travels toward the Village of Morality, it is not long before he begins to realize his foolishness. The closer he gets to the Hill, the more he fears it will fall on his head and crush him. He has forsaken the Way of the cross and is now pursuing a works-righteousness salvation. He soon learns that his attempts to please God by an outward form of morality are as filthy rags before God. His works can never measure up to the perfect standard of God’s Law. Christian finds himself in great fear, not knowing what to do or which way to turn. The Lord is merciful, however, and sends His servant Evangelist once again to warn and comfort Christian. Evangelist is faithful to his King and comes to find and warn his brother. As Evangelist once again points Christian to the Light of the Gospel, Christian shows the fruits of repentance and is encouraged to be not faithless, but believing.

Then, said Evangelist, stand still a little, that I may show you the words of God. So he stood trembling. Then said Evangelist, See that you do not refuse him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape, if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven. He said, moreover, the just shall live by faith: but if any one draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. He also made this application: You are the man who is running into this misery; who has begun to reject the counsel of the Most High, and to draw back your foot from the way of peace, even almost to the hazarding of your destruction.

Then Christian fell down at his feet as a dead man, crying, Woe is me, for I am undone! When Evangelist saw this, he caught him by the right hand, and said, All manner of sin and blasphemies shall be forgiven unto men. Do not be faithless, but believing. Then Christian began to revive a little, and stood up trembling, as at first, before Evangelist.

Let’s look more closely at this encounter between Christian and Evangelist, and consider three important factors: the King’s mercy, Evangelist’s faithfulness, and Christian’s response.

I. The King’s Mercy

Notice first, the mercy of the King, who sends His servant Evangelist to warn Christian of his error. Evangelist is representative in the allegory of a pastor, a shepherd, a watchman — one who serves the Kingdom of God by caring for and instructing the people of God. God Himself promised: “And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jeremiah 3:15). God has also promised that He will not leave those whom He loves in error. He will come and bring correction. We are told in Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”

Notice that this error does not take God by surprise. He is prepared for our stumbling and wandering. God knows the heart of man. He tells us in Jeremiah 17:9-10, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” He has searched the soul of man and pronounced His conclusion: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-18).

It is significant that throughout the allegory in all the times Christian stumbles, falls or strays from the path, the King is always prepared to find him and bring him back. When Christian was in the field reading his Book, convicted of sin and not knowing which way to go, God sent Evangelist to warn him to flee the wrath to come and flee to the Gate, to Jesus Christ and His Gospel. When Christian fell into the Slough, mired by his sin wondering if God could ever save one as wicked as he, Help was nearby to come and pull him out. And now, when Christian forsakes the right path and strays from the Way, Evangelist is sent again to warn and instruct Christian.

II. Evangelist’s Faithfulness

Second, consider the faithfulness of Evangelist to serve His King as a faithful shepherd. He is not afraid to confront Christian with his sin and warn him of its consequences. He tells him plainly “You are out of the Way.” Ezekiel 33:1-6 reveals the grave importance of confronting men with their sin and proclaiming the Gospel:

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.

The watchman knows the weight of his responsibility before God. He understands the reality of hell and the coming judgment and wrath of God. This knowledge burns in his heart to warn and plead with men to flee Destruction and seek the Narrow Gate. But notice what the watchman is to say. He is not, as Worldly Wiseman, told to offer his own opinions and counsel. Instead, the watchman must preach God’s Word. “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me” (Ezekiel 33:7). We are told in 2 Timothy 3:16 that God’s Word is profitable for doctrine (teaching us truth concerning God, us and the world in which we live), for reproof (confronting us when we sin and fall into error), for correction (showing how to get back to the Way), and for instruction in righteousness (teaching us how to remain in the Way). Here Christian is in need of all that Scripture can offer and Evangelist tells him “Stand still a little that I may show you the words of God.”

But notice also, that while Evangelist does not slight the heinousness of Christian’s sin, he speaks the truth to Christian in love. His stern warning is mixed with a heart of compassion, comfort and tenderness. Upon hearing his sin exposed Christian falls down at Evangelist’s feet as dead. As the fruits of repentance are manifest, Evangelist is quick to bring the balm of the Gospel. He tells him. “All manner of sin and blasphemies shall be forgiven unto men. Do not be faithless, but believing.” He takes Christian by the hand and helps him to stand.

III. Christian’s Response

Notice finally, Christian’s response to the warning he was given. He accepted it humbly. When the watchman sounded the trumpet, Christian heeded the call and repented of his sin. Jeremiah 6, speaking of the Fall of Judah, presents an example of the grave consequences of rejecting God’s Word and not heeding His watchmen. Here we are told: “I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’ Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them. Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it” (Jeremiah 6:17-19). We must accept the correction God brings to us from His Word. Proverbs 15:10 reveals what the result would have been had Christian not considered the warning of Evangelist: “There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die” (Proverbs 15:10).

We must be thankful for those watchmen God has given to care for us. In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 Paul encourages us to recognize “those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). Later in the story, when Christian is with Faithful, he will encounter Evangelist again, as Evangelist comes to warn and instruct them. Consider the way the pilgrims esteem their shepherd in love. God’s ministers are an important means in our sanctification. We must pray for them and appreciate them for they warn and comfort us as those who must give an account.

—Pastor Ken Puls

Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, Ken Puls, The Pilgrim's Progress | posted by TimBrister at 2:41 pm | Categories: Sunday School Stuff, The Pilgrim's Progress |