Derek Thomas

earlier on in his own century in the Synod of Dort, for example, and in the discussions of the Westminster Assembly, that these are important matters and that the way we are saved, the way we are actually brought into union and communion with Jesus Christ is because God ultimately wills it, that it's not our doing and it's not even our willing. Yes,

We do will, but because God makes us willing in the day of his power. And so into the very narrative itself, he introduces illustratively this idea that at the end of the day, Christian is sort of pulled in through the gate. And from this point onwards, Christian is a saved man. He is a redeemed man. Or is he?

We do will, but because God makes us willing in the day of his power. And so into the very narrative itself, he introduces illustratively this idea that at the end of the day, Christian is sort of pulled in through the gate. And from this point onwards, Christian is a saved man. He is a redeemed man. Or is he?

because he still has his burden and actually he will have his burden for many more pages and we will have to go through a variety of places, surprising places before Christian actually loses his burden and that's raised the issue at what point exactly did Christian become a Christian, and I want you to bear that in mind as you further read into Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

because he still has his burden and actually he will have his burden for many more pages and we will have to go through a variety of places, surprising places before Christian actually loses his burden and that's raised the issue at what point exactly did Christian become a Christian, and I want you to bear that in mind as you further read into Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

He's on his way to salvation. He's on his way to the cross, but he will be under this burden, this conviction of sin for 18 months. It's very important to understand Pilgrim's Progress because one of the questions that has often been asked of Pilgrim's Progress is why does Bunyan take so long for Christian to get saved?

He's on his way to salvation. He's on his way to the cross, but he will be under this burden, this conviction of sin for 18 months. It's very important to understand Pilgrim's Progress because one of the questions that has often been asked of Pilgrim's Progress is why does Bunyan take so long for Christian to get saved?

Well, welcome to a series of studies together on Bunyan's pilgrim's progress. Next to the Bible, Pilgrim's Progress has been the most published book in the English language. I teach at a seminary, have done for 17 years, and I frequently ask students, how many of you have read Pilgrim's Progress? And I'm

Well, welcome to a series of studies together on Bunyan's pilgrim's progress. Next to the Bible, Pilgrim's Progress has been the most published book in the English language. I teach at a seminary, have done for 17 years, and I frequently ask students, how many of you have read Pilgrim's Progress? And I'm

amazed, staggered even, these days to find that maybe less than 20%, sometimes as few as 10% of the class have ever read Pilgrim's Progress. And I tell them with considerable gravitas that they will not get into heaven having not read Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

amazed, staggered even, these days to find that maybe less than 20%, sometimes as few as 10% of the class have ever read Pilgrim's Progress. And I tell them with considerable gravitas that they will not get into heaven having not read Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

I was in the company of someone just recently, a man who'd spent his lifetime as a preacher and asked him what his favorite book was, other than the Bible. And immediately he said Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. And I think if you're of a certain generation, as a couple of you are,

I was in the company of someone just recently, a man who'd spent his lifetime as a preacher and asked him what his favorite book was, other than the Bible. And immediately he said Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. And I think if you're of a certain generation, as a couple of you are,

then I imagine Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was something that you read, perhaps if you were raised in a Christian home, read in your home and read by maybe your parents or maybe studied it in Sunday school. But I have this fear that this may be the generation where Pilgrim's Progress sort of disappears and that would be a tragedy. The first part of Pilgrim's Progress, there are two parts.

then I imagine Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was something that you read, perhaps if you were raised in a Christian home, read in your home and read by maybe your parents or maybe studied it in Sunday school. But I have this fear that this may be the generation where Pilgrim's Progress sort of disappears and that would be a tragedy. The first part of Pilgrim's Progress, there are two parts.

The first part was published in 1678. And then six years later, the second part in 1684. And we're going to study together both parts. Now, if I were to ask the question, how many have read part two of Pilgrim's Progress, the story of Christiana and the four boys, then we're considerably down into single figures in terms of percentage-wise.

The first part was published in 1678. And then six years later, the second part in 1684. And we're going to study together both parts. Now, if I were to ask the question, how many have read part two of Pilgrim's Progress, the story of Christiana and the four boys, then we're considerably down into single figures in terms of percentage-wise.

And probably for every hundred that have read Pilgrim's Progress part one, maybe two or three have read part two. But in many ways, part two of the story is an even better story in some ways than part one. And theologically, there are some fascinating things that take place in part two that don't take place in part one. Not least, of course, you have a woman's angle in part two.

And probably for every hundred that have read Pilgrim's Progress part one, maybe two or three have read part two. But in many ways, part two of the story is an even better story in some ways than part one. And theologically, there are some fascinating things that take place in part two that don't take place in part one. Not least, of course, you have a woman's angle in part two.

It's the story of Mrs. Christian, Christiana, and you have a family story, and it's a much more of a corporate story than the more individualistic story of part one. I'll be telling the story of Bunyan himself a little bit as we go along. I won't belabor you with all of the details of Bunyan's life in the first lecture. That would be one way of doing it.