The Conviction of Truth
John Bunyan was a man of “unpolished” background—a tinker by trade who mended pots and pans. Yet, after a tumultuous spiritual struggle documented in his autobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, he became a vessel of profound theological depth. His conviction was simple: the Gospel of Jesus Christ is free and must be preached by those whom God has called, regardless of human licensure or state mandates. He refused to acknowledge that the state had any authority to muffle the trumpet of the Word.
The Costly Obedience
In 1660, following the restoration of the monarchy, it became illegal to conduct religious meetings outside the Church of England. Bunyan was warned that if he preached at a scheduled gathering, he would be arrested. He chose to go anyway.
When he was hauled before the magistrates and told he could go free if he simply promised not to preach, his response was a masterclass in holy defiance: “If I were out of prison today, I would preach the Gospel again tomorrow, by the help of God.” This resolve cost him twelve years of his life in Bedford Jail, separated from his wife and his four children—one of whom was blind and particularly dear to his heart.
Faith in Action: The Prisoner’s Pen
While the authorities intended for the prison walls to silence Bunyan, God used them to amplify his voice to the entire world. It was in that “den,” as he called it, that he penned The Pilgrim’s Progress.
Instead of succumbing to bitterness or despair over his lost years, he turned his trial into a map for every believer’s journey. He showed that the “Slough of Despond” and “Doubting Castle” are real, but that the “Celestial City” is worth every struggle. His faith transformed a local persecution into a universal blessing that has outlived his jailers by centuries.
The Scriptural Foundation
Bunyan’s life and writings perfectly mirror these biblical truths:
- 2 Timothy 2:9: “Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.”
- Hebrews 11:27: “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”
- Acts 4:19-20: “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
The Uncompromised Mission
John Bunyan proved that a man’s social standing or formal education is irrelevant when compared to the power of a heart surrendered to Christ. He remained uncompromised in a season of great political and religious pressure, choosing the “reproach of Christ” over the ease of the world. He died in 1688, but his witness continues to guide pilgrims toward the gates of the City.