Freedom or Bondage?

What is the enemy's objective when it comes to mankind? It's simple.

Slavery.

Paul introduces the subject in Galatians 5:1 by reminding believers that Christ has set them free, and then immediately issues a warning not to become entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
(Galatians 5:1, KJV)

The battle is between freedom and bondage.

The Apostle Paul makes this clear on numerous occasions. He contrasts the flesh with the Spirit, showing that they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. If we had to colour-code them, the flesh would be pitch black and the Spirit pure white. From Genesis onwards, we are introduced to light and darkness. Throughout Scripture, light is associated with God and the work of His Spirit, while darkness represents sin, deception and the kingdom of darkness. It is therefore not difficult to understand that habitual sin is simply the yoke of bondage on display, the work of the flesh encouraged by the kingdom of darkness.

What prompted me to consider this was Paul's teaching in Galatians 5:1. There are two obvious objectives at play: freedom and bondage.

Christ's objective is freedom.

Satan's objective is bondage.

The objective of freedom is where Christ and the finished work of the cross come into view. Because of His death, burial and resurrection, those who have recognised their own sin, understood their need for forgiveness, believed in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead and confessed with their mouths that Jesus is Lord have been set free. They have been delivered from the coming judgment and, more importantly, from the bondage of sin itself.

This is the instruction Paul gives to believers.

God's objective is to free us from bondage, from the old, habitual patterns of sin that once enslaved us, wherever the shoe may fit in our lives.

Do you habitually lose your temper? If so, then you are enslaved to that particular trait. That is Satan's objective: to keep you yielding to the yoke of bondage in that area of your life. The same principle applies whether it is anger, lust, jealousy, drunkenness, pride or any other habitual sin. Bondage is bondage, whatever form it takes.

Paul goes even further and helps us identify many of these patterns.

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
(Galatians 5:19–21, KJV)

We are called to examine ourselves in the light of these verses, and I like the way Paul ends the list with the words, "and such like." In other words, the list is not exhaustive. He gives enough examples for us to understand the principle and then leaves us to honestly examine ourselves before the Lord.

The teaching is straightforward. Satan wants to keep us enslaved under a yoke of bondage, while the Spirit of God wants us to walk in the freedom Christ has purchased for us. It really is as simple as that. We do not need to overthink it, but in the same breath we must be brutally honest with ourselves.

There is another point in this passage that I think is important to highlight. The ESV translates verse 21 as "those who do such things." That is a perfectly legitimate translation. However, I prefer the NKJV, which reads, "those who practice such things."

The Greek word is πράσσοντες (prássontes), from the verb πράσσω (prássō). It means to practise, to carry on, to habitually do, or to make a practice of something. More importantly, it is a present active participle, describing an ongoing pattern or habitual way of life. The KJV and the ESV both translate the word as "do," but I believe the NKJV brings out Paul's meaning more clearly by translating it as "practice."

That distinction is important because there is a world of difference between committing a sin and practising sin.

Take swearing as an example. Before salvation, perhaps you could not finish a sentence without swearing. Then Christ saved you, and from that moment those words disappeared from your vocabulary. That is the power of the Holy Spirit at work. It is nothing short of a miracle.

Years later, however, you begin allowing those words back into your everyday speech. What has happened?

It does not prove that you have lost your salvation. What it does demonstrate is that, in that area of your life, you have once again begun yielding to the yoke of bondage. You are allowing something Christ has set you free from to regain influence over you. That is exactly what Satan wants.

You can apply that principle to every item Paul mentions in this list. That is why I believe each of us should prayerfully work through it, asking the Lord to expose those areas where we may once again be yielding to the flesh.

The purpose is not to bring ourselves back under condemnation. Christ has already dealt with that.

The purpose is to understand where we are, to recognise where the enemy may be gaining ground, and to continue walking in the freedom Christ purchased for us.

That, I believe, is Paul's point.

Signing off,
Tyrone

Scripture References: Genesis 1:1–5; John 8:31–36; Romans 6:1–23; Romans 8:1–14; Galatians 5:1; Galatians 5:16–26; Ephesians 2:1–10; Colossians 1:13–14; 1 Peter 2:16; 1 John 3:4–10

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES? - Part 7

The Interpreter's House: Taught by the Spirit of Truth

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth..." John 16:13 (ESV)

At the conclusion of our previous study, we anticipated accompanying Christian to the place where his burden finally falls away at the Cross. Yet before we continue, I believe we may have overlooked an important truth. It is easily missed, yet Bunyan intentionally places it before us.

Christian does not go directly from the Wicket Gate to the Cross. Instead, Bunyan first leads him to the Interpreter's House. Since Bunyan is deliberate in every detail of his allegory, we should pause to ask why. Why does he interrupt Christian's journey at this point? Why is the Interpreter's House placed before the Cross?

I believe our Lord Jesus Christ gives us the answer.

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth..." John 16:13 (ESV)

Those words were spoken by Jesus to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. Knowing that He would soon return to the Father, He promised that they would not be left to walk alone. The Spirit of truth would come, not to speak on His own authority, but to guide them into the truth, bringing to their remembrance all that Christ had taught them.

Earlier, Jesus had made the same promise.

"...the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:26 (ESV)

As we read Bunyan's account, it is difficult not to see the similarity. He never tells us that the Interpreter is the Holy Spirit, nor should we claim what Bunyan himself does not expressly state. Nevertheless, the work of the Interpreter closely resembles the ministry our Lord attributes to the Holy Spirit. Christian is brought to One who will teach him, open his understanding, reveal spiritual realities, warn him of dangers yet to come, and prepare him for the journey that still lies before him.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that spiritual truth is not discovered by human wisdom or intellectual ability.

"These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God."

1 Corinthians 2:10 (ESV)

He continues,

"Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God." 1 Corinthians 2:12 (ESV)

This is a truth Bunyan has already illustrated throughout Christian's journey. Mr Worldly Wiseman offered advice, but his wisdom could not lead Christian to Christ. Legality offered another path, but it only increased his fear. Formalist and Hypocrisy possessed religion, yet they had never entered by the Gate. Human wisdom, religious tradition, and outward morality all failed because none could accomplish what only God Himself can do.

Having now entered by the Wicket Gate, Christian is safely on the narrow way, but he has much to learn. Before Bunyan brings him to the Cross, he first brings him to the Interpreter. Before Christian witnesses’ redemption, he is taught how to understand the journey upon which he has embarked. Bunyan is reminding us that the Christian life is not simply about arriving at a destination; it is about being taught by God as we walk with Him.

The Holy Spirit has never replaced the Scriptures, nor does He lead us independently of them. Rather, He is the One who inspired them, illumines them, and applies their truth to our hearts. He opens our understanding, convicts us of sin, points us continually to Christ, and equips us for every step of the pilgrimage. Without His ministry, we may read the words of Scripture, yet fail to grasp their spiritual meaning.

Perhaps this is why Bunyan pauses the journey before reaching the Cross. He wants his readers to understand that those who come to Christ are not left to find their own way. The same God who draws sinners through the Gate also provides the instruction they need for the road ahead.

In our next study, we shall enter the Interpreter's House with Christian and begin examining the remarkable lessons Bunyan unfolds before him. Each scene is carefully chosen, deeply rooted in Scripture, and designed to prepare every pilgrim for the journey that lies ahead.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: John 14:26; John 16:13–15; 1 Corinthians 2:10–16; Romans 8:14; Psalm 119:105.

Part 6 – The Wicket Gate: God's Appointed Way

 

Are We Looking for Jesus in the Wrong Places?

Part 6 – The Wicket Gate: God's Appointed Way

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:9, ESV)

Having now encountered Mr Worldly Wiseman, Legality and Civility, and more recently Formalist and Hypocrisy, John Bunyan has carefully removed every false confidence upon which men naturally rely. Human wisdom cannot save. Morality cannot remove the burden of sin. Religious tradition cannot provide an entrance into the Kingdom of God. Having exposed these false hopes, Bunyan now brings Christian to one of the most significant moments in the entire pilgrimage—the Wicket Gate.

It is worth asking why Bunyan gives such prominence to what appears to be an ordinary gate. Why not simply allow Christian to continue on his journey? Why pause here and devote so much attention to the manner in which he enters? I believe the answer is found in the words of our Lord Himself.

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:9, ESV)

Notice that Jesus does not merely say that He points the way, or even that He knows the way. He declares that He Himself is the Door. The entrance into life is not found through a philosophy, a religious system, a moral code, or a tradition handed down from one generation to another. It is found in a Person.

This is precisely what Bunyan has been preparing us to understand.

Mr Worldly Wiseman offered another way. Legality and Civility promised that morality and good works could accomplish what only Christ could accomplish. Formalist and Hypocrisy assumed that entering by another route mattered very little provided they eventually found themselves upon the King's Highway. Each believed there was another entrance. Bunyan patiently removes each of these false hopes before finally directing our attention to the only entrance God has appointed.

Christian does not arrive at the Wicket Gate because he has earned the right to enter. He comes as a burdened sinner, convinced that he cannot save himself and entirely dependent upon the mercy of the One who waits within. That, surely, is the very heart of the Gospel. No one enters the Kingdom because he deserves to enter. Every sinner enters by grace through faith in Christ alone.

One detail in Bunyan's account is easily overlooked, yet it teaches an important lesson. As soon as Christian approaches the Gate, Goodwill reaches out and quickly draws him inside. Christian immediately asks why he acted with such urgency, and Goodwill explains that Beelzebub has established a nearby castle from which those approaching the Gate are often shot with arrows to prevent them from entering.

Why does Bunyan include this detail?

I believe he is reminding us that coming to Christ is not merely an intellectual decision. A spiritual battle is underway. Satan has no desire to see men and women enter by God's appointed way. Throughout this series, we have already seen his subtle methods. He first appealed through human reasoning in Mr Worldly Wiseman. He then offered confidence in morality through Legality and Civility. Later, he encouraged confidence in religious tradition through Formalist and Hypocrisy. Having failed to prevent Christian from reaching the Gate by deception, Bunyan now reminds us that there is an enemy who opposes all who seek to come to Christ.

Yet notice where Christian's safety is found. It is not found in his own strength, determination, or ability to avoid the arrows. His safety is found the moment Goodwill receives him. What a wonderful picture of the grace of God. Our security has never rested in our ability to hold on to Christ, but in Christ's willingness to receive all who come to Him.

Perhaps that is the lesson Bunyan wants us to remember above all else. Many voices invite us to choose another road, another entrance, or another means of acceptance before God. The Scriptures, however, continually direct us to Christ. He alone is the Door. He alone is God's appointed entrance to life. Every other way ultimately leaves the sinner outside.

In our next study, we shall accompany Christian to the place where the burden finally falls from his back. There Bunyan directs our attention to the Cross, where every burdened sinner discovers what only Jesus Christ could ever accomplish.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: John 10:9; John 14:6; Matthew 7:13–14; Acts 4:12; Ephesians 2:8–9; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:10–18.

Are We Looking for Jesus in the Wrong Places - part 5

 

Are We Looking for Jesus in the Wrong Places?

Part 5 – Formalist and Hypocrisy

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV)

Having entered through the Wicket Gate, Christian continues on his journey towards the Celestial City. It is here that John Bunyan introduces two men whose appearance would have given every impression that they too were genuine pilgrims. They spoke the same language, travelled the same road, and claimed to be pursuing the same destination. Yet before Christian considered where they were going, he asked a far more important question.

How had they entered the Way?

The answer immediately exposed the difference between them. Unlike Christian, they had not entered through the Gate at all. They had climbed over the wall, explaining that this had long been the custom in their country and that countless others had entered the same way before them. In their minds, it mattered little how one entered the King's Highway, provided he was now travelling upon it.

At first glance, their argument appears difficult to refute. After all, if they were walking the same road, seeking the same destination, what difference could the point of entry possibly make? Surely what mattered was that they were now on the journey.

Bunyan knew exactly what he was doing.

He was exposing one of the oldest assumptions in the human heart—that sincerity is enough, that tradition is sufficient, and that if enough people have followed a particular path, it must surely be acceptable to God. Formalism and hypocrisy did not deny the existence of the King, nor did they reject the King's Highway. Their error lay in believing they could approach the King's Highway on their own terms.

Has anything really changed?

Many today would argue that it matters little how a person comes to God, provided they are sincere. Others rest their confidence in religious tradition, assuming that because generations before them believed a particular way, it must therefore be true. Some trust their denomination, others their baptism, their confirmation, their family heritage, or simply the fact that they have always called themselves Christians.

Yet throughout the Scriptures, God never calls His people to examine tradition by tradition. He continually calls them back to His revealed Word.

The Bereans offer us a remarkable example of this. Although they received Paul's preaching eagerly, they did not simply accept his teaching because of who he was. Luke tells us that they searched the Scriptures daily to determine whether these things were so. Their confidence rested not in the reputation of the preacher but in the authority of God's Word.

That principle is as necessary today as it was then.

Every church has traditions. Every denomination has practices that have developed over time. Some are helpful and honour God. Others may simply be customs that have been repeated for generations. The question is never whether something is old or widely accepted. The question is whether it agrees with the Scriptures that testify of Christ.

This is precisely why the Bible must remain our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. Every doctrine, every tradition, every opinion, and every spiritual claim must ultimately be tested by the written Word of God. We are not free to reshape the Scriptures to fit our traditions; rather, our traditions must continually be examined in the light of the Scriptures.

Formalist and Hypocrisy were content because they looked like pilgrims. Christian, however, understood that appearances could never replace obedience. The issue was not whether these men looked sincere. The issue was whether they had entered in the way the King Himself had appointed.

That same question confronts every generation.

Are we following Christ according to the Scriptures, or according to traditions we have never stopped to examine? Have we accepted certain beliefs simply because they have always been taught, or have we searched the Scriptures to see whether these things are so?

Bunyan reminds us that the Christian life is never built upon appearances, custom, or religious tradition. It is built upon God's revealed truth. That truth always directs us, not to ourselves or to our traditions, but to Jesus Christ, who alone is the object of our faith and the fulfilment of all that the Scriptures proclaim.

In our next study, we shall continue with Christian's journey as Bunyan begins to unfold the significance of the narrow way and the dangers that still lie ahead for every pilgrim.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: Matthew 7:13–14; Acts 17:10–12; John 5:39; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Colossians 2:8.

Are We Looking for Jesus in the Wrong Places? - Part 4

 Part 4 – Legality and Civility: The False Hope of Morality

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20, ESV)

At the close of our previous study, Mr Worldly Wiseman persuaded Christian to leave the road leading to the Wicket Gate and directed him instead towards the village of Morality. There, he assured Christian, lived a man called Legality who, with the help of his son Civility, could remove the burden from his back without the hardships that lay ahead.

At first glance, there appears to be nothing obviously wrong with the advice. Christian was not being encouraged to return to the City of Destruction, nor was he being urged to abandon his search for God. He was simply being offered what appeared to be a better way of obtaining the very thing he desired most—to be rid of the burden that weighed so heavily upon him. It is worth asking why Bunyan sends Christian to Morality rather than somewhere openly sinful or rebellious, for in doing so he exposes one of the greatest misunderstandings concerning the Gospel. Bunyan understood that one of the greatest dangers facing every generation is not necessarily immorality, but the belief that morality can accomplish what only Christ can accomplish. It is possible to be honest, respectable, charitable, and outwardly religious, and yet still carry the burden of sin.

That is precisely where Mr Worldly Wiseman's counsel was so deceptive. Christian's burden was real, but the remedy being offered was false. Instead of directing him towards God's appointed way, he directed him towards man's efforts. The burden of sin was no longer to be removed by the One to whom the Scriptures testify, but by morality, good works, and respectability. The Cross quietly disappeared from view, replaced by the false hope that fallen man might somehow make himself acceptable to a holy God.

Has anything really changed? How often do we hear people say, "I try to live a good life," "I do more good than bad," or "Surely God knows my heart." Others place their confidence in church attendance, charitable giving, religious observances, or a lifetime of respectable living. While these things may have their place, Bunyan forces us to ask a far more important question. Can morality remove the burden of sin?

The Apostle Paul answers that question with unmistakable clarity.

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20, ESV)

Paul is not condemning God's Law, nor is he suggesting that it has failed in its purpose. On the contrary, he explains exactly what that purpose is. The Law gives us the knowledge of sin. It reveals the holiness of God and exposes the true condition of our own hearts, but it was never given as a means by which sinful men and women could make themselves righteous before God.

Paul explains this even more clearly in his letter to the Galatians:

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24, KJV)

The Law can expose the burden of sin, but it has no power to remove it. It was never intended to save the sinner, but to bring him to Christ, the only One who could bear the burden of sin and remove it forever.

That is why Mr Worldly Wiseman's advice was so dangerous. Christian was being directed towards something that God never intended to accomplish, what only Christ could accomplish. The burden that weighed upon his back could never be lifted by morality, good works, or keeping the Law. It could only be removed by the One who would bear that burden in his place.

This is why the Scriptures continually direct us away from confidence in ourselves and back to Christ. The Law prepares us for the Gospel by revealing our need of a Saviour, but it is Christ alone who fulfilled the Law perfectly and accomplished what no sinner could ever accomplish for himself. Every attempt to earn God's acceptance by our own efforts, however sincere, ultimately leads us away from the very One to whom the Law was designed to point.

Before we leave Legality and Civility behind, perhaps we should ask ourselves one searching question. Am I trusting in what I have done for God, or in what Christ has already done for me?

In our next study we shall meet two men who appeared to be genuine pilgrims. Bunyan called them Formalist and Hypocrisy, and through them he exposes the danger of outward religion without true obedience to the Gospel.

Signing off

Tyrone

Are We Looking for Jesus in the Wrong Places?

Part 3 – Mr Worldly Wiseman

Before Christian had travelled very far on his journey, Bunyan introduces us to a man whose advice appeared, on the surface, both reasonable and compassionate. Unlike Obstinate, who openly rejected Christian's message, or Pliable, who quickly abandoned the journey when difficulties arose, Mr Worldly Wiseman had no objection to Christian seeking relief from his burden. His concern was with the route Christian had chosen. In his mind, there was a far easier and more sensible way to achieve the same result.

If we are not careful, we can read this part of Pilgrim's Progress and quickly conclude that we would never have heeded such advice. Yet Bunyan understood human nature remarkably well. Christian was weary, burdened by his sin and desperate for relief. Mr Worldly Wiseman appeared at exactly the right moment, not to persuade Christian to abandon his search for salvation, but to persuade him that there was a better way to obtain it.

It is worth noting that Mr Worldly Wiseman never tells Christian to forget God. He never suggests that the burden is unimportant, nor does he mock Christian's desire to be rid of it. Instead, he directs Christian away from the Wicket Gate and sends him to the village of Morality, where, he claims, a man called Legality can remove the burden without the hardship that lies ahead.

That should prompt us to stop and think immediately.

Why would Bunyan introduce such a character so early in Christian's journey?

The answer, I believe, is found throughout the Scriptures. Satan has seldom succeeded by persuading people to abandon God altogether. More often he simply persuades them to seek God on their own terms rather than His. From the Garden of Eden onwards, man has continually been tempted to exchange God's revealed way for one that appears more reasonable, more attractive, or less demanding.

Has anything really changed?

How often do we hear people say, "Surely God wouldn't expect that," or "There must be another way"? We are encouraged to trust our own reasoning, to follow our hearts, or to believe that sincerity is enough. Even within the Church, we are constantly presented with ideas that sound convincing because they appeal to human wisdom rather than to the Word of God.

The question is not whether advice sounds reasonable.

The question is whether it agrees with the Scriptures that testify of Christ.

The Apostle Paul warned the church at Colossae:

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."

(Colossians 2:8, ESV)

Notice that Paul does not simply warn us against philosophy or human tradition. He concludes with the words, "...and not according to Christ." That is the standard by which every teaching, philosophy, tradition, opinion, and claimed spiritual truth is to be judged. Does it agree with Christ? Does it direct us to Christ as He has been revealed in the Scriptures, or does it quietly persuade us to place our confidence elsewhere? This is precisely why the Bible, the written Word of God, must always remain the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. 

Every doctrine, teaching, opinion, tradition, and personal experience must be brought before the Scriptures and tested by them. We are not at liberty to measure God's Word by our own understanding; rather, our understanding must continually be measured by God's Word. If the Scriptures testify of Christ, then they alone are God's appointed standard by which every claim concerning Him is to be examined.

Mr Worldly Wiseman has never disappeared. He still speaks through every voice that urges us to place our confidence in human wisdom rather than in divine revelation. He still points men and women away from God's appointed way and towards a path that appears easier, more acceptable, and more reasonable.

Before we move on, perhaps we should ask ourselves an honest question. Have there been times when we have accepted advice simply because it sounded reasonable, without first asking whether it aligned with the Word of God? Have we allowed the wisdom of this world to shape our thinking more than the Scriptures that testify of Christ?

In our next study, we shall meet the man to whom Mr Worldly Wiseman directed Christian-Legality. There we shall discover why morality, good works, and keeping the law can never remove the burden of sin.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: Genesis 3:1–6; Colossians 2:8; Proverbs 3:5–6; Isaiah 55:8–9; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; John 5:39.

Are We Looking for Jesus in the Wrong Places?

Part 2 – The First Responses to the Gospel

In Part 1, we established that God has not left us to discover Christ through our own imagination, religious traditions, personal experiences, or the opinions of men. The Lord Jesus Himself answered the question of where we should look.

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me."

(John 5:39, ESV)

If we are to look unto Jesus, we must look where God has chosen to reveal Him. The Scriptures testify of Christ.

With that foundation laid, we now begin our journey through Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan introduces us to a number of memorable characters, each representing a different distraction, temptation, or attitude of the heart. Rather than simply studying Bunyan's allegory, let us use these characters as mirrors to examine ourselves in the light of God's Word.

Obstinate – The Man Who Refused to Listen

Every journey must begin with a first step.

Christian had become burdened by the knowledge of his sin after reading the Book. He understood that the City of Destruction was under God's judgment and that he must flee if he were to be saved. Yet not everyone who heard the same warning responded as he did.

One of the first men we meet is Obstinate, and his name tells us almost everything we need to know about him. Christian pleaded with him to consider the danger. He spoke of the coming judgment and urged him to leave with him, but Obstinate would hear none of it. His mind was made up before the conversation had even begun. He dismissed the warning, ridiculed the journey, and eventually returned to the very city from which Christian was fleeing.

At first glance we may think that Obstinate represents only the unbeliever who openly rejects the Gospel. Certainly he does represent such people. Every generation has those who refuse to hear the Word of God, regardless of how plainly it is preached. No amount of evidence, persuasion, or pleading will move a heart that has already determined not to believe.

Before we conclude that Obstinate has nothing to teach the believer, perhaps we should ask ourselves a more searching question. Is it possible for Christians to display the very same spirit?

How often have we read a passage of Scripture that challenged us, only to explain it away because it demanded a change we were unwilling to make? How often have we defended a tradition, an opinion, or a long-held belief simply because we had already decided we could not be wrong? Have we ever resisted correction because it was easier to remain comfortable than to submit to the Word of God?

Obstinacy is not merely refusing to hear the Gospel; it is refusing to hear God.

The Pharisees searched the Scriptures, yet when those very Scriptures pointed them to Christ, they refused to believe Him. Jesus said,

"...yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life."

(John 5:40, ESV)

Notice that Jesus did not say they could not come; He said they would not come. Their problem was not a lack of evidence but a stubbornness of heart. They searched the very Scriptures that testified of Christ, yet they refused the One to whom those Scriptures pointed.

How different is the attitude of the believer who truly looks unto Jesus. He comes to the Scriptures, not to prove himself right, but to be taught. He is willing to have his opinions corrected, his traditions examined, and his life brought into conformity with the Word of God. His desire is not merely to defend what he has always believed, but to know Christ more perfectly through the testimony God has given concerning His Son.

Before we leave Obstinate behind, let us ask ourselves one final question.

Is there any area of my life where I already know what the Scriptures say, yet I have quietly decided that I will not obey them?

If so, then Obstinate has not merely crossed our path.

He has found a place within our own hearts.

Pliable – The Man Who Started Well

If Obstinate represents the man who refuses to begin the journey, Pliable represents the man who begins with enthusiasm but without conviction.

Unlike Obstinate, Pliable was willing to listen. The promise of the Celestial City appealed to him, and he gladly joined Christian on the journey. Everything appeared promising—until they both fell into the Slough of Despond.

It was there that Pliable's true character was revealed.

The difficulties of the journey quickly outweighed the joys that had first attracted him. Rather than pressing on, he blamed Christian for his troubles, climbed out of the mire, and returned to the City of Destruction.

His faith lasted only as long as the journey was easy.

Sadly, Pliable is just as common today. Many gladly receive the message of salvation while it promises peace, blessing, purpose, and hope. Yet when following Christ brings opposition, sacrifice, disappointment, or suffering, their enthusiasm quickly fades.

Jesus described such people in the Parable of the Sower.

"Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away." (Matthew 13:21, ESV)

The issue was never the seed.

The issue was the root.

Saving faith is not measured by how enthusiastically we begin, but by whom we continue to trust when the road becomes difficult. The Christian life has never been promised to be an easy path. Our Lord Himself said that those who would follow Him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.

Every believer will eventually encounter his own Slough of Despond. For some it will be suffering. For others it will be unanswered prayer, persecution, loss, temptation, or disappointment. Those moments often reveal whether our faith rests in Christ Himself or merely in the blessings we hoped to receive from Him.

Before we leave Pliable behind, we should ask ourselves another searching question.

Am I following Christ because He is worthy to be followed, or only because I expect the journey to be easy?

Before we move on to the next characters in Bunyan's remarkable allegory, it is worth pausing to reflect on what we have already seen. Obstinate and Pliable represent two very different responses to the Gospel, yet neither reached the Celestial City. One refused to begin the journey, while the other began with enthusiasm but faltered when the path became difficult.

The Christian life is not measured by how we start, but by whether we continue looking unto Jesus through every trial, every disappointment, and every temptation. As we continue this study, we shall discover that Bunyan's next characters become even more subtle in their attempts to draw our eyes away from Christ. Some will appeal to our reason, others to our pride, our desires, or even our religion. Yet every distraction has the same objective—to persuade us to look somewhere other than where God has directed us.

In our next study, we shall meet one of the most persuasive characters in Pilgrim's Progress: Mr Worldly Wiseman. His advice sounds reasonable, compassionate, and even helpful. Yet beneath his counsel lies one of the greatest dangers facing the Church today.

Signing off,

Tyrone

Scripture References: Matthew 13:3–9; Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 9:62; James 1:22–25; Hebrews 3:12–14; John 6:66–69.