A Devotional Thought for March 4, 2025
From the Pen of John Bunyan
Taken from Daily Readings of John Bunyan
Edited by Roger D Duke
Entitled
"Things Worthy of Our Consideration"
“And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear”
Philippians 1: 14.
First: That the blood of the saints, that they lose for his name, is a sweet savor to God. And so says the Holy Ghost, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15). And again, “He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence, and precious shall their blood be in his sight” (Psalm 72:14).
Second: Those that suffer for Christ are of great benefit to his church, as the sacrifices of old were confirming and strengthening to Israel. Wherefore, Paul said his bonds encouraged his brethren and made them much more bold in the way of God to speak his word without fear.
Third: The sufferings or offering of the saints in sacrifice is of great use and advantage to the gospel: Of use I say [in] many ways. (1.) The blood of the saints defends it; (2.) confirms it; and (3.) redeems [what] . . . has been lost in antichristian darkness.
They do thereby defend and preserve it from those that would take it from us or from those that would impose another upon us. “I am set,” saith Paul, “for the defense[1] of the gospel,” and my sufferings have fallen out for the furtherance of it (Philippians 1:17). That is, . . . [the Gospel] hath not only continued to hold its ground but hath also got more by my contentions, sufferings, and hazards for it.
That the truth of the gospel might be continued with you, he declares. So again he confesses, I suffer, so that the gospel may be preserved entire that the souls that are yet unborn may have the benefit of it—with eternal glory.
[1] Paul speaks as an apologist here.
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