Derek Thomas

And to engrave upon the side thereof this sentence over this style is the way to Doubting Castle, which is kept by giant despair, who despises the king of the celestial country and seeks to destroy the holy pilgrims.

Many, therefore, that followed after read what was written and escaped the danger.

This done, they sang as follows.

Out of the way we went, and then we found what was to tread upon forbidden ground, and let them that come after have a care, lest they for trespassing his prisoners are, whose doubting castles doubting and whose names despair.

Well, in part two of Pilgrim's Progress,

Christiana, actually two of the sons and some others go into this castle and destroy it.

And just remember this part of the story where this warning is given because the two boys, they're teenagers, they're just ready for a fight and they go in to destroy the castle and raze it to the ground.

but a very dark, dark section of Pilgrim's Progress that ends with this key called promise that's lying all the while in his bosom.

It's the promise of the covenant that God will always hear the cries of His children who come to Him by faith.

This is a very sobering truth and one, I think, that makes Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress perhaps shocking and somewhat alarming to modern readers, particularly modern readers who have been influenced by an easy believism.

This is a very sobering truth and one, I think, that makes Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress perhaps shocking and somewhat alarming to modern readers, particularly modern readers who have been influenced by an easy believism.

Well, welcome back to Lecture 3 in our study together of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. We're at a very, very interesting stage in Pilgrim's Progress. Christian has just made it through the Wicket Gate. He's been pulled through by a man by the name of Goodwill.

Well, welcome back to Lecture 3 in our study together of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. We're at a very, very interesting stage in Pilgrim's Progress. Christian has just made it through the Wicket Gate. He's been pulled through by a man by the name of Goodwill.

And you might, had you not known the story, you might have expected at this point for the burden to roll away and from this point onwards there would be little by way of difficulty. But actually that's not the case. And what happens now is alarming. For some it is distressing. For others it is confusing. Because Mr. Goodwill tells him now to go to the house of Mr. Interpreter.

And you might, had you not known the story, you might have expected at this point for the burden to roll away and from this point onwards there would be little by way of difficulty. But actually that's not the case. And what happens now is alarming. For some it is distressing. For others it is confusing. Because Mr. Goodwill tells him now to go to the house of Mr. Interpreter.

And here in this house, he will see many things, one of which will be deeply, deeply disturbing. Alexander White says in his commentary on Pilgrim's Progress and on the characters of Pilgrim's Progress, he says, "'Every minister of the gospel is an interpreter, and every evangelical church is an interpreter's house.'"

And here in this house, he will see many things, one of which will be deeply, deeply disturbing. Alexander White says in his commentary on Pilgrim's Progress and on the characters of Pilgrim's Progress, he says, "'Every minister of the gospel is an interpreter, and every evangelical church is an interpreter's house.'"

So bear that in mind as commentators try to understand what Bunyan is actually doing at this point. He's saying that the church has a responsibility to teach those who are recently converted, those who have been brought in through the wicked gate, they've got a responsibility to teach them certain things about the way of salvation, about what the Christian life actually looks like.

So bear that in mind as commentators try to understand what Bunyan is actually doing at this point. He's saying that the church has a responsibility to teach those who are recently converted, those who have been brought in through the wicked gate, they've got a responsibility to teach them certain things about the way of salvation, about what the Christian life actually looks like.

And I suppose Pilgrim's Progress is at the opposite end of the spectrum from views of Christianity that might suggest, come to Jesus and all your troubles will disappear. Now, I was told something of that kind when I became a Christian, and actually what I discovered was that I came to Jesus and I discovered problems I didn't have before. And I think that Bunyan is wanting to prepare Christians