Season 6 Podcast 9 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 51 Chapter 9 H, “Come Unto Christ.”

A New Voice of Freedom

Season 6 Podcast 9 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 51 Chapter 9 H, “Come Unto Christ.”

In last week’s podcast Hopeful explains to Christian how he was converted to Christ through the examples of Christian and Faithful in Vanity Fair. He recounts his struggles as a new convert. Hopeful concluded by saying that Faithful taught him of Christ. Faithful taught Hopeful that Christ “was the mighty God, and did what He did, and died the death also, not for Himself, but for man; to whom His doings, and the worthiness of them, should be given if I believed on Him.” Hope struggled with the new doctrine. The dialogue between Christian and Hopeful continues.

“CHRIS. And what did you do then?

HOPE. I made my objections against my believing, for that I thought He was not willing to save me.”

Hopeful perhaps touches on a subject that is familiar to many Christians. It is simply this. He could see how Christ could save others, but he could not see how Christ could save him. Many are plagued with self-doubt, thinking their sins are too horrible to be forgiven. Faithful then teaches Hopeful to humble himself before God.

“CHRIS. And what said Faithful to you then?

HOPE. He bid me go to Him and see. Then I said it was too much for me to ask for. But he said No, for I was invited to come. Then he gave me a book of Jesus' own writing to encourage me the more freely to come; and he said concerning that book, that every word and letter thereof stood firmer than heaven and earth. Then I asked him what I must do when I came; and he told me I must entreat on my knees, with all my heart and soul, the Father to reveal Him to me. Then I asked him further how I must make my prayer to Him; and he said, Go, and thou shalt find Him upon a mercy-seat, where He sits all the year long to give pardon and forgiveness to them that come. I told him that I knew not what to say when I came; and he bid me say to this effect: God be merciful to me a sinner, and make me to know and believe in Jesus Christ; for I see that if His righteousness had not been, or I have not faith in that righteousness, I am utterly cast away. Lord, I have heard that Thou art a merciful God, and hast given that Thy Son Jesus Christ should be the Saviour of the world; and, moreover, that Thou art willing to bestow Him upon such a poor sinner as I am. And I am a sinner indeed. Lord, take therefore this opportunity, and show Thy grace in the salvation of my soul, through Thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen.”

Faithful teaches Hopeful how to pray. Remember, this is all new to Hopeful. He doesn’t yet know Christ. Notice from the above the instructions that Faithful gives to Hopeful. Hopeful recounts Faithful’s teachings.

First he teaches Faithful to pray to the Father:

Next Faithful teaches Hopeful what to pray for.

Finally Faithful teaches Hopeful that he must close the prayer in the name of the Son Jesus Christ.

In the Sermon on the Mount Christ takes great pains to teach us how to pray.

Matthew 6:5-8

“5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”