It is a relatively easy thing to speak of being a Christian, and even at times, to speak as a Christian. If you hang around Church a while, you can soon learn how to do it. It can happen inadvertently, but the danger is that we start to think that because we know how to fit in, and how to sound like one, we must therefore be a Christian. Occasionally there might be an intention to deceive, but more often than not, it just happens… and the person doing it is as deceived (or perhaps well-meaningly confused?) as anyone.
And our sense of what it is to be a Christian these days has fallen to such a low ebb, that if someone says they have become a Christian, we tend to assume that the reality is as they say it is. We’ve already met Discretion who seeks to test the authenticity of any claim to faith. And once we’ve met Talkative we appreciate how valuable such Discretion can be. It turns out that in Bunyan’s day - as in our own - there are those who talk a good game, but whose profession of faith runs no deeper than their tongue! They have an opinion on everything, and are willing to share it, but as Faithful concludes: ‘I saw you forward to talk, [but] I knew you had aught else but notion … you are a man whose religion lies in talk…’ But because it lies only in talk, ‘religion fareth the worse for your ungodly conversation’. The lack of integrity becomes apparent to everyone except themselves, and they end up undermining genuine discipleship in others by their hypocrisy.
And most frustrating of all, such ‘Talkatives’ come to deeply resent any challenge, and insinuation that they might not be the genuine article. They are snide towards those who call their claims into question, and who see the dissonance between their life and their lip. When Faithful pushes the conversation to the question of ‘experience, conscience and God’, when he speaks of faith in a specific Christ, and of holiness and obedience, when he asks: ‘doth your life and conversation testify the same? or standeth your religion in word or in tongue, and not in deed and truth?’, Talkative begins to blush, and then dismisses Faithful as a ‘catechiser’ (!). Talkative believes himself to be a true Christian, deeply resents such searching discussion, and dismisses Faithful as a ‘peevish and melancholy man, not fit to be discoursed with’. He is the kind of person who dismisses authentic discipleship as ‘just your opinion’, and legitimises his own inconsistencies by accusing others of being ‘ready to take up reports and to judge so rashly’. In today’s parlance, ‘Don’t be so judgemental’. His departure puts beyond dispute the spurious nature of his claims to discipleship.
To be fair, there have always been ‘Talkatives’ lurking around Churches. The Apostle Paul had to remind the Corinthians that ‘…the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power’ (I Cor.4:20); and before that, Jesus lambasted the Pharisees as those who ‘do not practice what they preach’ (Matt.23:3).
Christian knows of Talkative from previous dealings, and has learned to keep his distance, to cast not pearls before swine. Christian warns us, with a certain poetic vigour, that ‘he is best abroad; near home, he is ugly enough’. In other words, when you first meet them, or if you only have casual acquaintance, you can easily be fooled. They sound passionate, knowledgeable, serious, and at a superficial level they can look like the real deal. But once you’ve listened carefully (often to what they are not saying), or got to know them, the inconsistencies in their life become too much to bear.
Such as Talkative have never grasped that ‘while we are saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is never alone’ (Luther). …that those who have such genuine faith in Christ are those who hear His words and put them into practise (Matt.7:24-26; 12:50 & 13:20-23). It is not enough that there is ‘a great outcry against sin’, it must be abhorred and repented of. It is not enough to denounce sin, it must be disowned. It is not enough to know the Gospel, it must be believed and trusted in. It is not enough to confess Christ, but - in the words of Faithful - our life must be answerable to that confession.
Genuine disciples react differently to such questions. It may be painful to be asked them, but our response will include conviction, repentance and growth. We will appreciate those who love us enough to take the time and the risk of challenging us where sin is obviously unchecked. Our fellowship deepens, and our commitment to one another grows as we support each other’s growth.
The departure of Talkative is one of the saddest moments in the Pilgrim’s Progress. There is a tragedy about those who seem to understand so much and so little all at the same time. But Faithful is glad he made the effort. He was faithful to warn Talkative and he is ‘clear of his blood, if he perishes’. Small comfort, but comfort nonetheless.
Questions to ponder:
How can we avoid the danger of becoming merely ‘Talkative’ ourselves?
Have you ever been disillusioned by a ‘Talkative’? How did you negotiate that?
Do you think Christian’s attitude to Talkative is a bit harsh? How do you think we should relate to people like this? Can you think of any passages from the Bible that would help you formulate an appropriate response?
