This broadcaster has 1524 podcast archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
January 19, 2022 12:01 am
As Christiana and her sons make their way to the Celestial City, the landscape has changed since Christian made his own pilgrimage in The Pilgrim's Progress. Today, Derek Thomas discusses the unique trials we face in our Christian journey.
Get 'The Pilgrim's Progress' DVD Series for Your Gift of Any Amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/2043/the-pilgrims-progress
Don't forget to make RenewingYourMind.org your home for daily in-depth Bible study and Christian resources.
Report to the Pilgrim's progress Christiana and her boys make their way to the celestial city they see some changes along the way they noticed that the grass is grown showing that Philip passed this way. Of late, this is now 1618 for interestingly few have made it as far as Paulist beautiful of the church isn't as well attended.
Humans progress is an allegory of the Christian life and brings to light the trials and tribulations we face in our journey in the sovereign and gracious God is with us every step of the way, welcome to Renewing Your Mind timely when many people don't realize though that John Bunyan wrote a follow-up to Christian story detailing the journey of his wife, Christiana and their children. Let's listen now is Dr. Derek Thomas continues her journey got them back to what is said electro number three and the second parts of Pilgrim's progress the story of Christiana and the four boys and the last time we left Christiana and messy and the four boys in the house of interpreter and they been shown a number of things seven things just as Christian had been shown seven things in the house of interpreter and interestingly in this house interpreter is now showing new things to Christiana.
I think Bunyan is trying to say that interpreter who was in the allegory of gospel minister is also growing in his understanding of the gospel, not having slept that night. Although mercy didn't sleep very much because of the joy that she felt in her how often she was sick, giving thanks to the Lord on her bed and that's what we left their wake in the morning with the intent of pursuing what banana calls that pilgrimage, but first there bidden to the gods in and they Dave to make them clean from the soil which they have gathered by traveling think this is Bunyan trying to allude to John 13 and the foot washing and Jesus explained that they didn't actually need a bath because they're already clean but they needed they needed to be cleansed of the sentence that they have accrued since becoming Christians. So this is an allusion I think to sanctification rather than justification. Then they given the seal just like Christian was given the seal and the mock set between their eyes that they might be known in the places with the they were yet to go under bananas alluding here to Ephesians 113, a notoriously disputed texts in the 17 century, which refers to the seal of the spirit and the Puritans were on one side or the other on this issue whether the seal of the spirit was something that was a mock of our justification, or whether the something that you receive. Perhaps several years after you are saved and extra work of the Holy Spirit that we are sealed with the spirits of promise. The earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of our purchased possession and the bunion here places the receiving of the seal along with the assurance that's given to them in the house of interpreter and perhaps Bunyan is addressing this issue as a post conversion experience of the Holy Spirit. You were the being in the same league than this. Thomas Goodwin and Richard Simpson and others on that issue. Then a conductor is given to them and his name is Mr. Gray taught here's the great figure that to allow company. These two women, at least for a while until he actually returns again to the house of interpreter that he is a minister of the gospel. He's called to take a helmet to the swords on the shield_these ladies to a house called beautiful, and off they go singing.
Now you may stand back here and accuse Bunyan of being a little sexist.
I suppose from 21st-century standards. Why wouldn't the women be given gospel our life.
Indeed, this is an allegory of the Christian life. I should Christiana and hopeful and said faithful and others of gospel, when Christiana mercy don't have gospel, but Mr. Gray taught does well I think you have to put yourself in the 17th century. This is a story of women and children and it is in fact in the allegory only a Mr. Gray talked to has these defensive weapons of how much swords and shields and to you know will escort these ladies with all 17th century chivalry along the pilgrimage back at the we could skate Christiana recalls that it was said they would receive pardon by word and deed.
We talked a little bit about that last time. Now in this section she now costs. Mr. Gray taught what did that mean that she would receive pardon by word and deed, and she begins to inquire and this leads now to a fairly extensive and by Pilgrim's progress standards fairly deeply theological discussion on justification by faith. Bunyan have written a treatise on it in 1672, which was published just when he came out of his first imprisonment, defense of the doctrine of justification and justification by an imputed righteousness or Norway to heaven, but by Jesus Christ. Bunyan understood justification to consist of first several features are first of all, he introduces the substitutionary work of Christ.
Gray taught explains that the pods they Christiana and Mercy as well as the boys I received was obtained by another to it by him who left you in at the gate. Some Bunyan is giving you no signal, map how to interpret the allegory of the one who would let the men at the gate. The gatekeeper was of course Jesus in the allegory, and that he has obtained this on their behalf. This is the doctrine of substitution. This is the unsound lien and Reformation doctrine that we are justified by the deeds through the deeds of another on our behalf, bananas, making it clear to us here that the one acts the wicked gate of the gatekeeper that had drawn mercy and Christiana into the way was none other than Jesus, but there's also here. A fairly extensive discussion of further doctrine of double imputation he hath obtained it in this double way.
He has performed righteousness to cover you and spilt his blood to wash you and Sabina Ms. Sir giving here the true fold between the idea of double imputation are sins are reckoned to Jesus and he is punished for them in his obedience, his righteousness reckoned imputed to our account in second Corinthians 517 and following a God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be reckoned the righteousness of God in him. So this both this negative and positive aspect Jesus are being punished for arson Jesus reckoning his obedience to the law to our account. The doctrine of double imputation then in the narrative we read something that gets fairly complicated them to give your little flavor. Robert Gray taught continues out with all my heart is willing not to make it clear what it is that he's been saying. But first I must promise that he of whom we are now about to speak is one that has not his fellow there's no recall. He has two natures in one person playing to be distinguished, impossible to be divided. The sensor Chalcedon of this is Chalcedonian Christology of 451 remember that Bunyan hasn't had much of an education except me hasn't been to college or seminary studied with the great Puritans in Oxford or Cambridge he's telling you here he knows is Chalcedonian Christology. He has two natures in one person playing to be distinguished, impossible to be divided under each of these natures are righteousness below list and each righteousness is essential to that nature so that one man is easily because the nature to be extinct as to separatist justice or righteousness from it. All of these righteousness is therefore we are not made partakers for us.they any of them should be put upon us what we might be made just and live thereby.
Besides these, there is a righteousness which this person has an these two natures are joined in one and this is not the righteousness of the Godhead is distinguished from the manhood nor the righteousness of the manhood as distinguished from the Godhead with the righteousness which standards in the union of both natures and may properly be called the righteousness that is essential to his being prepared of God to the capacity of the mediatory and so it goes on and all of a sudden your reading pilgrimage or reading a road trip your reading a story of a journey and then all of a sudden you you descend into the very depths of this rather difficult theology, while at 1618. For now, when the second part of Pilgrim's progress is being published and we know that in the background. In the late 17th century there were a great deal of discussions about the two natures of Christ Chalcedonian Christology of the nature of the atonement. Double imputation the doctrine of justification. All of these were hotly debated and Bunyan had a written to the mall and Bunyan may be wanting to elect his readers know something of his sermon credentials something of his theological ability is thoroughly versed then in Orthodox theology as they journey on they come to a place where remember simple sloths and prejudice are now hanging up in Ireland so they were sleeping. Remember the foot of the cross. Another hanged up the hanging of the side of the road they been executed and Christian admit them as remember in part one of the story they had persuaded many they read a little sign that says that they had persuaded many of their opinions, including somebody called no hearts and somebody called linger after last and somebody called Gollancz another called sleepyhead and I know a warning with the plague that warns the people who pass by the come now to Hill difficulty great talks who is now their conductor reminds them how Christian at first drunk from the spring before embarking on the hill and then of the stream was clear drunk. This very clear water, but now the water is all my deeds.
People of Templeton the water in the waters become all my deeds to prevent the faithful from gaining refreshment opposition again and what they need to do is to take some of this water and enough important, let it stand for a while and that the sediment so the sink to the bottom and then they'll have clear water to drink, to prepare them for this hill other place for them at the foot of the hill I want to ways formality and hypocrisy had taken these two ways instead of climbing the hill, and despite the fact that this way has not been stopped up by stones. Some will still venture down this path, so they begin to climb the hill and they get exhausted in the process. It's very heartened mercy and one of the little boys want to rest but great-aunt urges them to continue to replace that is called the princes Arbor you remember this place.
This is where Kristin fell asleep and forgot his certificate to remember and he has to go back and get it now. Christiana will also lose something in this place for the journey she had been given provisions and along with the provisions she had been given a little bottle of spirits that were not sure what this is something to help her along the way but so she will forget this quote, it will fall under 12 be forgotten and that leads Bunyan to say to the words of mercy that this is a losing place. There is a losing place. Then he speaks with one of the boys this is great-aunt.
His name is James or James will get married quite shortly as well. His brother Matthew so there are two weddings coming up, so that in mind, so these boys are not as young as you might think they are there.
Well into their late teens. Now the boy says he is learning from his mother that the way to heaven is allowed to and that the way to hell is down the hill, but I'd rather go up the ladder to heaven, then down a hill to hell and then there's a proverb to go downhill is easy, but the day will come when going down the hill will not be easy and little James's or teenager.
James learns stand this little proverb. Now they eat they eat her pomegranates and honeycomb.
I once again, I think bananas are telling you about the foods that Christians eat his rich food and delicacies. Pomegranates do not grow in England surprising that Bunyan would even know about the pomegranates and so some foreign merchants. I must've passed to Bedford at one time in the properties pomegranates and and certainly Bunyan is perhaps a heard of them, or perhaps even tasted one about the foods now that mercy and the boys are eating our pomegranates and honeycomb and some of the bottle of spirits which interpreter had given to them when they left the house, not by noon says Marxists in the margin. Depending on which version of the Pilgrim's progress bottle part two that you buy should by one. This published say by Oxford University press, one of the Roger Shada additions are one of the Roger Pooley additions are you'll see in the margin. Bunyan's own little notes and these were written after the fact, some of them appear in the second edition during Bunyan's lifetime. When he might've been asked certain questions about what this means an end in the margin. You'll see some of Bunyan's notes in their fascinating reading.
But here he says Marxists that both Christian and Christiana left something behind in the Arbor and this is the note that the odds pilgrims should watch and remember what they have already received under their greatest enjoyments, but for want of doing so.
Ofttimes the rejoicing ends in tears in the sunshine in the cloud. God is given you rich treasures to help you along the way. But if you forget them, and there is a forgotten place all the rejoicing I will end in tears and the sunshine in the cloud now.
Next they come to a place where two motorists in this trust. Remember they had been running back because at the palace beautiful.
There were two lions in these lines, it scared them and they run backwards. Now they come to a place were timorous in this trust had been burned through their tongues with a hot iron and placed on the stage and when they come with insights of the palace. Beautiful of the Lions are outside again.
It was these lands that had made the timorous and mistrust run backwards there this time as Sir great-aunt draws his sword to make.
In a way for his sick companions. They meet one of the side of the Lions called Grimm or Blondie man. The other two lines in part one remember from our studies of part one of Pilgrim's progress. We suggested that the two lines represented the state on the one hand, and church the Anglican church and and the prosecuting church at that time.
On the other of these liens.
Remember, had been asleep when faithful came his way and that suggested the faithful may well have been one of the moderate Anglicans. Such a wonderful figure that faithful was in part one of Pilgrim's progress. They noticed that the grass is grown showing that fewer pass this way of late. This is now 1618 for and Puritanism is swinging that whole revival.
In the growth of fair Puritanism in the 17th century by the middle of the 1680s. All that is beginning to wane.
And interestingly, few have made it as far as palace beautiful other churches and tests well attended as it had been in previous decades, even in Bunyan's own memory and Grimm is preventing them from going any further, there's a fight, etc. the first of many in which Grimm is killed and the women pass by without terrified.
Then they come to the portal's large and it's at this point is that great-aunt returns home and he returns to the house of interpreter and that despite the pleas of the women and children again.
Bunyan is teaching a lesson they hadn't asked for him to go with them.
The whole length of the journey that only asked for somebody to take them on the next stage of the journey and Bunyan has another little lesson here about prayer that that which is not asked for, sometimes not a given.
And the reason why a great heart hadn't accompanied them all the way was because they have asked for him over trials and temptations.
Is there trouble anywhere. You should never be discouraged. Tickets to the Lord in prayer for that night in the port is largely eat again and this time it's roast lamb and mint sauce and music and wonderful music in the house music in the heart and music. Also in heaven with joy that we are here. I think that tells a little bit about how Bunyan himself felt after 12 years imprisonment now enjoying life as a pastor with his wife from the with his children that night. Mercy has a dream and Christiana makes a comment that we need not stay up all night talking to God he can come to us while we sleep and speak to us.
The next they decide to stay here for a while and talk with three women. Prudence, piety, and charity. This an instruction time and the boys are catechized under there's a question let's put to the boys. Bunyan wrote his own catechism in 1675.
Dave just nine years before the second part of Pilgrim's progress instruction for the ignorant being a salve to cure that great want of knowledge. With so much ratings both in young and old, and I will look at this Sir catechism. Next time, but it is interesting. This is a family story and these are boys and what is it Bunyan now inserts into the story of family, religion, catechism's young boys need to be catechized in the face for some time next that's Dr. Derek Thomas helping us understand the pastoral heart of John Bunyan in his own ministry. Bunyan stressed the importance of teaching children the faith and we see that echoed here in part two of the Pilgrim's progress. Glad you joined us today for Renewing Your Mind is Dr. Thomas continues his guided tour of this classic piece of literature would like to send you Dr. Thomas is 19 part series, simply contact us today with your donation of any amount and we will send you the three DVD set. So here, we invite you request the series. It's titled the Pilgrim's progress a guided tour or phone number again is 800-435-4343 in her web address Renewing Your Mind.org and on behalf of all of my colleagues here at beginner ministries.
Thank you for your generosity. By the way, you can also study the series on Ligonier connect. That's our library of interactive video courses your entire congregation or church or Sunday school class homeschool group or your family and all study together online affordable pricing is available for communities of all sizes. You can create a subscription that best suits your discipleship needs to learn more. Just go to connect.Ligonier.org I hope you join us again tomorrow is Christiana and her boys take the harrowing road to Vanity Fair next Thursday. Here on Renewing Your Mind