The Pilgrims Progress

“The Pilgrim's Progress- from This World, to That Which Is to Come” is a Christian allegory that was written by John Bunyan in 1678. There's no book in English, apart from the Bible, to equal Bunyan's masterpiece for the range of its readership. In the book the pilgrim’s wife Christiana comes across a man with a muck (manure) rake who could only look down at the ground.

Someone was holding a celestial crown above his head, offering to give him the crown in exchange for the muck rake. But the man did not look up or notice the crown; instead, he moved around the muck at his feet being careful to rake out the bits of straw and small sticks. Christiana tells Interpreter she thinks she knows who the man is, “a man of this World.”

Interpreter explains to her the vision “The worldly man would rather pay attention to the straws, sticks and dust at his feet than to the celestial crown held out to him by Christ. To some people Heaven is but as a fable and that the things they see around them in the world are the only things substantial. Muckraker could only look downwards, for when earthly things begin to exercise power upon men’s mind; hearts are carried away from God”.

In Philippians 3:17-20, Paul tells the believers at Philippi “Join together in following my example...and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For...many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”.

Wealth is not evil; God gave some of his children great riches. Abraham was very rich in cattle, silver and gold (Gen. 13:2).  Job was the richest man in the East (Job 1:3). Isaac’s prosperity caused the Philistines to be so envious of him that he had to flee (Gen. 26:12-17). David was endowed with wealth and honor (1 Chron. 29:28). These wealthy men of God never allowed their wealth to possess them or separate them from God.

When Job received the report that he had lost everything, he “arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said “naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked shall I return there” (Job 1:21) Job understood that he will not live on earth forever and he cannot take anything with him to the world beyond. This is a great truth that we must always remember on this side of eternity-we can’t take our material wealth with us to the next life.

When conflicts between Abraham’s and lot’s servants started, it became necessary for them to separate (Gen.13). Abraham told Lot to choose which part of the land he wanted and Abraham would take the rest. Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan (vv.10-11).

Abraham yielded to Lot's choice; he does not seem to have cared which land he got. The allure and beauty of the land did not appeal to him. A piece of grazing land did not seem worth fighting for to a man who lived with an eternal perspective. His eyes of faith had seen something much better and eternal; he was looking forward to the city whose architect and builder is God (Heb. 11:10).

Abraham and the heroes of faith in his days admitted that they were foreigners on earth. They were looking for a country of their own, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Heb. 11:13-15). They joyfully accepted the plundering of their goods, knowing that they had a better and an enduring possession for themselves in heaven (Heb.10:34).

King Solomon was the richest man in his days (2 Chron. 9:20). Solomon got caught up in the things of this world, not only in the trappings of his wealth, but in the sexual power it gave him over women. Every time he added possessions, he believed he was gaining power. In reality, he was giving himself away. In the end, wealth enslaved him and separated him from God (1 Kings 11:6). Even though he later returned to God, his most productive years were wasted.

Those who do not know Christ live only for this world and the pleasure they can find for themselves. They are “citizens” of this world and live by its rules and value system. In the world, people have a very strong urge to be better than others at all costs because being a 'winner' is a big part of who they are. It’s sad to see Christians following the world’s value system and even doing better than unbelievers.

In this life the wicked prosper and believers sometime envy them (Job 21:7-13, Ps. 73). They forget says that Satan is the "god” and “ruler” of this world” (2 Cor.4:4, John 12:31).  Satan uses the search for wealth to keep people preoccupied so that they cannot look up and see the life God is offering. He will also gladly allure people to take the wrong path to prosperity; He knows that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have will wander from the true faith (1 Tim. 6:10).

We read about the life Paul lived (2 Cor. 11:23-29) and wonder “what a life!” Moses had an opportunity to live a wealthy and powerful life. Instead we read “by faith Moses …refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Heb. 11:24-26).

Paul said “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (1 Cor. 15:19). But life on earth is brief (Isa.40:6-7).  The righteous will lose and the wicked will enjoy life only for a short time (1 Peter 5:8-10, Job 20:5-9). God offers the lost an eternal home but they're obsessed with things in the world that they can’t look up. They continually focus on the earthly and temporal rather than the heavenly and eternal (Col. 3:1-2).

Wealth should be appreciated as a blessing from God to be used in ways that glorify him. But, this same wealth can separate you from God and stifles your spiritual growth (1 Tim. 6:17-19). Wealth has a way of making people believe the absolute lie that they don’t need God. In the Parable of the Sower Jesus warns that we can be “choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures” (Luke 8:14). Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them (Ps. 62:10).

 Paul says “our citizenship is in heaven”. Here was a picture the Philippians could understand. Philippi was a Roman colony. The great characteristic of these colonies was that wherever they were, they took orders from Rome- that distant city. Philippians were Roman citizens. A citizen legally belongs to a country and has the rights and protection of that country.

Christians are not of the world, even as Jesus was not of it (John 17:16); they are a colony of heaven’s citizens on earth. Just as the Roman colonists never forgot that they belong to Rome, we must never forget that we are citizens of heaven; our conduct and lifestyle must match our citizenship. When we seek to be Christ-like in thought, word, and deed, we will live like "heavenly" people.

There is a significant contrast between the citizens of earth (Phil. 3:18-19) and the citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20-21). Unbelievers live only for the present but Christians live for the future.  The Christian’s lifestyle and value system is built on the fact that they live for a short time in these physical bodies, anticipating the bright future in our real home. The earthly phase of our experience is purely temporary.

We should set our hearts on things above (Col.3:1) and use the phase to store up treasure in heaven. We should keep in mind that the treasures we store up on earth will all stay behind when this life ends. But, the treasures we store up in heaven will be ours for eternity (Matt. 6:19-21). Here on earth we also serve as Christ’s ambassadors; we implore the lost on Christ’s behalf to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20).

Here on earth we are only pilgrims journeying toward our eternal home. Yet all too often we act as if this world is our permanent residence. In this materialistic world we are really preoccupied in laying up treasure on earth.  We have absolutely no desire to leave or even think about heaven. Paul’s mind was set in heaven. That's why he could say, "Far better to depart and be with Christ" (Phil.1:23). Make sure your citizenship is truly in heaven; then live as a citizen of heaven.