Season 5 Podcast 91 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 26 Chapter 5 E, “Shame.”

Season 5 Podcast 91 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 26 Chapter 5 E, “Shame.” 

In last week’s episode, Faithful recounts his encounter with Discontent who tried to persuade him to return to the land of destruction and Shame who held God and religion in contempt. In this week’s episode, Bunyan concludes the discussion of Shame.

“Chris. I am glad, my brother, that thou didst withstand this villain so bravely: for of all, as thou sayest, I think he has the wrong name; for he is so bold as to follow us in the streets, and to attempt to put us to shame before all men; that is, to make us ashamed of that which is good. But, if he was not himself bold, he would never attempt to do as he does. But let us still resist him; for, notwithstanding all his bold words, he promoteth the fool, and none else. "The wise shall inherit glory," said Solomon; "but shame shall be the promotion of fools."

Religion is entangled with many complex emotions, each fighting with the other. For example, some emotions, such as shame, appear virtuous but actually destroy religion and impede the progress of Christians who are enroute to the Celestial City. Self-debasement does not lead to repentance; rather it often leads to depression, discouragement, and capitulation. Consider synonyms for shame.

Disgrace, dishonor, reproach, degradation, ill repute, baseness, turpitude, debasement, opprobrium, condemnation, aspersion, defamation, slander, calumniation, vilification, smear, stain, tarnish, etc. 

Such feelings of false guilt when fed tear down the spirit and attenuate courage and replace resolve with discouragement causing one to give up by saying they are too evil. They cannot repent. They cannot be forgiven. They are worthless, and the Lord could not love them. Shame, of course, is a natural consequence of guilt and may lead to repentance, but feelings of worthlessness have the opposite effect. They often lead to worse behavior. Satan loves crippling shame, self-pity, and syrupy sentimentality causing failure to lead to greater failure. Contrast Shame with Peter’s description of man.

2 Peter 1:3-4

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Christ considers us worth fighting for so much so that he gave up his life that we might live. Peter would have us replace base thoughts with higher virtues.

2 Peter 1: 5-8

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Feelings of shame that lead to repentance are of God, but feelings of shame that lead to greater shame are of Satan and are destructive to the soul. Repentance is the key to forgiveness, and for repentance to occur one must have Faith in Christ, and with faith comes hope which gives us an anchor to hold to.