032 Contest and Encouragement

As all honest believers will know, there is contest between believers. Like Christian and Faithful, we each like to think of ourselves as further along the spiritual journey than others. This breeds a desire to stay ahead and to preserve the "hierarchy". Here, Bunyan graphically portrays what happens when neither believer is prepared to graciously admit that another is more advanced than he is.

In this message, we consider the fact that it is difficult to guage where each believer is on the growth scale because God brings each believer by a different route with different tests and temptations, uniquely designed for him alone. There is no measuring device that can measure and chart the exact spiritual growth of each individual. Rather, believers should excel in the cultivation of grace toward one another, appreciating the fact that they have NOTHING that God has not expressly given them. They can do NOTHING that God has not graciously given them the gifting and faith to do. If God's gracious gifts were withdrawn, there would be no difference, we would all plummet into the depths of disgrace in sin. We are preserved and grown by the gracious hand of God. Let us not measure between ourselves. Let us refuse to engage in the contest.

Christian was encouraged by Faithful's testimony--this is the kind of fellowship they should have been enjoying, rather than engaging in contest. Faithful tells Christian of the talk in the town after he ran frantically for his life. He hears about Pliable's end. Mostly, Christian was encouraged that Faithful had been rescued from the City of Destruction as a result of his testimony. You never know whom God is saving as a result of yours!