Homeward Bound

One of my favorite parts of The Pilgrim's Progress is when Christian visits the house of the Interpreter; where he is impressed with several images presented to him. Each are given to aid the powerful faculty of his imagination, and will remain with him throughout the travails of his pilgrimage to the Celestial City. Images and other artistic devices are powerful tools that can carve their subject matter deeply into our memory. That Pilgrim's Progress itself is a work of allegory and imagination only further illustrates the utility of such methods. One of the scenes Christian is confronted with in the house of the Interpreter is that of a stately palace. One which many desire to enter but dare not because of the guards at the gate: I saw also that the INTERPRETER took him again by the hand, and led him into a pleasant place, where was builded a stately palace, beautiful to behold; at the sight of which CHRISTIAN was greatly delighted: he saw also upon the top thereof certain pe...

There is quite a buzz these days about winsomeness, and the question is how should Christians live in a now godless culture? Do we be kind to one another and in a spirit of meekness seek to show our good deeds to the world that they may glorify our Father in heaven (Luke 5:16)? Or do we confront the lost as Noah did the antediluvian masses, call them to forsake their sins and hide in the shelter from the coming judgment (2 Peter 2:5)? Do we live quiet lives and earn good report (1 Thess 4:11); or do we ditch that and preach against that unregenerate Herod's taking of his brother's wife (Luke 3:19). It is not easy to navigate the Christian posture. There is a point where winsomeness becomes only an excuse for cowardice; and a point where what is commonly called "culture warring" is just mean spirited bravado. We are equipped with manifold personalities and tendencies, and while all marked by sin, we are more geared to one approach or another. We should not seek to give...