Real understanding of the faith is understanding borne of spiritual warfare

Real understanding of the faith is understanding borne of spiritual warfare.

Notice there is no 'church' in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress? Christian in that narrative is active. He is on the Way. Spiritual warfare is the environment he exists in.

Perhaps the closest depiction of 'church' in that work is the fools sitting before the Gates of Heaven, docile, obsequious, and afraid in the presence of the *man* at the table concerned with deciding their fate. That is 'church.' Then what happens? A knight in black armor arrives, shocking the little obsequious churchians, and not paying attention to the *man* at the table (being a knight of Christ who *fears God only*) he proceeds to assault the guards in front of the gate with his Sword, and to overpower them, and to enter the Gates of Heaven *by force*, accompanied by the *cheering* of the residents of heaven as he enters.

The churchians are left embarrassed and angry and no doubt apologizing to the *man* at the table for the *incorrect* behavior of the knight.

Bunyan had your measure, churchianity.

Bunyan knew spiritual warfare. His understanding of the faith was borne of spiritual warfare. He had real understanding.

In the three-front war of spiritual warfare - the battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil - you churchians represent the world, and also the devil as you have the devil's spirit up to your gills.