Pilgrim's Progress Part 1 (The believer's earthly journey)

INTRO: I welcome you to this series of messages, “Pilgrim's Progress: The Journey of the Church Age Believer.” I invite you to turn to Phil. 3:20-21 (read). It was after doing a message on this passage that this series was born. The story of Pilgrim's Progress is an allegorical story. I want to give you the real story of Pilgrim's progress. John Bunyan's story gives in allegorical form, man's journey from the time that conviction of sin first sets in until he crosses the river of death. I want to give you that part of the Pilgrim's progress as well but like Paul Harvey, I want to give you the rest of the story. We are not in a hurry. Our study of this journey will take some time. This is not an allegory, this is the real story. In some places the Scriptures do not appear to give much information. In such places it is easy to speculate. I will seek to keep speculation to a minimum and where I do speculate I will try to alert you to the speculation. Also, where views differ I will seek to give you the major views