ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 22: The Valley of the Shadow of Death

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

As we have travelled with Christian through The Pilgrim’s Progress, we have seen him face one difficulty after another. He has come to the Cross, climbed Hill Difficulty, experienced the consequences of his carelessness, and found fellowship and instruction at the Palace Beautiful. In the last post, we followed him into the Valley of Humiliation, where he faced Apollyon and fought for his life. Christian has come through that battle, but his journey is far from over.

Bunyan now takes us into the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and the description he gives us is quite frightening. Christian is faced with darkness, dangerous paths, a deep ditch on one side and a dangerous quagmire on the other. He struggles to keep to the right path because he cannot clearly see where he is going. The danger is not always visible, and he cannot be certain what lies ahead.

Before Christian reaches the valley, however, he encounters two men who are running away from the road. Their names are Timorous and Mistrust. When Christian asks them why they are turning back, they tell him that lions are ahead and that they fear for their lives. They have seen the danger and have decided that the journey is no longer worth continuing.

Christian listens to them, but he does not turn back. He continues on his way, even though he too is afraid of what lies ahead.

I think there is something here worth considering. Christian has just fought Apollyon, and now he is warned of another danger. He could easily have decided that he had endured enough and that turning back was the sensible thing to do. But he knows where he is going, and the fear of what lies ahead does not change the direction in which he has been travelling.

We have to be careful when listening to the experiences of others. Their fears may be genuine, and the dangers they describe may be real, but that does not mean we should allow their fear to determine our own direction. We must examine what we hear against the Word of God. Christian's decision to continue is not based on a belief that nothing can harm him. He continues because he is committed to the journey.

When Christian enters the valley, the darkness becomes so severe that he struggles to find his way. He encounters dangers on either side of the path, and Bunyan describes how difficult it is for him to proceed. There are times when Christian is so troubled that he does not know what to do next.

This is quite different from his encounter with Apollyon. There, he could see his enemy and fight back. Here, he is walking through darkness, unable to see clearly what is before him. He cannot fight an enemy he cannot see, and he cannot avoid every danger when he does not know where it lies.

I wonder how many of us have experienced something similar in our own lives. We may find ourselves in circumstances where we cannot understand what is happening, and the harder we try to make sense of things, the more confused we become. We want answers, but they do not come. We want to know what lies ahead, but we cannot see beyond the immediate circumstances.

It is in times like these that we must remember what Scripture teaches us. David wrote in Psalm 23:4, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” David does not say that he will never walk through the valley. He acknowledges that he will, but his confidence rests in the presence of the Lord. He proved that in abundance when he faced Goliath.

There is a difference between knowing the road is dangerous and believing that we have been abandoned on it. Christian is in the valley, but he has not been abandoned. He must keep moving forward, even when he cannot see clearly.

There have been times in my own life when I have wanted my great heavenly Father to show me exactly what was happening and where He was taking me. I wanted answers, and I wanted to understand why certain things were happening. But I have come to realise that I cannot always see what lies ahead. What I must do is return to His Word and allow it to direct me, even when my circumstances leave me confused. I do not always understand what Jesus Christ, my Lord, is doing, but I am learning to trust my great heavenly Father and His Word.

Bunyan describes Christian's fear as he continues through the valley. At one point, he hears voices speaking against him, and he becomes so distressed that he struggles to know what to do. Yet he remembers the words of Scripture, and the words of David bring him comfort as he continues his journey.

This brings us back to the question we have been asking throughout this series. Are we looking for Jesus in the wrong places? When we find ourselves in darkness, do we look first to our circumstances, our feelings or the advice of others, or do we turn to the Word of God? Scripture does not promise that we will always understand our circumstances, but it does give us instruction on how to walk through them.

The Word of God is not simply something we turn to when life is going well. It is our authority when we are confused, discouraged and afraid. We may not have all the answers, but we have been given God's Word to guide us.

Christian continues through the valley, and as he presses on, the darkness eventually begins to lift. He has not turned back, and the danger has not persuaded him to abandon the journey. He has endured a difficult part of the road, but he continues towards the Celestial City.

I do not claim to have mastered this in my own life. I am still learning to trust my great heavenly Father when I cannot see the way ahead. But I know where I must turn for instruction, and I must allow the Word of God to direct my steps.

As we continue with Bunyan, Christian will meet another pilgrim on the road, and we will see how their journeys come together. For now, we leave Christian having passed through another difficult part of the journey, reminded that the darkness of the valley does not mean he has lost his way.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: Psalm 23:4; Psalm 119:105

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES? Part 21

 

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?
Part 21: The Valley of Humiliation

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

As we have travelled with Christian through The Pilgrim’s Progress, we have been asking the same question from the beginning: Are we looking for Jesus in the wrong places? We have looked at the foundation of the Christian journey, the different responses to the Gospel, the dangers of worldly wisdom, the work of the Holy Spirit, the Law and its inability to cleanse the heart, and the Cross, where Christian's burden was removed. We have also looked at difficulty, pressure, temptation, and the danger of becoming careless. In the last post, Christian arrived at the Palace Beautiful, where he was welcomed, given fellowship, instructed, and shown the armour prepared for pilgrims. Now he leaves the Palace, and the road takes him down into the Valley of Humiliation.

I find it interesting that Christian has just come from a place where he has been welcomed and encouraged. He has been able to rest, talk about his experiences, and learn from those who have gone before him. Yet the next part of the road takes him down into a valley.

Bunyan does not present the Valley of Humiliation merely as a place of misery. There is fruitfulness there, and Christian is able to pass through it. But as he continues, he encounters someone who urges him to turn back.

What fascinates me about Christian's journey is his commitment to the call of obedience. He knows where he has come from and where he is going, and despite everything that happens along the way, he remains committed to following the call that set him on the road in the first place. His journey seems far removed from my own. I have taken wrong turns, hesitated, questioned, become discouraged, and at times allowed the pressures of life to influence how I respond to what I know God has said. When I see Christian standing before Apollyon, refusing to turn back, I have to ask myself how committed I am to the same call of obedience when obedience becomes difficult.

His name is Apollyon. Apollyon approaches Christian and begins to question him, asking where he has come from and where he is going. Christian tells him that he has left the City of Destruction and is travelling towards the Celestial City.

Apollyon begins to reason with him about his decision. Why leave the place he came from? Why continue on a road that has already brought him so much hardship? Why not return? What interests me is that he does not begin by attacking Christian. He begins by speaking to him.

That is often how deception works. The enemy does not always present something that immediately looks evil. Sometimes the temptation is to question what God has already said or to reconsider a decision we know we have made in accordance with His Word.

Christian knows where he has come from and where he is going. More importantly, he knows whom he serves. He tells Apollyon that he is a servant of the Prince of princes and has sworn to serve Him. Christian does not claim that the road has been easy. He simply refuses to return to the place from which he has been delivered.

We have already discussed what happens when the pressure mounts. When we are tired, discouraged, disappointed or hurting, the temptation to find something that eases the pressure can become very strong. The alternative can start to look attractive simply because it appears to offer relief. But where does that alternative lead us?

Apollyon becomes angry because Christian refuses to turn back, and the conversation escalates into a battle. Christian is attacked and wounded, but eventually draws his sword and defeats Apollyon.

Christian has already been to the Cross. His burden has been lifted. He has climbed Hill Difficulty, faced his own carelessness, returned for his roll, and reached the Palace Beautiful. None of those things meant he would never face another battle. In fact, he has just been shown the armour prepared for pilgrims, and now we see why.

Paul writes:

“and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:17

We looked at the armour of God in the previous post, so I do not want to repeat everything we have already considered. But Bunyan has placed the armoury immediately before Christian meets Apollyon, and Christian now has to use what has been provided for him.

This brings me back to the importance of God's Word. When circumstances change, our feelings can shift with them. What seemed clear yesterday can look very different under pressure. Other people may offer advice, and some of it can sound very convincing. But the Word of God remains our final authority.

Jesus said:

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

There have been many times in my life when I have wanted my great heavenly Father to change my circumstances, but I have come to realise that sometimes the change I was seeking had to begin with me. I needed to sit at His feet, open His Word, and allow Him to change the way I saw what I was going through. I still do not always understand what Jesus Christ, my Lord, is doing, but I am learning that obedience means trusting my great heavenly Father even when I cannot see where He is taking me.

Perhaps Peter helps us understand this better. He tells us not to be surprised when the fiery trial comes,

“as though something strange were happening to you.” 1 Peter 4:12.

Peter does not tell us that suffering means we are on the wrong road. He tells us not to be surprised when trials come. This is a fundamental point to grasp, because we must find our direction in God's Word. When we understand this, the question becomes not simply “Why?” but “What can I learn from this?”

Bunyan does not portray Christian as someone who is never afraid or never injured. He portrays him as someone who knows whom he serves and refuses to turn back. That, I think, is something we need to understand. Being a Christian does not mean opposition or temptation will disappear, or that every difficult circumstance will suddenly change. A Christian has been prepared, but he still has to stand.

“Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:13

I certainly do not claim to have mastered this. Far from it. I am still learning what it means to stand when the pressure comes, to listen to the instruction of God's Word rather than to my own feelings, and to trust my great heavenly Father even when I do not understand what is happening. But this is what Scripture teaches us, and if the Word of God is our final authority, then this is where I must begin.

Christian resisted Apollyon, and eventually the battle was over. He continued along the road.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: James 4:7; Ephesians 6:10-18; John 17:17; 1 Peter 4:12

 

DECEPTION

 

WHEN THE LIE BECOMES TRUTH…

 

“In the last days perilous times will come.” 2 Timothy 3:1

That should not surprise us. In fact, the closer we get to the end, the more obvious it becomes that the fundamental things the great I AM established through creation are being challenged, questioned and defied.

Look at what is happening around us. Things once accepted as fundamental truths are being redefined. Man and woman, as God created them, are no longer simply understood as biological realities but have become matters of personal identity and choice. Marriage, which God established between a man and a woman, has also been redefined.

The authority of the Word of God is challenged because mankind believes we have evolved beyond what God established. We are told that society has progressed and that what God established thousands of years ago is no longer relevant to the world we live in today.

But deception is not free. There is a cost to believing a lie, and the most dangerous thing about deception is that you don't necessarily realise you are being deceived. That is precisely how deception works. A lie is a falsehood presented to you, but a delusion is a falsehood you have accepted as truth. You have reasoned it through, convinced yourself it makes sense, and eventually come to believe it.

Once that happens, you no longer believe you are believing a lie. You believe you have discovered the truth.

The pinnacle of this deception is found in the final events described in Revelation, when Satan deceives mankind into receiving the mark of the beast and worshipping his image. He exalts himself above God and presents himself as God. Yet even this remains within the sovereignty of God. Satan may deceive, but God remains God.

Satan's objective has always been to oppose God, exalt himself, place himself above every object of worship, and ultimately present himself as God.

“And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” Revelation 19:20

“and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10

But deception didn't begin with the beast, the mark or the final judgement. If we want to understand how deception works, we have to go right back to where it began. That takes us all the way back to the Garden of Eden.

Satan didn't come to Eve and simply tell her to reject God. He didn't need to. He introduced a question about what God had already said: “Did God actually say...?”

That question changed everything. Once Eve began to question God's words, she became open to another explanation. Satan offered her a different way of looking at what God had established, and that is where the deception began.

What makes this so important is that Satan's approach hasn't changed. He doesn't always need to tell us that God is wrong. Sometimes all he needs to do is get us to question what God has said. Once we begin to question it, we can start looking for another answer.

And that other answer can sound very convincing. It can appeal to our reasoning, our desire for independence and our belief that we are thinking for ourselves, even though we have simply accepted another version of the truth.

That is the danger. The lie begins to look like truth, not because it has actually become truth, but because it has become accepted.

And perhaps that is where this becomes personal for each of us, including me. It is easy to look at the world and point out where others have been deceived. It is much harder to pause and ask whether there are areas in my own life where I have allowed my thinking to take precedence over what God has said.

Have I accepted something simply because the world has accepted it? Have I convinced myself that something is right because it seems to make sense to me? Have I taken something I want to believe and then searched for reasons to support it?

And if I discovered that something I sincerely believed was contrary to the Word of God, would I be willing to revise my understanding, or would I try to revise the Word of God to fit my understanding?

Those are difficult questions, but perhaps we need to ask them because the greatest danger is not merely that the world is being deceived. The danger is that I can be deceived too.

Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

Perhaps the prayer we need to pray is not simply that God would show us where the world is being deceived. Perhaps we should be asking Him to show us where we might be deceived ourselves.

David understood this when he prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Psalm 139:23–24

Perhaps that is where we should all begin, because deception becomes most dangerous when we are so convinced of our own rightness that we no longer allow ourselves to be questioned.

If I am willing to let God search me, challenge me and correct me through His Word, I leave the door open for truth to expose whatever has taken its place.

And when everything around us urges us to trust ourselves, perhaps the most important thing we can do is return to the One who created us, gave us His Word, and knows the difference between what we believe to be true and what is actually true.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture references: Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:24; Genesis 3:1–6; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4; Revelation 13:11–18; Revelation 14:9–11; Revelation 20:7–10.

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 20: The Palace Beautiful

Christian has now come through the Hill Difficulty and has experienced both the difficulty of the climb and the consequences of carelessness along the way. After losing his roll at the arbour, he turns back, finds it, and continues on his journey. It is after this that he comes to the Palace Beautiful.

As Christian approaches the Palace, Bunyan introduces something that immediately catches his attention. He sees two lions in his path and becomes afraid. Watchful, the porter of the Palace, tells him that the lions are chained and gives him an important instruction. He must keep to the middle of the path.

I think there is something very practical here. The danger is real, but Christian is not told to leave the road because of it. He is told to stay on the path. The lions are chained, yet Christian still needs to be watchful and follow the instruction he has been given.

This connects with what we looked at in the previous post, when we considered the spiritual battle described by Paul in Ephesians 6. We do not need to repeat everything we have already covered, but Bunyan gives us another picture of the same reality. There are dangers on the Christian journey, yet we are not left without instruction on how we are to walk.

Christian reaches the gate and is questioned by Watchful about where he has come from and where he is going. He explains his journey and is eventually welcomed into the Palace Beautiful. There he meets Discretion, Piety, Prudence and Charity, who spend time with him and ask about the things he has experienced on his journey.

I find this part of Bunyan's story interesting because Christian is not simply given somewhere to sleep for the night. He is welcomed into a place where he can rest, fellowship with other believers and talk about what he has experienced. He is also reminded of the things he has already learned along the way.

They talk with him about his journey, including what happened at the Cross and what he saw at the Interpreter's House. Christian has come a long way, but he is still learning.

This is where I think of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha was busy with the many things that needed doing, while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to Him.

Jesus said:

“But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42 ESV

This morning at 3:45am, I once again rolled out of bed with the same goal in mind, to sit at the feet of Jesus. I have written before about what I call my “happy place”, and for me that place is sitting at the feet of Jesus. As I read about Christian being welcomed into the Palace Beautiful, I could not help but reflect on the importance of having a place where we can stop, listen and allow the Word of God to instruct us.

But Bunyan does not leave Christian there. He shows us that a journey still lies ahead.

Christian is taken to the armoury and shown the provisions prepared for pilgrims. He sees the weapons provided for those travelling in the service of their Lord. This follows naturally from what Christian has already experienced and reminds us that the Christian journey is not simply about finding somewhere comfortable to rest. We need to be prepared for what lies ahead.

Paul tells us:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Ephesians 6:10 ESV

And then:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 ESV

Christian is being prepared because a battle still lies ahead. The lions are chained, but they remain. The instruction remains the same: stay on the path.

This is why I keep returning to the Word of God. To understand the journey and recognise the dangers along the way, we need something more reliable than our own feelings or opinions. The Word of God must remain our teacher and our final authority. It must always have the last say… Always!

There have been times in my life when I have wanted my great heavenly Father to change my circumstances, only to realise that what I really needed was to sit at His feet and allow His Word to change how I saw them in relation to my journey. I do not always understand what Jesus Christ, my Lord, is doing, but I am learning to trust my great heavenly Father and His Word.

Jesus said:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 ESV

Christian's time at the Palace Beautiful gives him rest, fellowship and instruction, and it also prepares him for the next stage of his journey. He will leave the Palace and continue along the road, facing whatever lies ahead.

As I think about that, I am reminded again of why sitting at the feet of Jesus is so important to me. I do not sit there because I have everything figured out. I sit there because I need to hear what my Lord has said and to allow His Word to guide me as I continue along the road.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: Luke 10:42, Ephesians 6:10, Ephesians 6:12, Matthew 11:28

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 19: When the Pressure Mounts

“Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12

As Christian continues his journey after leaving the Hill Difficulty, Bunyan brings us to another part of the journey that I think is easy to overlook. Christian comes to an arbour by the way and, tired from the journey, sits down to rest. There, he falls asleep. When he wakes, he discovers that the roll he was given is lost. He has to go back along the road to search for it, and when he eventually finds it, he is reminded again of the importance of diligence.

There is nothing wrong with Christian needing rest. He had been travelling up the Hill Difficulty and had been through a demanding part of the journey. The problem arose when his rest turned into carelessness. He was in a place where he could relax, and perhaps that was when he became less watchful.

This makes me think of something I have come to recognise in my own life. It seems to me that whenever sin becomes particularly attractive, or the lure particularly strong, it is often when the pressure mounts. When life becomes difficult, when circumstances seem overwhelming, or when we feel we are carrying more than we can handle, we naturally begin to look for a way to release the pressure and lighten the load.

This is where we need to be very careful, because what appears to offer relief can quickly become another form of bondage.

Why does someone turn to alcohol and eventually become an alcoholic? Why does someone begin taking drugs? There can be many circumstances involved, and I would not want to reduce those struggles to a single explanation, but sometimes the desire is to escape the realities of life. The same principle can manifest in many other forms. People can look for relief through pornography, gambling, unhealthy relationships, excessive entertainment, or any number of other things that promise to take their minds off what they are facing.

The pressure mounts, and we start looking for something to make it disappear.

And if that escape becomes our answer, we may find ourselves trapped by the very thing we turned to for relief.

This is where Paul's words in Romans 7 become deeply real. He describes something every believer needs to understand about the battle with sin:

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15

He goes on to describe the conflict within himself.

“but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” Romans 7:23

Paul is not describing a battle that exists only among particularly sinful people. The reality is that we all have to contend with the power and influence of sin. We can all find ourselves seeking relief in the wrong place when pressure mounts.

Paul eventually cries out:

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Romans 7:24

And then comes the answer:

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:25 ESV

That brings me back to the question that runs through this whole series. When the pressure mounts, where are we looking for relief?

The Lord Jesus Christ does not tell us that the Christian life will be free from pressure. He tells us the opposite:

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 There is a great difference between looking to Christ for strength in the midst of our circumstances and looking for something that will allow us to escape them.

Jesus says:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

The rest Christ offers is not an escape from Him or from life's realities. It is rest found in Him. That is very different from the temporary relief sin offers.

I think this is also why Peter tells us:

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Perhaps one of the problems we face as Christians is that we do not understand the rules of engagement. We are in a spiritual battle, whether we acknowledge it or not, and the enemy knows exactly where our weaknesses lie. When the pressure mounts and we are tired, discouraged, disappointed or hurting, the temptation to find relief elsewhere than in Christ often becomes strongest. If we do not understand the battle, we may mistake the temptation for an opportunity to escape rather than recognise it for what it is. Scripture has not left us without instruction. We have been given the Word of God and told to be sober-minded and watchful. The question is whether we will actually listen to our Commander and follow His instructions.

There is another point in Bunyan's account that I think is important. Christian had already passed through the Cross. His burden had been lifted, and he was genuinely on the journey. Yet he could still grow careless.

That should make us take heed.

Coming to Christ does not mean we no longer need diligence. It does not mean that temptation will disappear or that pressure will never return. We still have a battle with sin, and Scripture must remain our instructor and authority in how we deal with it.

Sometimes the pressure mounts because we are being tested. At times, the Lord is pruning us and teaching us to depend more fully on Him. Whatever the circumstances, the answer is not to seek relief in anything that would draw us away from Christ.

Bunyan's Christian had to go back and find what he had lost. I think that's important for us. When we realise we have become careless, we should not simply carry on down the road, pretending nothing has happened. We need to return to the Word of God, examine ourselves honestly, and look again to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The question is not whether pressure will come. Jesus has already told us it will.

The question is what we will do when it comes.

Will we look to something that promises to lighten the load for a moment, or will we come to Christ, who alone can truly grant us rest?

That is something I think every one of us needs to consider, especially when the pressure mounts.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 10:12, Romans 7:15, Romans 7:23, Romans 7:24, Romans 7:25, John 16:33, Matthew 11:28, 1 Peter 5:8

 

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 18: The Hill Difficulty

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

Christian has now come through the Wicket Gate, travelled to the Cross, and had the burden he carried removed. He is continuing on the road, but Bunyan does not allow us to think that coming to Christ means the rest of the journey will be easy. Christian now comes to a place called Hill Difficulty, and before him are three ways. Two appear to offer an easier journey, while the right way leads directly up the hill.

I think this is an important part of the journey because a message in Christianity today can leave people with the impression that if they come to Christ, their difficulties will somehow disappear. We hear about blessing, prosperity, success, and a life in which everything should begin to work out because we have chosen to follow Jesus. Yet when we turn to Scripture, we find something very different.

Jesus did not tell His disciples that following Him would make life easier. He told them plainly, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” But He did not leave them with those words alone. He continued, “but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” The promise is not that we will avoid difficulty. The promise is that Christ has overcome the world.

Paul and Barnabas understood this when they strengthened the disciples and told them:

“we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
Acts 14:22

There is no suggestion here that suffering means we have somehow taken the wrong road. In fact, Scripture teaches us to expect suffering as part of following Christ. Peter speaks about it very clearly. He tells us that Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example to follow His steps. Later he says:

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
1 Peter 5:10

That changes how we view difficulty. We should not automatically assume that hardship means something has gone wrong. Sometimes the very thing we would rather remove is being used by God to accomplish His purpose in us.

Jesus also taught us about fruit and pruning. He said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” There should be evidence of a life belonging to Christ. Yet in John 15, Jesus explains that the Father prunes the branch that bears fruit so that it may bear more fruit. The presence of fruit does not mean the work is finished. There is still pruning along the way.

Pruning is not necessarily comfortable, and neither is climbing a hill. God deals with things in us that we might prefer to leave untouched. He exposes attitudes, desires, habits and ways of thinking that need to come under the authority of His Word. This is part of the Lord's work in a believer's life, and it is one reason why we must be careful not to judge our spiritual condition simply by how easy or difficult our circumstances are.

Paul gives us another important piece of the picture in Romans 8:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28

What is that good for? The very next verse tells us that we are to be “conformed to the image of his Son.” That is very different from being promised a comfortable life. God's purpose is not simply to improve our circumstances. He is working in us to make us more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know this is something I have had to learn for myself. There have been times when I have thought that if I am doing what God wants me to do, surely things should become easier. Yet Scripture has repeatedly brought me back to the truth that the Christian journey is not measured by the absence of difficulty. Sometimes obedience leads us directly into circumstances that test and strengthen our dependence on the Lord.

This is where diligence becomes so important. Christian is not climbing the hill to earn his salvation. His burden has already been dealt with at the Cross. He is climbing because he is continuing along the road he has entered. The danger is that when the road becomes difficult, we may start looking for an easier way, as Bunyan shows us with the other paths before Hill Difficulty.

This is why we need the Word of God. Our feelings cannot be our final authority. Neither can our circumstances. Nor can what other people tell us. His Word is our instructor and our ultimate authority. If the road becomes difficult, we must return to what God has said and allow His Word to instruct us, rather than letting difficulty determine what we believe.

Christian has already learned that there is no other way to the Celestial City than the way God has provided. Now he must learn that the right road is not necessarily the easiest road. Sometimes it goes up the hill, and the Lord calls us to keep going.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 4:1; 1 Peter 5:10; Matthew 7:16; John 15:2; Romans 8:28-29

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES - part 17

 

Part 17: The Way We Enter

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

As Christian continues his journey, Bunyan introduces us to two men named Formalist and Hypocrisy. They are travelling along the same road as Christian, but they have not entered it in the same way.

Christian asks them where they came from and how they entered the way. Their answer is simple. They climbed over the wall.

I think there is something important in that detail. Christian had entered through the Wicket Gate. Formalist and Hypocrisy had found another way onto the road. From the outside they may appear to be pilgrims travelling towards the same destination, but Bunyan wants us to notice that the way they entered matters.

This makes me think about how easily we can become familiar with Christianity without actually knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. We can become familiar with the language, the traditions and the outward practices of Christianity. We can attend church, read the Bible and even try to live a good life. Yet none of these things, by themselves, tell us whether we have truly come to Christ.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

There is no ambiguity in what the Lord Jesus Christ said.

Bunyan's two travellers therefore make me think about religion and what we can place our confidence in. It is possible to build a religious life around what we do, what we know, how we were raised or what we believe we should be. We can become so familiar with the things surrounding faith that we stop asking where our confidence actually rests.

I have had to consider this in my own life. I know how easily I can fall back into trying to earn what I have already received by grace. I can find myself thinking that if I do enough, pray enough, read enough Scripture or live well enough, I will somehow become more acceptable to God. But the Cross has already shown me that my salvation does not rest upon my ability to make myself acceptable. It rests upon the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done.

That is why the way we enter matters.

Formalist and Hypocrisy seem to be comfortable with the way they have come onto the road. They have an explanation for it, and they are confident enough to continue. Yet Christian knows that there was a gate he had to enter through. Bunyan is showing us the difference between following the way God has provided and deciding that another way will do.

Perhaps this is also why I have such a heart for the lost sheep and the wayward pilgrim. I know something of what it is to be in that condition myself. I have needed the Word of God to bring me back, to correct my thinking and to show me where I have been going wrong. So, when I write, I do not want to simply give people my opinion about Christianity. I want to keep pointing back to the Word because it is our instructor and our ultimate authority.

There are plenty of voices willing to tell us what Christianity should look like. Sometimes the answers can sound so convincing, and even so obvious, that we can accept them without stopping to ask whether they agree with Scripture. This is where I think diligence matters. We need to know the Word well enough to recognise when something that sounds right is not what God has said.

Paul tells us to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. That is a serious instruction. It is not something we can do by comparing ourselves with other Christians or by looking at outward appearances. We have to allow the Word of God to examine us.

This brings me back to Formalist and Hypocrisy. They are not standing outside the road refusing to have anything to do with Christianity. They are travelling along it. That is what makes their example worth considering. They appear to be moving in the right direction, but the foundation of their journey is wrong.

I think there is a warning here for all of us, including me. We can become comfortable with being around the things of God and assume that this means we are walking with God. We can know the language, understand the customs and even have a great deal of knowledge, while the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is no longer at the centre of our confidence.

Bunyan does not allow Christian to simply accept that because these men are on the road, they must therefore be pilgrims in the same sense that he is. He asks where they came from and how they entered.

Perhaps that is something worth remembering when we listen to the many voices around us. We should not simply ask whether something sounds Christian. We should go back to the Word of God and ask what God has actually said.

Christian entered through the Wicket Gate and continued along the road. Formalist and Hypocrisy climbed over the wall. They may have been travelling in the same direction, but Bunyan has shown us that the beginning of the journey matters.

And for me, that brings everything back to the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not say that He would show us one possible way to the Father. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

The Christian journey begins and continues with Him. Not sacraments and the like, it’s a total commitment to Him who is the Word of God and the one who became flesh to take away the sins of the world. Every other voice is a lie and filled with deceit. You see it contradicts God Word. He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” I hope you are getting the finality of what the Lord is emphasising? There is no other way that will get you to heaven…   

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: John 14:6; Matthew 7:13-14; Proverbs 14:12; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Ephesians 2:8-9Top of FormBottom of Form