THE AUTHOR OF ‘PILGRIM’S PROGRESS’

Who would have taken much notice of a man that repaired saucepans? Yet God came and taught well-known John Bunyan, and made him so useful that thousands and thousands have blessed God for him.

Yet again God showed that He delights to choose the things that are beneath men’s notice to accomplish His will, so that He alone is the One honoured. And the God who chooses to pardon ordinary unnoticed people who are brought to godly repentance is just the same even now.

Today the message of God’s pardoning love is just as suitable for men who turn out screws by the thousand at the factory bench, or for the women in the fields.

How did God bring the message of His saving grace through Christ Jesus to the tinker’s ears? Partly by hearing some godly women talking together in the street about the things of God, How insignificant, yet that link was a vital one in the chain of experiences that eventually brought “Pilgrim’s Progress’ to the light of day. What is the message of ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’? That God calls a man to flee from his sins, to enter that narrow gate pointed out by the gospel, to behold by faith the crucified One, to hold converse with heaven, to find the lions he feared are chained and harmless, to fight the devil and at last to be more than a conqueror.

Do those who know God’s grace delight to speak of it, like the few women at Bedford, or are they troubled by a dumb spirit? Do those who speak of reaching heaven and being with God really seek to be where God’s truth is spoken here below, even if only a few women are there? Many today, despise what is spoken unless the congregation is large, unless they can lose themselves in a crowd. May God find us out individually, and show us Himself and ourselves, and then Himself again. May God give us grace to look not at the things which are seen, but for those things which are not seen — God’s truth proclaimed in love, according to the scriptures, and made to be feit by us through the Holy Spirit’s work within our hearts. May we be brought to look for salvation by Jesus Christ alone.

In these days true and faithful Christians in Red China and in other Communist lands have suffered even to death for their faith.

Satan, though in disguise as an angel of light, an adherent of righteousness, is as opposed as ever to God, His Christ, His Word, and His people. And he is still the god of this world. So, if Satan has his way, true Christians even here may some day be considered offenders. What they believe—that the crown rights belong to their Lord—a satanically controlled state does not. What they teach is in the final analysis diametrically opposed to the doctrine of such a state. Today they are tolerated and even applauded, as were the Christians and the religious when Communism first took over Russia.

But the transition from favor to disfavor is coming, and it may come quickly. With educators and pulpiteers following the scientific community into open rejection of the Bible and its morals, with radio and TV openly mocking the Scriptures, is it to be wondered at that the general run of people, unthinking in theological matters, conditioned by nature to reject restraint and eager for license to give free reign to their appetites, should abandon all religious pretense?

Ought we not then to arm ourselves to stand firm and faithful? Arm ourselves by reading, meditation and prayer and practice of Scripture principles? Arm ourselves by drawing closer to one another through drawing closer to the Lord? Ought we not to encourage one another to faithfulness—not faithfulness to notions and traditions and denominational slants, but to the World of God? This is not to suggest that we surrender one iota of sound doctrine for the sake of fellowship, but that we study the Word together to shed misconceptions and to hold fast to that which must stand because it is the living truth of the living God. Nor is it to say that we can enjoy communion only if we see eye to eye on every matter. We can ignore differences that are not vital. We cannot ignore any disloyalty to God, to our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Scriptures.

—Living Letters

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