In the opening chapters of John Bunyan’s famous allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian is joined on his journey by a man named Pliable. As his name indicates, Pliable is a man who is very easily swayed by those around him, and when he hears Christian speaking of his new found life and the hope of the Celestial City, he very quickly decides that he is going to join Christian on his journey. In time, Pliable would fall away when hardship came along, much like those represented by the seed sown on rocky soil, who endure ‘for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away’ (Matthew 13:21, ESV). However, even before Pliable’s desertion of the Way, Bunyan has woven into the story three telltale signs of Pliable’s spurious profession of faith.

1) Pliable was carefree in relation to sin

Those who have read Pilgrim’s Progress will know that when we first meet Christian he is weighed down by a burden on his back, representing the conviction of his sin. He knows that, on account of his sin, he is unprepared to face death and judgment, and he longs for the burden of sin to be removed from him. However, with Pliable there is no burden mentioned. He has not come under the conviction of sin, in any way. He has no fear of judgment. He doesn’t seem to have any sense of urgency, or any recognition that he is in desperate need of salvation.

In his commentary on Pilgrim’s Progress, Spurgeon writes this:

‘Pliable had no burden on his back, as Christian had. This was one of the proofs that he was not a true pilgrim. That which brings men to Christ is a sense of their need of him… Pliable did not, at first, appear to be greatly troubled when he heard that the City of Destruction was doomed; but when Christian talked so prettily about heaven, he thought there might be something in it… But, all the while, there was no burden on his back; he had no sense of his need of a Saviour.’

2) Pliable was selective in relation to the Bible

Whilst Pliable did not experience any of Christian’s burden of sin, he did show some interest in Christian’s book, which is of course the Bible. However, here again we discover a problem: Pliable listened to the bible only selectively. Though he is interested in what Christian’s book has to say, he’s only interested in certain parts of it. He wants the positive bits, but that’s all. Pliable says to Christian: “Tell me further, Christian, what are these glorious things, and how are they to be enjoyed?”

As the conversation continues, Christian and Pliable talk about the ‘glorious things’ that the book points to – about the joy of heaven and the glory to come. Pliable seems increasingly excited about these things. But his problem is, he is reading the Bible selectively. He doesn’t want to know about what the Bible says about sin, and judgment, and repentance. Pliable listened to the bible, but only selectively.

3) Pliable was negligent in relation to prayer

As Christian grappled with the book in his hand and the burden on his back, his response was to turn to prayer. Bunyan writes ‘He began to withdraw himself to his room to pray for and pity his family. He would also walk solitarily in the fields, sometimes reading, and sometimes praying. Being greatly distressed in his mind as he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, “What shall I do to be saved?”’

The burden and the book led Christian to prayer, as he cried out to God for salvation – for him, and for his loved ones. But with Pliable, prayer was conspicuous only by its absence. Feeling no burden of sin, and reading the book only selectively, his prayers were non-existent. Pliable was negligent in relation to prayer.

The apostle Paul urges us, ‘Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves’ (2 Cor 13:5). Let us take these three lessons from the example of Pliable and examine ourselves accordingly. And may we press on as true pilgrims, marked by thoroughgoing repentance from sin, wholehearted acceptance of God’s word, and heartfelt devotion to prayer.

Rev. Andy Hambleton