The Pilgrim’s Progress – Chapter 13 (Part 1 – Flattering Enemies and Renewed Trust)

Christian and Hopeful continue on their journey until they came to a place where there was a fork in the road.  As they looked down each path, both appeared to be as straight as the other and they did not know which way to go. 

As they stood deciding which of the paths to take, a man of dark complexion, covered by a white robe, came to them asked with a very pleasant demeanor why they were standing there.  They answered that they were going to the Celestial City but did not know which of the paths to take.  “Follow me,” encouraged the man agreeably, “for that is where I am going.”

So, they followed him, and the way he took them turned by degrees until they were walking in a direction away from the Celestial City.  Despite this bend in the road, they were not alarmed and continued to follow the man.

By and by, before they were aware of it, he had led them both within the range of a net in which they were suddenly so entangled that they knew not what to do.  With that the white robe fell off the dark man’s back. Then they saw that they had been led into a trap, and there they lay weeping for some time, for they could not get themselves untangled from the net.

Christian: Now I see my error. Didn’t the shepherds tell us to beware of the Flatterers?  We have discovered for ourselves the meaning of the wise man’s saying, ‘A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet.’

Hopeful: They also gave us a map so we could avoid the paths of the Destroyer, but we forgot to look at it.

While they lay hopelessly tangled in the net, they saw a Shining One coming toward them. He had a whip of small cords in his hand and when he asked them where they came from and what they were doing there, they told him about their pilgrimage and having been led out of the way by the deceptive man in the while robe.

Shining One: It is the Flatterer, a false apostle who has transformed himself into an angel of light.

The Shining One tore open the net, letting them out saying, “Follow me, and I will take you back to the right way.”

Shining One: Where did you spend last night?

They told him that they were sheltered with the shepherds on the Delectable Mountains. And when he then asked them if the shepherds had given them any directions, they had to admit that they had received the directions but had forgotten to use them when they got to the fork in the path, as well as forgetting, the warning to beware of the Flatterer.

Christian and Hopeful: But we did not imagine that this fine-spoken man was he.

The Shining One commanded them to lie down and when they did, he chastised them with his whip till they were sore in order to teach them to walk only in the good way.  As he chastised them, he said, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent.”

After this he sent them back on their way with instructions to pay attention to the map and the directions given to them by the shepherds. So, they thanked him for all his kindness and went meekly along the right way.

Scripture: Proverbs 29:5   Psalm 17:4   Daniel 11:32   2 Corinthians 11:13-14   Romans 16:18   Deuteronomy 25:2   2 Chronicles 6:26-27   Revelation 3:19

Thoughts to Consider:  We begin this chapter after the pilgrims were examining the faith of others: Ignorance, Turn-Away, and Little-Faith. This chapter is instructive – as it is often when considering the failings of others that we come the closest to failing ourselves!  (Spiritual Pride, anyone?  😇🙏🏼✝🙏🏼😇) Perhaps while congratulating themselves for their orthodoxy and spiritual discernment, it was easy to wander ever so slightly off the straight path.  The Flatterer is a smooth-talking false teacher. He is sly and deceptive and easily leads the pilgrims away from the path, until they are hopelessly ensnared in a net of false teachings.  It is nice to see the grace that is extended to the pilgrims here in the form of correcting and rebuking.  It worth noting to see their response of gratitude and humility.

Now after a while, they saw a man afar off coming toward them. He was traveling alone. Then Christian said to Hopeful, “Look, a man with his back toward Zion is coming to meet us.”

Hopeful: I see him. Let us be careful that he is not another Flatterer.

The man drew closer and asked them where they were going.

Christian: We are going to Mount Zion.

At this the man began to laugh uncontrollably.

Christian: Why are you laughing?

The man, whose name is Atheist, answered, “I am laughing at how ignorant you are to endure such a tedious journey and get nothing for your trouble but all the pain that goes along with such a journey.”

Christian: Why, do you think we won’t be received at the Celestial City?

Atheist: Received where? There is no such place at the Celestial City in all this world.

Christian: But there is in the world to come.

Atheist: When I was at home in my own country, I heard about the Celestial City and went to find it for myself. I have spent the last twenty years seeking this city and am not any closer to finding it than the day I began looking for it.

Christian: We have both heard and believed that there is such a place to be found.

Atheist: If I had not believed it existed, I would not have spent all this time looking for it. Having spent more time looking for it than you have, I can certainly assure you that the place does not exist, and so it cannot be found. I am now on my way back to get my share of those pleasures I denied myself in my useless journey to find something that does not exist.

Christian: Is this man speaking truthfully?

Hopeful: Take heed; he is one of the Flatterers.  Remember what it has cost us once already for listening to men such as this. What, no Mount Zion? Didn’t we see the gates of the Celestial City from the Delectable Mountains? Also, aren’t we in this present time to walk by faith? Let’s go on, if we do not continue on our way, the man with the whip may overtake us again.  You should be the one teaching me!

Christian: My brother, I did not put the question to you because I doubted the truth, but to test you and to pull out of your own heart an honest expression of your faith.  As for this man, I know that he is blinded by the god of this world. Let us go on knowing that we have believed the truth.

Scripture: Jeremiah 22:13   Ecclesiastes 10:15   2 Corinthians 5:7   Proverbs 19:27   Hebrews 10:39   1 John 2:11   1 John 2:21   Romans 5:2

Thoughts to Consider:  Atheist, with his back to Zion, walking alone, has a callous and dismissive attitude toward anyone with hope.  He is the humanist or naturalist.  It’s not that he doesn’t have faith; he just doesn’t have faith in God and he despises anyone who does.  His faith is in the things of this world and he holds to it firmly and boastfully.  He is intolerant of anything that is spiritual and is contemptuous of anyone whose faith directs them to the Celestial City.

It’s odd that in our current culture we have recently elevated ‘Separation of Church and State’ to such a degree that we are actually embracing the Church of Atheism as our national religion. People have said, “you can’t legislate morality” which may be true, but again, it’s odd that we have actually managed to legislate immorality!  I am not surprised that our younger generations no longer knows the 10 Commandments… we have removed them from schools and public places.  But when you remove ‘Thou shall not murder’ as a command, you no longer have the right to be surprised or to complain when there is a shooting in a school or a public place.  I fear that slapping a ‘mental health’ label on the perpetrator won’t solve anything.  You can throw all the tax dollars into social programs, medical programs, etc. but we are looking at a symptom, not the root cause.  The root cause is simple:  When we turn our backs on God, He turns His back on us and gives us over to our sinful desires… but He’s waiting for us to repent and return to Him. Atheists would rather we all die than turn to God.

During the COVID-19 crisis in NY, Samaritan’s Purse, flew out with volunteers and supplies.  They built a field hospital in Central Park to those affected by the virus.  An Atheist writer condemned them for their Christian views concluding that homosexuals, transgender, and gender-fluid individuals would be tainted, somehow.  The charity responded that all individuals would be welcome for assistance; they were there to test and to treat the virus victims, period.  The writer felt this response was insufficient, so she reviewed all the members that were part of the organization’s board and confirmed that they were all Christians and they all had to sign an agreement that they were in alignment with the Samaritan’s Purse’ Statement of Faith.   She felt this was obviously intolerant for this day and age.  She went so far as to say that there should be multiple religions and an atheist or two represented on the board of Samaritan’s Purse!  (citation needed for original article… Here’s the fallout.  And here.) I just remember reading the original article and thinking, “Then set up you own field hospital!”  But then, I’m not sure there is an Atheist Charity organization.