“Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners” An interesting title for an Auto-Biography. I’ve slacked on these reports lately due to me not having so much time to read along with the lack of motivation to write a report after I do read a book. However I recently had a discussion with my grandma that encouraged me to write the reports again. Not necessarily for people to read but, honestly, so that I can remember what I read and retain more of the information in the pages.
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners is the Auto-Briography of John Bunyan. Most know him as the author of Pilgrim’s Progress though he wrote 60 books in his lifetime. His life can be split into a few digestible parts:
Part 1: Pre Conversion to Conversion
Though this is the start of John’s life I think it creates the bedrock of who he is as a person and why he chose the title for his own biography. At a young age John began life as a rebellious kid who was constantly up to no good. He had no thought of God and was “without hope” in the world. This sums up the great majority of his childhood.
However, as he started to grow up God touched his heart and opened his true eyes to the reality of his sin. This began to torment him a great deal. As you read this part of the book the emotions are like a wild roller coaster. One day he is in great torment and seeking God and the next day he forgets all about him and continues in his wickedness. It is in this part of his life that he picks up a bible and begins to read.
He also discovers another group of Christians at this time of his life and through their company, scripture reading, he is shown to become a new creation.
A defining moment happens in his life when he is tempted by intrusive thoughts to abandon Christ and he, in a sense, does. This torments him to his very core and he spends a long time in tears, agony, anguish, and searching scripture for some type of comfort. He finally landed on Hebrews 12:22-23. To which he writes:
“Then with joy I told my wife, O! Now I know, I know! But that night was a good night to me, I never had but few better; I longed for the company of some of God’s people, that I might have imparted unto them what God had showed me, Christ was a precious Christ to my soul that night; I could scarce lie in my bed for joy, and peace, and triumph, through Christ.”
John Bunyan
Part 2: Life in Ministry
Shortly thereafter John begins to see a gift given to him by God: exhortation. He is excellent at preaching and, through the counsel of others, begins to do so. He finds himself often in the streets preaching to the common folk. Of course at the time the Roman Catholic Church was prevalent, especially their “Common Book of Prayer” which John would preach against.
As he preaches more and more to the people he becomes more popular. Of course as this happens the devil begins to try to take him down in a few different ways. One of the most hurtful ways was spreading a rumor that he had cheated on his wife and been with multiple women. In the book he stresses the importance of the clean conscience between him and God. There is no defeating that. As Paul said: “In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a conscience without fault both before God and before men.”
Finally the devil simply takes him off the field…
Part 3: Trials and Persecution
John created such a rage in the catholics talk that they eventually arrested him during a simple meeting of God’s people. They proceeded to put him through trials, lots of trials. All for the effort of asking him to stop. To simply stop having his meetings. To which he would say that God has given him the gift of exhortation and it is his duty to preach and edify God’s people for His glory.
John ended up being shut up in prison for 6 years, released, then put in jail for 6 more years, released, then put in jail for 6 months. However, in the devil’s attempt to shut out John Bunyan it is in these prison years where we get Pilgrim’s Progress as well as the other works he wrote. And it is by this work alone that we remember him and millions of Christians have been edified and some even led to salvation. Once again, God’s plan worked through it all.
Conclusion
Throughout this time he had a wife and 4 children, one of which was blind. He loved his family dearly and we are told he was an excellent husband and father. If there was one thing I took away from his biography it was this: “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). The Word of God. Living it, reading it, meditating on it, etc. This was John Bunyan. It was scripture alone that gave him comfort, rest, peace, joy, hope, etc. From his early years of conversion he gave himself to the reading of scripture and that showed forth abundantly in blessing throughout his life. May we do the same.