Obstinate and Pliable followed Christian as he fled the City of Destruction. Obstinate considered Christian a fool for believing in what his Book said. Rather than keep going towards the Wicket-Gate, Obstinate turned around and went home. Pliable, on the other hand, decided to stick with Christian and hear more about his pilgrimage.
Pliable was interested in Christian’s journey and what it entailed. He questioned Christian, “Come, neighbor Christian, since there is none but us two here, tell me now further, what the things are, and how to be enjoyed, whither we are going.”
Christian did not hesitate to tell Pliable about the promises of his Book. Pliable said, “Tell me more about these promises.” Christian told him of an endless kingdom, and everlasting life. Pliable wanted Christian to expand on the details of the endless kingdom. Christian described crowns of glory, and glistening garments to be worn. “Tell me more” exclaimed Pliable. Christian gleefully went on, “There will be no more crying, nor sorrow; for He that is owner of the place will wipe all tears from our eyes.”
Pliable was very interested in the things to be received in this eternal kingdom. He kept asking, and Christian kept answering. The thought of these blessings excited Pliable so much that he wanted to pick up the pace of their traversing.
Unfortunately, Christian and Pliable came upon a swampy area called the Slough of Despond. Both men fell into the swamp-like substance and began to sink. Pliable was able to get himself out of the slough. Christian, on the other hand, was bogged down with the weight of the burden on his back, and unable to help himself get out.
Once Pliable was out of the mud he became very angry with Christian. He didn’t attempt to help Christian, but instead chastised him for not warning him of this type of danger. A place like the Slough of Despond should have been mentioned before they set off on their journey. Pliable wanted all the things that Christian and his Book promised. But the Slough of Despond? That was a deal breaker.
Pliable wiped the muddy substance from off of himself, and began to go back to his home country. Christian was by himself again, this time sinking in the Slough of Despond.
Once Pliable made it back to his hometown some of his neighbors called him wise for coming back; some called him a fool for hazarding himself with Christian; others, again, mocked him for his cowardliness for fleeing the danger of the Slough of Despond. Bunyan adds, “So Pliable sat sneaking among them.” In other words, Pliable went back to blending in.
Pliable People
The word “pliable” is defined as “flexible,” “easily bent,” “easily influenced,” and “adaptable.” This accurately describes Pliable in Mr. Bunyan’s allegory.
Pliable was easily influenced. First, he was influenced to go with Obstinate in an attempt to bring Christian back to the City of Destruction. Second, Pliable was persuaded to forsake Obstinate and to go along with Christian towards the Wicket-Gate and the Celestial City. Pliable was so open-minded that his brains could fall out.
Pliable is like the young man who will do anything to fit in. Call him whatever you want, Pliable just wants to be accepted. He will change his mind on a whim. One moment he’s trying to persuade Christian to come back home, and the next moment he’s willing to go with Christian. But as soon as there is a little trouble, Pliable is heading back to the house.
Too many people are like Mr. Pliable, they are easily influenced. Some are so pliable that they can be fashioned into anything, they will adapt to any group of people they are around. They’ll say or do anything to be accepted. Sadly, there are Christians who will compromise convictions and doctrine to be acknowledged or considered popular. They will deviate from the exclusivity of the Christian message; they will bend their convictions of holiness to be accepted by the world; and they will assail doctrinal truths to be considered more tolerant. But if you get them around a different set of people, they will embrace whatever doctrines and values that that particular group holds. Paul says such people are not rooted in truth, and consequently are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14).
False Converts
Christian and Pliable have their obvious differences. But one of the main differences is the reason why the two of them were on this journey. Christian was on this pilgrimage due to the burden upon his back, and the reality of the divine words in his Book. Christian cried out, “What shall I do to be saved?” That’s what started this journey. In contrast, Pliable was on this pilgrimage for the blessings that Christian told him about.
Christian wanted deliverance from his sin. Pliable wanted the blessings offered from the Celestial City. That sounds familiar:
“As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:20–21).
Pliable is a perfect example of the Word of God being sown on rocky ground. Pliable received the promises of Christian’s Book with joy, but he was unwilling to go further as soon as they reached the Slough of Despond.
Pliable didn’t want deliverance from his sin. No, he wanted all the blessings that he could get. Unbeknownst to Pliable, the greatest blessing he could receive would be the forgiveness of his sins, and fellowship with the King of the Celestial City.
True Pliability
Paul encouraged the church in Rome:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
Christians are not to be conformed to this world. Rather, they are to be transformed. There is a difference in being conformed and being transformed. Pliable was easily conformed to the world around him. Christian was being transformed by God.
Bible Commentator, Leon Morris, writes, “Christians have been introduced into the life of the world to come; what a tragedy, then, if they conform to the perishing world they have left.” That perfectly describes Pliable and Christian. Pliable was conformed to a perishing world. Christian was being transformed in hopes of a new and eternal world.
The Potter and the Clay
Now, we are met with a conundrum. Obstinate and Pliable are as different as night and day. Obstinate is immoveable in his opinions and preferences. Pliable is easily influenced and adaptable. In our last lesson about Obstinate we realized we are to be steadfast in our faith, rooted in God’s unchanging Word. Obstinate was immoveable based upon his opinions. Now we are met with another conundrum with Pliable.
Pliable was willing to be conformed to the world around him. Christians are to be transformed by God. The prophet Jeremiah was given a wonderful illustration concerning pliability.
“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do” (Jeremiah 18:1–4).
Wet clay is pliable, which gives it the property of being formed into the image of the potter. Consequently, wet clay is not stable. It is unable to keep its form unless it has been heated up. Once the potter has given the malleable clay its form and shape, he “fires” it. Firing is the process of bringing clay up to a high temperature. The final aim is to heat the object to the point that the clay is mature.
in Jeremiah’s illustration, God, the Potter, has the sovereign right to make and remake the clay as He sees necessary. We as the clay are molded and shaped into the image of the Potter. Likewise, as we will see in Christian’s story, we will be placed in fires of testing so that we might mature in the faith (Jas. 1:2-4;1 Pt. 1:6-7;2 Pt. 1:3-11).
Beloved, we must be pliable so we can be transformed into the image of God. We mustn’t be like Mr. Pliable that we are conformed to the fashions of this world.