This is a novel and an allegorical story about some knights who travel on a quest to reach a beautiful kingdom called the Kingdom of Heaven. As they go, they encounter giants, evil knights, swamps, perils, cliffs, dungeons, castles, evil Medieval lords, traps, dark forests, cunning enemies, and powerful weapons. They must fight for their lives and overcome all obstacles with the use of their weapons and armor, namely the Sword of the Spirit, and the Shield of Faith, and the power of God.
Pilgrim’s Journey: The Quest for Heaven
- A Novel / Allegory -
By: Justin Brown (a pen name)
Date Created: Dec. 4, 2018
Chapter 3
The Battle with
Unbelief
The giant suddenly swung his
large battle axe at Henry Willow, and the heavy blade struck him in the
breastplate. It knocked him off his feet and sent him crashing to the floor.
His breastplate kept him from receiving a wound, but it didn’t protect him as well
as his shield would have.
Markus ran toward the locked
door and tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge. He was about to strike it
with his sword, when Andrew shouted, “Lookout, Markus!”
Just in time, he saw the
heavy, axe blade swinging toward him, and he held up his shield to block it.
The axe struck the shield with a resounding clang. At the same time, the giant
drew a hammer from a holster and suddenly slammed it into Markus’s sword.
Markus’s grip on his sword was somewhat weak, and the weapon flew out of his
hand. Then, in a quick and fluid motion, the giant reached out an armored gauntlet toward Markus Christian and ripped his shield from his arms. Now, he was
defenseless except for his breastplate, helmet, sturdy belt, and protective
boots.
[Gauntlet: A jointed piece of hand armor that covers the outside of a knight's gloves.]
[Gauntlet: A jointed piece of hand armor that covers the outside of a knight's gloves.]
The giant quickly grabbed
Markus. As he did, he abruptly swung his axe at Andrew. The heavy blow struck
Andrew in the helmet, and he fell to the ground, dropping his shield. Then a
second blow dislodged his sword from his right hand. The giant grabbed the weakened
Andrew and carried both men toward an open door in a wall and down a corridor.
Along the corridor appeared some jail cells. He opened one, which was larger
and wider than the others, and threw both men into it. They landed against the
hard, stone floor with a thud.
Then, he tromped back the way
he had come. A short time later, he came down the hall carrying Henry Willow in
one hand. The man wore a look of fear mingled with despair. After unlocking the
iron cell door with a key, the giant roughly tossed him into the same cell, and
slammed the door. It locked with a click.
Looking at his prisoners
through the slits of his helmet visor, Sir Unbelief said, “You will never
escape from my line of reasoning and logic. I am the master. You are my slaves.
You are doubters, unbelievers, and skeptics. Here, in my place of Doubt, you
will believe that God is dead, the Bible is full of lies, and there is no hope
but to live for yourselves and to do your own pleasures.”
The giant lumbered off down
the hallway. Fifteen minutes later, he returned with a wooden chest. He
unlocked the cell door and shoved the wooden chest through. Then, he slammed
the door shut and said, “Enjoy the pleasures of the world.” And, he laughed
hideously as he marched down the hall. His laughter echoed for a whole minute
and faded into the distance.
The Wooden Chest
Curious what might be inside,
Henry Willow reached toward the chest, but Andrew Strong-heart placed a hand
over his to caution him. “I don’t think we should open that chest,” Andrew
said.
“I am curious what it
contains. Besides, what will we do with our time here?” Henry Willow said,
staring at Andrew.
“That giant is named
‘Unbelief’ for a reason,” Andrew said. “He has nothing good to offer us.”
“Well, just let me do my own
thing,” Henry said with irritation in his voice. Reluctant, Andrew withdrew his
hand, and the middle-aged, bearded man popped the wooden lid open.
A burning torch hung from a
wall bracket, illuminating the cell, and it revealed a stack of books within
the chest along with a ceramic bottle containing a mysterious fluid. A deck of
playing cards rested beside the stack of books. Henry, with much curiosity,
reached in, drew out all the items, and set them on the prison floor.
“Those are playing cards,”
Andrew said, pointing at the deck of cards.
“What about them?” Henry
said, looking up at his new friend.
“They are based on magic
cards used in witchcraft,” Andrew explained. “I’ve heard that witches use
them to practice divination to learn information about people and events. This
is forbidden by God. They are also used for gambling. These cards never were
used for holy purposes.”
“That’s absurd. You really
believe this?” Henry said with consternation (i.e. shocked dismay).
“And,” Markus Christian said,
“the Bible says that we should not learn the way of the nations, such as
drunkenness, adultery, fortune-telling, etc. Jeremiah
10:2 says: ‘Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the
signs of heaven ; for the heathen are dismayed at them.’ Ephesians 5:11 says: ‘And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them.’”
Henry
frowned, deep in thought.
“And,”
Andrew said, “Exodus 22:18 says: ‘Thou
shalt not suffer a witch to live.’”
“Is
that so?” Henry muttered.
“Ancient
Israel was told, by God, to make sure no one practiced witchcraft in their
land,” Andrew said. “Any who did, and didn’t truly repent, would be killed.
But, that decision to kill was for the judges and the courts of ancient Israel.
In the New Testament, the Bible says: ‘But the fearful, and unbelieving, and
the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers,
and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the
lake which burneth with fire and brimstone : which is the second death.’
[Revelation 21:8.]” [Emphasis added].
“Okay, I’ll burn them,” Henry
said as he stood up and held the deck of cards to the torch flame. In a few
seconds, the cards burst into flames and fell to the stone floor, slowly being
eaten by the orange tongues.
Henry then picked up a book
and flipped it open. The title was “Philosophy.” He tried another book and
flipped the lid open. The title was “How to Be Rich in a Short Time.” Other
titles drew Henry’s attention: “Reasons to Reject the King James Version”;
“Learning to Love Yourself”; “The Legend of the Magic Wand” ; “The
Chronicles of Narnia …” ; “The Lord of the Rings …” ; “Harry Potter …” ; “Star
Wars …” ; “Eastern Meditation Meets Christianity” ; and “Psychology
and the Church.”
“These books are corrupt and
deceptive,” Markus said after a few minutes of glancing at the titles and
chapter headings of a few books. “The Bible has the truth, but mankind has
nothing but corrupt reasoning, false logic, and prideful pursuits. We should
not read these ungodly books. Some have ‘Church’ and ‘Christianity’ in their
titles, but they are deceptions of the devil to lead Christians away from the
purity of God’s holy Word, the Bible.”
“Hmm,” Henry said quietly,
glancing at Markus, and then at the books.
Andrew Strong-heart said with
conviction, “The apostle Paul warned the early Church that false teachers would
come speaking perverse (i.e. false and evil) things. Acts 20:29-30 says: ‘[29] For I know
this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not
sparing the flock. [30] Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.’”
“And,”
Markus said, “Deuteronomy 18:10-13 says: ‘[10] There shall not be
found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth
divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
[11] or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits,
or a wizard, or a necromancer. [12] For all that do these
things are an abomination unto the Lord : and because
of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. [13] Thou
shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.’” [Emphasis
added.]
“You’re right, I guess,”
Henry Willow said, sighing. “I just would like to read something interesting to
pass the time until we get out of here.”
“Why not read the Bible?”
Markus said. “You still have it with you in your satchel, don’t you? It is the
Book of books.”
Henry reached into his
leather satchel, which hung from his belt and pulled out his Bible. “Yes,” he
said, “I still have my Bible. I guess I’ll have to read it if I don’t want to
be bored.”
“The Bible is not boring,
friend,” Andrew said. “It is the inspired words of the Almighty God, our Father
and Creator. In John 6:63, Jesus Christ
said, ‘It
is the Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing : the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.’”
“Okay,” Henry muttered as he
scratched his beard, which flowed beneath his helmet. “You must be right.”
The Challenge
Henry reached into his
satchel and pulled out his Bible. He began reading, and his friends did the
same. After an hour had passed, heavy footsteps in the hallway startled them
and they looked up from their Bibles. Giant Unbelief came plodding down the
hall with a crooked smile on his face. The large creature stopped before their
cell and gloated at them through the bars with an arrogant smirk, which was
concealed by his closed helmet visor.
Towering above them, the
giant folded his arms and said, “So, have you decided to reject the truth and
believe my teachings? After all, truth is all relative. There are no absolutes.
Truth is what you want to make it.”
Then, Andrew Strong-heart
stood to his feet, followed by the others. He faced the giant and said boldly,
“Truth is not relative. It is absolute. What you just said is an absolute
statement. It is not a relative statement. Your statement is not dependent on
other variables, so it is an absolute statement.”
[Variable:
Something that can change or vary.
Absolute (adjective): Refers to something that is independent
and is not able to be modified or changed by anything else.]
“Very clever, but my
statement is still profound,” Unbelief said cockily.
“Truth is not relative. One
plus one equals two. And, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of the universe,
said this profound statement in John 14:6: ‘Jesus saith
unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me.’”
“So what?” Unbelief said with
a frown.
“Jesus Christ said that He is
the Truth,” Andrew said boldly. “There is no salvation and no life apart from
the person of Jesus Christ, who reveals Himself through the Holy Bible.”
Unbelief glared at Andrew and
suddenly roared, speaking cursing and vitriol (i.e. bitter criticism) at
God and at the men before him. Then, he unlocked the prison cell and flung open
the door. He was in a rage and appeared ready to kill the men before him. He
drew a large broadsword from a scabbard and raised it up.
Just as he did, an angel
suddenly appeared in the cell, carrying three shields and three swords. As the
shining being stood there, the giant backed up, startled, and covered his eyes
to protect them from bright light radiating from the angel. Giant ‘Unbelief’
groaned with anger, fear, and annoyance as the angel handed a sword and shield
to each of the men. Then, the bright being vanished into thin air, and the
light went with him.
Now, in the light of the
torch fastened to the prison wall, each man shut his helmet visor, held up his
shield, and tightened his grip on his sword. They were ready for combat. A word
appeared stenciled in white paint on each shield: “FAITH.” Each sword bore the
phrase: “Sword of the Spirit.” [See Ephesians chapter 6.]
The Second Battle with
Unbelief
“You vagabonds will be
destroyed shortly by my best weapon!” the giant said harshly as he drew an iron
hammer from a holster on his back. It was large and solidly constructed, like a
sledgehammer.
Markus saw words appear on
the hammer head in red paint: “Hammer of Doubt.”
With intense power and fury,
the giant began his attack, swinging his sword--which was labeled
“Skepticism”--at Markus. Clang! Markus parried the swing with his sword.
But, the iron hammer slammed into his helmet--crash!-- and
knocked him to the ground. His sword clattered to the floor. To Markus, it felt
as if he had run into a tree, and he was slightly dazed.
With a grunt, the giant swung
his sword at Henry Willow, but Henry blocked it with his shield and swung his sword
at the giant’s left arm. His aim was not the best, but he managed to give the
giant a small cut just above his wrist. The evil creature roared with pain and
swung his hammer down toward his attacker, but Henry blocked the swing with his
shield. Swiftly, he lunged toward the giant with his sword. But, the giant
quickly blocked the jab with his broadsword.
Just as the giant blocked the
strike, Andrew charged toward the creature, holding his shield up. Andrew’s
sword was placed against one edge of the shield and ready to stab. The giant
slammed his hammer down on Andrew’s shield--Clang!-- and, a second
later, he swung his sword toward Markus. Markus had just retrieved his sword
and was charging toward the monster.
While this was happening,
Henry got the courage to attack, and he thrust his sword toward the giant’s
exposed neck. The tip of Henry’s sword found a gap in the armor and barely
touched the giant’s neck before the creature, roaring with pain, deflected the
sword away. But, as the giant deflected it, he caused the sword tip to make a
cut by scratching a line across his neck, and he bellowed in pain.
Seeing he was losing the
battle, the monster suddenly and quickly retreated. Frustrated and fearful, he
ran off down the prison corridor, and out of sight. He had lost the fight, and
now his prisoners were free to go.
Breathing somewhat heavily,
the three men returned their Bibles to their satchels and exited the cell. They turned to go back down the
hall in the direction they had originally come from. Soon, they found
themselves standing in the room where they had first encountered Giant
Unbelief. As before, the room was dirty, dusty, and full of cobwebs, spiders,
rusty pieces of armor, and straw. A torch in a wall bracket illuminated the
room with a flickering, orange light. Andrew drew out of his belt an unlit
torch and lit it using the torch flame.
He could see the
iron door they had passed through before
they had first encountered giant Unbelief. It was open ajar. Without any
hesitation, they left the dreary room and found themselves back in the
underground tunnel.
Desiring to be out of that
place, the men jogged forward down the tunnel and away from the castle dungeon,
which was behind them some distance. As they did, Markus said, “We should not
have gone through that door. The sign said ‘Doubt.’ And, God had told me not to
go through.”
“You’re right, Markus,” Henry
Willow said, jogging beside him. “I should have listened to you, and God.”
Then, he said quietly, “Father God, forgive me for foolishly ignoring the
warning of my friends and for listening to my deceitful heart. I was wrong for
not listening to you, and I repent.”
A kind voice said to his
spirit, “My son, I am with you. You are forgiven.”
Before long, the men reached
the end of the tunnel and found a set of stone, spiral stairs. After ascending
to the last step, they reached an iron door and pushed it open and beheld the
outdoors. It was daytime. The mid-morning sun shown through the trees of a
hardwood forest, casting small shadows. From this, Markus could tell that they
had been a whole night in the prison below.
It felt good to the men to
breathe fresh air and see sunlight, especially to Henry Willow, who hadn’t seen
the sun for quite some time. They soon noticed, to the north, a hill with a
fortified, four-story chateau sitting atop it. Flag poles atop some of its blue
turrets sparkled in the sunlight. The flags were yellow and brilliant as they
ruffled in the crisp air.
After gazing at the distant
chateau, Markus turned around to see what lay behind him. He and his friends
had just emerged from a small, one-story stone building with an iron door. It
had a sign attached over the door, reading: “The way to the dungeon of
Unbelief.”
[Chateau: a
fortified house or castle often found in France.]
“Look over there, Markus and
Henry,” Andrew said pointing suddenly. “It’s a path.”
The men turned to see Andrew
pointing toward a narrow trail through the woods. The men walked toward it and
noticed a sign near the trail saying, “This is the highway to the Kingdom of
Heaven. On the hill to the north of this sign is a stone house. It is both a
house and a church building for pilgrims to be refreshed at.”
“Should we go toward that
chateau?” Henry said, looking at his friends.
“Let’s do that,” Markus said
as he started walking forward. “This is the right path.”
The Chateau
After 40 minutes of walking,
the three pilgrims reached the large, oaken front door of the fortified mansion
and knocked. In a moment, it opened and a butler said, “This is the house of
Samuel Truth-speaker. It also serves as a church meeting place. How may I help
you gentlemen?”
The butler was a medium-sized
man with a red beard and well-groomed hair. He wore a blue tunic and trousers
of a silken material.
With a friendly smile, the
butler studied the three men in armor, whose helmet visors were opened. Two of
the men were growing very short stubble while the third man’s face produced a
lengthy beard. They appeared to be honest men, and their armor was the armor of
a believer in Jesus: the armor of faith. So, the butler trusted them.
“We are rather hungry and are
hoping to have breakfast here,” Markus said. “And, we have money to pay for any
expenses.” As he spoke, his stomach was growled.
“That would be perfectly
fine, sir. Come in and make yourselves at home,” the butler said, smiling as he
opened the door wide and stepped aside for them to enter.
Once inside, they found
themselves inside a large foyer with suits of armor, upholstered seats, Persian
rugs, and paintings of wooded countryside. A wide grand staircase presented
access to the second floor. The butler led them toward a door to the left which
opened into a dining room.
Entering through the door,
Markus and his friends found themselves in an elegant room with a chandelier of
burning candles and a large, wooden table with chairs arranged around it. The
floor was made of stained oak boards.
A second door opened and a
middle-aged man walked into the room. He had a short, brown beard and a kind
smile on his face.
“Welcome, pilgrims,” he said
cheerfully. “It is a pleasure to have more guests at my humble home.”
At the far end of the room
rested a large fireplace with a crackling blaze, which created a comfortable
atmosphere. The white walls displayed more framed paintings of countryside
scenery, adding to the cozy character of the room.
“Who are you, sir?” Henry
Willow said.
“I am Samuel Truth-speaker,”
the man said warmly as he walked toward the visitors and past some book shelves
lining the wall. “God has given me this place to host guests and to teach them
the truths of the Holy Bible, as God teaches me.”
“You are a pastor, sir?”
Henry Willow said.
“That is correct, and it is
only by God’s grace I can teach anything,” Samuel said meekly. “But, tell me
about yourselves, my friends.”
Then, the three began giving
narratives of their adventures up to the point when they first met their kind
host. He listened genially and gave nods and small statements as they talked.
Then, he said, “Well, you have been through some challenges. But, God gave you
the grace to overcome them all, and God will continue to guide you on your
journey or pilgrimage to Heaven. Let me share something with you that has been
a real blessing to me.”
Samuel reached toward a book
shelf and pulled out a Bible. Flipping it open, he came to a certain place and
said, “Psalm 91, verses 1 through 5, are very helpful to me when I go through
trials and threats of danger. Psalm 91:1-5 says:
‘[1] He that dwelleth
in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the
Almighty. [2] I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and
my fortress : my God ; in him will I trust. [3] Surely he shall deliver thee
from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome
pestilence. [4] He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings
shalt thou trust :
his
truth shall
be thy shield
and buckler. [5] Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night ;
nor for the arrow that flieth by day
;’”
“I want to study that
passage,” Henry said, scratching his beard in thought.
Then, the men talked for some
time and discussed some more verses from the Bible. Half an hour later, they
ate an ample and tasty breakfast meal and then continued their friendly
discussion of the Bible for a few more hours. After some prayers had been
lifted up, their host suddenly gasped.
“Oh, friends, I completely
forgot about a guest who is staying with me,” Samuel said, sighing and placing
the palm of his hand on his forehead. “It totally slipped from my mind. I’d
like you to meet this guest. He would love to have some fellow traveling
companions.”
Without waiting another
moment, Samuel hurried out of the kitchen and returned four minutes later with
a man dressed in suit of armor that matched the armor worn by Markus and his
friends. The visor was open and they could see the face of a clean-shaven man.
“Carl,” Samuel said,
motioning toward the other knights, “these are my other guests.” He made
introductions, and then motioned toward Carl and said, “This is Carl
Green-bridge. He is a believer in Jesus and has been staying with me, waiting
for the chance to travel with some fellow believers.”
“It would be good to have
another traveling companion,” Markus said, smiling, and extending a hand of
greeting.
Carl gave him a firm
handshake and smiled. “I don’t trust going on a journey by myself.”
“But, Jesus is always with
us,” Markus said.
“You’re right,” Carl said,
nodding.
After a few more words were
spoken, the four men set out to continue their journey, and their host bid them
farewell.
The men left the chateau and
returned to the path they had used earlier. It took them through the woods for
three miles before it reached a very dense and dark part of the forest. Shadows
abounded among the trees and bushes, and speckled, poisonous mushrooms grew in
the shade of large, gnarly oak trees. Here, the blue sky could only be seen in
irregular patches in the forest canopy. Gradually, the pilgrims entered into
low-lying mist or fog.
Still holding his burning
torch, Andrew led the way down the path, but soon, the fog became so dense that
the path became hard to see. With caution, the travelers slowed their pace to
try to stay on the path. In a short time, an upright object appeared to their
left, and Henry Willow pointed at it, saying, “I see something over there. It’s
a wooden sign.”
Andrew walked up to the sign
with his torch in hand. “It says,” Andrew said, “‘Pilgrim, beware of the swamp
of Fear. Stay on the trail, and you will find stepping stones leading across
the swamp. If you step off the stones, you will get bogged down in the mire.
Call upon God for help if you are in need.’”
“I guess, we’ll have to be
careful,” Carl Green-bridge said looking at the sign.
“Let’s keep going and see if
we can get through this swamp very quickly,” Markus said as he drew his sword
from his scabbard.
“I agree. The faster we
travel, the better,” Carl said, drawing his sword too.
The Swamp
With that, the men set off at
a rapid pace: a fast walk. As they went, the woods became darker and darker,
and the fog became denser and denser. Eerie hooting sounds came from the trees
on either side, and a strong breeze began to sweep through the branches of the
ancient, gnarly trees, causing them to creak and sway. In the distance a wolf
howled, and Henry gulped.
“I hope we don’t encounter
any wolves out here,” Henry said. “A whole wolf pack would be a real danger to
us.”
“But, we have armor,” Markus
said, glancing at the middle-aged man.
“True, but wolves are
dangerous creatures,” Henry said.
“But, we have God with us,”
Andrew said, entering their conversation.
Several loud snapping sounds
came from the deep shadows of the forest. The sounds startled the men so much
that they began jogging quickly, hoping to get out of the dense, dark part of
the woods soon. In a few minutes they reached a swamp, but the fog was so dense
that they didn’t see any stepping stones.
“Where are the stepping
stones the sign spoke of?” Carl Green-ridge said, looking right and left. The
darkness and the fog obscured the ground, and the swamp was filled with lily
pads, cattails, marsh trees, and other plants, making it hard to distinguish
stones poking above the water.
Suddenly, they heard a heavy
footfall--thump, thump--and a loud snap come from the woods not far
behind them. The men felt their skin tingle with apprehension. Another loud
snapping sound came, cracking through the cool, humid air. It was followed by a
second, heavy footfall, which pounded against the earth. Whatever had created
that sound was a big creature, and it was coming their way.
Without waiting any further,
the men splashed into the swamp and tried rushing forward. To their dismay, the
thick, silt-covered ground began to bog them down after they had only gone
fifteen feet from the shore of the marsh. More ominous hooting sounds came from
the depths of the woods.
“It looks like we’re stuck,”
Henry Willow moaned. “And, I can still hear something moving through the
forest.”
“Let’s look for the stepping
stones,” Markus Christian said. “They can’t be too far from us.”
Suddenly, splashing sounds
came from the marsh far to their left, and in a few seconds the men saw
human-shaped figures approaching through the fog. In moments, the figures became
more clear, resolving into 10 armored knights wearing dark-grey armor with
black and red surcoats. Their helmet visors were shut, concealing their faces,
and their swords were drawn. They held their shields directly in front of them
as they sloshed through the marsh toward the pilgrims. Unlike the travelers,
the enemy knights had no trouble moving through the swamp.
“Who are you?” Markus said
strongly, trying to hide his fear. He knew he was at a disadvantage since his
feet were partially stuck in the mire.
“We are knights serving Baron
Tyrannous Fear,” the nearest enemy warrior said coldly.
‘That’s the town Andrew and I
came from,’ Markus thought to himself.
“And,” the evil knight said
with malice in his voice, “we have come to recapture you and take you men as
prisoners. You will be our slaves for the rest of your existence.”
Then, the evil knight closest
to Andrew shouted, “Attack!”
Chapter 4
Battle in the Swamp
The evil knights of Baron
Fear charged through the water, intent on their mission like a snake preparing
to strike its prey. Then, the armed pilgrim knights went into combat with their
foes. Steel rang against steel as swords clashed with swords and with pieces of
armor.
“I will destroy your power to
fight,” a cruel attacker said as he struck Markus’s shield with blow after blow
from his broadsword. “You will not be able to resist me.”
“That’s a lie,” Markus said.
“I can do all things through…”
But, he forgot the rest of
the Bible verse as the evil knight shouted, “I will tie you up in ropes which
you won’t be able to break. Your time has come, Christian!”
“I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me,” Markus said, gritting his teeth as he fought,
parrying blows with his sword. “Philippians 4:13 says, ‘I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’”
“And,” Markus added, as he
struck the shield of the evil knight, “God’s Word says: ‘Nay, in all
these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.’ Romans
8:37.”
“Stop saying that! Your God
can’t help you in this fight! You have no hope in this battle,” Markus’s foe
said with anger and frustration.
Markus struck the shield of
his enemy several more time in quick succession--clang, clang, clang--and
the metal of the shield began to crack on the edge.
As he hacked at the shield,
Markus said loudly, “Romans 8:26 says, ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth
our infirmities : for we know not what we should pray for as we ought : but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered.’”
The shield suddenly cracked
loudly and split in half, and the crook dropped it. The defeated foe began
splashing through the swamp, hurrying away from the victorious follower of
Jesus. Markus could see that his friends were fighting well, except for Carl,
who appeared to be trying to retreat from a vicious knight who was striking at
him ferociously. Carl’s sword was nowhere to be seen. The man was holding up his
shield to protect himself. So, Markus began praying for his friend as he
started slogging toward Carl to give him some aid.
The enemy knight was striking
viciously at Carl now, and blow after blow was ringing against his helmet, his
breastplate, and his armored body. After a few more blows, Carl lost his grip
on his shield, and it slipped into the marsh with a splash. Each successive
blow was driving Carl further and further back. He was holding up his
armor-plated arms to protect his helmet.
With determination and
prayer, Markus was able to get strength to charge toward his friend’s attacker.
Water sprayed as Markus surged forward through the swamp. The enemy knight
turned his head in time to see Markus swinging his sword. The evil soldier
tried to block it, and he did, but at the expense of his shield. With blow
after blow, Markus Christian assailed the foe. Clang. Clang. Clang.
Metal rang against metal, and sparks flew.
As he fiercely struck the
shield, and the knight’s sword, Markus shouted, “‘For God hath
not given us the spirit of fear ; but of power, and of love, and of a sound
mind.’ 2 Timothy 1:7.”
“Stop! Stop!” the enemy
exclaimed.
“The Lord Jesus Christ said,
‘Peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ John
14:27.”
“We
have nothing to be afraid of,” Markus said to Carl as he attacked the enemy.
Carl was frantically looking
for his sword and shield among the marsh plants.
Crack! The enemy shield suddenly broke in half with a loud,
metallic snap, and the evil knight cursed just before he fled, splashing
through the water. As he did, Carl reached into the water and pulled out his
sword. Markus found Carl’s shield and pointed it out to him. In a few seconds,
the man who had been beaten back was now equipped for the battle.
After fighting off three more
evil knights, and destroying their shields, Markus noticed that the rest of the
evil soldiers were retreating. He exhaled with delight, grateful for the
victory that God had given him and his friends.
“How are you folks doing?”
Markus said as he looked at his friends. They appeared somewhat weary but also
alert and ready for anything.
“We are well, I think,”
Andrew said, glancing at his companions. “God gave us that victory. Praise His
name! I know I couldn’t have done it without him. I was able to beat back five
attackers.”
“Let’s find the stepping
stones,” Markus said. “I think they are close by.”
Sure enough, they were close
by. The fog was starting to dissipate, and a series of flat stepping stones
appeared, protruding above the marsh, running in a line. They were only five
yards from the men. With God’s help, they were able to plod through the mire
and reach the stones. Once they had reached the stones, Markus looked down and
noticed a phrase carved into his stepping stone. It was, ‘Faith in God’s Word.’
Continuing on, he found that the phrase ‘Faith in God’s Word’ appeared on each
successive stepping stone.
The men walked across the
stones for some distance before a splashing sound suddenly came from their
left. Whatever had made the sound was concealed by the fog. Splash. Splash.
Splash. The sound continued.
Then, a huge, dark figure
appeared through the fog. Soon, it came into view, and the men saw a giant
wearing dark-grey knight’s armor and carrying a large, iron hammer in one hand,
and a double-headed battle axe in the other. Markus recognized the intimidating
creature from his armor and from a word in red paint -- “Unbelief” -- which was
located on his helmet.
It was giant Unbelief, and
following behind him were two other giants with knight’s armor. They were
slightly shorter than Unbelief, but only by a few inches. Each shorter giant
had a word painted in red on his helmet. The helmet of one had on it the word
‘Confusion,’ and the other helmet had the word ‘Insecurity.’
Three Foes
Carl, at the rear of the
group, was shivering with fear, and the three giants sloshed toward him, sensing
that he was the weakest. Seeing them, Carl Green-bridge suddenly dropped his
shield and sword. With fear gripping him, he jumped off the stepping stone he
was standing on and splashed into the mire. Trying to escape the giants, he
slogged through the marsh but got bogged down, and his feet were soon trapped
in a deep layer of thick sediment.
“Carl, what are you doing?
You dropped your sword and shield. You need them!” Markus said, alarmed.
“I don’t believe. I can’t
believe anymore,” Carl said, shivering.
“You must trust God,” Andrew
said.
“I won’t trust God anymore
because He failed me,” Carl said with a mixture of anger and fear.
“God never fails,” Markus
said. “Deuteronomy 31:6 says, ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear
not, nor be afraid of them : for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go
with thee ; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’”
“I don’t want to hear that.
God has failed me!” Carl said firmly. “There is no hope for me. You see the
giants coming.”
“But,” Andrew said urgently,
“God will give you the power to defeat them if you will just trust in Him and
take up the sword of the spirit and the shield of faith.”
Ignoring the other pilgrims,
the three giants walked around the stepping stones and sloshed toward Carl.
Giant Unbelief was the first to reach the terrified man. A deep, booming
chuckle came from his helmet. “I have you now, you floundering human,” he
bellowed. “I will take you away to the castle of False Religion, and there you
will serve me.”
“Call upon God,” Henry said loudly.
“He will deliver you, Carl.”
Carl made no reply, but just
trembled in fear as the giant returned his battle axe to a holster on his back.
He removed a set of handcuffs from a leather bag attached to his belt and
locked Carl’s hands behind his back. Having done that, Giant Unbelief picked up
the man and tossed him onto his left shoulder as if Carl were a log.
The two other giants followed
him as he sloshed back across the marsh toward the direction he came from.
Turning to face the men on the stepping stones, giant Unbelief shouted, “I will
come back for you soon!”
“What are you doing with him?
Let go of him!” Markus said loudly, concerned about his friend.
“Your companion has given me
much power over his life by way of his unrelenting doubt,” the giant said
coldly. “I am taking him away now to my castle. And, I will come back for you
later.”
He turned and continued
sloshing through the swamp. After a few minutes, the trio was gone, and the
three men on the stepping stones breathed a sign of relief. But, their relief
was also mingle with sadness.
“Why didn’t Carl put up a
fight? He just dropped his shield and sword,” Andrew said, troubled. “He didn’t
call on God for deliverance and help.”
“He let go of his faith and
the sword of God’s Word when confronted with a strong enemy,” Markus said with
sadness in his voice.
“We can’t just let those
giants take him away,” Andrew said with frustration. “There has to be some way
to rescue this man.”
“Let’s get across these
stepping stones,” Markus said. “Then, we can seek God about what to do.”
The other two agreed, and the
three men hurried across the remaining stepping stones. After two minutes of
walking, they had reached the end of the stones, and the end of the swamp. Now,
on dry ground, the men came together in a circle and began to pray and seek God
about what to do for their friend who was captured.
After they had prayed a
couple minutes, Henry opened his eyes and looked to his left. His eyes widened.
“I see a castle on a hill,” he said. “Could that be the castle of False
Religion?”
“Father God,” Markus said
quietly, “is that castle on the hill the castle of False Religion?”
“Yes, My son. That is where
they took your friend,” God said to Markus’s spirit. “See if you can rescue
him.”
“I can only do it with your
help,” Markus said.
Then, he turned toward the
other two men and said, “Brothers, our friend Carl has been taken to that
castle, which God showed me is the castle of False Religion. That is where men
do works of self-righteousness to try to earn God’s favor. But, we know that
God’s favor is unmerited favor. We can’t earn it or maintain it by our works.
It is a free gift, and it is called grace. With God’s strength to empower us,
we can battle those three giants and rescue Carl.”
“So, that is the castle of
False Religion,” Henry said, scratching his long beard as he studied the
edifice on the hill.
“Let’s go then,” Andrew
Strong-heart said boldly. “Those giants have not gone too far.”
The Rescue Party
With that, the three men
hurried off through the forest toward the hill with its imposing castle. After
traveling for half a mile through thickets, bracken clusters, and dense
undergrowth, they reached a clearing where the castle hill appeared, towering
high above them.
They could see three giants
suddenly emerge from the forest and enter the clearing where the hill was
located. One was clearly Giant Unbelief carrying Carl over his shoulder.
Without wasting any time, the
three followers of Jesus drew their swords and charged toward the giants.
Seeing the men running toward them, the giants prepared to fight. Soon, the
clang and clash of steel on steel rang through the air. Markus was determined
to free his new friend from the clutches of Giant Unbelief and his men.
Unbelief placed Carl up
against a tree and tied him to it with some strong ropes while the other giants
were fighting the good knights. Then, Unbelief joined the battle, wielding his
hammer and battle axe with force and power. Under the heavy blows of the giant’s
war hammer, Markus felt like a blacksmith’s anvil as he held up his shield and
tried to parry the swings of the giant’s axe with his sword.
“Your friend is in our care,”
Unbelief said arrogantly as he attacked Markus.
“Carl!” Markus shouted. “Do
you want us to free you from those chains?”
“What chains?” Carl said
deliriously. “I don’t see any chains.”
‘He must have been drugged,’
Markus thought. ‘Oh, Father God, help Carl to see the truth about his chains of
False Religion and doubt, and to repent from believing them.”
“He is my victim,” Unbelief
shouted as he continued his vicious attack on Markus.
Markus continued praying and
fighting. As he did, knights in gleaming armor emerged from the trees. Their
armor resembled the color and appearance of gold, and it sparkled in the
sunlight. They carried large broadswords and shields. Thirty of these golden
knights entered the clearing. Then, their leader issued an order, and they
charged toward the three giants.
Unbelief hit Markus hard and
fast, but the pilgrim knight blocked the blows and absorbed some with his
shield. Then, the giant turned his attention to five golden knights who were
charging his way. He fought them with fury and intensity, but they began to
cause him to take a step back. Before long, he began to retreat to the castle.
The other two giants followed him, leaving Carl tied to the tree.
Unbelief and his two men
hurried toward the castle, walking backward half the time. They blocked blows--clash,
clang, ping--and fought hard just before they wheeled around and ran toward
the castle gate. Right after the giants passed through the gate, the portcullis
fell to the ground--thump--and dozens of crossbow bolts flew at the
golden knights. Zip. Zip. Zip.
Seeing the rain of metal
projectiles, the knights backed up and quickly formed a protective turtle-shell
formation as they began to retreat toward the forest. Knights in the middle
held their shields up high to protect from incoming bolts and arrows. Knights
in the front held their shields before them and locked the shields close
together to prevent arrows from slipping through any gaps.
Marching backward, in unison,
the golden knights distanced themselves from the castle. Then, when they were
out of the range of crossbows, they broke formation and melted back into the
forest.
When they were gone, Markus
rushed over to Carl and placed his sword up against the thick rope binding him
to the tree. As the blade just began to cut the rope, it severed as if it were
made of tissue paper. Then, he placed his sword on the prisoner’s iron
handcuffs. He prayed and began cutting through the handcuffs with his extremely
powerful and permanently-sharp weapon: the sword of the Spirit. The shackled
came off quickly.
As the ropes and handcuffs
came off, Carl blinked several times and soon came to himself. “You freed me.
Thank you, friends. Thank you very much. I was under the deception of Unbelief
and self-righteousness,” Carl said, blinking a few more times. “Thank you for
fighting for me.”
“Come on, Carl, my friend,”
Markus said. “Let’s get out of here. We still have some distance to go on the
true path to the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Henry
Willow said, “I remember a great passage of scripture that fits this occasion. Titus
3:4-7 says: ‘[4] But after that the kindness
and love of God our Saviour toward
man appeared, [5] not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost ; [6] which he shed on us abundantly through
Jesus Christ our Saviour ; [7] that being justified by
his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope
of eternal life.’” [Emphasis added.]
“I like that passage of
scripture you quoted,” Markus said, smiling. “It is God’s grace and the blood of Jesus that
we believers trust in: not our own works.”
After traveling back to the
path which had emerged from the swamp of Fear, Markus returned to the spot
where Carl had dropped his shield and sword. Retrieving these from the swamp,
Markus hurried back across the stepping stones to rejoin his friends. Then, the
four men continued their journey down the path.
Arriving at ‘Worldly-Pleasure’
After traveling for four
miles, the pilgrims neared the high, fortified walls of a Medieval town. A large,
brightly-painted, wooden sign rested beside the dirt road. It displayed these
following words in red lettering: “Welcome to the Town of Worldly-Pleasure.
Here you will find everything that the world has to offer.”
“The path goes straight
through this town, it looks like,” Andrew said as they approached a stone
gatehouse with two square towers on either side of the wide, open doors.
Soldiers paced back and forth on the wall top, and some squinted with curiosity
at the armored pilgrims as they approached.
As the four travelers passed
through the gate, they caught sight of a man wearing a rich and
brightly-colored tunic, green trousers, and a blue cape. His red hair grew down
to his chin and a mustache appeared on his upper lip. He was somewhat burly and
overweight.
The man was talking with some
women and laughing raucously. He had just laughed at his own joke and was
pleased that the women enjoyed his company. Then, his head turned toward the
four knights as they drew near. Excusing himself from his companions, he
approached the pilgrims and greeted them.
“Welcome to the town of
Worldly-Pleasure,” the man said with blithe friendliness. “I am so glad to see
more guests arrive. It is my pleasure to greet newcomers. I have so much to
show you. You will certainly be delighted to see all that this wonderful town
has to offer.”
[Blithe: cheerful
and carefree.]
“Excuse me, sir,” Markus
said, “but we are not here to enjoy this town. We are pilgrims passing through
on our way to the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The man tried to hold in his
laughter, but he could not contain it, and he suddenly burst out roaring with
laughter. After a few seconds had passed, he said, “You must be joking. Or, you
are a bunch of lunatics. Don’t tell me you’re serious.”
“We are serious,” Markus
said. “This earth is just for a short time. It is not our home. When we die, we
will be in Heaven because we trust in Jesus. Where will you be after your
death, friend?”
“You are a lunatic. All of
you are lunatics,” the man said, disgusted.
He was about to turn away,
when a sudden thought came to him, and the man in bright clothing suddenly
focused his eyes on Markus. He reached into a leather pouch on his belt and
pulled out a piece of paper. It had some writing on it. Handing it to Markus,
the man said, “Here’s my business card. It’s for you in case you change your
mind.”
Then, the man gave a wave of
his hand and turned around. He started walking toward a three-storied,
half-timbered building with a sign above it. The sign read, ‘The Devil’s
Saloon.’ A red, devilish pitch fork appeared beside a glass of alcohol as its
logo.
Markus glanced at the
business card and said, “His name is Miles Knavery. He owns ‘The Devil’s
Saloon.’ There one can do anything he wants to do as long at it doesn’t go
against the law of the country, according to this card.”
Turning to face his friends,
Markus said, “This is the devil’s territory, but we are God’s children. In Ephesians
5:11, God’s Word says: ‘And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them.’”
Henry said, “And, I remember
that 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 says: ‘[14] Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers : for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness ? and what communion hath light with darkness ? [15] And what
concord hath Christ with Belial ? or what part hath he that believeth with an
infidel ?’”
Andrew
said, “Also, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 says, ‘[17] Wherefore come out from
among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will
receive you, [18] and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.’”
“Well, why don’t we keep
going?” Carl said after a pause.
The men began walking down
the main street and continued talking as they went.
Trouble at the Saloon
of ‘Worldly-Pleasure’
The town of Worldly-Pleasure
was very densely populated, having a larger population than any city Markus had
ever visited before. It was spread out into many sections and had many tall
buildings--some were five stories tall--and many businesses. As the men walked
down the main street of the town, they saw huge, painted signs hanging outside
of shops and other businesses. The gaudy shop signs advertised all sorts of
evil and sensual amusements and pastimes. People walked to and from the
businesses, seemingly oblivious to the four men in arms.
Markus and his friends looked
away from the signs and tried to ignore them. But after they had walked four
blocks, Carl said, “Folks, I need to stop here and tell you something.”
“What is going on, Carl?”
Markus said.
“I want to step into that
saloon over there,” Carl said, pointing to a quaint-looking, half-timbered
building with a wooden sign hanging over its main entrance.
“But, that place serves
intoxicating beverages,” Markus said with concern.
“I just want to see what one
of those beverages tastes like,” Carl said.
“In Proverbs 20:1, The
Bible says, ‘Wine
is
a
mocker, strong drink is raging : and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.’ [End
quote.] Alcohol is deceptive and can lure people into it’s trap quickly, ”
Andrew said, joining the conversation.
“I know, but I won’t get
intoxicated,” Carl said. “I’ll just take one small glass to try it out. One
small glass won’t hurt me.”
“Carl, God is showing me that
you need to seek Him about the topic of alcohol and intoxicating drinks,”
Markus said presently, after pausing to seek God.
Carl huffed with irritation
and said, “I’m only going to take a small glass. I’ll be back soon.”
He left the others and walked
into the beverage-serving saloon.
“With the pressure to not
look too different than one’s peers, and the desire to feel cheerful when one
is sad inside, a person might soon start up a habit of drinking too much
alcohol,” Andrew said. “It is really not so hard to get into habitual
drunkenness.”
“You’re right,” Henry said.
“Why don’t we go in there and pull Carl out of that disreputable business? He
is likely to get in trouble.”
“Hey, you folks need to get
moving,” a gruff voice said from behind them.
The men turned to see twenty
soldiers wearing chain mail and Norman helmets with nose guards in place of
visors. A tall and tough looking soldier stepped forward. His arm muscles were
flexed aggressively. Battle scars appeared above his eyebrows.
“We will be moving, sir,”
Markus said respectfully.
“Get moving now, or I will
arrest you for loitering around this entryway,” the soldier said gruffly.
Reluctantly, the three men
kept walking, and returned to the main street. As they walked, they began
talking about a plan for how to get Carl out of the saloon and away from the
enticement (i.e. temptation) of alcohol.
After some time talking
together, the three men all agreed on a plan of action.
Seeing the soldiers were long
gone, the three turned around and headed back down the street toward the saloon
Carl had entered forty minutes earlier. They strode boldly into the saloon
through its large, hickory door. Inside were long, maple tables. Seated around
them were men and some women who were laughing raucously, playing cards, and
gambling.
At the back of the room
rested a long counter with a bar tender. And, in the middle of the room, Carl
was seated at a small table across from a large man who was wearing a suit of
slate-grey armor and a helmet that concealed his face. Carl’s own visor was up
and he was pouring a glass of some beverage down his throat.
“Carl, friend, we need to
leave this town as soon as possible,” Markus said from behind him as he placed
a gentle hand on Carl’s back.
Carl kept drinking the
beverage and ignored Markus and the others, who now stood beside him.
The man in the slate-grey
armor had a surcoat that was light grey in appearance with a coat of arms
displayed on it. He looked up at the three who had entered the saloon and
laughed.
“You think you can take my
captive from me,” the knight with the light-grey surcoat said arrogantly. “He
has been serving me from time to time, even before you brought him from the home
of Samuel Truth-speaker. I know because I have clever spies in his house. I was
able to sneak into Samuel’s home at night, every so often, and have a few
drinks with Carl. Carl sometimes would unlocked doors for me late at night, and
we’d have a fun time. He’d get drunk each time we met, and I gained more and
more power over his life. But, in more recent times, he has given even more of
himself to me.”
Then, Markus noticed a phrase
in red letters painted across the man’s breastplate. It was “Drunkenness and
Alcoholism.”
“You serve Satan, don’t you?”
Markus said.
“I do serve him,” the enemy
knight said, standing to his feet, “and my name is Sir. Drunkenness.” As he
rose to his full height, he was now standing at eight feet and towered above
Markus.
From a corner of the saloon,
an old, oaken door opened and another huge, armored knight strode into the
saloon. With a height 10 feet above the ground, the giant was a mass of armor
and muscle. His surcoat was red and black, and he was tromping straight toward
Markus and his friends. Every footstep was heavy and resounding--clunk,
clunk, clunk. As he walked, the rest of the people in the saloon were
oblivious to the scene now unfolding. They continued talking, laughing,
drinking, and gambling as if nothing unusual was taking place in the middle of
the floor.
The 10-foot giant’s breath
came out of gaps in his closed helmet visor like smoke from a fire. And,
indeed, thin smoke boiled out of his iron helmet and floated toward the ceiling
of the room. A title appeared embroidered--in large, yellow font--across his
red and black surcoat: “Prince of Licentiousness, Pride, and Selfish-Ambition;
Baron Wanton Covetousness.”
[Licentiousness: The action of following carnal appetites and
pleasing the fleshly nature, especially in sexual matters.
Wanton (adjective): Lacking restraint, especially in sexual
matters.
Covetousness: A desire to have the property, specific
relationships, or things that other people have. It is a form of greed.]
The Confrontation
Shaking Carl, Markus said
urgently, “Carl, you need to come with us. We are Christians heading toward
Heaven. These evil creatures want to lure you into a place of eternal torment
and eternal suffering.” As he said the last sentence, he glanced at the huge
knight standing across the table from him.
Right then, Giant Drunkenness
was drawing a huge broadsword from his scabbard.
Carl turned around to face
Markus, and he removed his own helmet, exposing his head and neck. Then, Carl
tossed the helmet to the ground and threw down his sword and shield.
“Markus, why don’t you just
leave all that stuff for Church, and we can have a drink together,” Carl said
with a twisted grin on his face, “I’ll pay for your drink. Let me get one for
you, friend.”
Clomp, clomp, clomp. Baron Wanton Covetousness was approaching
their table at a slow gait (pace).
“What do you mean, Carl?”
Markus said, with concern. “This is not just stuff for Church. This is
spiritual truth, found in God’s Holy Word, the Bible, which He preserved for
us. Heaven is real, and Hell is real. Don’t throw away your faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ and the Bible. There is no way of getting to Heaven if
you reject the Jesus Christ of the Bible. The Lord Jesus said
these words in Luke 9:23-26:
‘[23] And he said to them all, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
[24]
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it : but whosoever will lose
his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
[25]
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself,
or be cast away ?
[26]
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of
man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and
of the holy angels.’” [Emphasis added.]
“You
Christians need to stop preaching at this man!” Giant Drunkenness said
menacingly through his closed visor.
Andrew ignored the enemy
knight and added, “And, Jesus also said these words in Matthew 6:24, ‘No man can
serve two masters : for either he will hate the one, and love the other
; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.’” [Emphasis added.]
Huge, strong, and imposing,
Baron Wanton Covetousness came to a stop ten feet behind the knight called ‘Sir
Drunkenness.’ They both watched the conversation among the humans with
curiosity and calculating calmness.
“Carl, you can say that you
love Jesus,” Markus said, “but if you are not actually serving Him, you are
serving the god of money or some other idol. You cannot love God and also love
the things worldly people pursue on this earth.”
“Well, I don’t know about
that … ,” Carl said somewhat sheepishly.
“And,” Andrew added, “if you
reject this truth, which Jesus taught, you are rejecting the only way to be
saved from your sins, and you are counting the blood Jesus Christ shed at
Calvary as an ‘unholy thing.’”
Markus said, “Hebrews chapter
10, verse 29, says this about a man who forsakes the Lord Jesus Christ who had
given him the Holy Spirit:
‘Of how much
sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden
under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the
Spirit of grace ?’ [Hebrews 10:29.]”
“That’s ridiculous. I am a
Christian! I made Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. I can’t fall away from the
faith,” Carl said angrily.
“But, you can reject
your Savior and turn from Him like Judas did,” Markus said. “If you forsake
Jesus, then you will have chosen Hell to be your destination after you die.”
“I don’t need to hear all
your religious talk,” Carl said coldly. “Don’t be so narrow-minded. And, leave
me alone. I am going to live life how I want to live it, and I will still go to
Heaven. Once saved, always saved.”
He turned around, sat back
down at the table, and took a swig of his beverage.
“You see, he doesn’t want
your religion,” Drunkenness said with a chuckle as he put his sword in its
scabbard. “Just forget about all that stuff and come with me. I’ll show you how
to have a good time.”
“No,” Markus said strongly.
“I want my friend to come with me.”
“He belongs to me now,” the
evil knight said with a slight chuckle. “I am his old master. He served me
before becoming a Christian, and he has returned to me since then. No longer is
the blood of Jesus over his life.”
“Let’s go, friends,” Henry
said, walking toward the door of the saloon.
Outside Again
Reluctantly, and with
sadness, the two others followed him. When they were outside, Henry said, “It
is clear that Carl removed his helmet of salvation. He doesn’t love Jesus
anymore.”
“That’s right,” Markus said
sadly. “He rejected the one who had given him the down payment (or earnest
money) of the Holy Spirit. He rejected God, and now he serves the devil, while
pretending that he is still a Christian.”
“That is very sad. Why didn’t
he listen to us? He just rejected everything we said. And, what we are saying
is from the Holy Bible, God’s Word,” Andrew said, feeling much frustration and
grief.
“The Bible speaks of people
who will forsake their Lord who bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction,” Henry Willow said as they walked down the main street. “I
remember reading this verse from the book of Second Peter. It is 2 Peter 2:1.
It says, ‘But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false
teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even
denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction.’” [Emphasis added.]
“That’s interesting,” Markus
said. “The verse you quoted says that they denied ‘the Lord that bought’ them.
So, they had been purchased by God at one time, through the blood of Jesus
Christ, but they denied Him. So, they will be destroyed with everlasting destruction.”
“That is very sobering,”
Andrew added, lowering his head.
“That truly is sad,” Markus
said.
‘My son,” Abba God’s gentle
voice said to Markus’s spirit, “I was calling out to Carl, time and time again,
pleading with him to repent, but he would not repent. He continued to get drunk
and serve the devil. Now, he is so hardened that he will not repent, no matter
how much you or I call out to him. He has cast away Me, the One who offered him
eternal life. And, he is serving sin. He, sadly, will not repent and will not
return to Me. Now, continue on your journey, and be in peace, and rest in Me.
And, I the Lord your God have spoken.”
“Thank you for telling me
that, Father God,” Markus whispered. “I love you.”
“I love you very much, My
son,” Abba God’s still, small voice replied. “And, I will never leave you, nor
forsake you. And, I have no respect or favorites for one person over another
person. All are equally valuable to Me, and are desirable to Me. Rest in Me,
and you will be blessed, and I the Lord your God and Abba Father have spoken.” [Note:
See Romans 2:11 and Mark 6:34.]
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