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The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan - Christian Overtakes Faithful · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to the deep dive. This is where we take that stack
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of sources you send over. Could be articles, maybe
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research notes, you name it and we really try to pull out what's
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most vital. Yeah, getting to the core of it,
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uncovering maybe some surprising details.
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And hopefully with just enough good humor along the way to keep
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you tuned in. And hello from me too.
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Today our source material is, well, it's a narrative many will
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know, a guide and a challenge for centuries, really.
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Pilgrim's Progress. We're zoning in on those
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encounters that take place after Christian, our main Pilgrim,
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finally catches up with Faithful, his companion.
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Right. So we're jumping into the story
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just after Christian, who apparently used, well, quite a
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bit of effort, gets ahead of faithful on that narrow path.
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A little burst of speed there. Yeah, so our deep dive today
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looks at the people they meet, the the challenges they face
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together now as they head towards the Celestial City.
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And our mission, if you like, is to figure out what these shared
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experiences show us about, well, about real belief lived out.
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What does it actually look like day-to-day, and what kind of
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opposition? What tests can people on this
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path expect? Exactly.
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It's about seeing how these meetings and trials shed light
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on the realities of the whole endeavor.
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You see both the outside hostility and maybe just as
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tricky the pitfalls with him. OK, let's get started then the
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source gives us this. This small moment seems small
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anyway. Right after Christian catches
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up, it says he used all his strength to reach faithful.
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Right, quite an effort. But he doesn't just draw a
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level, he did also overrun him. So Christian edges ahead on the
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path. And the text is quite specific
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about Christian's immediate reaction.
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His eternal one. It says he Vainglory smiled.
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That tells you something. It does.
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Smiling to himself, probably because he'd gotten the start of
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his brother. A little flash of pride.
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You know, a bit of self congratulation for being faster,
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for being out front. And what happens like the very
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next moment after that little self satisfied smile?
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Almost instantly, the source says, Christian stumbled and
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fell, and it tells us why too. He fell by not taking good heat
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to his feet. So.
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He wasn't watching where he was going.
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Exactly. Maybe looking back at Faithful
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and maybe just lost in that thought of being ahead, not
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watching the path, and then crucially, he could not rise
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again until Faithful came up to help him.
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Wow, so he's stuck there. Laid low, yeah.
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Couldn't get up alone. He needed the very person he'd
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just proudly overtaken to give him a hand.
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So think about that for a second.
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You listening before they even really start walking together,
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sharing this journey, this tiny incident happens.
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What does this stumble, rooted in a moment of pride and, well,
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carelessness, suggest about the walk itself?
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Even for Christian who's getting more experience?
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It's a sharp little lesson right away, isn't it?
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Tells you that even when you've made progress, even when you
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feel strong. Or maybe you're, you know,
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comparing yourself to others and feeling good about it.
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Those moments of pride or just simple and attention can bring
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you down flat. The path requires constant
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focus, taking good heed to your feet.
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And there's humility in that fall, too.
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Definitely meeting help, especially from the person you
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just felt a bit superior to. It highlights that we depend on
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each other, doesn't it? It's not just about individual
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speed or strength. Mutual support is key.
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It's like the path itself has a way of correcting pride almost
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immediately. So once Faithful helps Christian
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up, they start talking, catching up on what happened before they
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met on the road. Faithful explains why he finally
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left the City of Destruction. Right.
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He'd stayed behind longer than Christian, but he said he stayed
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till I could stay no longer. He reached his limit.
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What pushed him over the edge? It was the great talk that
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started up presently, after Christian had left, news got
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around that the city was going to be destroyed in short time
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with fire from heaven be burned down to the ground.
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And this wasn't some fringe rumor, right?
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Faithful says. It was for a while in
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everybody's mouth. Everyone was talking about it.
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But, and this is crucial, Faithful noticed the difference
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between himself and his neighbors.
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He felt they do not think they did firmly believe it.
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Even though they talked about it.
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Even though they talked, they even spoke deridingly of
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Christians decision to leave, mocking the path he took.
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So lots of chatter, but no real conviction for most people.
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Exactly. They had the info, they joined
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the conversation, but it didn't sink in.
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Faithful makes that clear distinction about himself, he
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says. I did believe, and do still,
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that the end of our city will be with fire and brimstone from
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above. He was convinced.
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Utterly convinced. And it was because of this
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belief, this settled conviction, that he made his escape.
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The belief wasn't just, you know, agreeing with a
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possibility. It was a deep conviction that
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forced him to act, to leave everything.
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That really is a core difference, isn't it?
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The gap between just talking about warnings or dangers and
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actually believing them so much that it changes everything.
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Your actions, your direction, your whole life.
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Huge difference. It's like acknowledging a storm
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warning versus actually boarding up the windows and heading
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inland. Talk doesn't cost much, but
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belief that leads to costly action like Faithful leaving his
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home, that's something else entirely.
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Lots of people can discuss problems or consequences, but if
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it doesn't lead to a fundamental shift in what they do and where
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their loyalty lies, well, it's just talk.
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Faithful's escape wasn't just running away, it was acting on
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the belief that the reason for running was real and
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unavoidable. So as they're talking about the
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city they both left, Christian asks Faithful if he heard what
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happened to Pliable. Do you remember Pliable the
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neighbor who started with Christian, but turned back at
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the first sign of trouble, the slew of despond?
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Oh yes, Faithful had heard all about it.
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He knew Pliable had gone as far as the slew with Christian and
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Faithful says, even though Pliable would not be known to
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have so done tried to hide it maybe.
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Right tried to cover his track. He confirms Pliable fell in and
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was soundly bedabbled with that kind of dirt.
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Got thoroughly messed up in the Slough.
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And what was the reaction back home when Pliable slunk back
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into the City of Destruction? Faithful reports that pliable
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hath since his going back been had greatly in derision.
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He was mocked relentlessly. By everyone.
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Pretty much all sorts of people. Some just laughed at him, others
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despised him. Few would even give him work.
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Apparently Faithful suggest he's actually 7 times worse off than
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if he'd never even pretended to leave the city.
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The source really details that scorn, doesn't it?
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Neighbors called him a turncoat, made him a proverb.
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And the reason? Because he was not true to his
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profession, he has forsaken the way he started.
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It's interesting. Even the people who stayed
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behind, who mocked the Pilgrim path themselves, they mocked
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Pliable even harder. Because he showed some initial
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willingness to leave, but lacked the grit, the conviction to
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stick with it when things got tough.
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Christian himself voices concern, fearing pliable will
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perish in the overthrow of the city.
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He quotes that really stark proverb, The dog has turned to
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his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing
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in the mire. Strong words.
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So what is this whole episode with pliable reveal about the
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world's view and about, well, the nature of just saying you
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believe versus actually living it out?
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Especially when someone starts, makes a show of it, but then
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retreats back to the very things they seem to reject.
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It definitely shows the world cynicism towards inconsistent
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claims. They might dislike the path
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itself, but they have even more contempt for someone who seems
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to embrace it only to bail when it gets hard.
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It highlights that a profession, a claim of faith without that
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deep internal reality, that root of true belief faithful had,
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well, it just won't hold up under pressure.
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It Withers. It does.
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And the return isn't just stopping.
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It's depicted as a reversion, a going back to the old state.
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Those Proverbs Christian uses are graphic for a reason.
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They portray a return to impurity, to degrading habits.
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It's a just turning back leaves a person in the spiritually
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worst state than before they even started.
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OK, so moving on from Pliable's fate, Christian then asked
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Faithful about his journey before they met up.
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You mentioned you escaped the slew Faithful, but what else did
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you encounter travelling alone? Right.
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I managed to avoid the slew and got to the wicket gate OK, but
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not long after that I ran into someone.
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Her name was Wanton. Wanton.
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And she tried to, well, do me a mischief, as the source puts it.
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And her approach was through flattery, right?
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A flattering tongue promising all manner of content,
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specifically carnal and fleshly content.
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Yes, a direct appeal to worldly pleasure, sensual ease.
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She lay at me hard, really pressured me to turn aside with
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her. How did you resist?
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I remember something I'd read a writing, likely scripture that
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warned about her path. Her steps take hold on hell, so
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I made a conscious effort. I shut mine eyes, trying not to
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be bewitched by her allure. So a different kind of obstacle
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than the slews despair or the fear of judgement.
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Wanton is the pull of sinful pleasure.
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And when you resisted her, she wasn't happy.
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No, the source says. She railed on me, shouted abuse
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probably, but I kept going. And then later when I got to the
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bottom of the hill difficulty, I met a very aged man.
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He introduced himself as Adam the 1st and said he lived nearby
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in the town of Deceit. Adam the first from Deceit.
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The names are quite something. What did he offer you?
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He looked me over, said I seem like an honest fellow, asked if
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I'd like to live with him, work for him.
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When I asked about the job and the pay, he said the work was
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many delights. Sounds good so far.
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And the pay, He said I'd be his heir at last.
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And as a bonus, he offered me his three daughters in marriage.
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The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
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life. Wow.
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The big three temptations personified as daughters And how
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long was this job offer for? As long as he lived himself
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basically a lifetime commitment to him in his ways.
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Now faithful, the source says something interesting here.
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It says you were somewhat inclinable at first.
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You were tempted by this. I admit I was, he spake very
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fair, presented it all so attractively.
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The idea of delights, inheritance, marriage.
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It sounded appealing. For a moment, I found myself
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leaning towards it. But something stopped you.
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Yes, as we were talking, I happened to look at his forehead
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and written there plain as day, where the words put off the old
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man with his deeds. A direct quote from scripture
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right there on his forehead. That must have been jarring.
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It brought instant clarity. Seeing that phrase made me
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realize that no matter how nice he sounded, his real aim was to
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sell me. For a slave, the promise of
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inheritance was a lie. His nature, his offer was
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bondage. So I turned him down flat, told
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him I wouldn't go near his house.
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And like wanton Adam, the first didn't appreciate being
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rejected. Not at all.
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He reviled me, cursed me and threatened to send someone after
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me who would make my journey bitter to my soul.
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And getting away wasn't easy. There was a physical element.
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As I turned to go, I felt him grab hold of my flesh.
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He gave me such a deadly twitch back that I thought he had
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pulled part of me after himself. Ouch.
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It was incredibly painful. A violent, wrenching feeling
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made me cry out. Oh, wretched man.
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Then I pressed on up the hill. OK, let's unpack that.
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Adam the first living in deceit, offering the lusts of the flesh
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eyes and pride of life. What does he represent?
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And what about that painful, deadly twitch?
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What's that about? Well, Adam, the first clearly
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represents our old fallen human nature, the sinful self we
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inherit from the first Adam. He lives in deceit because
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everything he offers, pleasure, status, worldly goods, is
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ultimately deceptive. It promises freedom and
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fulfillment, but leads only to slavery, to sin.
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And his daughters are the classic categories of
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temptation. Exactly as described in First
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John, the fact that faithful was somewhat inclinable shows just
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how persistent the pull of that old nature is.
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Even for a believer already on the path, it's still there,
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tempting us. And the twitch.
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That deadly twitch signifies the intense, painful struggle
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involved in breaking free from ingrained sinful habits and
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desires. When you try to decisively turn
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away from the old self, it fights back.
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It resists violently. It's depicting that real,
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agonizing internal conflict, the war within the believer that
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Paul describes. It hurts to pull away from those
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old ways. So after that painful escape
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from Adam, the first faithful starts climbing hill difficulty.
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You mentioned that about halfway up someone caught up to you,
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coming swift as the wind. Yes, very fast and very stern
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looking. Not a friendly encounter then.
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Not at all. He actually knocked me down
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twice. Why did he say?
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Yes. When I asked him why he was
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treating me so harshly, he said it was because of my secret
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inclining to Adam. The first he knew about that
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moment of temptation I just had. And then he declared.
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I know not how to show mercy. The source identifies this
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figure as Moses, the Lawgiver. That's highly significant, isn't
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it? Moses, representing God's law
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comes swiftly. Knows even your secret
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inclinations towards sin. And offers absolutely no mercy
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for them. The text really underlines this.
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Moses spareth none, neither knoweth he how to show mercy to
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those that transgress his law. So what's the message here?
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The law arrives, exposes your sin, even hidden thoughts, and
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condemns you without recourse. Precisely.
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It's a vivid picture of how God's perfect law functions.
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It reveals sin in all its forms. Even the slightest internal
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inclining of the heart, like Faithful's momentary leaning
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towards Adam the First's offer. And the law's verdict is always
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condemnation. It's uncompromising against its
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standard. We have no defense, no way to
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earn mercy. It finds us guilty.
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As Faithful says, Moses would have doubtless made an end of
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me. But he didn't.
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Someone stepped in. Yes.
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Just as Moses stood over me, seemingly ready to strike again,
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one came by and bid him for Bear, told him to stop.
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And did you recognize this intervener?
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Not right away, but as he passed by me I saw the marks, the holes
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in his hands and in his side, and then I knew He was our Lord
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Jesus Christ. Yes, He spoke kindly to me and
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after he passed I was able to get up and continue my climb.
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That's a powerful image, Moses. The law condemning faithful
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justly for his inward leaning towards sin.
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Then Christ identified by his crucifixion wounds intervening.
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What does this teach us about law and grace for the Pilgrim?
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It's the heart of the gospel, really.
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The law does its job perfectly. It exposes our sinfulness, our
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utter inability to meet God's standard.
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It condemns us justly. It cannot show mercy.
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That's not its function. Its function is to reveal sin
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and pronounce judgement. But right when we stand under
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that righteous condemnation, Christ appears bearing the
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wounds that signify he has already paid the penalty the Law
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demands. His sacrifice satisfied the
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Law's requirements on our behalf.
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So where the law condemns, Christ redeems through grace.
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His intervention isn't earned. It's pure mercy given because he
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took the judgement himself. It's this incredible relief from
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the crushing weight of the Law's verdict.
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OK, so after that profound encounter, Faithful makes it to
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the top of the hill. Now Christian had stopped at a
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house up there at the palace beautiful, where he rested and
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saw various rarities. Did you see that house Faithful?
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Yes I saw it and I saw the lions near the entrance before I got
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there, but the source mentions I thought the lions were probably
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asleep since it was around noon. And because you felt you had so
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much of the day before him, plenty of daylight left.
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I passed by the Porter and came down the hill without stopping.
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Didn't feel the need to go in. Christian later expressed regret
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that you didn't stop faithful. He told you the house would have
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shown you many rarities that could have been helpful.
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What might this difference Christian stopping faithful
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passing by suggest about their journeys?
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Well, it certainly shows that pilgrims don't always have
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identical experiences even on the same path.
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Christian obviously found the rest.
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Fellowship and instruction at Palace beautiful, very
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beneficial, perhaps even necessary for him at that point,
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Faithful, maybe feeling less weary or more focused on
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pressing forward, didn't perceive a need to stop.
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Then it suggests that individual needs timing, and perhaps even
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the specific danger your opportunities encountered can
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differ. What helps 1 might be less
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crucial for another. Or maybe the timing just wasn't
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right for Faithful. It hints that there isn't one
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single rigid schedule for every Pilgrim, though perhaps, as
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Christian implies, valuable resources or insights might
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sometimes be missed if one pushes on too quickly without
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stopping for spiritual refreshment or instruction.
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After Hill difficulty, Faithful descended into the Valley of
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Humility. Now this is interesting because
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Christian had that fierce battle with the Poly on there, but the
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source says faithful had sunshine all the way through and
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no such fight. Yes, outwardly my passage
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through that particular valley was much calmer than Christians.
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No demonic combat. But that doesn't mean it was
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without challenges. I faced different kinds of
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opposition there. The first one was named
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discontent. Discontent.
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What was his approach? He basically tried to persuade
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me to turn back. His argument was all about
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status and worldly opinion. He said.
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The valley of humility was, well, too humble.
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It lacked honor. He claimed that going through
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such a lowly place would deeply offend my worldly friends.
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And he named them. Oh yes, he listed pride,
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arrogancy, self conceit, worldly glory and others like them.
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He said he knew these folks, my old connections, and they'd be
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very much offended if I lowered myself by walking through this
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valley. Appealing to pride and fear of
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losing face with former associates.
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How did you answer discontent? I told him straight out, yes
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those people he named might be related to me according to the
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flesh part of my old life, but since I became a Pilgrim they've
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disowned me as I also have rejected them.
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A clean break. A necessary one, I said.
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They were no more to me now than if they've never been my kin.
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And I countered his point about the valley being dishonorable by
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saying I'd heard that humility precedes honor.
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True honor comes after humility, not by avoiding it.
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So discontent leaves, but then another figure appears.
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Or maybe was there alongside him.
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Shame. Shame.
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Yes, he was different, very persistent.
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The source calls him bold faced and.
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His attack wasn't just on you, but on the very idea of religion
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itself. Exactly.
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He was relentless, called being a religious, a pitiful, low
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sneaking business. Said having a tender conscience
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was unmanly. Claimed that watching your words
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and behavior carefully would just make you the ridicule of
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the times. He's attacking the public
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practice of faith, trying to make you embarrassed by it.
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That's. Precisely it.
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He tried to make me ashamed of my beliefs, ashamed of the
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changes in my life. He sneered that pilgrims were
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mostly ignorant, low class people.
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We were the important people, the rich, the powerful among us.
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He would be haunting me, just constantly whispering this
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stuff. That sounds incredibly wearing.
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How did you deal with shame? This voice designed to make you
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afraid or embarrassed to live out your faith openly.
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It was tough. The source is honest about it.
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Say I could not tell what to say.
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The first he really got under my skin.
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Yeah, he put me so to it that my blood came up in my face.
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Even this shame fetched it up and it almost beat me quite off.
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I was blushing, flustered, almost ready to give up because
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his accusations hit that nerve, the desire for human approval.
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But you didn't give in. How did you fight back mentally?
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I started reasoning with myself, bringing truth to bear on his
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lies. I remembered the principle that
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which is highly esteemed among men is had an abomination with
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God. That was key.
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I realized shame was arguing from the world's perspective
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using worldly standards, which are the opposite of God's right.
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Flipping the value system. Exactly.
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I also thought about the final judgement.
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We won't be judged by the hectoring spirits of the world,
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but according to the wisdom and law of the highest.
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And since God values his religion, values a tender
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conscience, considers those who become fools for the Kingdom of
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heaven truly wise, and sees the poor believer as richer than the
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world's greatest haters of Christ.
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Then Shame's arguments fall apart.
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Right, I concluded, shame was an enemy to my salvation.
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I asked myself, should I listen to someone who opposes my
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sovereign Lord? How could I face God if I let
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shame win? So I resolved to shake him off,
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to reject his whispers, even though the text notes he kept
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trying to get my attention. So, practically speaking, what
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does it mean to overcome shame when you're trying to live out
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your beliefs in a world that often looks down on them?
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It means making a conscious choice whose approval matters
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more, God's or man's. Shame is a potent weapon the
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world uses to try and silence believers or get them to tone
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down their faith, blend in more Overcoming it means accepting
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that living for God will often involve being misunderstood, may
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be ridiculed, seen as odd or foolish by worldly standards.
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It requires finding your identity and worth in Christ,
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not in social standing or popularity polls.
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It frees you up to be, as the source says elsewhere, valiant
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for the truth upon the earth, willing to be different because
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you value the eternal prize far more than fleeting human
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opinion. OK, so faithful gets through the
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valley of humility and unlike Christian, passes through the
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valley of the shadow of death with sunshine.
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Then you and Christian are back together, walking on, and it's
21:11
not long before you encounter someone new.
21:13
Yes, we spotted a man walking near us, but slightly apart.
21:17
Looked quite impressive from a distance.
21:19
A tall man and seemed something more comely at a distance than
21:22
at hand. His name, we learned, was
21:24
talkative. And faithful, your first
21:26
reaction was pretty positive, wasn't?
21:27
It it was embarrassingly so. Now I said to Christian
21:31
something like, what a brave companion have we got.
21:34
Surely this man will make a very excellent Pilgrim.
21:37
Why did you think that? His conversation seemed full of
21:40
conviction. He was eager to discuss things
21:42
that are profitable spiritual matters.
21:44
I thought brilliant, here's someone serious about the faiths
21:47
will be great fellowship. But Christian knew him, knew him
21:49
from back home, the City of Destruction.
21:52
Specifically from a street called Parading.
21:54
Yes, Christian's reaction was very different.
21:57
He just modestly smiled at my enthusiasm and gently warned me
22:02
that this man, despite his fine tongue, could easily beguile
22:06
people who didn't really know him.
22:08
Christian's view is much harsher.
22:09
Much he called talkative, but a sorry fellow said he was ugly
22:13
enough when you saw him up close, especially at home.
22:16
He was best abroad where people didn't know his real life.
22:20
Christian used that striking comparison talking.
22:22
His talk is like a painting. Looks good from afar.
22:25
But less impressive up close. Exactly.
22:27
More unpleasing when examined closely.
22:30
And Christian really nailed the core issue.
22:33
Religion have no place in his heart or house or conversation.
22:37
All he have life in his tongue and his religion is to make a
22:40
noise there with. A devastating summary.
22:43
He finished by calling him a St. abroad and a devil at home.
22:46
He went on to say talkative was a stain, reproach and shame of
22:50
religion. His inconsistent life, the gap
22:53
between his pious talk and his actual behavior had caused money
22:57
to stumble and fall. People saw him and were put off
23:00
religion all together. Christian called him a spot
23:02
among Christians. So what's the big danger here?
23:05
Judging someone's spiritual condition just based on how well
23:08
they talk the talk like Faithful initially did with Talkative.
23:11
The danger is complete deception.
23:13
Talkative is presented as a master of religious vocabulary.
23:17
He can speak eloquently, sound, knowledgeable about doctrine,
23:20
about the Pilgrim life, but it's all surface.
23:23
His heart, his private life, house, his everyday
23:25
interactions, conversation, they show no real change.
23:28
It's a performance. A facade.
23:30
Absolutely. If you judge her only by the
23:31
talk, you miss the essential test of authenticity, which is
23:35
the fruit, the evidence of a transformed life.
23:37
And someone like talking. It doesn't just fool others.
23:39
He damages the reputation of faith itself by claiming to
23:42
belong while living contrary to its core tenants.
23:45
He uses religious language almost like camouflage for an
23:48
unchanged heart. This whole encounter leads
23:51
Christian and faithful into a really vital discussion about
23:54
telling the difference between genuine faith and just talk.
23:58
The source drives home that real belief isn't just saying it's
24:02
doing. Yeah, Christian quote scripture
24:04
to back this up. The soul of religion is the
24:07
practical part. He gives examples visiting the
24:10
fatherless and widows and their affliction, and to keep himself
24:13
unspotted from the world practical holiness.
24:16
He argues that hearing and saying are like planting seeds,
24:20
but the harvest. The judgment isn't about how
24:22
much seed you scattered with your words, but about the actual
24:25
crop. The question will be were you
24:27
doers or talkers only? Faithful then brings in that
24:30
analogy from the Old Testament dietary laws about the hair.
24:33
Right, he points out the hair chew with the cud.
24:35
It ruminates, processes its food.
24:38
He likens this to Talkative, who mentally chews on knowledge,
24:41
thinks about the word. But faithful continues, the hair
24:44
divideth, not the hoof. It doesn't have the cloven hoof
24:47
that symbolized walking apart, separating oneself from sin and
24:50
uncleanness. So talkative seeks knowledge,
24:53
but he doesn't separate himself from sinful ways.
24:56
He parteth not with the way of sinners.
24:59
Therefore, Faithful concludes, he remains unclean spiritually.
25:03
That's a sharp analogy, and Christian adds another one,
25:06
comparing your talkers to sounding brass and tinkling
25:09
cymbals. In First Corinthians 13, yeah,
25:11
just noise without substance. Things without life giving
25:14
sound. They might mimic the sound of
25:16
genuine faith, but they lack the inner reality, the true face in
25:19
grace. It's performance without power.
25:22
So how do you tell the difference?
25:23
How can you discern real belief born of God's grace from this
25:27
kind of superficial knowledge or eloquent talk?
25:29
What does it actually mean for faith to be practical?
25:32
Genuine belief shows itself not just in words, but in a visible
25:36
life transformation, the fruit. It's practical because it
25:40
fundamentally alters a person's desires, attitudes, actions
25:44
internally. It produces a deep conviction of
25:47
sin, especially unbelief, leading to real sorrow and shame
25:51
for sin before God. It creates a hunger and thirst
25:54
for Christ Himself for His righteousness.
25:56
And outwardly. Outwardly, as Faithful lays out
25:59
later, it manifests as an experimental confession, a
26:02
testimony rooted in personal experience supported by a life
26:06
answerable to that confession. This life involves heart
26:09
holiness, changed inner desires, family holiness, how you live at
26:13
home behind closed doors, and conversation holiness your
26:16
conduct in the world. It's about applying God's Word
26:19
practically to every sphere of life, not just discussing it
26:21
intelligently. So faithful after Christian
26:24
reveals Talkative's true nature and you discuss these marks of
26:27
real belief. You said you felt sick of his
26:28
company. It did.
26:29
That initial positive impression just curdled.
26:32
Once I understood what he was really like, I found his
26:34
presence repulsive. Then I asked Christian, You
26:36
know, how can we be rid of him? And Christian's advice was
26:40
strategic. He didn't say just ignore him or
26:42
walk away. He said engage him, bring the
26:44
conversation to a head, talk seriously about the power of
26:48
religion and ask him point blank if that power is evident in his
26:51
heart, house or conversation. Right, but I'm on the spot about
26:55
the reality, not just the theory.
26:56
So I turned back to talkative and I asked him a direct
27:00
question. How does the saving grace of God
27:03
discover itself when it is in the heart of man?
27:08
I was asking for the signs of genuine internal work of God.
27:11
And talkative, true to form, responded with outward
27:15
observable things, right? Things someone could mimic?
27:18
Exactly. He listed 2 main signs, 1st and
27:21
I'd cry against sin and 2nd, great knowledge of gospel
27:24
mysteries. He knew the right categories,
27:26
the right language. But you challenge those
27:28
immediately. I did.
27:29
I argue that just crying out against sin isn't proof of
27:31
hating it. It could easily be of policy
27:33
done for show or self preservation.
27:35
Like Joseph's master's wife crying out when, or like a
27:39
mother scolding a child she still spoils.
27:41
It doesn't necessarily mean genuine repentance.
27:43
And the knowledge point. I pointed out that knowledge
27:46
alone saves no one. You could know like an Angel and
27:49
yet be no Christian. The crucial thing is applying
27:52
that knowledge. I quoted Jesus, blessed are ye
27:55
if you do them, not just if you know them.
27:58
True saving knowledge, I insisted, compels a person upon
28:01
doing even the will of God from the heart.
28:04
And then you laid out what you saw as the true signs of grace
28:07
working in the heart. Yes, the inward conviction,
28:09
sorrow, shame for sin, seeing the Savior, the longing for him,
28:14
and then the outward life that corresponds to that interchange.
28:17
After explaining the true marks, you put the question directly to
28:20
talkative, didn't you? No more theory.
28:22
Right. I looked him straight in the eye
28:24
and asked, essentially, do you experience this first part, the
28:27
inner work, and does your actual life, your behavior, back it up
28:30
or standeth, your religion in Word or in tongue and not in
28:33
deed, in truth? And I urged him to answer
28:36
honestly, considering his own conscience and the fact that he
28:38
stood before God. Pretty direct.
28:41
How did talkative handle being confronted so personally about
28:44
the reality of his faith, or lack thereof?
28:47
The source says he he began to blush, a sign of shame or
28:50
discomfort perhaps, but then he immediately deflected.
28:53
He accused me of being peevish or melancholy, basically saying
28:56
I was being overly critical or gloomy.
28:59
And then he shut down the conversation, saying he was not
29:01
disposed to give an answer to such questions.
29:03
Wouldn't engage. Refuse to engage with the core
29:06
issue of his own heart and life. And what did he do then?
29:09
He left, walked off, the source notes.
29:12
He preferred to leave your company than reform his life.
29:16
He chose avoidance over introspection or change.
29:20
So what generally happens when someone who majors on talk is
29:23
directly confronted about the substance, the reality of their
29:27
belief in their heart in life? Why would someone choose to just
29:30
walk away rather than face the possibility of needing to
29:33
change? Well, that kind of direct
29:35
confrontation with truth, especially when it exposes
29:37
hypocrisy, is deeply uncomfortable.
29:40
It brings shame. Like talkatives.
29:41
Blushing, running away, deflecting or blaming the
29:44
questioner is often easier than facing the painful reality that
29:48
your life doesn't match your words.
29:50
Choosing to leave company rather than engage shows that the
29:53
person's primary loyalty isn't the truth or genuine fellowship,
29:57
but to maintaining their image, their facade.
30:00
They value avoiding conviction and the hard work of repentance
30:04
more than they value authenticity.
30:06
As Christian remarked afterwards, it was probably for
30:09
the best talkative would have been but a blot in our company.
30:12
His advice from such withdraw thyself.
30:16
Unnecessary separation sometimes.
30:18
OK, so after dealing with talkative Christian and faithful
30:21
press on, and as they're coming towards the end of that
30:23
particular wilderness stretch, they meet someone familiar
30:26
again. Yes, Evangelist reappears the
30:29
same guide who would said Christian on the right pathway
30:31
back at the beginning. And he greets you both with
30:33
peace. You fill him in on everything
30:35
that's happened. Yes, we recounted all things
30:37
that had happened to them, all the trials, the encounters since
30:40
since they last saw him. And evangelists reaction.
30:43
He was glad, but he specified why.
30:46
Not that you have met with trials, but that you have been
30:48
victors. He celebrated their perseverance
30:51
through the tests. And he offered some strong
30:53
encouragement for the road ahead.
30:55
Very strong, he urged them to hold fast, believe steadfastly,
30:59
to keep watch over their hearts, and reminded them that the power
31:02
supporting them is immense. All power in heaven and earth on
31:06
their side. He pointed them towards the
31:09
final reward, the crown awaiting those who endure.
31:12
How significant is it, do you think, to receive that kind of
31:16
validation and encouragement from a figure like evangelist, A
31:20
trusted guide, a messenger of the good news, especially after
31:23
some difficult encounters? Oh, it's absolutely vital.
31:26
The path is hard, as we've seen, full of dangers, tricky
31:29
deceptions, outright opposition. To hear affirmation from a
31:32
reliable source, someone who speaks God's truth and knows the
31:36
destination, it bolsters your resolve tremendously.
31:39
Yeah, gives you fresh wind in your sails.
31:41
Exactly. It confirms that the struggles
31:43
aren't random, they're part of the expected journey.
31:45
And it reminds the pilgrims they aren't alone, that divine power
31:49
is with them. It lifts their gaze from the
31:51
immediate grind to the ultimate prize.
31:53
It's like a spiritual refueling stop preparing them for what's
31:56
coming next. Because Evangelist's message
31:59
wasn't only encouragement, was it?
32:01
He also delivered a pretty sobering prophecy about the
32:04
immediate future. That's right, he reminded them
32:07
first of the general principle from Scripture.
32:09
Pilgrims must, through many tribulations, enter into the
32:12
Kingdom of heaven, and that in every city bonds and afflictions
32:16
abide in you. Suffering is part of the
32:18
package. But then he got very specific
32:20
about the next town they were about to enter.
32:22
Yes, he warned them, they would soon reach a town where they'd
32:26
be hardly to set with enemies. And he foretold that in this
32:29
town one or both of them must seal the testimony with blood.
32:34
He predicted martyrdom for at least one of them.
32:36
Heavy news. Extremely heavy, but notice how
32:39
he frames it. He immediately gives a
32:41
perspective meant to encourage, not just frighten.
32:44
He told them that the one who dies will have the better of his
32:47
fellow. Better.
32:48
How could dying be better? Because, Evangelist explained,
32:52
the one who dies reaches the Celestial City sooner.
32:55
They escape many miseries that your fellow will meet with in
32:58
the rest of his journey. So death, in this context, is
33:01
presented as an early arrival, a release from further hardship.
33:05
He then urged them both to be faithful unto death.
33:09
That's quite a perspective shift.
33:11
How much knowing ahead of time that severe suffering, possibly
33:14
even death, is coming affect how a person faces it when it
33:18
actually happens? It prepares you mentally,
33:20
spiritually. It takes away the element of
33:22
shock, the feeling that something has gone terribly
33:25
wrong. Instead, you can frame the
33:27
suffering as something expected, even foretold, and part of God's
33:31
larger plan. Knowing that death isn't the
33:33
ultimate defeat, but potentially a better outcome.
33:36
A fast tracked home allows the Pilgrim to face it with courage
33:39
and faithfulness. They can see the temporary pain
33:42
in the light of the eternal reward.
33:44
It transforms martyrdom from a tragedy into the ultimate test
33:47
of faithfulness, with the highest stakes and the greatest
33:49
prize. So armed with this encouragement
33:52
and the stark prophecy, Christian and faithful arrive at
33:55
the next town, the town of Vanity, and the famous fair held
33:59
their Vanity Fair. Yes, and the source tells us
34:02
this fair isn't a seasonal event.
34:04
It's kept all the year long, a constant feature.
34:07
It gets its name because the town itself is lighter than
34:10
vanity, and everything bought or sold there is sanity.
34:14
The author even quotes Ecclesiastes.
34:17
All that cometh is vanity. The source gives it quite a
34:19
history too, saying it's ancient, set up long ago by none
34:22
other than Beelzebub, Apollyon and Legion.
34:25
The chief enemies of the Pilgrims are its founders, and
34:28
the merchandise all sorts of vanity.
34:30
The list is pretty comprehensive.
34:32
It is. It includes the obvious worldly
34:34
things, houses, lands, trades, honors, pleasures.
34:37
But then it gets darker. Bodies, souls, silver, gold,
34:40
pearls, precious stones. It's a marketplace where
34:42
everything transient, worldly and corrupt, even human beings
34:45
and their souls, commodities here.
34:47
And it gets worse. It does.
34:49
The Fear also features juggling cheats, games, plays, fools,
34:53
apes, knaves and rogues, and outright criminality is just
34:56
part of the scene. Thefts, murders, adulteries,
35:00
false swears are seen for nothing.
35:02
Just everyday business. A picture of total worldly
35:05
corruption. And that the tough part for
35:07
pilgrims, The path to the Celestial City lies just through
35:10
this town. No going around it.
35:13
Right, you have to pass through. The source emphasizes this by
35:16
mentioning that even the Prince of Princess himself, Jesus, went
35:19
through Vanity Fair. Beelzebub, the chief Lord of the
35:22
fair, tempted him there, showing him all the kingdoms of the
35:25
world. But Christ had no mind to the
35:27
merchandise. He refused it all.
35:29
How does this picture of Vanity Fair, this ancient,
35:32
all-encompassing market, a worldly temptations and
35:34
corruption compared to the distractions and systems we see
35:37
around us today? Well, it's a powerful allegory
35:40
for the entire world system that stands opposed to God.
35:43
Vanity Fair represents all the pursuits, values, institutions
35:47
that promise happiness, wealth, status, pleasure, power, but are
35:52
ultimately empty, temporary, and founded on sin and deception.
35:56
The fact that pilgrims must pass through it shows we live in the
35:59
world, even if we're not of it. Like Christ, we have to navigate
36:03
its pressures, its temptations, recognize them as vanities, and
36:07
refuse to buy into its corrupt system.
36:10
And the way sin and vice are openly displayed and normalized
36:13
in the fair, well, that resonates with aspects of any
36:17
society that drifts from God's standards.
36:20
So when you and Christian actually entered the fair, it
36:22
caused quite a stir. All the people were moved the
36:25
town in a hubbub. Your mere presence was
36:27
disruptive. It was immediate and for several
36:30
reasons, according to the source.
36:31
First is how we looked. Our clothes were completely
36:33
different and diverse from the raiment of any that traded in
36:35
that fair you. Stuck out like sore thumbs.
36:37
Instantly people stared, pointed, called his names.
36:41
Fools. Bedlums meaning lunatics,
36:43
outlandish men. Your appearance marked you as
36:46
different. And so did our speech.
36:48
We spoke the language of Canaan, the language of faith of Zion.
36:52
They spoke the language of men of this world.
36:54
We couldn't understand each other on a fundamental level.
36:57
We seem like Barbarians to them, and they to us.
37:00
But the biggest issue it seems was your reaction or lack of
37:03
reaction to the furs main purpose buying and selling.
37:07
That really set them off. We set very light by all their
37:10
wares, didn't seem impressed or interested.
37:13
We cared not so much as to look upon them.
37:15
When the merchants called out trying to sell us things, we
37:18
literally put their fingers in their ears to block it out.
37:21
And you cried out. Yes, quoting scripture again.
37:24
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and instead of
37:27
looking down at the Sauls or the crowds, we looked upwards,
37:30
signaling where our real treasure in focus lay.
37:32
And then someone mockingly asked, well, if you won't buy
37:35
any of this stuff, what will you buy?
37:37
And we gave that simple, devastating answer.
37:39
We buy the truth. OK, what happens in any context,
37:44
really, when you live visibly differently?
37:45
Your clothes, your language, your priorities are just out of
37:48
step with the norm and you openly state that you value
37:52
truth above all the world's glittering vanities.
37:55
You immediately become an outsider, A disturbance to the
37:58
status quo. Your very presence implicitly
38:01
critiques the values everyone else holds dear.
38:04
Refusing the wares is taken as an insult, a judgment on their
38:08
whole way of life. And declaring you seek truth in
38:11
a marketplace built on illusion and deceit?
38:13
That's a direct challenge, a threat to the entire system.
38:16
Difference in devotion to truth inevitably provoke hostility in
38:19
a world committed to vanity. And that hostility flared up
38:22
fast. The source says the reaction was
38:25
mocking some, taunting, some, speaking reproachfully and some
38:28
calling upon others to smite them.
38:30
The initial hubbub turned into act of aggression.
38:32
Yes, things escalated and we were seized, taken for
38:35
examination before some of the most trusty friends of
38:37
Beelzebub, the boss of the fair. They grilled us.
38:40
Where did you come from? Where are you going?
38:42
Why are you acting so strangely? And what did these examiner's
38:44
conclude? They decided we had to be either
38:46
bedlams and mad, completely crazy, or else we were agitators
38:50
sent to put all things into a confusion in the fair.
38:54
They simply couldn't imagine any other reason for rejecting their
38:57
values. Their worldview had no category
38:59
for genuine pilgrims seeking truth.
39:01
None at all. And so the authorities resorted
39:04
to abuse. They beat them and be smeared
39:07
them with dirt. Utter humiliation.
39:09
And then they threw us into the cage, put on public display like
39:13
animals. A Spectacle A.
39:14
Spectacle for the fair goers meant to be mocked and
39:17
ridiculed. The great one, Beelzebub
39:20
apparently watched and laughed. It's quite shocking.
39:22
Why does simply seeking truth and living differently provoke
39:25
such a violent, hostile response from the world systems and the
39:29
people invested in them? Because fundamentally, truth is
39:32
the ultimate threat to any system built on lies and vanity.
39:36
Vanity Fair runs on the illusion that it's goods, its values, are
39:39
desirable and fulfilling. Pilgrims who ignore the goods,
39:42
speak a different language and declare they, by the truth,
39:45
shatter that illusion. To expose the sham.
39:48
Exactly. They become living
39:50
contradictions to the fair's entire premise.
39:53
This is perceived as an attack not just on the commerce, but on
39:56
the authority of the Prince who runs the show.
39:59
So the system reacts defensively.
40:02
Silence the threat, discredit the messengers through public
40:05
shame and violence, and warn off anyone else who might think of
40:08
following their example. So there you are, Christian and
40:11
faithful, locked in the cage, objects of the crowd, sport or
40:15
malice or revenge. Yes, put on show for everyone to
40:18
mock or abuse as they pleased. But the source makes a point of
40:21
highlighting how you behaved during this ordeal.
40:24
It notes we were patient. We were not rendering railing
40:27
for railing, but contrary, wise blessing and giving good words
40:31
for bad and kindness for injuries Done.
40:33
We didn't curse them back or fight back.
40:36
And this quiet endurance, this refusal to retaliate, started to
40:39
have an unexpected effect. It did.
40:41
It began to win over some men in the fair.
40:43
It caused division among the crowd which had initially been
40:46
united against us. Seeing our patients and lack of
40:49
bitterness, some of the onlookers started to question if
40:52
our treatment was fair. They began to check and blame
40:55
the baser sort for their abuses. Arguments broke out between
40:59
those who thought we were getting what we deserved and
41:01
those who were troubled by the cruelty and our response to it.
41:04
Interesting. Then you were brought out again
41:07
before the examiners formally charged with causing the
41:10
disturbance. Yes, and we were beat pitifully
41:14
again, then LED in chains through the fair like condemned
41:18
criminals meant to be a warning. But even during the second round
41:21
of public humiliation, the source says, you acted more
41:24
wisely and endured the ignominy and shame with so much meekness
41:28
and patience, and this still had an impact.
41:30
Yes, this continued quiet dignity under suffering
41:33
apparently won over several more men in the fair to our side.
41:37
Still a minority, but our behavior was having an effect.
41:40
How does that work? How can meekness and patience,
41:43
especially when displayed publicly under attack, actually
41:46
attract people or make them question the dominant narrative?
41:49
Well, in a world that usually responds to injury with anger,
41:52
defense, or revenge, seeing someone endorse suffering with
41:55
quiet strength and even kindness is jarring.
41:59
It's countercultural. It doesn't compute with worldly
42:02
logic. It makes people stop and think.
42:03
It forces them to ask why. Why aren't they fighting back?
42:07
Why aren't they angry or bitter? It suggests a source of
42:10
strength, a hope, a value system completely different from the
42:13
norm. This quiet resilience can expose
42:16
the cruelty and injustice of the persecutors more effectively
42:20
than angry words might. It plants seeds of doubt,
42:23
curiosity, making some observers wonder about the belief that
42:27
produces such a response. This period of abuse eventually
42:30
leads to a formal trial in Vanity Fair, the judge presiding
42:33
Lord Hategood. Yes, brought before him for
42:36
judgement. The indictment was read out
42:38
against Faithful, stating he was an enemy too, and disturber of
42:41
their trade, had made commotions and divisions, and had won a
42:44
party to their own most dangerous opinions, all in
42:46
contempt of their Prince Beelzebub.
42:49
And Faithful's initial response to these charges.
42:51
He didn't deny opposing something, but he clarified what
42:54
he said. He was only against that which
42:56
had set itself against him, That is higher than the highest
42:59
meaning. He opposed whatever opposed God.
43:02
He maintained he was a man of peace.
43:04
He argued that those won over it weren't swayed by danger
43:07
opinions, but by truth and innocence which led them from
43:10
the worst to the better. And he openly defied Beelzebub
43:13
as the enemy of his true Lord. Then the prosecution calls its
43:16
witnesses, three of them with very suggestive names, Envy,
43:20
Superstition and Pic Think. Envy goes first.
43:23
It testifies that faithful is the vilest man, ignores their
43:27
laws, customs, prints people, spreads disloyal notions which
43:31
Envy sneeringly admits. Faithful calls principles of
43:34
faith and holiness. And crucially, Envy claims
43:36
Faithful asserted that Christianity and the customs of
43:39
our town of vanity were diametrically opposite.
43:41
Next up, superstition. Superstition calls faithful a
43:44
pestilent fellow, claims faithful said our religion was
43:48
not and such by which a man could by no means please God.
43:52
Superstition spells out the implication.
43:54
This means we do still worship in vain, are yet in our sins,
43:57
and finally shall be damned. He understood Faithful's point
44:00
even as he condemned him for it. And the third witness pick.
44:03
Thank. Pick Thank the name suggests A
44:06
flatterer and informer who finds fault to gain favor, testifies
44:10
faithful railed on our noble Prince Beelzebub and spoke
44:14
contemptibly of Beelzebub's honored friends.
44:16
And he lists. Them he does Lord old man, Lord
44:19
carnal delight, Lord luxurious, Lord desire of vain glory, my
44:23
old Lord lecheries are having greedy a whole rogues gallery of
44:27
personified vices treated as nobility picks and claims.
44:31
Faithful said if everyone followed him, these noblemen
44:33
would cease to exist in vanity. And just for good measure, he
44:37
accuses Faithful of railing against Judge Hate.
44:39
Good, too. Let's pause on those witnesses.
44:41
Envy. Superstition, pick, think.
44:44
What do these characters and their testimonies tell us about
44:46
how the world views and attacks genuine faith?
44:48
The names are allegory, of course, but very pointed.
44:51
Envy represents the world's resentment of true goodness
44:55
because it exposes its own darkness.
44:57
Superstition represents false religion, man made systems of
45:01
worship that have no power to save and are therefore
45:04
threatened by the exclusive claims of Christ.
45:07
Picthink represents those who betray truth for personal gain,
45:10
siding with power and popular sinfulness, twisting words to
45:14
accuse the righteous. So their testimonies aren't
45:16
about facts, but about defending the status quo.
45:19
Exactly. They twist faithful's loyalty to
45:21
God and disloyalty to vanity. They frame his critique of their
45:25
false religion as blasphemy. They portray his condemnation of
45:28
sin as disrespect for their honorable Lords.
45:31
It's the world's predictable reaction to the light of truth.
45:34
Judge hate? Good, then let's Faithful defend
45:36
himself, though apparently abusively.
45:38
How does Faithful respond to these specific witnesses?
45:41
He stands his ground, appealing always to a higher standard to
45:44
envy. He clarifies.
45:46
I only said that laws or customs that are flat against the word
45:49
of God are diametrically opposite to Christianity.
45:52
He's just stating the obvious conflict based on God's revealed
45:54
word. He.
45:55
Doesn't back down. Not an inch to superstition.
45:58
He explains the necessity of divine faith for true worship,
46:02
which must come from divine revelation.
46:04
Anything else is just human faith, ultimately useless for
46:07
eternal life. He's upholding the necessity of
46:10
revealed truth over man made religion.
46:12
And to pick think. He admits he spoke against
46:14
Beelzebub and his cronies, confirming they are more fit for
46:17
a being in hell than for ruling Vanity Fair.
46:20
But he rejects the word railed, suggesting he spoke truth, not
46:24
mere empty abuse. Throughout his defense, how does
46:27
faithful demonstrate that absolute reliance on God's Word
46:30
as the final authority above all worldly laws or opinions?
46:34
It's his constant reference point.
46:36
He doesn't argue based on fairness or reason or political
46:39
expediency. His entire defense rests on what
46:42
does the Word of God say. If Vanity Fair's laws, customs,
46:45
religion or leaders contradict God's word, then they are wrong,
46:49
not him. He elevates Scripture as the
46:51
supreme, non negotiable standard by where everything else,
46:54
including the court itself, must be judged.
46:56
It's a powerful declaration of allegiance to God's Kingdom and
46:59
God's law above all else. After this defense, Judge
47:02
Hategood gives his charge to the jury.
47:04
He actually cites precedents from Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar,
47:07
Darius, ancient enemies of God's people saying faithful broke the
47:11
substance of their laws against differing religions.
47:14
He basically tells the jury to find him guilty.
47:16
And the jury chosen to deliberate on Faithful's fate.
47:19
Another list of telling names. Mr. Blind Man is the foreman.
47:23
Then there's Mr. No Good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love Lust, Mr. Live
47:26
Loose, Mr. Heady, Mr. Heimine, Mr. Enmity, Mr. Liar, Mr.
47:30
Cruelty, Mr. Hate, Light and Mr. Implacable.
47:33
Quite the panel. Their verdict?
47:35
Unanimous and swift guilty of death, Mr. Blind Man, the
47:39
foreman ironically declares. I see clearly that this man is a
47:42
heretic. Mr. No Good, adds his bit away
47:44
with such a fellow from the earth.
47:46
The names here judge, hate, Good, the jury packed with
47:48
personified vices like blind man, malice, hate, light,
47:51
implacable. What does this reveal about the
47:54
kind of justice believers can expect from worldly systems
47:57
fundamentally opposed to God's truth?
47:59
It tells us that such systems aren't just flawed or biased,
48:02
they are inherently corrupt from a spiritual standpoint.
48:05
Their very nature is hostile to goodness.
48:08
When hate good is the judge and the jury embodies blindness,
48:12
malice, love of sin, pride, enmity towards God, lies,
48:16
cruelty, aversion to truth, hate light, and refusal to be
48:20
reconciled and placable, well, justice is impossible.
48:24
The trial is rigged from the start.
48:26
Absolutely. The outcome is predetermined
48:28
because the system itself reflecting the values of its
48:31
prints. Beelzebub is intrinsically
48:33
opposed to the faith faithful represents.
48:36
It demonstrates that pilgrims shouldn't expect worldly
48:38
affirmation or fairness from the systems built on anti gobbly
48:41
principles. Their standards are simply
48:43
incompatible. The verdict delivered the
48:45
sentences carried out. Faithful's execution is designed
48:47
to be as cruel as possible. The source is graphic.
48:50
They scourged him, beat him senseless, buffeted him, lanced
48:53
his flesh with knives, stoned him, pricked him with their
48:56
swords, and after all that torture, they burned him to
48:59
ashes at the stake. A brutal public spectacle.
49:02
A horrific end in earthly terms. But the narrative doesn't end
49:05
with the ashes, does it? What happens next?
49:07
Something extraordinary. As the crowds drift away, the
49:10
source reveals that a chariot and a couple of horses were
49:13
waiting just behind the scene. As soon as Faisal died, he was
49:16
swept up into this chariot and carried up through the clouds,
49:19
the nearest way to the celestial gate.
49:23
Set direct descent. This fulfills evangelist
49:25
prophecy perfectly. The one who died got the better
49:28
deal, a riding home immediately. How does this image, this
49:32
immediate supernatural transport to glory, change the whole
49:35
meaning of faithful suffering and death?
49:37
It completely reframes it. From the world's perspective, it
49:40
was defeat, elimination, the ultimate silencing.
49:44
But from Heaven's perspective, it was victory, release, instant
49:48
reward. The world could only harm his
49:50
body, and only temporarily. His death, endured faithfully,
49:55
became his express ticket to the very goal he was striving for.
49:58
It shows that martyrdom isn't tragedy for the believer, but
50:01
triumph. It bypasses all remaining
50:04
earthly struggles and ushers the soul directly into God's
50:06
presence. It powerfully demonstrates that
50:09
the world's ultimate weapon, death, has no real power over
50:12
the faithful Pilgrim. An incredible contrast.
50:15
But what about Christian? He was also condemned
50:18
implicitly. What happened to him?
50:20
He was taken back to prison, remanded back, given some
50:22
respite, perhaps awaiting his own execution.
50:24
But he didn't meet the same fate as Faithful, did he?
50:27
No, the source simply says that through the over ruling hand of
50:30
God, Christian escaped them. He got away and continued his
50:33
journey alone again. No details on how, just that God
50:36
made a way. Divine intervention God's plan
50:39
for Christian involved continuing the race on earth, at
50:41
least for now. So 1 Pilgrim finds his journey
50:43
and in martyrdom leading straight to glory, the other is
50:46
miraculously preserved to keep going.
50:49
What does this divergent in their paths tell us about God's
50:51
ways in the individual nature of the Pilgrim journey?
50:54
It highlights God's sovereignty and the variety in His dealings
50:57
with His people. There isn't a single script.
51:00
Some are called to witness through suffering and death,
51:02
becoming examples of ultimate faithfulness and receiving an
51:05
immediate reward. Others are preserved through
51:08
trials, perhaps supernaturally, to continue their work, their
51:11
witness, their own growth on earth.
51:14
Both paths are under God's control, both serve His
51:16
purposes, and both require faithfulness from the Pilgrim.
51:20
It reminds us that our call is to be faithful in whatever
51:22
circumstances God ordains for us, whether that leads to a
51:25
swift arrival home or continued service and struggle here.
51:29
So thinking back over what we've covered, Christians Stumble show
51:33
that pride is a constant danger. Faithful's back story contrasted
51:37
true belief leading to action versus empty talk, and showed
51:40
the reality of battling external temptations like wanton and the
51:44
internal old nature, Adam the first, finding relief only
51:47
through Christ's intervention against the law's condemnation.
51:50
Then the encounter with Talkative hammered home that
51:52
critical difference between genuine, life changing faith and
51:56
mere religious chatter. Right, followed by evangelists.
51:59
Timely encouragement, but also his stark warning of persecution
52:03
to come and then the full force of worldly opposition and Vanity
52:07
Fair. The mockery, the injustice, the
52:10
trial before hate, Good and his jury.
52:12
Culminating in Faithful's brutal martyrdom, which turned out to
52:16
be his glorious immediate entry into the Celestial City, while
52:19
Christian, by God's Providence, escaped to continue the journey.
52:23
It's quite a sequence. It really lays bare the
52:24
challenges, both internal and external, but also the reality
52:28
of divine help and the ultimate hope that motivates the Pilgrim.
52:32
It definitely gives a clear picture of of the difficulties
52:34
involved, but also underscores what authentic belief looks like
52:38
when lived out under pressure. Now, as a final point for you
52:41
the listener to ponder, think about all those names we
52:43
encounter today from the source. Adam the First's daughters.
52:46
Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, Pride of Life.
52:49
Figures like Wanton, Discontent, Shame, Talkative, and especially
52:53
the characters in that trial scene.
52:54
Envy, Superstition, Pick, Thank Judge Laura Hategood.
52:58
Mr. Blind Man, Mr. Malice, Mr. Hate Light, Mr. Implacable.
53:01
Very direct names. Exactly what does this constant
53:05
use of allegorical naming, where the character is the trait or
53:09
the sin, tell us about the nature of the fight, about the
53:12
temptations, the opposition, the worldly systems pilgrims face?
53:16
Why make it so explicit? Well, it offers incredible
53:19
clarity, doesn't it? It strips away all pretense.
53:22
Bunyan isn't being subtle here. He's telling you exactly what
53:25
spiritual forces you're dealing with.
53:26
Temptation isn't some vague feeling, it's the specific lust
53:30
of the flesh knocking at your door.
53:32
Worldly judgement isn't just biased, it's presided over by
53:35
hate good and delivered by malice and cruelty.
53:38
It unmasks the enemy. Precisely.
53:40
It helps the Pilgrim identify the true nature of the
53:42
struggles, both internal and external.
53:45
It's a constant reminder to see things not as the world presents
53:48
them, often disguised or normalized, but to see them for
53:51
what they truly are from God's perspectives.
53:53
It's a tool for discernment, helping you recognize the
53:56
enemy's tactics and the world's true character.
53:58
That's a great point. Thank you again for joining us
54:00
and sharing these insights from the source material today.
54:02
Glad to be here. May you listening, discern
54:05
clearly and hold fast to the truth.
54:07
Until next time on the deep dive.