Journey of Christian from City of Destruction to the Celestial City

1. Christian
EnCountErs
Mr. Worldly
WisEMan

2.  ACCOMPANYING PPTs and VIDEOs
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for your own use advise me as per the next bullet.
 The majority of the presentations have an accompanying video of me giving the presentation. If you would like to
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 Credits
 These Pilgrim’s Progress Presentations are as a result of Bible Studies I did at my home church in Moose
Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. The only thing I ask is that when you use them to present to others, that you
give the Good Lord credit through my name (Michal Lopianowski).
 Τhe version of Pilgrim's Progress I am using is the one by Barry Horner
 Most of the text in the presentations, if it is not sited on the page itself, comes from Barry Horner’s
Commentary on the Pilgrim’s Progress from his website: www.bunyanministries.org
 The comic snippets come from CREATOR ART STUDIO, published by KINGSTONE Comics at
www.kingstonemedia.com
 Any place where I mention Maltese Website as a reference, the material was taken from
www.lavvanztalpellegrin.com; which no longer seems to be working
 Other pictures are from www.garretttaylor.com and illustrations from Mike Wimmer
 As I complete more presentations I will be putting them on line; usually in the winter months

3.  His Identification
 Charlatan - a person who pretends or claims to have more
knowledge or skill than he or she possesses
 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise
themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be
according to their deeds. 2Cor 11:14-15
 His Association
 Town of Carnal Policy
 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the
things of the flesh, ... Rom 8:5

4.  His Occupation
 Poses as a learned and ministerial gentleman, but really a
professional hireling
 12 “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the
owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the
sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters
them. 13 “He flees because he is a hired hand and is not
concerned about the sheep. John 10:12-13
• No doubt trained at the same seminary as did the
parson of the Town of Fairspeech, Mr. Two-tongues

6. • Is aware of Christian's burden
• Christian is steadfast in his goal
 Relying on the promises of God
• Why does Worldly-Wiseman enquire about Christian's
family?
 Question should really be "Do you NOT have a wife and
children?"
• He suggests that his burdened condition detracts from
his fulfilling his proper role as a father

7. • How it must have been a great wretch for Christian to
have left them behind in the City of Destruction!
• Mr. Worldly Wiseman knew exactly what he was
doing using this line of questioning,
 'pulling at the heart strings'. …
• He came at it from another direction, - subtle and
devious … with, no doubt, a smile of sympathetic
concern on his face
Pastor David Greenaway – Pathhead Baptist Church. Scotland

9. • That was exactly what Christian wanted to hear …
and God was mentioned too!
 Seems to have Christian's best interests at heart
• Coincidence that Worldly-Wiseman came along?
• Except for the subtle addition of heresy? 2 Pet 2:1-3
 "Get rid of your burden"
• Instead of "run to Christ"!!!

11. • Be Rid of Evangelist
• Wiseman jumps on Christian's "perception" of Evangelist
• His advice is dangerous
 Advice from a stranger!
• His advice is the form of Fear Mongering
 Proven already by falling into the Slough of Despond
• Worldly-Wiseman's wisdom is proven by has age!
• Worldly-Wiseman is ignorant of Rom 8:35
 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?

12. • Trials are less troublesome than the burden
 A true pilgrim!
 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal
weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not
at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the
things which are not seen are eternal. 2Cor 4:17-18

14. • Be Rid of the Bible!
• His attack is again subtle!
 Does not attack the Bible directly
 Self interpretation is the problem
 "You can't interpret the Bible literally!"
• Wiseman has no knowledge of the power of the Holy
Spirit
 His advice is worldly and Catholic
• Proof is in others who have dabbled at self
interpretation

15. • How patronising!
 Worldly-Wiseman is really saying;
 You need to listen to me, for I can explain it to you the right
way!
 Listen to me with my vicar’s gown on, and with my upper class
university education, and my refined accent and manner …
And of course, "I am older than thou". David Greenaway
 Truly a Wolf in Sheep's clothing
 Acts 20:28-31
 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits.
Matt 7:15-16

17.  His approach
• Pretended to be a long-lost friend
 "Hello there, my good fellow"
• Engages in sympathetic conversation
• Subtly pollutes Christian's minds by dripping
seedlings of doubt;
 "Won't have peace of mind"
 "Won't be able to enjoy benefits of the blessings of God"
 "You've already fallen in the Slough of Despond, and it is just
the beginning of your sorrows"
 "You will encounter more troubles yet"

18. • Seeds of Doubt cont.:
 Concerning the Bible, "you seek that which you know little about"
 "You seek ease with regard to your present way?"
• Magnifies himself on account of Evangelist
• Uses ambiguity of religious terminology that 'hooks'
many a Christian!
• The final bait:
 "instead of dangers you will meet with much safety, friendship,
and content."
 Triggered by key words: "relief from my heavy burden"

21.  A way to the Village of Morality
• Here then is the offer of "another" gospel
• 6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him
who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different
gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are
some who are disturbing you and want to distort the
gospel of Christ. Gal 1:6-7
• Mr. Worldly-Wiseman assumes human ability insofar
as reaching "Morality" is concerned.

22.  The citizens are noble
• Mr. Legality is another "gentleman"
 Nothing but praise for this man
 Very judicious … highest reputation … well able … etc
• By Mr. Legality we may understand that pretended obedience to
God's law which is so common; and
• by his son Civility we may understand that social decorum which
passes for such obedience.
• Village is of respectability, politeness, and good order
 Lawlessness is not tolerated
 Neighborliness is applauded
 Probably mostly regular church going folk
 We are good people!!!

23.  Burdens of pilgrims are lifted
• Christian has been so seduced that he does not think
to ask about details
• He is temporarily blinded!
 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of
the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the
gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2Cor 4:4
 This supposed burden-lifting is in fact burden-squashing
through the avoidance of any confrontation with the
righteousness of God.

25. • Remember that Mr. Worldly Wiseman was from the
Town of Carnal-Policy
• Sounds like the perfect place for Pliable!
• Christian is blinded to a consideration of the truth of
the Word of God
 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the
way of death. Prov 14:12
 It is the natural desire of men to prefer an earthly world-view
conceived by the desire of the flesh rather than a heavenly
righteous kingdom established by the Redeemer of sinners.

26. • Man’s carnal inclination is to justify himself by the works of the
flesh.
• God’s gracious purpose is to justify men by the merits of His Son,
Jesus Christ
 Gal 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, …since by the works of the Law no flesh
will be justified.
 Gal 2:21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through
the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
 Gal 3:11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for,
“THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
 Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God;

28.  He deceives with his veneer of righteousness
• According to appearances, congenial deportment,
obvious sincerity, and personal interest, Worldly
Wiseman is truthful
• Implies Evangelist was directing incorrectly!
• How should he have determine if true or not?

29.  He directs Christian beyond a high hill
• Footnote for "high hill" is Mt. Sinai
• An invitation to fulfill the requirements
of the law
• Little does he realize that this "high
hill" is in fact as lofty as the perfect
righteousness of God.
• Can he, with such a burden, really
climb to that height?

30. • Mr. Worldly Wiseman is against any kind of religion
that would ruin his pleasure in satisfying his fleshly
appetites.
• He is a member of the "right church"
 the one of which all the well-educated, wealthy, prominent
people in the community are members.
• The belief system Mr. Worldly Wiseman represents is
that of the humanist (human wisdom).
 Man's way of righteousness and salvation (how to get rid of
the burden) is through doing good works and living a moral
life.

31. Watch yourselves well, for you all have a large piece of
this worldly−wise man in yourselves! It is a sure sign to
you that you do not yet know the plague of your own
heart, unless you know yourself to be a man more set
upon the position and the praise that this world gives
than you yet are on the position and the praise that
come from God only. Set a watch on your own worldly
heart. Watch and pray, lest you also enter into all
Worldly− Wiseman's temptation.

32. • Having surmounted the difficulty of forsaking the
world (City of Destruction), and having struggled
through the Slough of Desponding fears, Christian is
exposed to a greater snare, by "going about to
establish his own righteousness; not submitting to the
righteousness of God." (Rom. 10:3)
 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and
seeking to establish their own, they did not subject
themselves to the righteousness of God.

33. In Exposition of The Pilgrim’s Progress - Rev. Robert Stevenson states;
• The episode of Mr. Worldly-Wiseman is one of two incidents (the other is The
Slough of Despond) with a bond of connection in their very contrast.
• They represent two exactly opposite temptations readily besetting young
pilgrims, and beguiling them to mistakes which, though as unlike one another
as can be imagined, are equally imminent and equally fatal.
• One is to think of sin despairingly, as though its guilt were too dark to be
forgiven, or its power too mighty to be overcome, — this in Bunyan's imagery
is the Slough of Despond,
• The other is to think of sin lightly, without reference to the Word of God, or
the passion and death of Christ, as though any casual treatment of the
sinner's burden would suffice — this is the snare of Mr. Worldly-Wiseman.
• Bunyan has sketched these twin perils at the very point of the journey where
the pilgrim is most exposed to them.