A little lesson from Pilgrim's Progress

This morning we read in Pilgrim’s Progress about Pilgrim’s conversation at the Palace Beautiful with Prudence. The little bit below really impressed me, especially with the current scandal raging around Ted Haggard and his confession. Tim Challies, in his thought-provoking piece on the scandal, made the point that all Christians should be saddened and horrified, because, knowing our true Adamic nature, we should know that “there but for the grace of God go I.” Yes, there is much more to consider here for such a public figure with such questionable theology, but Tim's reminder definitely caught my attention. Shouldn't our understanding of our total depravity make us all the more anxious to "watch our life and doctrine" carefully? I think that is what Bunyan was getting at in the part we read this morning.

Here’s my little retelling (all my Classical Writing readers will know what I mean :)

Prudence asks Christian whether he does not till think some about his former home, the City of Destruction. Christian acknowledges that he does, indeed, to his shame, remember his life there, but that his desire now is for a better city (Hebrews 11:15-16).

Next Prudence inquires if Christian still thinks of some of the things he left behind in the City of Destruction. Sadly, Christian agrees that he does sometimes think about those things that formerly delighted him and his companions in that doomed city. Now, however, these thoughts bring him grief, and he wishes that he would never think on them. He echoes St. Paul (Romans 7:15, 21) “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.”

So Prudence asks him if he can remember what it is that makes those loathsome thoughts disappear at times. Christian knows exactly what they are:

~ “when I think what I saw at the cross, that will do it”

~ “when I look upon my broidered coat, that will do it”

~ “when I look into the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do it”

~ “when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it”

These are the thoughts that will deliver me from the futile and vain imaginations and desires that assail me daily (hourly!): Christ’s death to take the penalty, the curse, of the law for me; Christ’s clothing me with His righteousness instead of the old filthy rags of my sin; the Word of God which always points to Christ; and the hope I have of a heavenly Mt. Zion, where:

“I hope to see Him alive that did hang dead on the cross; and there I hope to be rid of all those things that to this day are in me an annoyance to me: there they say there is no death (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 21:4) and there I shall dwell with such company as I like best. For, to tell you the truth, I love Him because I was by Him eased of my burden; and I am weary of my inward sickness. I would fain be where I shall die no more, and with the company that shall continually cry, Holy, holy, holy.”

My prayer today for myself, and for all who find this Pilgrim’s Way difficult:

Almighty God, You alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners. Grant Your people grace to love what you command and desire what You promise: that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found: through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
(Book of Common Prayer, ~ Collect for the Fifth Sunday after Lent)