Week 9: By-ends, Demas, Lot's Wife, the River of God, and Doubting Castle — The Snares of Ease and Despair

1.By-ends is a masterpiece of satirical portraiture: his kinsmen are Lord Turn-about, Lord Time-server, Lord Fair-speech, Mr. Smooth-man, Mr. Facing-both-ways, and the parson Mr. Two-tongues. His philosophy: "We are always most zealous when religion goes in his silver slippers; we love much to walk with him in the street, if the sun shines, and the people applaud him." Christian's test: "You must own religion in his rags, as well as when in his silver slippers; and stand by him, too, when bound in irons, as well as when he walketh the streets with applause." Does By-ends remind you of anyone — including yourself? What does "silver-slipper religion" look like in your context?

2.Mr. Money-love argues that a minister who changes his principles to gain a larger benefice, or a tradesman who becomes religious to gain better customers, is being perfectly reasonable — and even spiritually beneficial. Christian's counter-argument is blunt: Hamor and Shechem used circumcision to get Jacob's daughter and cattle; the Pharisees used long prayers to get widows' houses; Judas carried the bag for money; Simon Magus wanted the Spirit for profit. "That man that takes up religion for the world, will throw away religion for the world." Where do you see this pattern in contemporary Christianity? In your own motivations?

3.Demas calls from beside the silver mine at the Hill of Lucre, and Hopeful's first instinct is "Let us go see." Christian resists, and they pass by. By-ends and his company turn aside and are never seen again. Then the pilgrims find the pillar of Lot's wife. Hopeful says: "I am sorry that I was so foolish, and am made to wonder that I am not now as Lot's wife; for wherein was the difference betwixt her sin and mine? She only looked back; and I had a desire to go see." What is the significance of Hopeful's honest comparison of himself to Lot's wife? What does this moment reveal about the nearness of any of us to catastrophic spiritual failure?