The Wicket Gate
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Amen. Amen. Amen. knowing that all the powers of hell cannot withstand the triumph of His Church. Join thousands of like-minded Christians for three days of warm fellowship and rich teaching as we explore the promise of Jesus Christ to build His Church and consider how Christians are called to evangelism, missions, discipleship, and worship all to the glory of God. Learn more, explore this year's speakers, and register by visiting Ligonier.org slash 2025. That's Ligonier.org slash 2025. Now on to today's episode. Before he wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan was embarking on his own journey.
He had pulled himself up by his bootstraps. He had tried to live an obedient life. And to the outward world, to the outward observance, he looked as if he was a new man. And indeed, so I was, though yet I knew not Christ, nor grace, nor faith, nor hope.
The Pilgrim's Progress is a classic. Even if you haven't read it, you're probably somewhat familiar with the story of Christian and his journey to the celestial city. But what you may not know is that many of the challenges Christian faces parallel Bunyan's journey through life, and perhaps your own. You're listening to Renewing Your Mind, and I'm your host, Nathan W. Bingham. Today on Renewing Your Mind, Derek Thomas takes us behind the scenes of this literary masterpiece. Here's Dr. Thomas.
Well, welcome back to Lecture 2 on Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and we're going to look at the events surrounding the Wicket Gate and how Christian gets through the Wicket Gate. We left him in Lecture 1 running towards a light. He couldn't see the Wicket Gate, and he's running with his fingers in his ears. He's running away from the city of destruction. He's not listening to the pleas of his wife or his children, and he's saying, life, life, eternal life. Now he meets two friends. He hasn't got to the Wicked Gate yet, and he meets two friends. Actually, they're neighbors of his in the city of destruction, and they're called Pliable and Obstinate. 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. 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.'"
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.
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