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Good-will at the Gate
(Christian now reaches the Wicket Gate for entering the Celestial City. "The Wicket Gate" is an important feature in The Pilgrim's Progress. A wicket gate, or simply a wicket, is a pedestrian door or gate, particularly one built into a larger door or into a wall or fence. As the first stage of the journey of Christian to the Celestial City, it is the entrance to the King's Highway. Jesus said, "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" - John 10:9. Jesus is the Wicket Gate).
At last there came a grave person to the gate named Good-Will, who asked, "Who was there? and whence he came? and what he would have?"
Christian: Here is a poor burdened sinner. I come from the City of Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, that I may be delivered from the wrath to come. I would therefore, Sir, since I am informed that by this Gate is the way thither, know if you are willing to let me in.
Good-will: I am willing with all my heart, said he; and with that he opened the Gate. So when Christian was stepping in, the other gave him a pull. Then said Christian, "What means that?" The other told him, "A little distance from this Gate, there is erected a strong castle, of which Beelzebub is the Captain; from thence both he and they that are with him shoot arrows at those that come up to this Gate, if haply they may die before they can enter in. Then said Christian, I rejoice and tremble. So when he was got in, the man of the Gate asked him who directed him thither?
Then I saw in my dream, that Christian asked him further, If he could not help him off with his burden that was upon his back; for as yet he had not got rid thereof, nor could he by any means get it off without help. He told him, As to thy burden, be content to bear it, until thou comest to the place of deliverance; for there it will fall from thy back itself.
Then Christian began to gird up his loins, and to address himself to his journey. So the other told him, "That by that he was gone some distance from the Gate, he would come at the house of the Interpreter, at whose door he should knock, and he would shew him excellent things".
Interpretation:
Christian had earlier received Christ by hearing the gospel through a preacher who was not likened to the Evangelist of the Pilgrim’s Progress. The Evangelist of the Pilgrim’s Progress now directs Christian to Goodwill at the gate. During his earlier visit, the evangelist who had earlier preached the gospel had not exhorted him to meet Goodwill at the gate. Goodwill took the timely decision to pull Christian into the Gate because the devil and his warriors were shooting arrows at the pilgrims. Hearers of the gospel need ministers like Goodwill to make them believe on Jesus Christ without wasting time during the process of hearing. Millions hear the gospel but take time in accepting Jesus Christ. There is no follow up work for those who have heard the gospel.
Christian had since not chosen to proceed on his journey to the Celestial city but had backslidden and returned to the City of Destruction from the Golgotha. He had not chosen to bear the reproach of Christ beyond the city by carrying his cross. He had remained in the city of destruction being content with the initial salvation experience.
As the Evangelist directed Christian to meet Goodwill at the Gate, the latter held the hand of Christian and drew him inside the Gate.
During our spiritual journey to Mount Zion, the Celestial City, God ordains true servants of God like Evangelist, Goodwill, etc, to show our path to the Celestial City. When we go with the burden on our back, they just show us the Scriptures to get rid of the cares of this life and of the burden of the sin and iniquities which we continue to carry despite our knowledge of the Son of God. The servants of God likened to Goodwill just open our eyes to the revelations of Christ Jesus in the word of God. They do not claim to possess all the power of Jesus. They do not arrogate themselves to the power of Christ, saying, "I will show you Christ to you as I pray for you". They would never tell you, "I will cast the burden off your back". They just gently lead you to Christ with all forbearance and patience. They would try to teach you in a way that you understand. They would not brag to know the Bible more than you. They would never brag to cast away your burden in the Name of Jesus Christ. They would lead you not only to the place of deliverance, the place of Golgotha but also to lead you farther beyond the place of Golgotha till you reach the Celestial City.
Goodwill warns the Christian about a strong castle, of which Beelzebub is the Captain who shoots arrows at the pilgrims approaching the Gate. A true evangelist does not merely pray for a miracle or for healing but warns the sinners or the backsliding believers about the Satan so as to protect them from his arrows. There are many people attending evangelical meetings who have not received the knowledge about the Satan and his tactics in deceiving them. After receiving miracles or healing, they just go away but continue to lead their lives under the domain of the Satan. At the Gate, many who had earlier heard the gospel but procrastinated at the Wicket Gate have been slain by the great enemy. “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them (Mathew 13:4).
There are indeed multitudes that appear to have received Christ during our evangelical meetings but were slain by the enemy at the Gate.
Goodwill leads Christian to the house of one gentleman called Interpreter. There are good Bible teachers or ministers of God who interpret the Scriptures for us or "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim.2:15).
There are millions in Christendom who claim to have been saved by the grace of God and delivered from the Satan through the blood of Jesus Christ but are not yet delivered from the kingdom of Satan. A Christian girl attended our prayer session to pray for others. When we prayed for another girl who was possessed of some demons, the former fell down and a demon came out of her. The girl possessed by the demon was not taught the excellent things from the word of God about her deliverance and about her position in the body of Christ.
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