I had a friend that instructed me "Don't waste your time reading a good book. There are too many good books to read." He said, "Only read great books."
I think that is great wisdom.
I have stopped reading many "good" books, because they were just not worth the time.
On the other hand, I have read great books more that once.
One of those great books is "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan.
Translated into over 100 languages, The Pilgrim's Progress is one of the most famous classics of literature.
It is an allegorical novel, describing a Christian's journey through life to reach heaven. Part 1 was written by John Bunyan in 1679 while he was imprisoned for conducting religious services that were not cleared by the government.
Christian is the central character of the book and the hero of the pilgrimage. Christian's pilgrimage in the beginning was driven by a desire to get rid of his burden of sinfulness and enter salvation. Everywhere he went the burden rested upon him.
One of the best known characters in the book is "Worldly Wiseman." Worldly Wiseman has became a name to call others that think they have greater wisdom than the common man. Bunyan's Worldly Wiseman tries unsuccessfully to urge Christian to give up his religious foolishness and live a contented secular life. Here is an excerpt from Bunyan's book ...
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Now as CHRISTIAN was walking solitarily by himself, he spied one afar off come crossing over the field to meet him and their hap was to meet just as they were crossing the way of each other. The gentleman's name that met him was Mr. WORLDLY WISEMAN: he dwelt in the town of Carnal Policy; a very great town, and also hard by from whence CHRISTIAN came. This man, then, meeting with CHRISTIAN, and having some inkling of him―for CHRISTIAN'S setting forth from the city of Destruction was much noised abroad, not only in the town where he dwelt, but also it began to be the town talk in some other places―Master WORLDLY WISEMAN, therefore, having some guess of him, by beholding his laborious going, by observing his sighs and groans and the like, began thus to enter into some talk with CHRISTIAN.
Worldly Wiseman goes on to ask Christian if he could offer him counsel. Christian says he will listen if it is good counsel.
Worldly Wiseman.....
I would advise you, then, that you with all speed get yourself rid of your burden: for you will never be settled in your mind till then: nor can you enjoy the benefits of the blessing which God has bestowed upon you till then.
Christian.......
That is that which I seek for, even to be rid of this heavy burden: but get it off myself I cannot; nor is there any man in our country that can take it off my shoulders. Therefore am I going this way, as I told you, that I may be rid of my burden.
Worldly Wiseman....
Who bade you go this way to be rid of your burden?
Christian.....
A man that appeared to me to be a very great and honourable person; his name, as I remember, is EVANGELIST.
Worldly Wiseman. ....
Avoid him for his counsel! There is not a more dangerous and troublesome way in the world than is that unto which he hath directed you; and that you shall find if thou will be ruled by his counsel. You have met with something, as I perceive already; for I see the dirt of the Slough of Despond upon you; but that slough is the only beginning of the sorrows that do attend those that go on in that way. Hear me―I am older than you: you are likely to meet with, in the way which you are going, painfulness, hunger, perils, nakedness, sword, lions, dragons, darkness, and, in a word, death, and what not! These things are certainly true, having been confirmed by many testimonies. And why should a man so carelessly cast away himself by giving heed to a stranger?
Christian.....
Why, sir, this burden upon my back is more terrible to me than are all these things which you have mentioned: no, I think I care not what I meet with in the way, if so be I can also meet with deliverance from my burden.
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Worldly Wiseman talks Christian into going another way. He tells him to go through the village of "Morality" and talk to a man called "Legality" who has a son called "Civility".
Worldly Wiseman is telling Christian just to live a good life and all will be well. Live a morally good life and be civil within the law and your burden will be gone.
There are two points I want to draw from Bunyan's book. One to the non-believer and the other to the believer.
First to the non-believer, many a good man and woman have fallen victim to a Worldly Wiseman. Sinful people from around the world are attempting to save themselves.
Some are working hard at moral reformation, trying to do the right thing.
They believe that a morally good man is a saved man. Some believe they can save themselves by education and intellectual enlightenment.
To them. an educated man is a saved man.
Still others believe they can save themselves with medical and psychological treatment, or economic and political strategy, or technological advancement, or man-initiated religious activity. But man, because he is a sinner, cannot save himself, any more than he can raise himself from the dead.
Therefore, every one of man's efforts at self- salvation is an exercise in futility.
The Bible speaks about God's salvation. In Isaiah 43:11, we read:
"I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour."
And Paul, speaks about God's salvation in Ephesians 2:8:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
Jonah, from the belly of the fish, made this profound statement: "Salvation is of the Lord" Jonah 2:9.
Salvation is from the Lord. This salvation was accomplished by God in human history. Just how did God accomplish this for us? Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ he has brought about our salvation from the wrath of God, from sin and from death.
God himself accomplished salvation in Jesus Christ by means of his "propitiatory" sacrifice on the cross.
Propitiation means that God's wrath that was due to us was poured out on Christ.
The death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied God's wrath and turned it away from us. Because of this we were forgiven and justified. Without these facts, you have no gospel.
Salvation then is salvation from the wrath of God.
The wrath of God has been taken away. We have been reconciled to God. And not only that, salvation is also salvation from sin. The Christian is saved from sin's penalty, from sin's power, and in heaven, from sin's very presence. Salvation is also salvation from death.
There are three kinds of death: spiritual death, which is separation from God in this life; physical death, which is separation of the body from the soul; and eternal death, which is separation of body and soul from God forever. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross saves us from all these.
Now to the believer.
Many that call themselves believers no longer see the Christian life as Bunyan's book says it is.
Salvation, is not merely a salvation from all these things. It is a salvation to something. We are saved to worship God, to serve God.
Sin was disobedience to God, and salvation brings about our obedience to God.
We are saved to obey the true God. We obey now out of love. This obedience is the evidence of salvation, not the cause of it.
So, when we consider this subject of salvation, the saved ones rejoice with exceedingly great joy. But also you should be working in the Kingdom of God.
If you are a person who is not saved, you must understand the seriousness of your situation.
There is a coming judgment.
The wrath of God still burns against you.
This wrath is what Bunyan's Christian pilgrimage desired to escape that pressed on him from the burden of his own sinfulness.
If you are an unsaved person, you must understand you cannot save yourself by education, technology, false religion or moral reform.
You must repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone, because there is no other way of salvation.
That is the religion revealed in the Bible, the Holy Scriptures and there is only one Savior who is true, Jesus Christ.