"Then Christian was taken by the hand and led into a very large
living room that was full of dust having never been swept.
Now after he had observed this scene for a little while, Interpreter
called for a man to commence sweeping. As a result, the dust
began to fly about so overwhelmingly that Christian was nearly
choked to death. Interpreter immediately spoke to a gracious lady
standing nearby, “Bring some water here and sprinkle this room.”
The lady having done this, the parlor was then easily swept and
cleansed." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
This is the second room that Interpreter (Holy Spirit) takes Christian. Christian has been sent there by the Gate Keeper (Jesus) so that Christian receive instruction, comfort, and guidance. This room is interesting. Bunyan explains it best.
"CHRISTIAN: What does this mean?
INTERPRETER: This parlor is the heart of a man who has never
been sanctified [regenerated and justified] by the sweet grace of the
Gospel. The dust is his original [Sin he had from birth (Adam's)] sin and inward
corruptions that have thoroughly defiled the whole man. He who
first began to sweep is the Law; but the gracious lady who brought
water and sprinkled the room is the Gospel.
Now while you saw, as soon as the man (Law) began to sweep, that
the dust so swirled about the room that it became even more
difficult to cleanse, and you were near choked to death, this is to
show you that the Law, instead of it effectively cleansing the heart
from sin, does in fact arouse, give greater strength to, and cause sin
to flourish in the soul. And this result is in spite of the fact that
the Law both uncovers and condemns sin, for it does not have the
power to subdue.
Furthermore, as you saw the gracious lady (Gospel) sprinkle the room
with water, at which it was very easily cleansed, this is to show you
that when the Gospel comes with its sweet and precious influences
indwelling the heart, then, just as you saw the lady settle the dust
by sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished and
subdued, and the heart made clean, through the faith of that soul;
and consequently that same soul is then made a suitable place for
the King of Glory to inhabit." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
Somehow this reminded me of the Hantavirus. Go into any old abandoned adobe home in the Southwest United States and you will find these cute little deer mice. Clean the floor and you are risking a miserable death. As you sweep up, the broom creates a dust up. You breathing in what was on the floor, including deer mouse dropping. These droppings can carry the Hantavirus.
The main effect is in the blood vessels with most symptoms associated with the lungs. At the beginning there will be shortness of breath and coughing. This will be followed by symptoms similar to the flu (muscle aches, fever and fatigue) and usually show up around 2 to 3 weeks after exposure. This leads to dramatic damage to kidneys. Later the lungs, spleen, and gall bladder are massively affected.
Why did I chase this rabbit? I wanted to point out in this world dramatic damage can be caused by just kicking up dust. In the Spirit world it is just as damaging. We should not just take a broom to our soul and try to clean it up. It is Holy Spirit's task to do this. Self-help programs and psychology without God have the same affect of deer mouse droppings on our soul and it will lead to our spiritual death.
living room that was full of dust having never been swept.
Now after he had observed this scene for a little while, Interpreter
called for a man to commence sweeping. As a result, the dust
began to fly about so overwhelmingly that Christian was nearly
choked to death. Interpreter immediately spoke to a gracious lady
standing nearby, “Bring some water here and sprinkle this room.”
The lady having done this, the parlor was then easily swept and
cleansed." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
This is the second room that Interpreter (Holy Spirit) takes Christian. Christian has been sent there by the Gate Keeper (Jesus) so that Christian receive instruction, comfort, and guidance. This room is interesting. Bunyan explains it best.
"CHRISTIAN: What does this mean?
INTERPRETER: This parlor is the heart of a man who has never
been sanctified [regenerated and justified] by the sweet grace of the
Gospel. The dust is his original [Sin he had from birth (Adam's)] sin and inward
corruptions that have thoroughly defiled the whole man. He who
first began to sweep is the Law; but the gracious lady who brought
water and sprinkled the room is the Gospel.
Now while you saw, as soon as the man (Law) began to sweep, that
the dust so swirled about the room that it became even more
difficult to cleanse, and you were near choked to death, this is to
show you that the Law, instead of it effectively cleansing the heart
from sin, does in fact arouse, give greater strength to, and cause sin
to flourish in the soul. And this result is in spite of the fact that
the Law both uncovers and condemns sin, for it does not have the
power to subdue.
Furthermore, as you saw the gracious lady (Gospel) sprinkle the room
with water, at which it was very easily cleansed, this is to show you
that when the Gospel comes with its sweet and precious influences
indwelling the heart, then, just as you saw the lady settle the dust
by sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished and
subdued, and the heart made clean, through the faith of that soul;
and consequently that same soul is then made a suitable place for
the King of Glory to inhabit." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
Somehow this reminded me of the Hantavirus. Go into any old abandoned adobe home in the Southwest United States and you will find these cute little deer mice. Clean the floor and you are risking a miserable death. As you sweep up, the broom creates a dust up. You breathing in what was on the floor, including deer mouse dropping. These droppings can carry the Hantavirus.
The main effect is in the blood vessels with most symptoms associated with the lungs. At the beginning there will be shortness of breath and coughing. This will be followed by symptoms similar to the flu (muscle aches, fever and fatigue) and usually show up around 2 to 3 weeks after exposure. This leads to dramatic damage to kidneys. Later the lungs, spleen, and gall bladder are massively affected.
Why did I chase this rabbit? I wanted to point out in this world dramatic damage can be caused by just kicking up dust. In the Spirit world it is just as damaging. We should not just take a broom to our soul and try to clean it up. It is Holy Spirit's task to do this. Self-help programs and psychology without God have the same affect of deer mouse droppings on our soul and it will lead to our spiritual death.
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