The City of Destruction

Before John Bunyan wrote the Pilgrim's progress.

He was deeply convicted of his own sin for more than a year or his on his way to salvation is on his way to the cross about you will be under this birds on this conviction of sin for 18 months. It's very important to understand Pilgrim's progress because one of the questions that is often been a cost of Pilgrim's progress is why does Bunyan take so long for Kristin to get saved in the truth because Pilgrim's journey traces the very real journey with John Bunyan himself, and because of the personal improvement. This literary masterpiece has been the traveling companion of believers for more than 300 years today on Renewing Your Mind linking your teaching fellow Dr. Derek Thomas is going to introduce us to the Pilgrim's premise will welcome to a series of studies together on Bunyan's Pilgrim's progress next to the Bible, Pilgrim's progress has been the most published book in the English language teacher. The seminary have done for €17.07.

He frequently asked students how many of you have read Pilgrim's progress and I'm amazed I got even these days to find that may be less than 20%. Sometimes the sphere was 10% of the class of ever read programs, progress, and I tell them with the considerable gravitas that they will not get into heaven, having not read Bunyan's Pilgrim's progress. I was soon the company of for someone just recently young man who spent his lifetime as a preacher asked him what his favorite book faucet other than the Bible, and immediately he said Bunyan's Pilgrim's progress and I think if you're of a certain generation is so couple of you, then I imagine Bunyan's Pilgrim's progress was something that you read props to raise a Christian home read in your home and read by may be apparent. So, maybe started in Sunday school, but I have this fear that this may be the generation where progress so the disappearance and that would be a tragedy. The first part of Pilgrim's progress.

The two parts of the first part was published in 1678 and then six years later. The second pops in 1684 and Wiggins are studied together both parts now if I would trust the person how many have read part two of Pilgrim's progress the story of Christiana and before boys then I wear considerably down into single figures in terms of percentage wise and probably for every hundred that of red curtains progress part one, maybe two or three have read part two of them anyways. Part two of the story is an even better story. In some ways than popped one.

Theologically, there are some fascinating things that take place in part to the to. Don't take place in part one, not least, of course, you have a woman's angle. In part two. It's the story of Mrs. Christian Christiana and you have a family story and it's so much more corporate story than the more individualistic story of five parts one, I'll be telling the story of Bunyan himself for a little bit because we go along. I won't belabor you with all of the details of Bunyan's life in the first lecture that would be one way of doing it but I thought I would we even to the narrative of Pilgrim's progress are certain factors from a Bunyan's own life because Pilgrim's progress part one for sure is autobiographical and many of the problems that arise and under are couple of theological problems that arise in the course of Pilgrim's progress that can only be understood as Bunyan relating something that is deeply biographical in his own experience of salvation that everyone is familiar with certain characters from Logan's progress worldly wise men of the Lord hates good Mr. legality Mr. Libby loose giant despair or a place names like The house of interpreter doubting console of the value of humiliation, the delectable Mountains by path meadow. Some of these have weaved their way into English literature. Generally in the summer, still used as phrases, sin, and speech. To this day in the City even in the secular world so they will use the term by path meadow without realizing that this is from Pilgrim's progress. Well, etc. let's begin as they say.

I used to listen to a BBC children's program was very little on the radio before pictures of that incident generation and that I can remember this very pronounced oxfords accent saying are you sitting comfortably then let's begin. And it begins with these very familiar words. As I walked through the wilderness of this world tie like kids on a certain place where was a den and I laid me down in that place to sleep and I slept and I dreamed a dream and does a very familiar word scented. I'm actually reading from a fairly recent publication of Pilgrim's progress, published in 2008 by the Penguin Classics and this is one in which the notes given by Bunyan scholar by the name of Roger Pooley and that he is perhaps today the Bunyan scholar in the world of the name of Roger Shirer is a well-known name in academic circles and again in Oxford scholar. Scholar in all things. Bunyan wrote a massive treatment of Bunyan's theology and there are various editions that are probably 100 editions of Logan's progress, but this will be the one that I'll be alluding to is free go along. The 2008 at Penguin edition, edited by Roger Pooley well it so let's begin at the very beginning, and it's the very first thing that Bunyan notes for us. That is the tears.

A man who has in his hands a book I you discover this man in his under a great deal of stress. He's carrying this burden upon his back and is outside the city of destruction and he's carrying a book and do something that you don't actually learn until later on in the narrative that the city is called the city of destruction as were his wife is send his children are Bunyan is telling us the way of salvation and duffel Bunyan in the 17th century the way of salvation begins with conviction of sin, unless you understand sin unless you understand the weightiness of Simba gravitas of sin, unless you have a conviction of sin and sinfulness and then the doctrine of salvation makes no sense. So the first actually the first 20 pages also is an extended consideration of this issue of sin, perhaps in Bunyan's mind is not only his own experience of salvation, but perhaps the the template for salvation for Bunyan is the Philippian jailer in acts chapter 16 who cries out to anything come under conviction of sin with Paul and Silas in prison in Philippi of what must I do to be saved under Bunyan gives us a little description of for what is happened to bring this man into this melancholy state of mind I'm quoting from Logan's progress. I looked and saw him open the book and read therein unless he read. He wept and trembled and not being able longer to contain. He breakouts with a lamentable cry saying, what shall I do, and that the background you can hear the background of acts 16 in the Philippian jailer, what must I do to be saved on this is Bunyan telling you the way of salvation. This is Bunyan giving your evangelism in the 17th century, and it begins with the book begins with the Bible begins with the word of God and it comes to this man as he reads the Bible, perhaps for the first time in his life and it brings them under this conviction of sin. The Bible than this convicted him of the danger of his position that Bunyan was born in 1628 to Thomas and Margaret Bunyan in a little village called El Stowe in the Bedfordshire and about a mile or so outside of the Bedford itself in the future and the John a Bunyan was raised in very humble circumstances.

His father was a tinkerer or breasts year that that is of a man who would go from house to house props from farm to farm to men's pots and pans anything really made of metal. These days, if you're if you're sauce from you know doesn't have that Teflon nonstick surface unattended stopped working as it did you toss it you go to Walmart or somewhere new, by anyone willing Bunyan's day you called Bunyan's father and he would, he would fix it and you go from home to home. He lives in this location for 16 years until he 16 and Jesus are in a we need to remember that this is so the 1640s and England is in Civil War Parliament against so the king it's the only period of Civil War in English history that would result in England becoming a Republic for a decade. During the 1650s in the under the rule or two early depending how you look at it.

All of Cromwell and then in 1660 the restoration of Charles II, but it 1649 Charles I opinion I would be taken out into the streets of London on his head would be severed his body to a great crowd on the under war and the one of the Puritans, Thomas Goodwin and think it was who was there. Maybe it was Richardson's and that he fainted when he saw Charles I had been severed from his body while some events are current Bunyan's home. His mother dies and then within months. His sister dies and are within three months of the death of his mother. His father read marriage's very quickly on whatever consideration you look at that. That was very quick and the Bunyan left home and didn't have a great relationship. I think with the new stepmother and taking the lies that I think about his agent. He joins the parliamentary forces and becomes a soldier's sister. 16 and I don't think Bunyan never saw bok choy he he he might've witnessed the results of Berkeley certainly didn't fight.

Did any of the great battles of the civil war and his descendents in 1646 in mid-May be as much history is probably more like 18 months involved then in the success civil war, usually 17 or 18 when he was so despondent. Now he tells us that until he got married, which would be in about three years from now. He describes his life as staying with crimson sins.

Now he insists with the Great Depression later that he wasn't a drunkard and he wasn't sexually promiscuous in any way but like Newton, Bunyan would say I had few equals for cursing and swearing, lying and blaspheming the holy name of God, heaven and hell were both out of sight and out of mind as far as saving and damning they were, at least in my thoughts is 6049 he's 21 years of age he marries this lady would bear for children. We do not know her name. It's one of the astonishing things is a wonderful marriage for Bunyan loved her dearly.

She bore him four children, but we do not know her name. She brought into the marriage to a religious books off the dense plane men's pathway to heaven and then Bishop Bailey is the practice of piety. Well a few years into this marriage.

Bunyan whose life was far from the student that he is so he is caught one day playing a game of tip cats on the Sabbath day. This is 1/17 century part of the Civil War in the 1640s was over something called the book of sports that that was to the forefront of religious debates in the 1640s and he is chastised, chastised, fairly severely for being caught playing tip Of the Sabbath Day. Somebody Says to Him, Wilt Thou Leave License and Go to Heaven or Wilt Thou Have Thy Sins and Go to Hell.

Bunyan Says My State Is Surely Miserable Miserable. If I Leave My Sins, but Miserable.

If I Follow the I, but the Diamonds and If I Must Be so I How Does Good Be down for Many Sins As to Be down for A Few but He Couldn't Get Rid of Conscience That Easily in the Months Later He Standing outside a Shop for Window Swearing and Cursing and a Woman of Ill Repute Who Happens to Be There Chastises Him for His Language and He Falls Silent in the Hands His Head in Shame.

And If You Will Be under This Conviction of Sin for 18 Months. He's on His Way to Salvation Is on His Way to the Cross, but You Will Be under This Birds on This Conviction of Sin for 18 Months. It's Very Important to Understand Pilgrim's Progress Because One of the Questions That Is Often Been off Still.

Pilgrim's Progress Is Why Does Bunyan Take so Long for Kristin to Get Saved Wisely Sent by Evangelists to the Wickets against the Strait Gate Evangelists. This the Stereotypical Evangelist Who Is Probably a Depicted after the Manner of the Baptist Minister in Bedford Who Was Bunyan's Mentor and Disciple Are, and the John Different to That's Probably the Template for Evangelist and Evangelist Assist Him. Do You See the Sample Code You See the Cross. Christian Says No, He Doesn't See It, but Then Instead Evangelist Says Would You See on Wickets Date of the Strait Gate Strait Is the Gate That Enters into Everlasting Life, and Broad Is the Is the Gate That Leads to Health. You See That Strait Gate and That's Me, That's Been a Question That's Been Asked Why Did Bunyan Have Christian Go to the Strait Gate. Rather Than Go to the Cross.

Rather Than Go to Calvary Rather Than Go Straight to Jesus. I Think the Answer to That Is Bunyan's Own Experiences Autobiographical Experience of Salvation That He Was under Conviction of Sin Where He Couldn't See the Solution. He Couldn't See the Answer to His Need. Under Christian and Then He's Is Not yet a Christian. Of Course, Is Actually Called Gracelessly Learn This Later.

His Name Is Changed to Christian and There He Says Sir I Perceive by My Book in My Hand Is Talking to Evangelist That I Am Condemned to Die and after That to Come to Judgment and I Find I Am Unwilling to Do the First nor Able to Do the Latter, He Doesn't Want to Die and He Cannot Think of Coming before God in Judgment and Evangelist Tells Them Where He Needs to Go. He Needs to Go to the Wickets Gate of This Is the Gate to the Entry That Jesus Speaks of Him. Some of the Mountain. Matthew Chapter 7 and Then Part of Four to Evangelist Then Says to Christian, He Gives Them up Parchment Role in the Was Written on This Parchment Role Fly from the Roth to Come and Reread Them and Therefore Read It and Looking up.

Upon Evangelist Very Carefully Said with a Must. I Fly Then Sit Evangelist Pointing with His Finger over a Very Wide Field You See Younger Wickets Gate.

The Man Said No Then Said the Other. You See Younger Shining Light. He Said I Think I Do Then Sit Evangelist Keep That Light in Your Knee. I'm Go up Directly Thereto.

Social Close See the Gates at Which When I'm Not Kissed. It Shall Be Told Me What to Do. So I Saw in My Dream the Man Began to Run Now. He Did Not Run Far from His Own Door, but His Wife and Children Perceiving It Began to Cry after Him to Return the Man Put His Fingers in His Ears and Grandmom Trying Life Life Eternal Life.

So We Look Not behind Him, but Fled Towards the Middle of the Plane While at Some Bunyan Assets the Scene in the Opening to Three Pages Programs Progress That's Seen of This Man. Christian Actually Called Graceless and He Is Running with His Fingers in His.

He Is a Way from His Wife and Children in the City of Destruction and He's Running.

He Doesn't Quite Know Where Towards a Light but This Shining but Is Carrying This Enormous Burden upon His Back While This Is a Road Trip and This Is Sir This Is a Great Journey. It's a Tale Told Sit in a Style That Is Very Familiar to Us, and Especially If When We Are Living in the Nation Which Fantasy Literature Is Again Very Popular in the Lord of the Rings so Tolkien Is Another Road Trip, Beginning in One Place and Ending Another Hands Are so for the Next Number of Sessions for Them to Look at the Numerous Coders Progress See the Journey This Man Christian Makes to Find Salvation Well Is so Many Believers Have Discovered through the Centuries and This Is a Beautiful Picture of Our Own Desperate Need for a Savior's and That a Poignant Moment When the Solution Was Pointed out to Christian People Had to Find the Pilgrim's Progress Is Full of Images like This One to Encourage Us on Our Way to the Celestial City Dr. Derek Thomas Is Better Teacher Today on Renewing Your Mind. He's a Pastor. The Seminary Professor and Expert on John Bunyan. He Told Me Once That He Reads the Pilgrim's Progress Every Year and Gains New Insights Every Time He Reads It Would like to Send You His Entire Series. There Are 19 Sessions Dr. Thomas Walk You through Every Chapter of the Book and Provides Helpful Background Information Requested Today with Your Donation of Any Amount You Can Give Your Gift online@renewingyourmind.org or you can call us here at later one of my colleagues will be happy to take your call. Our number is 800-435-4343. We are grateful for your financial gifts. As we enter our 50th year of ministry we see the global need for the kind of teaching will get here provides your gifts make that possible, and to say thank you today will send you Dr. Derek Thomas, a series, the Pilgrim's progress.

Our number again is 800-435-4343 and or web address is Renewing Your Mind.work before we go. Let me tell you, but at the new podcast that we have produced that I think you will enjoy. It's called ultimately with RC Sproul withdrawn from a lifetime of RC's study and reflections on the nature of truth here so just a brief portion of a recent episode, what would it mean to you to look visibly into the face of Christ in rural St. Louis. I am the light of the nation of Israel Simeon and dedicated his life to obedience and fidelity to God. Day after day finally comes into the temple's all I need. I don't have to hang around.

I don't need to see the miracle of changing water to wine at Cana.

I don't have to see the cross.

I don't have to see the resurrection, just viewing the presence of Christ.

All I need. These are bite-size lessons which include some content that is never been released, all designed to help you understand what you believe and why you believe it again is called ultimately with RC Sproul and you can subscribe today on Apple podcasts Google podcast spot if I and stitcher will tomorrow. Dr. Thomas will take us to a stop along the way. In the Pilgrim's progress called the wickets gate. What is the wickets gate in his Christian find their will find out Thursday on renewing her my