Learning From Pilgrim’s Progress: Who is a Christian?

Posted on January 13, 2014 by eig

As I wrote before, I am reading Pilgrim’s Progress. A book that at one time was the second most read apart from the Bible. A book written by a man who had just elementary education. Yet, this man, while in jail for preaching as a “protestant” or “dissenter” in England, wrote a timeless allegory of the Christian journey. In this post I share about how Bunyan describes a Christian through the eyes of Hopeful (who patterns after Bunyan’s own conversion to faith).

In this section Christian asks Hopeful how he came to be a Christian (i.e. a persons concerned for his soul). Hopeful goes on to explain how in Vanity Fair he had lived a life of debauchery but had come to realize that these things would cause death and the wrath of God to come upon him.  Even after knowing his spiritual condition, Hopeful tried to ignore it.   His excuses for not leaving this life of self-pleasure were many but the more he ignored his spiritual condition, the more he understood that he could die and be judged by God. Hopeful then tries to reform his life. He leaves bad company, bad habits and devotes himself to praying, Bible reading and other religious practices. His life improves but all of this makes him realize that before God his actions are like filthy rags. Furthermore, even if he had lived up perfectly up till then, all of his past sins condemned him. His debt to God was so much that he could never pay it no matter what he did. Hopeful then asks Faithful and hears “that unless I could obtain the righteousness of a man that never had sinned, neither mine own, nor all the righteousness of the world could save me.”  Faithful asserts that this person was the Lord Jesus.
Hopeful continues to ask: “I asked him further, how that man’s righteousness could be of that efficacy to justify another before God? And he told me he was the mighty God, and did what he did, and died the death also, not for himself, but for me; to whom his doings, and the worthiness of them, should be imputed, if I believed on him. [Heb. 10, Rom. 6, Col. 1, 1 Pet. 1]”

Faithful was showing him that it was Christ’s death that would make him acceptable and righteous before God. What he needed to do was believe on him.

 Faithful gives him a book (the Bible) to read and find out this truth on his own.  He invites Hopeful to call upon the Lord to reveal himself and go to Him saying: “God be merciful to me a sinner, and make me to know and believe in Jesus Christ; for I see, that if his righteousness had not been, or I have not faith in that righteousness, I am utterly cast away. Lord, I have heard that thou art a merciful God, and hast ordained that thy Son Jesus Christ should be the Saviour of the world; and moreover, that thou art willing to bestow him upon such a poor sinner as I am, (and I am a sinner indeed); Lord, take therefore this opportunity and magnify thy grace in the salvation of my soul, through thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen. [Exo. 25:22, Lev. 16:2, Num. 7:89, Heb. 4:16]“

Hopeful prays this, over and over again but nothing happens. This again shows that praying or doing things on our own cannot save us. But finally, God shows himself to Hopeful:

 “I did not see him with my bodily eyes, but with the eyes of my understanding; [Eph. 1:18,19] and thus it was: One day I was very sad, I think sadder than at any one time in my life, and this sadness was through a fresh sight of the greatness and vileness of my sins. And as I was then looking for nothing but hell, and the everlasting damnation of my soul, suddenly, as I thought, I saw the Lord Jesus Christ look down from heaven upon me, and saying, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” [Acts 16:30,31]”
Hopeful continues:

“Then I said, But, Lord, what is believing? And then I saw from that saying, “He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst”, that believing and coming was all one; and that he that came, that is, ran out in his heart and affections after salvation by Christ, he indeed believed in Christ. [John 6:35]”

Hopeful has finally come to understand that only in and through Christ’s death and resurrection he can come to God and have his sins washed away:
“He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification.” [Rom. 4:25] “He loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” [Rev. 1:5] “He is mediator betwixt God and us.” [1 Tim. 2:5] “He ever liveth to make intercession for us.” [Heb. 7:24,25]

Hopeful understands that Christ’s offering himself as a sacrifice for his sins and to satisfy the penalty of them before God was “but for him that will accept it for his salvation, and be thankful.”

At this point Hopeful has become “converted,” a believer, a christian.

His life is changed:

“It made me greatly ashamed of the vileness of my former life, and confounded me with the sense of mine own ignorance; for there never came thought into my heart before now that showed me so the beauty of Jesus Christ. It made me love a holy life, and long to do something for the honour and glory of the name of the Lord Jesus; yea, I thought that had I now a thousand gallons of blood in my body, I could spill it all for the sake of the Lord Jesus.”

Hopeful now lives for Christ and is willing to give everything for him.

This is what it means to be a Christian. You can read this dialogue in modern language here starting on p. 170.

 

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Pilgrim’s Progress: Resources

Posted on January 12, 2014 by eig


Here are some resources on Pilgrim’s Progress:

Books:

Audio Books:

  • Abridged Audio here and full version from Audible here.

Movies:

For Children:

Biographies about John Bunyan.

For Children

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Sharing The Gospel With The Open Hearted – Acts 8:26-40

Posted on January 6, 2014 by eig

Here is the recording for Acts Chapter 8:26-40 taught during our Sunday School hour at Village Bible Church.

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Learning from Pilgrim’s Progress: Talking Without The Walking

Posted on January 3, 2014 by eig
I am reading through Pilgrim’s Progress and learning a lot from it. In this section, Christian is talking to Faith about  a man called “Talkative.”  This man is all talk but no walk as far as Christianity is concerned.
Here is what Christian says about him:

 “Deceived! you may be sure of it; remember the proverb, “They say and do not.” [Matt. 23:3] But the kingdom of God is not in word, but in Power. [1 Cor 4:20] He talketh of prayer, of repentance, of faith, and of the new birth; but he knows but only to talk of them. I have been in his family, and have observed him both at home and abroad; and I know what I say of him is the truth. His house is as empty of religion as the white of an egg is of savour. There is there neither prayer nor sign of repentance for sin; yea, the brute in his kind serves God far better than he. He is the very stain, reproach, and shame of religion, to all that know him; it can hardly have a good word in all that end of the town where he dwells, through him. [Rom. 2:24,25]” Read more at location 1040

Talkative is a man that’s a hypocrite: 

“say the common people that know him, A saint abroad, and a devil at home. His poor family finds it so; he is such a churl, such a railer at and so unreasonable with his servants, that they neither know how to do for or speak to him. Men” Read more at location 1045

Christian explains to Faith what it means to be a real believer: 
“They are two things, indeed, and are as diverse as are the soul and the body; for as the body without the soul is but a dead carcass, so saying, if it be alone, is but a dead carcass also. The soul of religion is the practical part: “Pure religion and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” [James 1:27; see vv. 22-26] This Talkative is not aware of; he thinks that hearing and saying will make a good Christian, and thus he deceiveth his own soul. Hearing is but as the sowing of the seed; talking is not sufficient to prove that fruit is indeed in the heart and life; and let us assure ourselves, that at the day of doom men shall be judged according to their fruits. [Matt. 13, 25] It will not be said then, Did you believe? but, Were you doers, or talkers only? and accordingly shall they be judged.” Read more at location 1058
A person that is a true believer has experienced grace, faith and love in his heart: 
“Knowledge that resteth in the bare speculation of things; and knowledge that is accompanied with the grace of faith and love; which puts a man upon doing even the will of God from the heart: the first of these will serve the talker; but without the other the true Christian is not content. “Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” [Ps. 119:34] Read more at location 1098

Faith explains to Talkative how the work of grace comes about in the heart of a christian:

1. By an experimental confession of his faith in Christ. [Rom. 10:10, Phil. 1:27, Matt. 5:19] 
2. By a life answerable to that confession; to wit, a life of holiness, heart-holiness, family-holiness, (if he hath a family), and by conversation-holiness in the world which, in the general, teacheth him, inwardly, to abhor his sin, and himself for that, in secret; to suppress it in his family and to promote holiness in the world; not by talk only, as a hypocrite or talkative person may do, but by a practical subjection, in faith and love, to the power of the Word. [John 14:15, Ps. 50:23, Job 42:5-6, Eze. 20:43] And now, Sir, as to this brief description of the work of grace”
Read more at location 1113

Faith asks Talkative if he has experienced this but he is reluctant to answer. Talkative accuses Faith of judging him and is not willing to talk to him anymore and leaves.

There are many like Talkative nowadays. They like or tolerate religion but they don’t truly believe it. They love knowledge but it leads nowhere. A true believer’s life has been changed by the work of grace which comes through faith in Christ.

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Learning From Death

Posted on January 3, 2014 by eig

Today our family attended the funeral of our neighbor across the street. I recently wrote about it in a post. I took the kids with me and my wife met me there. Some believe that children should be kept protected from seeing death up-close but I am of the belief that they need to learn both from life and death. My little three-year old has been mentioning the death of our neighbor for the last few days. She knows she’s dead. Today when we were there I told her if she wanted to see her and she said yes. When the time came, we approached her body and took a few minutes to observe. My little one said, “she’s sleeping.” “Her body is sleeping,” I said to her. We have had this discussion with her about death. How the body sleeps but the person isn’t there anymore (this happened at my father’s funeral). I told her to say bye to her and she waved and said it.

The time came when we asked to go where her body would be laid to rest. We drove there and waited. I also explained to her about the tombstones, not to step on them out of respect (she even reminded mommy), went about reading some of the inscriptions and looked at some of the special things left on them. After waiting for a time, they brought her body in the casket. Once again, she pointed out that they were bringing her. We sat through the burial service and listened attentively. As we were driving home, she thanked me for taking her. As much as we don’t like death (I don’t) we learn from it.

Death always reminds me of what Jesus said in Luke 11:25: ““I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” (ESV) I am thankful that for those of us who believe in Jesus, death is not the end. It is the beginning.

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Compassion, loving kindness, favor, love, faithful love of God

Posted on December 30, 2013 by eig

 

Hesed (Hebrew): Compassion, loving kindness, favor, love, faithful love

“the Divine Love condescending to His creatures, more especially to sinners, in unmerited kindness.”

– Delitzsch

Seen in the act of creation and how God maintains us:

“He loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.” – Psalm 33:5

Specially Shown To Those Who Fear Him:

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.”

– Psalms 33:18

Pray for in hope:

“Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” – Psalms 33:22

Have you experienced hesed in 2013? I am sure you have. Make it a point of thanking Him for it and praying that He will continue to show it to you each day.

 

 

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A Life Long Resolution

Posted on December 29, 2013 by eig

As we come to the end of 2013, many start to think of what resolutions they want to carry out or attempt for the “new” year. Elsewhere I have written why I don’t believe in resolutions, but if there is a resolution for me, it is found in Joshua:

“Only carefully obey the command and instruction that Moses the Lords servant gave you: to love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commands, remain faithful to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.” – Joshua 22:5

Breaking down the verse there are several resolutions. All of them are centered upon obedience to the Lord. These “resolutions” or determinations call us to be careful or diligent in obeying God’s instructions as given in the Bible. This could over whelm some people since we know there are many commands to keep but this verse simplifies things.

1. Love God: “love the Lord your God.”

Jesus said all the commands of God can be summarized in loving God and loving others. If we love God we will do the second command as well. We often associate love for God with obedience which is accurate but this verse doesn’t mention it until the end. Notice that love for God is to give all of our affections to Him first. He should be our priority, our ultimate priority to love. Everything else springs from there.

2. Pattern Your Life After His Lifestyle: “walk in all his ways.”

It may seen vague but our lifestyle, the way we comport ourselves should match what we believe about God. Asynchronous life-style is hypocrisy. We cannot pick and choose what we want to and what we don’t want to believe. Our lifestyle should reflect “God’s ethics.” Walking in His ways involves living our life for God every moment and every day of our lives. Only when we walk in all of his ways do we become a living testimony for God unto others.

3. Obey His Commands: “keep his commands.”

The two over arching commands are to love God and love others but there are many specific commands given to us, especially in the New Testament. We are told to obey them because our lifestyle needs to conform to God’s standards. God’s standards (God’s “world-view” as seen in His Word, The Bible) bring life, love, joy, peace and keep us from death and destruction (see John 6:63, Psalm 19:7-8).

4. Be Faithful to Him: “remain faithful to him.”

Being faithful to God is a daily decision. Every day we are faced with decisions, big and small, yet these need to reflect our desire and resolution to remain faithful to God. In our modern society, this is a difficult task due to the many distractions and constant push from the culture to conform to its standards. Our goal should be to remain faithful to the Lord, day by day, every day.

5. Serve Him Whole Heartily – “and serve Him with all your heart and soul.”

Only when we love God, pattern our life after His, obey Him and are faithful, can our life be of service to Him. Again, notice we serve Him. We serve others but it is an act of service to God. We are not humanitarian because we are so good in of ourselves. We serve God where ever we are; we are an extension of God. We are his workmanship (his poem, master piece) in Christ for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Our service to God is not mediocre, it involves all of our heart and soul.

As we welcome 2014, let’s us keep these things in mind and make them our life-long resolutions.

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Who is My Neighbor? The Lonely, The Elderly, Those in Need and Hurting

Posted on December 21, 2013 by eig

It often behooves me how it is possible for us to live our lives not caring for those in need. And I am not talking about our friends or family. It is easy to be friends with those who love us and can reciprocate. But what about those who we don’t know and can’t reciprocate? Are we to befriend them and care for them? I believe so. Jesus said:

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” – Matthew 5:46-47 (ESV, emphasis mine)

As you can see the standard for Jesus’ followers is quite high.

On another occasion Jesus is interrogated by an interpreter of the Law (lawyer) and he wants to know how to obtain eternal life. Jesus tells him to obey all the commands of God. He narrows them to two: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. The lawyer attempts to trap Jesus and asks him who is his neighbor. It appears to be an obvious question with an obvious answer. But Jesus answers by telling him a story of a man who is robbed, beaten and left for dead. A priest and a Levite (both of them involved in temple worship) pass the man by. I am sure they both had “good” excuses. A third man comes by, a Samaritan, a half-breed hated by the Jews. He is moved with compassion, gives him basic care and takes him to an inn to recuperate. He takes care of him for a full day. The Samaritan even pays ahead for his care as he leaves until he comes back again. Likely, the Samaritan was going to make sure this person would be well before leaving him. Jesus asks, the lawyer who does he think proved to be a neighbor and he answers correctly. “And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise”.”

It is clear from this that our neighbor is not someone we know or even met. It is a stranger in need that is befriended and cared for. The word hospitality in the Bible means to care for strangers. In Middle Eastern culture it was customary and even expected to be hospitable to strangers, even enemies (see Genesis 18). I am sure that by the time of Jesus, things had changed a bit. The religious leaders with their “new” interpretations of God’s Law had modified it quite a bit (see Matthew 5:21-48)

Our neighbor from across the street passed away early morning after been in the hospital for over two weeks.. She was a widow who lived a very lonely life. Her only brother died not too long ago, and she had no immediate family except her adult son. She spoke very little English and didn’t know how to drive. Up to a year and a half ago she was walking with my wife around the neighborhood. My wife did as much as she could for her, doing her groceries, taking her to doctor appointments, cutting her toe nails, giving her food, etc. She also came to some events at our home. It is sad because living in a place surrounded by people, no one befriended her until we moved in the area. She even suffered from panic attacks perhaps due to the fact she was alone all day long.

Our other two neighbors who lived next to us were also elderly (God seems to put them in our path and we love them. Read here.), were also lonely and had no one to care for them. We did as much as we could. Simple things like turning their mattress over or fixing their remote control were things they needed help with or just someone to say hi and ask how they were doing. I remember when Joe’s brother came to visit him and died of a heart attack in his living room. The paramedics and ambulance came and yet no one came out except us. Sad. I remember Joe, a Veteran who battled Alzheimer’s, crying, hitting his head because he couldn’t remember things and calling himself stupid. I remember the small conversations we had in our front yard. I don’t remember anyone befriending them.

I run almost every day and get to see who are my neighbors. They see me as well as I am pushing my three-year old on the stroller and my nine-year old running ahead of me. This is a way I getting to know my neighbors. Some say hi to me, some don’t. Some think it’s cute (some may think it’s crazy) that I run with my children. The important thing is that I am aware of who my neighbors are and that I am ready to show neighborly love: saying hi, a simple wave, or a simple smile is a start. I appreciate when they do it to me. These are my neighbors. Which are yours?
God puts people in our path, but sometimes we just go ahead and ignore them in our busy lives. This Christmas let’s be mindful of everyone not just our friends. There are many Carmen’s and Joe’s out there who need a friend.

Here are a few more verses from the Bible to reminds us of caring for those in need:

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27 (ESV)

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” Proverbs 19:17 (ESV)

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 (ESV)

 

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Learning from Pilgrim’s Progress: In The Grip of His Grace

Posted on December 20, 2013 by eig
Reading Pilgrim’s Progress is very instructive for me and for any Christian. A part about grace called my attention today. It involved Interpreter showing Christian excellent and profitable things. He leads him through a room where there is a fire strongly burning even though there is a man is in the back that continues to put water to quench it. No matter how much water he puts in it, it burns hotter. Interpreter explains to Christian that this is The Devil trying to quench the work of grace in man’s heart. There is another man behind a wall who puts oil to keep the fire going.
Interpreter explains:

“This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of his grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart: by the means of which, notwithstanding what the devil can do, the souls of his people prove gracious still. [2 Cor. 12:9]”

Thank God for our Lord who intercedes on our behalf and keeps us in His grace. We are pleasing to God because of His grace.Interpreter explains why Christ is behind the wall:


“And in that thou sawest that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the fire, that is to teach thee that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.”

Yes, it is indeed a mystery how our Lord keeps us in His grace. It is in His grace that we stand.


Material is copyright by egaldamez. Permission given torepost or reproduce without editing the content.Disclaimer: The contents of all personal web pages and blogs published are solely my responsibility. Statements made and opinions expressed on personal pages are strictly those of the author and not of any organization, church, or school.

Material is copyright by eigaldamez. Permission is given
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Disclaimer:
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Jesus Son of Abraham, Lord and King!

Posted on December 15, 2013 by eig

When God called Abraham to leave his home, he gave him a promise of giving him a new land, bringing out of him great nations and kings (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-7). He said to Abraham: “I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Genesis 17:16 (NIV) At this time Abraham laughs, and I probably would have as well, if I was 100 years old and my wife was 90 and I was told my wife would have a baby and out of him would come nations and kings, especially The Messiah, King of Kings. Yet God fulfilled His promise to Abraham. Isaac is born and out him comes Jacob and the twelve patriarchs. Israel is born after over 350 years. Four hundred years later Israel comes out of Egypt, spends 40 years in the desert and inherits the land God promised (Joshua). But this was only the beginning.

Over four hundred years (I am using estimation. A timeline of Israel can be found here), Israel is a nation until the deportation of Judah in 586 B.C. Then Israel is ruled by a number of nations for another 400 years.

The Gospel of Matthew opens this way: “A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (NIV) Matthew traces Jesus’ genealogy from Abraham to Joseph of Arimathea who was a descendant from the tribe of Judah, the royal lineage of David. But Jesus was also the Son of God who would save his people from their sins: “This is how
the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be
married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be
with child through the Holy Spirit...She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

(Matthew 1:18, 21) – NIV

God’s plan was that the King would come humbly (Philippians 2:7-12). He was no ordinary King. This King would not come with a sword but as a servant, the suffering servant (see Isaiah 63). A servant who by the sovereign will of God would give his life as a sacrifice for the salvation of those who would believe. At the age of 33, he was killed by unrighteous men, was buried and rose from the dead. He did this to save us from our sins. Those who have put their faith in Christ as their Messiah and King are now Abraham’s children. The promise given to Abraham that he would be father of many nations was fulfilled: “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed
to all Abraham’s offspring–not only to those who are of the law but
also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us
all. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed–the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (Romans 4:16-17) – NIV

After Jesus rose from the dead, he showed himself to his people for over 40 days and then he ascended into heaven (Acts 1:3). He sat at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19). He is Lord and King. Yet his rule is not physically evident:

“…the exalted Christ pervades all of creation with His controlling power.
God directs all things to their appointed ends in His eternal plan to
make His reign manifest over all creation and unite everything in heaven
and earth in submission to our Savior.” (The Fullness of Christ, Ligonier Ministries).

The time will come when Jesus will put everything under his rule and hand over the kingdom to God (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).  The question is whether we are willing to submit to him under his rule now or later. Everyone will one day call him Lord (Philippians 1:9-11)

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Disclaimer:
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