"CHRISTIAN: But are there no turnings or windings or detours
by means of which a stranger can lose his way?
GOOD-WILL: Yes, there are many side paths that attach to this
narrow way, and they are crooked and wide. But you must
distinguish the right way from that which is wrong by observing
that it is straight and narrow.
Then I saw in my dream that Christian further asked Good-will
if he was able to help him take off the burden remaining on his
back, since it seemed impossible to remove without assistance.
Good-will advised that he should be content to bear this load until
he came to the Place of Deliverance further ahead; then the burden
would fall from off his back by itself.
So Christian began to gird up his loins and seriously pay attention to
the journey before him. Good-will then told him that when he had
traveled some distance from the Gate, he would come to the house
of the Interpreter; having knocked at the door, there he would be
shown excellent things. At this, Christian said farewell to Good-will
who in turn bid him Godspeed." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
Christian has arrived at the Wicket-Gate and was welcomed by Good-Will. He has been rescued from destruction, but his burden is still on his back. The burden is his conviction of his sin. He is told by Good-Will that the time will come where it will be dealt with.
Christian must continue on his journey. He has been shown the straight and narrow way. It is clear which way he is to go. He is also warned that there are many side paths. These side paths are easy to distinguish, because they are crooked and wide. Christian will have no problem as long as he stays on the straight path.
"Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:27
"Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them." Deuteronomy 28:14
"And thy ears shall hear the word of one admonishing thee behind thy back: This is the way, walk ye in it: and go not aside neither to the right hand, nor to the left." Isaiah 30:21
So, if the path is so clear why do so many lose their way? This isn't about a Christian losing their salvation. I'm talking about those who have lost their way and are now wondering in the desert. These are believers who can still return to the right path.
"Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme." I Timothy 1:18-20
"Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus" II Timothy 2:16-17
Hymenaeus, was a believer. He was walking the path with Paul. Somewhere he lost his way. We do not know how, but we do know that now he is engaged in "godless chatter" We know that he is blaspheming. He is speaking ill of God. Many who lose their way blame God for this. They are not at fault, someone else is.
How many adulterers blame their spouse for their actions. "They didn't love me properly" "They weren't meeting my needs." "They didn't understand me." On and on the accuses go, but the reality is they made the decision to break their covenant with their spouse. It is most likely this is what Hymenaeus did as well. Somewhere he felt that his selfish needs were not being met.
Paul has handed him "over to Satan to be taught." This does not sound good at all, but in reality is great news for Hymenaeus. This means that it is not too late for him. Paul isn't teaching us, but Hymenaeus. If he learns his lesson, he may return to the right path.
So what is our lesson? The path is clear. It is straight. There is no reason to lose our way. Yet, many do lose their way. They do so when they choose to turn away, to turn to the left or the right. The road is clearly wrong because it is crooked. There is some time to return, but not long. Sooner or later the heart hardens and all is lost.
"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:13
"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." Hebrews 3:12-13
"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:26-31
"Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." II Peter 3:17
by means of which a stranger can lose his way?
GOOD-WILL: Yes, there are many side paths that attach to this
narrow way, and they are crooked and wide. But you must
distinguish the right way from that which is wrong by observing
that it is straight and narrow.
Then I saw in my dream that Christian further asked Good-will
if he was able to help him take off the burden remaining on his
back, since it seemed impossible to remove without assistance.
Good-will advised that he should be content to bear this load until
he came to the Place of Deliverance further ahead; then the burden
would fall from off his back by itself.
So Christian began to gird up his loins and seriously pay attention to
the journey before him. Good-will then told him that when he had
traveled some distance from the Gate, he would come to the house
of the Interpreter; having knocked at the door, there he would be
shown excellent things. At this, Christian said farewell to Good-will
who in turn bid him Godspeed." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
Christian has arrived at the Wicket-Gate and was welcomed by Good-Will. He has been rescued from destruction, but his burden is still on his back. The burden is his conviction of his sin. He is told by Good-Will that the time will come where it will be dealt with.
Christian must continue on his journey. He has been shown the straight and narrow way. It is clear which way he is to go. He is also warned that there are many side paths. These side paths are easy to distinguish, because they are crooked and wide. Christian will have no problem as long as he stays on the straight path.
"Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:27
"Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them." Deuteronomy 28:14
"And thy ears shall hear the word of one admonishing thee behind thy back: This is the way, walk ye in it: and go not aside neither to the right hand, nor to the left." Isaiah 30:21
So, if the path is so clear why do so many lose their way? This isn't about a Christian losing their salvation. I'm talking about those who have lost their way and are now wondering in the desert. These are believers who can still return to the right path.
"Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme." I Timothy 1:18-20
"Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus" II Timothy 2:16-17
Hymenaeus, was a believer. He was walking the path with Paul. Somewhere he lost his way. We do not know how, but we do know that now he is engaged in "godless chatter" We know that he is blaspheming. He is speaking ill of God. Many who lose their way blame God for this. They are not at fault, someone else is.
How many adulterers blame their spouse for their actions. "They didn't love me properly" "They weren't meeting my needs." "They didn't understand me." On and on the accuses go, but the reality is they made the decision to break their covenant with their spouse. It is most likely this is what Hymenaeus did as well. Somewhere he felt that his selfish needs were not being met.
Paul has handed him "over to Satan to be taught." This does not sound good at all, but in reality is great news for Hymenaeus. This means that it is not too late for him. Paul isn't teaching us, but Hymenaeus. If he learns his lesson, he may return to the right path.
So what is our lesson? The path is clear. It is straight. There is no reason to lose our way. Yet, many do lose their way. They do so when they choose to turn away, to turn to the left or the right. The road is clearly wrong because it is crooked. There is some time to return, but not long. Sooner or later the heart hardens and all is lost.
"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:13
"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." Hebrews 3:12-13
"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:26-31
"Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." II Peter 3:17
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