If Shepherds had a T-Shirt...

The Shepherds encourage the Pilgrims to stay a while and to draw all the benefit they can from their sojourn in the Delectable Mountains; and the Pilgrims’ deepening maturity is evidenced in their willingness to do so. Often folk who struggle to find their place in the ministry and mission of a Church present as if it is the Church’s fault… as if they are somehow too mature, or too eager, and the structures of the Church are inadequate to contain them; or perhaps they are too ‘spiritual’, and the worship of the Church is too staid; or perhaps no-one else is as zealous, pressing on in the faith as they are, and so they feel they would be hindered by such fellowship. It is in fact an arrogant immaturity that concludes we can do Christianity without the Church. Beware those who feel they are better than everyone else, who have no patience for the people of God, who consider themselves somehow beyond the teaching and ministry of such Shepherds as these. You might remember that once upon a time, Christian was marked by such impatience and contempt. But no longer. The further he goes in his pilgrimage, the more eager he is to enjoy the ministry of the Church: ‘They then told them they were content to stay; so they went to their rest that night … they went forth with [the Shepherds] and walked a while, having a pleasant prospect on every side’.

Their engagement is well rewarded, and the Shepherds discern a readiness, a preparedness in the Pilgrims to be taught some deeper truth. ‘Shall we show these Pilgrims some wonders?’ they ask each other…’ somewhat knowingly, I suspect. As we don’t start building a house by putting on a roof and working down, so there are some elements of our faith and doctrine that we can only put in place once the foundations and supporting walls are in place. There is a metaphor used repeatedly in the Bible to illustrate how aspects of being a Christian cannot be introduced until previous spiritual growth has taken place. It is the parallel with a baby, who starts with milk, but progresses by stages to solid food as they grow into adulthood (see e.g. I Cor.3:2; Heb.5:13-14; I Pet.2:2). It baffles me how quickly we settle down and assume we know everything there is to be taught… how quickly we lose our appetite for stronger teaching. It doesn’t bode well.

The first ‘wonder’ the Shepherds show the Pilgrims is a hill called Error. It is intriguingly far along the Way. There are some errors Christians make which show themselves quickly. They can easily be corrected early on, or more tragically, they quickly lead new converts into dangerous or disastrous ideas or behaviours. Other errors lie hidden. That can be intentional. We know we don’t really believe something we should, or that there is a pattern of sin we should be repenting of, but aren’t. We carefully conceal these from view. Or perhaps we live with questions that we should really have done the work to answer, and they silently corrode our faith. Or we buy into ‘respectable’ theological positions that are unBiblical, but are easier to believe and which are made acceptable by reputable scholars. We feel this is a more ‘sophisticated’ or ‘informed’ position to hold, but never really wrestle through why it doesn’t actually reflect the Gospel. For a long time the path of our Pilgrimage might be barely discernible from that of authentic discipleship. But in the end, we fall from the crest of of this terrible hill, Error.

Mature believers want their Shepherds not just to teach them truth, but also to warn them of error and the disaster to which it can lead (Col.1:28-29, II Pet.3:14-18). There is a humility that allows us to bring every aspect of our life and doctrine constantly to the lamp of Scripture, to expose the darkness of sin in our thoughts, words or deeds. A word of confession here? Looking back over my first decade or so here at MIE, I’m not sure this has been as prominent a part of my ministry as perhaps it should have been. I do believe I have taught the Bible faithfully, but I rather suspect that while I have taught truth (granted, sometimes forcefully), I have not always taught sufficiently about error, about why certain things - even things that have gained popularity in our contemporary Church scene - are in fact wrong.

The second ‘wonder’ the Shepherds show the Pilgrims is another hill, called Caution, from which they see Pilgrims wandering blind among tombs (Prov.21:16). Perhaps unwittingly (?), the Shepherds show Christian and Hopeful the dangers they had only narrowly avoided. We may suspect this is a lesson that they should have been taught earlier, but that is to miss the point Bunyan is seeking to make. Mature Pilgrims learn from their mistakes. They accept responsibility, and delight in the grace shown them. They remember their missteps and draw new wisdom from them. And they are thus better equipped for the temptations that lie ahead. They are thus cautioned, and become more cautious in their dealings with truth. Christian and Hopeful are overwhelmed by the grace of God that led them to avoid such a fate, and quietly fashion a new resolve to walk the Path faithfully. ‘Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour … Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way’ (Ps.25: 4-5 & 8-9).

Like the Pilgrims we will linger another day at the Delectable Mountains. With two wonders shown, and two to go, there is still more to learn.

Questions to Ponder:

How willing am I to be taught the Scripture? Do I resent it when I’m told something that exposes error in my thinking? …or am I glad? Do I dismiss things I hear when the Bible is being taught? On what grounds?

A Prayer for when we are taught:

O God the Holy Spirit,

Teach me what I don’t know. Keep me a humble disciple in the school of Christ, learning daily what I am in myself: a fallen, sinful creature.

And let me never lose sight of my need for my Saviour, or forget that apart from Him I am nothing, and can do nothing.

Open my understanding to know the Holy Scriptures; reveal to my soul the counsels and works of the blessed Trinity.

Instil into my dark mind the saving knowledge of Jesus. Make me acquainted with His undertakings in me and for me, that by resting in His finished work I may find the Father’s love in the Son…

Lead me into all truth, O Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, that I may know the things that bring me peace, and through You, be made anew.

Embed in my heart, and make me to know, the Father’s love as it is revealed in the Scriptures.

Apply to my soul the blood of Christ continually, and in such a way that it shapes and transforms me.

Help me to believe, with a clear conscience, the many benefits that Calvary has bought.

Lead me from faith to faith, guard me against doubts, fears, corruptions, temptations.

It is your office to teach me to draw near to Christ with a pure heart, steadfastly persuaded of His love, and in full assurance of faith.

Let me never falter in this way

…taken from The Valley of Vision, ‘The Spirit as Teacher’

Because shepherds are cool...

And finally, Christian and Hopeful arrive at the Delectable Mountains. You may almost have forgotten that Christian had sight of these from the Beautiful Palace. We have reached a key moment in the narrative now that he has reached them in his own pilgrimage. They function as a milestone in Christian’s growth, marking his maturation as a disciple. The teaching and trials that have marked his route to this point, his successes and failures, have all served in the purpose, providence and wisdom of God in bringing Christian to this point.

It is worth noting the speed with which the Lord grants the Pilgrims rest and refreshment… only a few hours before they had been locked in the dungeons of Doubting Castle. We may feel that some period of probation might be in order, a chastening, a rebuke? But the Lord is more tender than we are, and almost as soon as they return to the Way, they are brought to a place of restoration, where they can be healed of their previous ordeal, and prepared for the next stage of the journey. His experience in Doubting Castle has left its scars though, and there is a note of caution in Christian. Concern that he is in fact still on the right path. His recent experiences have served to warn him against presumption. He is marked by deeper humility and dependence, and an unwillingness to trust himself that stops short of falling into crippling self-doubt.

It is worth reflecting too, on the name Bunyan gives the mountains. There have been times of incredible trial and hardship in Christian’s journey. Struggle, discipline and battle have marked the Way. You may feel that his portrayal of the Christian life is somewhat austere, more bleak than needs be? But then we find ourselves in a landscape named to evoke a sense of delight and joy, giving pleasure and contentment. There is a richness of spiritual experience, a goodness, a blessedness that permeates the atmosphere of Christian’s pilgrimage at this point. It is an atmosphere in which these matured, battle-hardened Pilgrims delight.

During their visit, the focus is on their discussion with the Shepherds, the pastors of the Church. They encourage and affirm, posing questions reminiscent of those asked by Discretion at the Beautiful Palace. The welcome they then extend is reminiscent of the Palace too. There are currents of continuity between the two episodes - both are pictures of the Church’s ministry to Pilgrims, albeit with differing emphases as Christian matures. Bunyan sketches the traits of a faithful minister.

Knowledgeable: which might sound obvious, but you really do want pastors who actually know what being a Christian is about, and who is able teach it clearly and without getting distracted (I Tim.4:13). We want those who have a full and deep grasp of the Scriptures and discipleship, and who can deal with the questions and difficulties we have.

Experience: But knowledge isn’t enough. Especially as we mature spiritually ourselves, we want those who have walked the path of discipleship at least as far as we have, and who have tested that knowledge in the furnace of life. We want those who have a maturity born of their own long pilgrimage. You don’t want someone who is easily shocked or blind-sided. Or someone who is going to be taken in by the latest fad or silver-bullet. The Bible expressly warns against pastors who are recent converts (I Tim.3:6), those who have not yet been proved by the years of perseverance needed to deeply learn and understand the art of Christian living.

Watchful: Interestingly, the same name as the Porter at the Beautiful Palace. A pastor keeps watch over the souls of their flock (Heb.13:17), warning them when they see them begin to entertain ideas and beliefs that will hinder or lead off the path; challenging when they see patterns of behaviour and attitudes that suggest sin is taking hold; guiding into true belief and life.

Sincere: a godly pastor is one who does this work not simply because it’s a job, or means of income. They do it because they can do no other, such is the call of God on their life (I Pet.5:2-3). They teach what they do because they believe it. they disciple as they do because they live it. There is an integrity to their life and ministry. It isn’t perfect obviously, but it is sincere (II Cor.2:17).

It’s worth stopping and asking ourselves what we want from our pastors and preachers, our shepherds. How would we feel if our pastor was characterised by the priorities we see in the Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains? My own sense is that the Church in the UK has largely lost any real sense of what a pastor is, and that congregations by and large aren’t sure how to relate to their ministers, or what to expect from them. Bunyan is drawing from ancient wisdom, and laying out for us the dynamics that should characterise our expectations, and the relationship between pastor and congregation.

Questions to Ponder:

What do you want from a minister? Try writing a job description / person spec. for a pastor. Why not then compare that with the Bible’s vision of what we should be looking for (e.g. Titus 1:6-9; I Tim.3:1-10)

And while you’re in the pastoral epistles, why not have a look at what constitutes a false teacher?

Escape from Doubting Castle

Despite Hopeful’s reassurance, darkness returns. As one commentator perceptively puts it: ‘The ongoing misery of Doubting Castle reveals the weight of depression that can linger and lie even upon true believers. Doubts can be persistent. Discouragements can increase. Misgivings can re-emerge and reinforce, like iron bars holding us down. Even more mature believers are not immune. Christian was more seasoned in his pilgrimage than Hopeful. Yet Christian's suffering was more severe’.

Hopeful however, lives up to his name encouraging Christian with a reminder of past triumphs, the promise of fellowship, and the exhortation for patience. In their bleak perseverance they confound the Giant, surviving until Saturday evening.

As the well worn coin of wisdom reminds us: The darkest hour is just before the dawn. Destruction hangs over them. The threats of the Giant and the intent of his wife bear down on them. They are confronted with the remains of Pilgrims who have met their end in Doubting Castle. But the moment turns ‘on Saturday, about midnight’, when they began to pray. That’s something you might not have noticed they haven’t done over the last four days. But when they finally turn to it, the situation changes almost immediately. As Sunday morning dawns, so does the means of escape. Christian has all along had a key in his possession, Promise, that opens the door of the dungeon and their way out of the Castle. They flee, finding their way back to the King’s Highway where they set up a Pillar to warn other Pilgrims of the dangers of crossing over into By-path Meadow. The problem was never that they had been abandoned by their King, but that they had been distracted from the resources He had put at their disposal for the journey. Spiritual amnesia is a surprisingly common cause of failure in discipleship.

Bunyan’s offers counsel to those who struggle with spiritual depression. In short it is that we should not neglect the means of grace. Part of the problem of course is that we little desire them when we are in the grip of Despair, and still less do we expect engaging in them to make any difference. That is, after all, the nature of Diffidence. It is also what keeps us imprisoned in Doubt. As well as Hopeful’s fellowship and discourse, there are three key elements that orchestrate their escape. And there is a spiritual discipline required for each.

The first is prayer. Perhaps there is nothing we would rather do less than pray. It seems so pointless. It is so difficult to focus. It is impossible to know what to say. Perhaps I might suggest that this is where a familiarity with the Psalms serves us well. The full range of human emotion - including despair - find articulation in ways that are appropriate for prayer and worship, and that are shaped by our adoption into Christ.

The second is trust in the Promise(s) of God. I don’t think Bunyan is being trite here. It takes the Pilgrims days to get to the place where they can do this. The sense is that the Key is pulled out in desperation. But faith is nevertheless presented as the means to overcome doubt and despair. This is a battle. The impulse of Diffidence is towards unbelief, and Bunyan anticipates a genuine battle that can only be won in the context of prayer.

Third, and often overlooked is the fact that their escape happens on a Sunday. The Giant struggles throughout with the light, and on this Lord’s Day, as the Son rises on the first day of the week, he again falls into one of his fits. It is hard to imagine that Bunyan doesn’t expect us to make the connection with the gathering of the Church. It is on a Sunday morning that the they find they have the capacity to renew their faith. This corporate dynamic of our faith, enabling us to do in fellowship with others what we cannot do on our own, is deliberate and is rooted in the wisdom of God. It is strange that in seasons of spiritual darkness we tend to withdraw from the very structures God has put in our life to liberate, restore and sustain us. The one place we can go to meet God is the one place we most quickly neglect.

I guess that is the nature of the problem - we doubt the goodness and wisdom of God. But in doing so, we often cut ourselves off from His means of grace. Engrained habits, close spiritual friendship, understanding the place of discipline in our discipleship all help. Through the, the Spirit might just enable us to come to Christ at precisely the point we don’t want to.

Questions to ponder:

How can you structure your life to make sure that when you need them you will be able to access the means of grace?

How can you erect a ‘pillar’ to warn others of the dangers of wandering from the Path and ending up in Doubt, Despair and Diffidence?

When it all seems hopeless

After resisting the temptation of the mine, there is rest and refreshment. And vulnerability. It is a strange spiritual dynamic that after spiritual ‘success’ we are peculiarly vulnerable to temptation. Our confidence can be found in our sense of progress, rather than in God. Christian, who by Lucre Hill was adamant that he wouldn’t set foot off the path, is here seduced to climb the style into By-Path Meadow. Anything that seems to make the Path of Pilgrimage a little easier! And it seems to … for a while. Just long enough to lure them far enough away from the Way.

We know the Pilgrims are in trouble as soon as they meet Vain-Confidence, a ‘vain-glorious fool’ who is introduced briefly before his fall (Prov.6:18). It only takes Christian and Hopeful till nightfall to realise they are waylaid. In a tender exchange we are shown the importance and means of maintaining fellowship: Christian’s quick repentance for leading them out of the Way, and Hopeful’s quick forgiveness. Equally quickly they resolve to go back, but the damage is done. ‘It was so dark, and the flood was so high, that in their going back they had like to have been drowned nine or ten times’. Giving up, they fall asleep, awaking the following morning to realise they are trespassers on the grounds of Giant Despair, and to be forced by him into the dungeons of Doubting Castle. That the giant’s wife is called Diffidence, belies Bunyan’s pastoral wisdom: Mistrust, lack of confidence, doubt of the ability of others (or Other).

We can struggle with this portrayal of Doubt, and its being equated with leaving the Path. It’s important to realise what Bunyan is in fact teaching here. Doubt is a complex spiritual and psychological condition. I’ve explored it in a number of short videos made early in Lockdown, which can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mie+vicar+doubt

But Bunyan isn’t trying to offer a full account of doubt, nor is he suggesting that all questioning of faith and experience is sinful. He has the far more modest goal of conveying the common experience that there is a kind of Doubt that follows our wandering from the Way. Such is often accompanied by Despair, feeling that there is no way out, or back; and such as are assailed by it are equally often condemned by Diffidence. This isn’t a lack of self-assurance, it is the far more dangerous experience of doubting God’s goodness and power. It is a lack of faith that is the issue here.

Hopeful’s lament is reminiscent of the Psalms, and also of the internal dialogue of any Pilgrim who has languished in Doubting Castle: ‘our present condition is dreadful, and death would be far more welcome to me than thus for ever to abide’. Dark words from one called Hopeful as Christian even contemplates suicide in the dungeon! Such might sound extreme, perhaps even a touch melodramatic, to any who have not endured such spiritual depression. But it is all Hopeful can do to remain, well, hopeful. The fact that he is able to do so is a colossal act of spiritual discipline. He reminds Christian of who God is, what God has commanded, and that they must resist Despair, as they have resisted other temptations and spiritual dangers they have faced. He calls them to patience in endurance (Rom.12:12). But the Pilgrims don’t find immediate relief. Hopeful’s discourse, for all its good, doesn’t provide them a way out, though it did ‘moderate the mind of his brother; so they continued together in the dark that day, in their sad and doleful condition’.

Bunyan’s portrait of spiritual depression is able to be so vivid, because he is drawing again on his own experience. In ‘Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners’ he recounts one such episode (Para.261):

At another time, though just before I was pretty well and savory in my spirit, yet suddenly there fell upon me a great cloud of darkness, which did so hide from me the things of God and Christ, that I was as if I had never seen or known them in my life; I was also so overrun in my soul, with a senseless, heartless frame of spirit, that I could not feel my soul to move or stir after grace and life by Christ; I was as if my loins were broken, or as if my hands and feet had been tied or bound with chains. At this time also I felt some weakness to seize 'upon' my outward man, which made still the other affliction the more heavy and uncomfortable 'to me.

It is a depressing state of affairs in which to leave the Pilgrims. But it remains a valuable lesson to realise the depth of misery into which sin may lead… and the depths to which grace may reach.

Going Further?

Do periods of ‘backsliding’ from Christ’s call on your life lead you to despair, doubt and diffidence? What would you say to someone who could leave the path of discipleship without feeling such angst?

If this part of Pilgrim’s Progress describes your own experience, either in the past, or the present, you may want to work these matters through more deeply. I would recommend Martyn Lloyd Jones’ book, Spiritual Depression as a good starting place.