They Were Never One of Us

"Now I [Bunyan] saw in my dream that by this time, Pliable had
arrived back at his house. So his neighbors came to visit him, and
some of them called him wise on account of his return to his home;
some called him a fool for endangering himself with Christian’s
company. But others mocked his cowardliness, saying, “Surely
since you commenced your adventure, I would not have been so
fainthearted as to give in for a few difficulties.” So Pliable sat
cringing in their midst. But at last he regained his confidence so
that his neighbors then turned their attention toward deriding poor
Christian behind his back. However, that is enough concerning
Pliable." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

It is extremely heartbreaking to see someone that you have traveled with on this journey fall away. You thought that they had the same heartbeat, the same dreams, the same calling. The enemy came calling and then they were gone.

I'm not referring to the prodigal son. He always knew his way back.  These left and never came back. They were convinced to join the journey, but were never convicted. They heard the word, but never met The Word.

"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace." Hebrews 6:4-6

"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us."I John 2:19

After Pliable returned he wasn't accepted by some of his neighbors. It wasn't long though and it was like he never left their midst.

What Can Wash Away My Sins?

“It is not the pleasure of the King that this place should remain
in such a bad condition. For this reason His laborers have,
according to the direction of His Majesty’s surveyors, been
employed for sixteen hundred years in attempting to mend this
piece of ground. Yes, to the best of my knowledge, this
location has swallowed up at least twenty thousand cart-loads,
that is millions of wholesome instructions that have, at all seasons,
been brought from all regions of the King’s dominions. And those
that know from experience say that there is no better material for
making the ground solid here. This being so, it might well have
been mended, but it remains the Slough of Despond still, and so
it shall be when they have done what they can.”
John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

It has now been 2000 years attempting to fill the Slough of Despond, but still men fall into the mire. Pastors, Bishops, and Apostles have all tried to rid the land of this trap, but it has persisted. No matter how many men tell the good news that Jesus died for their sins, men wallow in their sin.

What is exceptionally evil is when the enemy reminds Christians of their past sins, sins that have been confessed, washed by the blood of Christ and forgiven by their Father.

 "For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me. For I confess my iniquity ; I am full of anxiety because of my sin. But my enemies are vigorous and strong, And many are those who hate me wrongfully. And those who repay evil for good, They oppose me, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O LORD ; O my God, do not be far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation !" Psalm 38 


We have been freed from the slough do not return to it! God removes our sins and forgets them. They never happened. He looks at a spotless bride. If you were promiscuous before, but God brought you to Himself and you are now his child, you are a virgin in His sight. The blood of Christ has washed the mire of the slough from you! You are white as snow!

Nothing But the Blood

Robert Lowry 

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Now by this I'll overcome
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I'll reach my home
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Glory! Glory! This I sing
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
All my praise for this I bring
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Refrain 

• manic progression 

Grace Greater than Our Sin

"Then I approached the person who lifted him out and
said, 'Sir, since the way from the City of Destruction to the
Wicket-gate ahead runs directly through this place, why is it that
this low-lying piece of land is not repaired so that travelers
might pass through with greater safety?”

In this paragraph Bunyan is the speaker and asks why the Slough of Despond is there? Here is the answer.


"And he said to me, 'This miry Slough is peculiar in that it cannot
be mended. Being low-lying it attracts a continuous stream of scum
and filth that is associated with conviction of sin; for this reason it
is called the Slough of Despond. As the traveling sinner is
awakened about his lost condition, there arise in his soul many
fears, doubts, and discouraging perceptions concerning himself;
then all of these accumulate and pile up in this place. And so this is
the reason for the badness of this ground.”

The closer we get to God we are discouraged to, because of our sin? We know that we are unworthy and do not want to be hypocrites. We think, if we wait to be better, than we can come to God.  The truth is that we do not need to act (which is the same word as hypocrite), we will never be good enough to come before Holy God. God knows the state of sin that we are in and has never-the-less called us to Himself. This is glorious grace!

Grace Greater than Our Sin

Text: Julia H. Johnston
Music: Daniel B. Towner 

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, 
 grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt! 
 Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured, 
 there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. 
Refrain:
 Grace, grace, God's grace, 
 grace that will pardon and cleanse within; 
 grace, grace, God's grace, 
 grace that is greater than all our sin! 

2. Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold, 
 threaten the soul with infinite loss; 
 grace that is greater, yes, grace untold, 
 points to the refuge, the mighty cross. 
 (Refrain) 

3. Dark is the stain that we cannot hide. 
 What can avail to wash it away? 
 Look! There is flowing a crimson tide, 
 brighter than snow you may be today. 
 (Refrain) 

4. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, 
 freely bestowed on all who believe! 
 You that are longing to see his face, 
 will you this moment his grace receive? 
 (Refrain) 

Help Comes

"Therefore Christian was left to tumble in the Slough of Despond
alone. But he still endeavored to struggle to that side of the Slough
that was further from his own house and closer to the Wicketgate.
And this he did, yet he was unable to get out because of the
burden that was upon his back.

However, I [Bunyan] saw in my dream that a man came to him
named Help, and he asked Christian, “What are you doing
here?”
CHRISTIAN: Sir, I was advised to go this way by a man named
Evangelist, and he directed me toward the Wicket-gate ahead so
that I might escape from the wrath to come. But as I was pressing
forward, I fell in here.
HELP: But why did you not look for the steps across the mire?
CHRISTIAN: I was so fearful in my escape that I missed the safe
way across the mire and fell in.
HELP: Then give me your hand. So Christian stretched out his
hand, and Help lifted him out of the mire and set him on solid
ground; then the pilgrim was exhorted to be on his way toward the
Wicket-gate ahead." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

God sent someone to help Christian get to the gate. How many people did God send your way to get you to the place where He brought you to a saving grace? He takes care of His children before they come to Him. Think about how you got to where you are. Even if your parents were Christians doesn't mean that you were going to be, also was it chance that you were born to the parents that you were? It amazes me when I look back to what God did to call me.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..."
Jeremiah 1:5

"...I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee."
Jeremiah 31:3

"For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out...I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak..." Ezekiel 34

"Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.  Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." Luke 15

The Race

"PLIABLE: Ah, neighbor Christian, where are you now?
CHRISTIAN: To be sure, I do not know.
PLIABLE: Offended and angry, Pliable asked, "Is this the happiness you have
told me about as we have traveled? If we have such a halting
disaster at this early stage, then what may we expect from now on
till the end of our journey? If I escape out of this with my life, you
shall possess the brave country alone without me."
Hence Pliable, making several toilsome attempts, eventually
struggled out of the mire on that side of the Slough which was
closest to his own house. So he went back and Christian saw him
no more." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Pliable had expectations. Those expectations were that his journey was going to be pleasant. A cake walk so to speak. Upon an encounter with misfortune, Pliable abandons his excursion.

Pliable reminds me of those that have gone forward in religious meetings solely on an emotional experience. They have a very fragile walk. Often; they come in with a bang, make plenty of noise, and impressing many,  are gone just as fast.

My first pastor, Sammy Tippit, latest book is called 'The Race' it is an exceptional lesson. In it he describes how to overcome life's adversities and how to run the Christian race. I liken those like Pliable, to those who treat the Christian race as a sprint. It is certainly not a 100 meter dash, it is a marathon. In order to win a marathon you can't race it as if you are wanting to win a sprint.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with endurance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

There will be pain and hardship. The prophets and disciples endured extreme hardships just because they obeyed God. If you choose God just to feel good, you will be disappointed. Our Father does not promise happiness, he promises joy, joy that comes through knowing you are pleasing Him. When we are asked to pick up the cross and follow Him, He is not offering Disney World. He is promising an arduous race where at the end of it He will say, " Well done!

Escaping Despair

"PLIABLE: Well, my good companion, I am glad to hear of
these things; so come on, let us mend our pace [travel more
rapidly].
CHRISTIAN: But I cannot go as fast as I would like on
account of this burden that is on my back.
NOW I saw in my dream that just as they had ended this talk,
they drew near to a very miry slough that was in the middle of
the plain. And not watching where they were going, they both
suddenly fell into the bog. The name of the Slough was Despond.
Here therefore they wallowed for some time, being shamefully
covered with the grim; and Christian, because of the burden
that was on his back, began to sink into the mire."
John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress


Christian and Pliable had their minds on what they could get from God and this selfishness did its work. The outcome of self absorption is always despondency. We would never be disheartened if we were dead to our own ambitions and plans. It is only when things don't turn out the way we planned, we despair.


So Christian and Pliable flounder about in the mire. One thing that hinders them getting out is shame. Shame and guilt also causes us not to seek after God. Others may forgive us and we may forgive others, but I have found that the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. Christian, because of the burden of sin on his back, sank deeper. Confess your sins to God and allow Him to do the restoration to your soul.


Then I will return to my fortress until they have borne their guilt and seek my face— 
in their misery they will earnestly seek me.” Hosea 5:15


“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, is as far as He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:10-12

Christ Centered

"PLIABLE: This is excellent. What further details are there?
CHRISTIAN: There will be no more crying or sorrow; For he
who is the owner of that place will wipe all tears from our eyes.
PLIABLE: And what company shall we have there?
CHRISTIAN: There we shall be with the seraphim and
cherubim, creatures that will dazzle your eyes to look on them.
There also you shall meet with the thousands and ten thousands
that have traveled ahead of us to that place; none of them are
unkind, but rather loving and holy, everyone walking in the sight
of God and standing in his presence with everlasting acceptance. In
a word, there we shall see the elders with their golden crowns;
there we shall see the holy virgins with their golden harps. There
we shall see men who were, by this present world, cut in pieces,
burnt in flames, eaten by beasts, drowned in the sea, because of
the love that they maintained for the Lord of the place, all well,
and clothed with the garment of immortality.
PLIABLE: The hearing of this is enough to ravish a person’s
heart. But how shall we be able to enjoy and share in these things?
CHRISTIAN: The Lord, the governor of that country, has
recorded in this book that, in essence, if we are truly willing to
have them, he will bestow them upon us freely."


Once again, we see that Pliable's heart is after what he can get from this relationship. The root of sin is selfishness. We are born not caring about others. Babies are extremely interested in their needs and no one else. We learn this is unacceptable.


"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there." Galatians 5:24


As Christians we fight against this. Often times we crawl in his lap and ask for things. We use God as a cosmic Santa Claus. This shouldn't be so. We need to stop lusting after how we want things to be.


"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." Genesis 3


Christ is our example. He did not ask His Father for the easy way out. He did not pray as most of us do today. Even facing death, He prayed for God to have His way.


"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42


Eldon Raley was an incredible man of God. He taught me more about the heart of God than any other man. His central theme was death to self. If we can place our selfish desires, plans, hopes, expectations on the cross then we will never be disappointed. Allow God to be in control. Pray, "Not my will, but your will be done."