The first chapter of The Pilgrim's Progress focuses on the protagonist, Christian, realizing the hopeless depth of his sin (referred to as his burden). His reoccurring question is
"What shall I do to be saved?"
During the first couple of pages, Christian is in a state of madness. He is so deeply disturbed by the realization of his and his family's certain destruction that his altered behavior causes his family to become worried that he's going crazy. His family doesn't really believe what Christian is telling them about their undeniable destruction and begin trying different methods to cure him of his "madness".
First, they just stick him in bed and hope he will wake up "normal". Unfortunately for them, Christian is so upset about his epiphany that he stays up all night crying and becomes more distressed. As Christian begins expressing his worries to them, Bunyan says his family becomes "hardened to his words." Trying to persuade him to abandon the madness, his family begins treating him harshly and with bad tempered behavior. They laugh and make fun of him, they criticize him, and sometimes they ignore him. This treatment causes Christian to retreat farther into prayer and scripture.
At this point in the book Christian's problem is his sin and the cost of it: destruction and judgement that will condemn him and his family to hell. Adding to his problem is his family and friend's unwillingness to believe or trust him. His distress mirrors the hopelessness of those without Christ, which was or may still be all of us at some point in life.
Then I looked and saw coming toward him a man named Evangelist, who asked, "Why are you crying?" (P. 2)
Evangelist inquires about Christian's distraught state. Christian's answer is potent, to the point, truthful, and completely biblical.
He answered "Sir, I realize by reading the Book in my hand that I am condemned to die and after that to come to judgement. I find I'm not wanting to do the first, nor am I prepared to do the second." (P. 2)
In the scene that follows Christian explains that he is "not fit to go to judgement" and also reveals that he's scared of death because he's afraid the heavy burden on his back (sin and unrighteousness) will cause him to fall into hell.
Well, amen! Nor am I! Christian sees and understands the truth that he is unfit for judgement because he will be judged for his unrighteousness and sin and this judgement will result in his ultimate condemnation and death.
Evangelist hands him a letter that reads very simply
"Flee from the coming wrath." (Matthew 3:7)
This one sentence nearly made me cry. Objectively, this is just some good advice. Your city and everyone in it will be destroyed, so flee.
Great, thanks for the heads up.
But this sentence is the gospel explained in one of the simplest and rawest forms I've ever seen.
We're told about the righteous wrath of God that will judge all and God says flee! Flee with Me to safety, back to where I intended you to live, in my presence and reflecting My glory.
Compare the letter to scripture with me. Romans 1:18 talks about God's wrath against the unrighteous (Christian and every other human who has ever lived). We know that everyone is unrighteous apart from Christ because we are below God's standard of perfection.
"They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." - Romans 1:29-32
That is direct. If you sin you deserve to die. Somehow our culture has watered this vital truth and warning down to "Yeah, sin is bad but God is gracious!" Well yes, but God is also a perfectly just judge. And a just judge does not allow a sin to go unpunished. Our offensive sin demands the just punishment of death and condemnation to hell. We are born with this sentence and we cannot escape it without trusting in Jesus' fulfillment of God's standard of perfection.
"God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day." - Psalm 7:11
"For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us." - Isaiah 33:22
So it's no wonder that the burdened Christian is desperate to find a way to escape this righteous wrath. If God's wrath will justly kill all unrighteous, Christian and his family will surely die.
Unless he can somehow escape it.
If God was the author of this one sentence letter, that gives a person a whole different view of the Creator who up to this point has been know for the punishment He must enforce on His creations who sin. A God who punishes and a God who warns a creation to flee His own wrath seems a bit like an oxymoron. But God, who is perfect in every way found a way to be perfectly just and perfectly merciful with absolutely no contradiction. This letter contains the hope and truth that Christian needed: That there is in fact a way to flee the righteous wrath of God. In order to no longer be condemned you must be counted pardoned or acquitted. It is possible for Christian to claim this pardon if he is born again into the perfection and holiness of Christ. Someone must be punished for Christian's sins but it doesn't have to be Christian. If he accepts the work and person of Christ he can be pardoned and therefor flee the coming wrath.
So really, this one sentence letter Christian receives is not simply good advice, it is a personal invitation from God for His beloved creation to flee His wrath and return to that which he was intended for: relationship with and glorification of the Creator.
Sorry for beating this horse to death but the importance of this gospel exposing letter is immeasurable.
After reading the letter, Christian is told the manner in which he must flee is by quickly making his way to a Narrow Gate that is not visible from where they stand. Instead of pointing out the gate Evangelist tells Christian to "keep that light in your eye and go up directly toward it. Then you will see the Gate. When you knock on the gate, you'll be told what you must do." (P. 3)
This is good news. Christian is unexpectedly given the answer to his most desperate question, "what shall I do to be saved?" He's told the way to flee the coming wrath and his response is arresting.
"So in my dream I saw the man begin to run. He had not run far from his own door before his wife and children, having seen it, began to cry after him to return. But the man put his fingers in his ears and ran on, crying, "Life! Life! Eternal life!" So, not turning to look behind him, he fled toward the middle of the plain."
He fled. He didn't even stop to consider how dangerous or wearisome, he only saw the priceless redemption and free gift of salvation from that which he deserved. Christian was trading his condemned death for eternal life and he saw the eternal ramifications of the situation.
"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life." - Matthew 19:29
"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." - Galatians 6:8
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." - Matthew 13:44
Christian just bought that field. He "sold" all he had (his family, his friends, his home, his luxuries, his status) and he quickly and intentionally bought the field that would yield him an eternal treasure.
As Christian is running, two friends chase him down, Obstinate and Pliable, and try to convince him that he's a crazy idiot for leaving everything behind. But Christian tries to explain the value of what he is furiously chasing.
"...everything you would forsake is not worthy to be compared with even a little of what I'm seeking to enjoy. If you'll go along with me and obtain it also, you'll do as well as I. There's enough for everyone and more left over where I'm going." (P. 4)
Obstinate is less than impressed and considers the Book (the Bible) "nonsense". He tries one more time to convince him to go back with them but Christian refuses and quotes Luke 9:62. As Obstinate is preparing to leave his crazed friend, Pliable reveals that if all that Christian says is true than Pliable is inclined to join his quest. Obstinate quickly gives up on both friends while Christian encourages Pliable to join him.
In the closing paragraph, Obstinate sulkily returns home while Pliable and Christian continue towards the Narrow Gate.
This is the third time I've read this 4 1/2 page chapter and my head is still spinning. It is rightly entitled The Pilgrim Begins His Journey. This chapter certainly encompasses the beginning of every "pilgrim's" journey.
sin + just punishment = death
1 condemned human + God's warning + Christ's salvation = Eternal life/the means by which to flee
This chapter points me continually to one overwhelming characteristic of God the Father: His mercy.
Mercy is deliverance from judgement.
Mercy is not receiving something you deserve.
Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
Ephesians 2:4-7 perfectly collects the thoughts presented in chapter one...
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
