Pilgrims Progress - Ch 08 - House of Interpreter 01
- 2. ACCOMPANYING PPTs and VIDEOs Downloading these will only give you a PDF document. If you would like to obtain the actual PowerPoint presentation for your own use advise me as per the next bullet. The majority of the presentations have an accompanying video of me giving the presentation. If you would like to download a copy, send me an email at [email protected] and I will give you access to my Google Docs or Dropbox account where they are located. Credits These Pilgrim’s Progress Presentations are as a result of Bible Studies I did at my home church in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. The only thing I ask is that when you use them to present to others, that you give the Good Lord credit through my name (Michal Lopianowski). Τhe version of Pilgrim's Progress I am using is the one by Barry Horner Most of the text in the presentations, if it is not sited on the page itself, comes from Barry Horner’s Commentary on the Pilgrim’s Progress from his website: www.bunyanministries.org The comic snippets come from CREATOR ART STUDIO, published by KINGSTONE Comics at www.kingstonemedia.com Any place where I mention Maltese Website as a reference, the material was taken from www.lavvanztalpellegrin.com; which no longer seems to be working Other pictures are from www.garretttaylor.com and illustrations from Mike Wimmer As I complete more presentations I will be putting them on line; usually in the winter months
- 4. Truth for New Pilgrims • Now imagine: You’re meeting a young Christian, someone who has just put his faith in Jesus Christ. He’s a fledgling believer. • What things would you want to teach that person about - you know, the basic principles that you need to know about the nature of the Christian life. • And here is Bunyan with the answer.
- 5. 1) Portrait of Godliness 2) The Law vs Grace 3) Patience vs Passion 4) Unceasing Grace of Christ 5) Perseverance 6) Apostasy 7) Judgement Day
- 6. • God does not cast his family truth as pearls before swine. "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." Matt 7:6 • Rather, God chooses to reveal much kingdom truth only to children of His kingdom (Matt. 13:10-15). • Hence, Interpreter first investigates Christian, and having found that he is a genuine pilgrim through the direction of “one Good-will that stands at the Gate,” only then is a candle lit.
- 7. • Bunyan emphasizes the essential role of the illumination of the Spirit of God with regard to the comprehension of the truth of God, otherwise a person may study the Bible and yet remain in darkness. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 1Cor 2:14 • Bottom line, here it is Good-will, or Jesus Christ, who sends Christian to Interpreter, or the Holy Spirit, for illumination. Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Ps 119:105
- 9. • Bunyan teaches us here just how highly he regarded the necessity of a new believer coming under the pastoral care of a true under-shepherd (Mal 2:4-7) as distinct from a hireling (John 10:11-13). 11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 “He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. • For a new authentic pilgrim, such ministry is of primary importance, hence he explains that, "I have showed you this picture first"
- 10. DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTRAIT Very Grave Person 1Tim 3:2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, Titus 2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Eph 5:4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
- 11. Eyes directed upward toward Heaven Phil 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 1Pet 1:4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, Heb 12:1-2 1 … let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- 12. Best of Books in his hand John Wesley declared: "At any price, give me the Book of God. I have it; here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri!" Law of Truth upon his lips 2Tim 2:15-16 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,
- 13. The World was behind his back This is not a justification for monastic isolationism! Instead; we are in the world, but not of the world John 17:11 John 17:14-18 1Cor 5:9-11 1John 2:15-17 Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
- 14. Pleads with Men "To be reconciled with God" Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2Cor 5:20 But always; 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. 2Tim 2:25-26
- 15. Crown of Gold hung over his head Represents that prospective reward of recognition for his faithfulness Shepherds of the flock of God 1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1Pet 5:1-4
- 16. • Dr. J. I. Packer writes that this profile represents the Puritan ideal of the Christian preacher. • It involves four axioms: First, belief in the primacy of the intellect. . . . Second, belief in the supreme importance of preaching. . . . Third, belief in the life-giving power of Holy Scripture. . . . Fourth, belief in the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit.
- 17. Begets and Nourishes Children Gal 4:19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you 1Thess 2:7 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.
- 18. • Guide in all difficult situations Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Heb 13:17 12 But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. 13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 2Cor 11:12-13 (NLT)
- 19. From Bunyan’s own experience he expresses, through the Interpreter, his concern, “lest in thy Journey, thou meet with some that pretend to lead thee right, but their way goes down to death.” Such already have been Obstinate and Pliable, and Mr. Worldly-Wiseman, and such will be Formalist and Hypocrisy, Timorous and Mistrust, Talkative, By-ends, Demas, Vain- confidence, Ignorance, the Flatterer, and Atheist.
- 21. Bunyan's View • To Bunyan the distinction between law and gospel, sin and grace, and Moses and Christ was of fundamental importance. Thus he writes in The Doctrine Of The Law And Grace Unfolded, that so long as people are ignorant of the nature of the law, and of their being under it, that is under the curse and condemning power of it, by reason of their sin against it - so long they will be careless, and negligent as to the enquiring after the true knowledge of the gospel.
- 22. The Room is Man's Polluted Heart Jer 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? Rom 3:9-18 9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; …
- 23. The Dust is Original Sin Thus man is corrupt in every part of his being, or totally depraved, due to his inheritance of Adam’s sin Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned Rom 5:12 What is original sin, and what does total depravity mean?
- 24. Original Sin The term "original sin" deals with Adam's sin of disobedience in eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and primarily its effects upon the rest of the human race. Original sin can be defined as "that sin and its guilt that we all possess in God's eyes as a direct result of Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden." The doctrine of original sin focuses particularly on its effects on our nature and our standing before God, even before we are old enough to commit conscious sin.
- 26. TOTAL DEPRAVITY • What it does NOT mean It does not mean that man is as wicked or sinful as he could possibly be, nor does it mean that man is without a conscience or any sense of right or wrong. Neither does it mean that man does not or cannot do things that seem to be good when viewed from a human perspective or measured against a human standard.
- 27. TOTAL DEPRAVITY, cont. • What it does mean Total depravity is an acknowledgement that the Bible teaches that as a result of the fall of man (Gen 3:6) every part of man — his mind, will, emotions and flesh — have been corrupted by sin. In other words, sin affects all areas of our being including who we are and what we do. It penetrates to the very core of our being so that everything is tainted by sin and “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” before a holy God (Isa 64:6).
- 28. TOTAL DEPRAVITY, cont. What total depravity does recognize is that even the “good” things man does are tainted by sin because they are not done for the glory of God and out of faith in Him (Romans 14:23; Hebrews 11:6). In other words, fallen man’s good deeds are motivated not by a desire to please God but by our own self-interest and are thus corrupted to the point where God declares that there is “no one who does good, no not one!”
- 30. The Sweeper is the Law arousing corruption Bunyan illustrates the biblical answer to Paul’s question, “Why the Law then?” (Gal. 3:19). 5 Reasons 1. Proclaims the perfect righteousness of God. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Rom 7:12 2. Gives us knowledge of sin because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. Rom 3:20
- 31. 3. To give sin power Rom 5:20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; 1Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; How does it do this?
- 32. 4. By arousing sin desires But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. Rom 7:8 Like an old building with signs under the windows that read; "Do not Break!;" – it goads the sinful inclination of the heart 5. To lead us to Christ Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. Gal 3:24 But the Law is impotent in that it has no dynamic, no saving power 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, … Rom 8:3-4
- 33. Gracious Lady Sprinkling Water is the Gospel Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Ezek 36:25 • How far back was the Gospel Preached? Gal 3:8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” Rom 4:13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
- 34. • Sin vanquished and subdued, Heb 7:18-19 18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
- 35. • Heart made clean, through the faith of that soul Eph 5:26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, Acts 15:9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. • Soul is then made a suitable place for the King of Glory. 1Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
- 36. 1) Portrait of Godliness 2) The Law vs Grace 3) Patience vs Passion 4) Unceasing Grace of Christ 5) Perseverance 6) Apostasy 7) Judgement Day