Derek Thomas

And the first thing that we see in this portion is Bunyan's attempt to portray worldly opposition to the gospel, that everyone who becomes a Christian will experience some kind of opposition, maybe from members of the family or maybe from friends at work and so on. Obstinate represents stubbornness and an immovable point of view. And pliable is the opposite.

He represents fickleness, a readiness to believe anything except this, of course. So let's eavesdrop the conversation just a little. This is obstinate. What are these things you seek since you leave all the world to find them? And Christian says, I seek an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.

He represents fickleness, a readiness to believe anything except this, of course. So let's eavesdrop the conversation just a little. This is obstinate. What are these things you seek since you leave all the world to find them? And Christian says, I seek an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.

And it is laid up in heaven and safe there to be bestowed at the time appointed on them that diligently seek it. Read it so, if you will, in my book. And obstinate says, Tersh, away with your book. Will you go back with us or no? And Christian says, no, not I, because I have laid my hand to the plow. And at that point, obstinate leaves.

And it is laid up in heaven and safe there to be bestowed at the time appointed on them that diligently seek it. Read it so, if you will, in my book. And obstinate says, Tersh, away with your book. Will you go back with us or no? And Christian says, no, not I, because I have laid my hand to the plow. And at that point, obstinate leaves.

But Pliable continues walking with him, and Pliable says, "'The hearing of this is enough to ravish one's heart, but are these things to be enjoyed? How shall we get to be sharers thereof?' And Christian says, "'The Lord, the governor of the country, hath recorded that in the book, the substance of which is, if we be truly willing to have it, He will bestow it upon us freely.'"

But Pliable continues walking with him, and Pliable says, "'The hearing of this is enough to ravish one's heart, but are these things to be enjoyed? How shall we get to be sharers thereof?' And Christian says, "'The Lord, the governor of the country, hath recorded that in the book, the substance of which is, if we be truly willing to have it, He will bestow it upon us freely.'"

And Pliable says, well, my good companion, glad I am to hear these things. Come on, let us mend our pace. Now, Alexander White, famous illustrator and commentator on the characters of Pilgrim's Progress, gave some lectures in the late 19th century at St. George's Free Church in Edinburgh. And these are well-known books. There were a couple of volumes, characters from Pilgrim's Progress.

And Pliable says, well, my good companion, glad I am to hear these things. Come on, let us mend our pace. Now, Alexander White, famous illustrator and commentator on the characters of Pilgrim's Progress, gave some lectures in the late 19th century at St. George's Free Church in Edinburgh. And these are well-known books. There were a couple of volumes, characters from Pilgrim's Progress.

And he makes a comment both about obstinate and about pliable. And his comment about pliable is especially interesting. Pliable was willing to go with Christian for the benefits that Christian describes. He wants eternal life. He wants the promise that God makes to bless you. This man is open to these things.

And he makes a comment both about obstinate and about pliable. And his comment about pliable is especially interesting. Pliable was willing to go with Christian for the benefits that Christian describes. He wants eternal life. He wants the promise that God makes to bless you. This man is open to these things.

If you were to ask him, do you want to have your sins forgiven or do you want eternal life or do you want to be a Christian? He'd answer yes to every single one of them. He believes Christian because he believes everything. He's typical of many folk in our own time, don't you think? That they're open to anything, whatever happens to work. And that's pliable. Now, pliable never reads the book.

If you were to ask him, do you want to have your sins forgiven or do you want eternal life or do you want to be a Christian? He'd answer yes to every single one of them. He believes Christian because he believes everything. He's typical of many folk in our own time, don't you think? That they're open to anything, whatever happens to work. And that's pliable. Now, pliable never reads the book.

He was never burdened by the sense of his own sin, so he's like the seed in the Lord's parable of the sower in Matthew 13. He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receives it. Yet has he not rooted himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended by them."

He was never burdened by the sense of his own sin, so he's like the seed in the Lord's parable of the sower in Matthew 13. He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receives it. Yet has he not rooted himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended by them."

He doesn't have any root, and this is pliable. Bonin is commentating on various responses to the gospel. There's the response of obstinate, and he just says no, and he goes away. But there's the response of pliable, who for a season at least seems to be interested in the gospel, seems to respond at least for a season. But then when trouble comes, he disappears.

He doesn't have any root, and this is pliable. Bonin is commentating on various responses to the gospel. There's the response of obstinate, and he just says no, and he goes away. But there's the response of pliable, who for a season at least seems to be interested in the gospel, seems to respond at least for a season. But then when trouble comes, he disappears.

Now the second thing we see in this part of the story is Bunyan's attempt to describe how conviction of sin can actually lead you to a worse state of affairs before it actually gets better. Now, that's not true of everyone who is a Christian. Not everyone has this biography. This is an autobiography, I think, of the way Bunyan himself experienced salvation.

Now the second thing we see in this part of the story is Bunyan's attempt to describe how conviction of sin can actually lead you to a worse state of affairs before it actually gets better. Now, that's not true of everyone who is a Christian. Not everyone has this biography. This is an autobiography, I think, of the way Bunyan himself experienced salvation.

And before he came to assurance of faith, he actually went down and down and down into further and further conviction and further depression with regard to the hopelessness of his condition. Pliable is still there. He continues with Christian until they come to a bog, quicksand. It's a well-known place, of course, the Slough of Despond. Now, you may say slew, or I've even heard the word slough.