I’m working through John Bunyan’s classic work the Pilgrim’s Progress where we meet the character of Christian. The Gospel is proclaimed to him by a man named Evangelist and he soon leaves his home town, the City of Destruction, for the Celestial City. Bunyan makes it clear that this is an allegory, a story set in types and images. Christian represents the believer, the City of Destruction the world, the Celestial City is heaven, etc. In chapter 4 Christian falls into the marsh called the Slough of Despond and sinks into the quagmire due to his burden, this burden is a sense of his unworthiness before God because of his sin and guilt. Soon the character of Help arrives and Christian is out of the marsh and getting ready to continue his journey when he meets Mr. Worldly Wiseman. 
Mr. Worldly Wiseman lives in a town called Carnal Policy and proceeds to offer assistance to Christian in the form of bad advice. After a few moments of conversing Mr. Worldly Wiseman learns of Christian’s burden and tells him that he will gain peace of mind and earn the blessings of God if he would just do away with the truth presented by Evangelist and to do away with the Bible. To remove the guilt of his sin Mr. Worldly Wiseman tells him to visit Mr. Legality and move to the Village of Morality where his burden will be lifted. Mr. Worldly Wiseman introduces Christian to the bondage of works based faith, Law keeping or doing, as a way to relieve his guilt for sin. By trying to be moral, by “doing,” Christian finds himself under greater bondage. He has forgotten the promises of our Covenant keeping God.
Scripture teaches that we must, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
The Bible is either Law or the Gospel not both. You must be aware of the distinction and rightly divide the word accordingly or you might just end up trying to relieve the guilt of sin by visiting Mr. Legality.
Some Promises:
Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Acts 3:19
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Psalm 32:3-5
Psalm 139:23-24
1 John 1:9; Psalm 85:2; 86:5; Romans 8:1
Deo volente.
jm
“…a low view of the law always brings legalism in religion; a high view of law makes a man a seeker after grace. Pray God that the high view may again prevail.” ~ J. Gresham Mechen
Feileadh Mor 