The Holy War

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The Holy War
Lesson 2
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Class Format
Segment Time
Review the weeks assignment 10 minutes
Class discussion 10 minutes
Specific lesson on theme from the weeks assignment 15 minutes
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Goals

• To gain a greater understanding of the spiritual
  warfare in which we are engaged.
• To develop a greater awareness of the methods
  employed by Satan.
• To deepen our appreciation for the grace of God
  in saving sinners.
• To learn more about ourselves through empathizing
  with Mansoul (Mansoul me)

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Key Questions

• What primary Bible passages come to your mind as
  you read this assignment?
• To what degree does the story accurately depict
  Bible teaching?

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Week 2

• Diablous in the castle
• toDiabolus builds 3 forts

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Synopsis
Diabolus secures his place and pervades Mansoul
with his influence
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Synopsis

• Mansoul asks Diabolus to reign over them
• He takes possession of the castle
• He demotes Lord Understanding and Mr. Conscience
• He darkens Lord Understanding
• Becomes a prisoner
• Becomes an impediment
• He debauches Mr. Conscience
• Becomes inconsistent
• Becomes ignored
• Becomes hated

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Synopsis (continued)

• He promotes Lord Willbewill
• Captain of the castle
• Governor of the wall
• Keeper of the gates
• Lord Willbewill swears allegiance to Diabolus
• Maligns Mr. Conscience (Recorder)
• Forbids any fragment of Shaddais law in the town
• Does great evil and mischief

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Synopsis (continued)

• Diabolus defaces Shaddais image
• Replaces it with his own
• He repudiates Shaddais laws
• Replaces them with his own
• He replaces Shaddais officials
• Mayor (Understanding) with Lord Lustings
• Recorder (Conscience) with Forget-Good
• Many other lesser officers in the town

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Synopsis (continued)

• He builds 3 forts
• Hold of Defiance
• Located by Eye-gate
• Governed by Spite-God
• Midnight Hold
• Located by old castle
• Governed by Love-no-Light
• Sweet-Sin Hold
• Located in the marketplace
• Governed by Love-Flesh
• He thinks himself secure

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Discussion
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Disabolus subtle strategies(Ephesians 21-3)
What early steps does Diabolus take to strengthen
his position with the citizens of Mansoul,
effectively rendering them dead to Shaddais
things?

• He attempts to make them hate to lose what he
  represents (privileges and liberty)
• He maneuvers for them to affirm him as king in
  place of Shaddai
• He works to gain a place in the innermost heart
  (castle), and then incrementally enforce and
  stretch his rule to further and further extent.
• He officially deposes and gradually corrupts
  Divinely-provided restraints to sin
• Lord Mayor Mr. Understanding
• Mr. Recorder (Conscience)

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Mr. Understanding
Though Mr. Understanding had initially assented
to the invitation for Diabolus to enter, Diabolus
seeks to undermine Mr. Understandings
credibility within Mansoul.

• What is it that perturbs Diabolus about Mr.
  Understanding?
• Mr. Understanding was a seeing man Diabolus
  work is to bring an inability to see (Ephesians
  417-19).
• How does Diabolus go about darkening Mr.
  Understanding?
• Removed him from his office
• Built a high tower between his house and the
  light
• Confined him to live in his dark house
• Caused him to be a hindrance rather than a help

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Mr. Recorder (Conscience)
Mr. Recorder had also assented to Diabolus
intrusion.

• In what ways does Bunyan describe the character
  and function of the conscience?
• Well-read in the laws of Shaddai
• A man of courage and faithfulness in speaking
  truth
• He had a tongue as bravely hung, as he had an
  head filled with judgment
• Would not, despite Diabolus best efforts, become
  impartial to Diabolus
• Even in an impaired state, he represented
  Shaddai, and affected the whole town with his
  lion-like voice
• Diabolus feared him more than anyone else in the
  town

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Mr. Recorder (Conscience)

• What Bible passage defines the role of the
  conscience, even in unbelieving men?
• Romans 214-15

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Mr. Recorder (Conscience)
How does Diabolus discredit the work of Mr.
Conscience?

• He debauched him (so that he was inconsistent)
• He convinced the townsmen that he was crazy
• He downplayed his importance (not the voice of
  Shaddai)
• He emphasized the townsmens freedom
• The peoples response?
• They ignored him
• They hated him
• They wanted him silenced

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Conscience, in natural men, is very unequal and
irregular in his opposition to sin yet, by fits
and starts he will cry out, and so frighten the
sinner, that he wishes him a thousand miles
off, so as to give him no disturbance, nor
prevent his enjoyment of that liberty to sin,
which Satan boasts he has granted to Mansoul.
Nevertheless the power of conscience cannot be
utterly destroyed (The Holy War, illustrated
with notes by George Burder, Reiner edition, 48).
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Strategy Doubts about Shaddai
Another strategy of Diabolus was to place doubts
in the citizens minds about Shaddai
Himself. What specific accusations against
Shaddai does he make that would naturally raise
questions about Him?
Statement Method
Shaddai did not value the loss of Mansoul Direct lie
Since Shaddai had not judged them already for defecting to Diabolus, He would never do so Use truth to spin a lie
Shaddai has conceded defeat Direct lie
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Mr. Will-be-will

• Represents mans will (The governing seat of
  choice)
• Deliberations
• Choices
• Determinations
• A unique man of high-standing in the town.
• One of the first to consent to Diabolus appeal
• Distorted and entrenched
• Promoted by Diabolus
• Captain of the castle
• Governor of the wall
• Keeper of the gates
• Swears allegiance to Diabolus
• Maligns Mr. Conscience (Recorder)
• Forbids any fragment of Shaddais law in the town
• Does great evil and mischief

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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Mr. Lord Will-be-wills clerk, Mr. Mind, and his
deputy, Mr. Vile-Affection, headline an
impressive list of characters that rise to
prominence in Mansoul to do Diabolus bidding.
The remaining pages of the chapter remind one of
the more than two-dozen lists in Pauls epistles
that delineate the works of the flesh both
graphicly and specifically.
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Mr. Mind (clerk)
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Romans 125-26a Who changed the truth of God
into a lie, and worshipped and served the
creature more than the Creator, who is blessed
for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up
unto vile affections. Galatians 524 And they
that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with
the affections and lusts
Lord Will-be-will
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
1 Peter 211 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and
strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which
wage war against the soul.
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
When one is rude and impertinent inclined to
take liberties not belonging to him it is akin
spiritually to being stiff-necked. Acts 751 You
men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in
heart and ears are always resisting the Holy
Spirit you are doing just as your fathers did.
Impudent
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Jude 115 To execute judgment upon all, and to
convince all that are ungodly among them of all
their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly
committed, and of all their hard speeches which
ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Impudent Blackmouth
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Proverbs 125 And you neglected all my counsel
and did not want my reproof Proverbs 1017
1510 Grievous punishment is for him who
forsakes the way He who hates reproof will die.
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Akin to a scoffer Proverbs 131 Does not listen
to rebuke 146 Seeks wisdom and finds
none. 1512 Does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise. 2124 "Proud,"
"Haughty, "Scoffer," are his names, who acts
with insolent pride.
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof Scorn-Truth
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Psalm 361 Transgression speaks to the ungodly
within his heart There is no fear of God before
his eyes 141 The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God.
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof Scorn-Truth Sligh
t-God
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof Scorn-Truth Sligh
t-God Revenge
Romans 1219 Dearly beloved, avenge not
yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath for
it is written, Vengeance is mine I will repay,
saith the Lord.
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Lord Understanding
Mayor
Mr. Conscience
Recorder
Mr. Mind (clerk)
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof Scorn-Truth Sligh
t-God Revenge
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Lord Understanding
Lord Lustings
Mayor
Mr. Conscience
Recorder
Forget-Good
Mr. Mind (clerk)
No-Truth
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof Scorn-Truth Sligh
t-God Revenge
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Lord Understanding
Lord Lustings
Mayor
Mr. Conscience
Recorder
Forget-Good
Mr. Mind (clerk)
No-Truth
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Image of Shaddai
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof Scorn-Truth Sligh
t-God Revenge
Law of Shaddai
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Lord Understanding
Lord Lustings
Mayor
Mr. Conscience
Recorder
Forget-Good
Mr. Mind (clerk)
No-Truth
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Image of Shaddai
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof Scorn-Truth Sligh
t-God Revenge
Law of Shaddai
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The whole man was corrupted at the fall
Lord Will-be-will
Lord Understanding
Lord Lustings
Mayor
Mr. Conscience
Recorder
Forget-Good
Mr. Mind (clerk)
No-Truth
Mr. Vile-Affection (deputy)
Carnal-Lust (daughter of Mr. Mind)
Image of Shaddai
Impudent Blackmouth Hate-Reproof Scorn-Truth Sligh
t-God Revenge
Law of Shaddai
Defiance - Governor Spite-God - by the Eye-gate
Midnight hold - Governor Love-no-light by the
old castle
Sweet-sin hold - Governor Love-flesh in the
market place
How should Shaddai respond?
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Our Response

• Do you thank God
• That someone brought you the Gospel?
• For the power of the Gospel?
• For your Conscience and Understanding?

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The Holy War
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2 Corinthians 104

• Diabolus immediately attempts to strengthen his
  hold on Mansoul. He wants fallen man to be all
  his and beyond hope of restoration, and
  therefore, aims to transform mens passing
  acquaintance with him and fond affections for him
  into a permanent relationship that will actively
  resist any recovery effort by Shaddai. Paul
  refers to such encroachments as strongholds
  that believers need to pull down.