Knocked Down by the Law

Journey to the Celestial City #45. In our continuing look at John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress,” today we find the man, Christian, listening to Faithful share his pilgrimage story yet further. Having just ripped himself away from Adam the first, he is now run down by another exceedingly powerful and deadly foe. It is none other than Moses the Lawgiver who fells Faithful not just once or twice, but even for a third time. And Moses would have made an end of Faithful except for the One who walks by and bids him: “forbear.” The Rescuer isn’t recognized at the first by Faithful, but having been enlightened to “the holes in His hands and His sides,” he then perceives him to be the very Christ of God. And the Law was given to expose humankind’s awful and wretched condition of sin. All of us are in dire straits and under the penalty of death. Are you trying to live according to the Ten Commandments? The fact is you can’t. You need help. You need a Savior. You need Jesus. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.'” (Galatians 3:13) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) More to come in the next blog post. Check back soon. (To read this entire blog post series, scroll down to “Pilgrim’s Progress Series” in the left sidebar.) pp 62-63