ASSIGNMENT #3

HOW CAN I KNOW FOR SURE THAT I HAVE FAITH?
Posted by Mark

Bunyan struggled immensely with his faith. He did know that the only place to go that could ever offer him any chance of hope was the Scriptures. (Come on Aaron cut him some slack… until God opens his eyes it would be natural to take things out of context) He quotes Rom. 9:16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.
(59.) With this scripture I could not tell what to do, for I evidently saw that unless the great God of his infinite grace and bounty, had voluntarily chosen me to be a vessel of mercy, though I should desire, and long, and labour until my heart did break, no good could come of it. Therefore this would still stick with me, how can you tell your are elected? And what if you should not? How then?

(61.) By these things I was driven to my wits’ end.
How many of us struggle with these thoughts? Do we really have any conception of how big God really is? Do we have any concept of how sinful we really are? Do we truly understand holiness, especially the holiness demanded by the One who would save us?
(70.) He quotes Dan. 5:18,19 He had given him all the kingdoms of the earth. Yet, I thought of him (Nebuchadnezzar), if this great man had all his portion in this world, one hour in hell fire would make him forget all.
(88.) Yea, I thought it impossible that ever I should attain to so much goodness of heart, as to thank God that he made me a man. Man indeed is the most noble, by creation, of all the creatures in the visible world: but by sin he has made himself the most ignoble. The guy constantly beats himself up because he understands the gravity of sin and he knows that it has hold on him. But it gets worse as he puts words in God’s mouth:
(109.) I should think that God did mock at these my prayers, saying, and that in the audience of the holy angels, this poor simple wretch doth hanker after me, as if I had nothing to do with my mercy, but to bestow it on such as he: alas poor fool! How art thou deceived, it is not for such as thee to have favour with the Highest.

A prayer long forgotten

There never seems to be a shortage of times when I think I'm right, even ready to fight to the death for it, and later my error is exposed. There also never seems to be a shortage of people who are just like me. I guess that is why Bunyan's prayer in paragraph 44 stood out. Here it is:

"O Lord, I am a fool, and not able to know the truth from error; Lord leave me not to my own blindness, either to approve of, or condemn this doctrine; if it be of God, let me not despise it; if it be of the devil, let me not embrace it. Lord, I lay my soul, in this matter, only at thy foot, let me not be deceived, I humbly beseech thee."

I know this prayer was offered concerning matters of which Bunyan was NOT sure. But why should we not in healthy doses exposes those things we are so sure of to this prayer and a return to Scripture? I fear we have forgotten that we see through a mirror dimly.

May God give us His wisdom and confound all of our own.
Paul

Ok, so I just got thru reading the assigned pages (15-30). So I'd like to put out some thoughts that I had during reading and maybe you had the same.

Probly the first thing that one can observe from Bunyon is the misuse of Scripture. A verse out context here and there can lead to one questioning and totally misunderstanding the doctrines of Scripture that are meant to give assurance.

The form that seemed to be prevelant in Bunyon seemed to be an exagerrated form of typology.(paragraph 71). Typology can be interesting when used appropriately, however, they way Bunyon makes use of Moses' counting some animals clean and unclean as referring to different types of men...

But appearantly Bunyon wasn't the only one. The sermon of the pastor from Song of Solomon (para 89,90) completely mishandles the intent of the text. Everything that could not be explained in Scripture, had to refer to the church or Christ somehow, just make it fit.

Along the same lines the second danger that he falls into is taking verses, or parts of verses, out of context. (i.e. Luke 22.31, "Simon, Simon, ..." Para. 93f). This just fed his insecurities and confusion that other verses, in context, would remove doubts.

In fact, his feelings seemed to be a stronger guide and force for him than Scripture at this time in his life. Bunyon seems to be searching for a feeling of salvation, something that cannot be sure, when he should have relied upon the priori of Scripture to first see the glory of God's salvation.

So here are some questions for discussion:
1. How much of our salvation "experience" is based on emotion?

2. Should churches do more to help their membership understand HOW to interpret Scripture correctly?

3. What are some passages of Scripture that gave you peace when doubting your salvation?

Till next time, (I gotta work on my autobiography for Paul-he may beat me!lol)

Soli Deo Gloria,
Aaron

An interesting practice

Unlike Mark who has zipped probably through the whole book by now, I've only read the introduction. Several things caught my eye about Bunyan's life but I'll save that until we get there in his own words on his terms. What I do want to talk about is the practice of recording a spiritual autobiography. Owens writes, "Most of these spiritual autobiographies followed a fairly conventional pattern, comprising three major stages: a sinful pre-conversion state, sometimes including providential escapes from danger; a proces of conversion which may be sudden or gradual; and post-conversion trials and resolutions" (xix). Owens also noted that although writers from most denominations contributed to this genre, Baptists and Quakers wrote the most.

So, as good Baptists the assignment is to comment on this post by giving us your spiritual autobiography. Mine will be coming soon but since I'm in the process of moving offices to make room for a nursery I bet one of you can beat me.

Paul

THE EARLY YEARS AND CONVERSION

The Early Years and Conversion

John Bunyan was born in 1628, just 17 years after the first King James Authorized Version of the Bible was established. He offers that in his younger years, “For the Holy Scriptures I cared not.”
Like many children he suffered nightmares but the source of his imagination came from sermons about eternal damnation. He says, “I was afraid to sleep lest the devil should carry me to hell.” It is at this point that I commend this preaching of hell for it is the place to be avoided at all costs.
Upon marriage his wife brought into their home some religious books that he read and was convinced that he was a sinful creature who needed God’s forgiveness to get into heaven. How many people today even consider this fact?
One Sunday after attending church he was involved in a sporting game and was convicted by a voice in his head that said, “Wilt thou leave thy sins, and go to heaven? Or have thy sins, and go to hell?”  So what does he do but immediately devise an orthopraxy of giving up a couple of his favorite passions; dancing and bell-ringing.
By this time he had begun to recognize sectarian religion. As an avid reader he developed a fondness of scripture and delighted in those who spoke this “scripture language.”  But there were those known as the Ranters who were an antinomian sect that taught that for those who were saved there was no such thing as sin. He said that he found this doctrine rather seductive but resisted and began to read the Bible more carefully.
Having read Bunyan’s Visions of Heaven and Hell I’ll admit that I was not looking forward to reading more of his misery that will not let his soul rest. He goes on endlessly over his mood swings from the depth of the pit to the height of relief at the idea of making peace with God. He really wears on me but I have to admit that even I must continually learn that my sin must forever be before me that I understand the depth of the grace gift of the atonement and never view that as common.

At this point I relinquish the keyboard to one of my fellow bloggers.

Reading Schedule

Week of July 12 vii-xxiii
July 19 note-15
July 26 16-30
August 2 31-45
August 9 46-60
August 16 61-75
August 23 76-90
August 30 91-105
September 6 106-120

GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS by JOHN BUNYAN