From the City of Destruction to Celestial City

Here is a poor burdened sinner. I come from the City of Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, that I may be delivered from the Wrath to come; I would therefore, Sir, since I am informed that by this Gate is the Way thither, know if you are willing to let me in?

When I was a preteen, back in the 1980’s, I read a book, (at the time many where talking about it, then I did not hear about it anymore until this year). The book was called The Pilgrim’s Progress. It was written in an old-Spanish language, similar to the Don Quijote de La Mancha by Cervantes, or what you would say in English, the Old Queen English. It was hard to read because of the old language, but I gave it a try.

The book took me to a place of self-conscious of my sins and my need of being saved from those sins by Jesus, the Son of God.

“What shall I do?” he knelt and cried. And when he looked up, he saw a man named Evangelist who would serve as his guide.

“Don’t wipe away your tears, look through them. Sometimes tears have a way of bring clarity.”

“Now, don’t hesitate. Don’t waste any more time! Do what you know you must! You’ll soon see with your eyes what you believe in your heart and you’ll be rid of that burden on your back!”

I managed to understand that at the Cross, the heavy load of sin tighten upon the Pilgrim’s shoulders (Christian) was finally let loose and felt into the ground and he felt such a relief and freedom. Below is a summary of that scene in the book:

The Shinning Ones appear, and ask Christian if he knows what just happened. He does “My heart – has been cleansed. My King did for me what I and no one else could do. He has rid me of my burden, and He has given me new life!”

The weight of sin has been lifted, and Christian’s conscience has been cleansed. He has been saved!

The pilgrim could finally rest and walk the rest of his trip (life on this earth) free and without a heavy load pressing over him.

I too finally understood that my salvation did not depend on my works or efforts; it was an undeserved Gift from God. Christian responded to this gift:

“My heart is overwhelmed with thanks, for my filthy rages and heavy burden have been taken from me, and in their place, such blessing – such great blessing – beyond compare!”

But at the last part of the book, when the pilgrim crosses the River of Death and it is knocking at the Door of the Celestial City, the person asked him for the scroll that was given to him at the Cross; and his friend Ignorance didn’t have one because he jumped out of the Wall of Salvation instead of passing through the narrow Door, (as well as Formalist and Hypocrisy did before him) and he was left out. Below is a summary of that scene in the book:

The scene of Christian’s near drowning emphasizes the importance of knowledge gained through travel. Throughout The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian has encountered many difficulties, including falling into the Slough of Despond at the beginning of the journey. In the Slough, another pilgrim rescued Christian, but now Christian is forced to think of his own way out of the river. By learning from the mistakes of the pilgrims he’s met on the journey, Christian stays on the right path toward salvation. Christian’s strong faith and belief that the Celestial City exists pulls him out of the river. If Christian chose to accompany Ignorance on an easier path, he would have been cast out of the Celestial City. Earlier on his journey, Christian made the mistake of listening to Worldly Wiseman, but now he does not make the same error. Instead, Christian immediately recognizes Ignorance as a fool. The knowledge Christian gains on the journey aids him in his final task when crossing the river.

I still remember so vividly that day, how my heart sunk when I read of Ignorance, Hypocrisy, and Formalist being left out!

I unfortunately, grew up with a misconception of two Gods; the God of the Old Testament, in the person of the Father; a “Righteous God impossible to please”, and the God of the New Testament, in the Person of the Son, Jesus Christ, who forgive my sins and who is loving and caring.

I did not want to be left out at the end of my life when I have to meet my Creator, like Ignorance, Hypocrisy, and Formalist.

It took me many, many, years to understand that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are the same. That the God of the book of the Pilgrim’s Progress was for sure the God of Justice and Righteousness but also the God of Love and Mercy.

Oh how I can feel my life relates so much to the Pilgrim’s life. We were the only Christians in a neighbourhood of dozens and dozens of none believers. You stick out like a black grain of rice in a bag of white rice! The struggle was real, the human efforts vs Holly Spirit help was a constant battle. The mistakes and wrong turns and choices were so bitterly painful (similar to the Pilgrim’s journey). I guess because you are God’s child, sin bothers even more.

But, like Christian (the Pilgrim), I was set free at the Cross! Although it took me some time to understand my new righteousness before God, full righteousness as new clothes from Jesus.

At the Cross the Pilgrim is clothed in new garments. The Shining Ones explains to him:

“The King has made you one of His own. You walk as a prince before him Christian.”

He has new garments of righteousness that now covers him!

Oh, I really wanted to read this book to my Joshua one day, before he started attending middle school, to prepare him to “face the world” a little bit better than I did.

However, God had other plans.

God in His sovereignty, wise and loving plan, took him so young and innocent that he did not had to go through so much as the Pilgrim did.

When Joshua crossed the River of Death, as the Pilgrim did, Jesus Himself was there to meet him, and took him to the Celestial City, in Mount Zion!

The Shining Ones lead them up to the gate of the City on a tall hill, where trumpeters greet them. Christian and Hopeful realize they have lost their mortal garments in the river. The Shining Ones beseech the king of the City to open the gate. The king announces that anyone who keeps God’s truth may enter and commands that the gate open for Christian and Hopeful. They enter and are clothed in garments of gold.

I too want to be met by Jesus when is my turn to cross the River of Death and feel His loving arms around me, and feel all the dirty, rugged clothes fell off and put on a white garment. Nevertheless, if the Rapture occurs before, my prayer is “God, help me to be found worthy when you come for your church!”

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34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21: 34-36

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