Bargaining With the Devil

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Christiana: The Pilgrim's Progress Part II Critique

The King James Bible mentions the word, "Orion" three times but never in connection with a gate. Jim Pappas chose to name his business Orion's Gate. New Age writer Barry Martin reveals the meaning of the gateway in Orion:

"It is through the gateway in Orion that we receive the higher light...we will understand why the ancient Egyptian texts refer to Ihm-'sk and why the Great Pyramid was aligned with Mintaka (delta), Alnilam (epsilon), and Alnitak (zeta) in Tak-Orion (Orionis). These are the central threshold controls for the region of 'positive programming' used by the Elohim Lords of Light to connect the many galaxies to our Father Universe. Within our galactic quadrant, these threshold controls are necessary in coordinating celestial navigation between universes. Through the energies of Orion, the Central Threshold Control, the higher beings of Light moved across the waters of the deep." (1) (bold emphasis added)

The passage cited for the purpose of critique begins with Greatheart and his band of pilgrims reaching the narrow passage (a very narrow part of the way) which is defended by Giant Grim and the two great lions. This part of the way is located just before the House Beautiful. Giant Grim (Satan's demon) ordered the pilgrims to stop and go no farther. Jim Pappas had Christiana bargain with Giant Grim in an attempt to avoid battle! Ho

w many Christians have bargained with the devil and forfeited their souls in the process? Satan promises them sinful pleasures while assuring them (through his false ministers) that they will nevertheless inherit the kingdom of God.

God commands his people to resist the devil, not to bargain with him.

Background information on the characters:

Greatheart is the pilgrim's conductor, or leader to the Celestial City (heaven).

Christiana is Christian's wife, who is following in her husband's footsteps to Celestial City.

Giant Grim: One of Satan's giants (devils or demons).

Most of this portion of Jim Pappas' adaptation of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress Part 2: Christiana is not in the original Pilgrim's Progress. The false teachings about Satan and how to deal with him are not in John Bunyan's original book either. Jim Pappas inserted these unbiblical and spiritually dangerous values and ideas about Satan in his Amplified Version!

Note: New Age music is played throughout Jim Pappas' Amplified Pilgrim's Progress.

1. Giant Grim: "Hey!"

2. Greatheart: "Greetings, Mr. Bloody Man."

3. Giant Grim: "Grim to you, ugly knave!"

4. Greatheart: "Then greetings, Mr. Grim."

5. Grim: "Art thou not that one called, Greatheart?"

6. Greatheart: "Aye?

7. Grim: "Why art thou come hither?"

8. Greatheart: "These women and children are going on pilgrimage."

9. Grim: "This is not the way."

Grim's statement is a subtle alteration to the original Pilgrim's Progress because in this version the demon is saying this is not the way (to eternal life) but in the original story, Grim said, "This is not their way. They will not go this way. I am here to prevent it. To that end I will back the lions." The original Pilgrim's Progress portrayed Grim acknowledging that this was the correct way, but that he was there to prevent them from going that way. The reader needs to know that Satan does understand the narrow way, and what it means to the Christian. He will use his false teachers to cleverly teach the narrow way is not really the way!

In the Amplified Version, Grim told Greatheart the straight and narrow way was not the way. He lied to them to try to get them to get off the narrow way and onto the broad road that leads to destruction.

10. Greatheart: "Ah, but is is! And they shall go through."

11. Grim: "They won't if I can help it."

Satan's demons will do whatever they can to prevent a Christian from staying on the narrow road that leads to life.

12. Greatheart: "But they will if I can! Stand back!"

13. Grim: "Thou art but one man."

14. Greatheart: "Aye, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord! And bearing the sword of the Spirit. Therefore, give back peaceably, or expect that thy bones shall bleach atop those whom you have slain."

Warning: This is a give-place-to-the-devil example of how to deal with Satan. You must never give Satan any slack or chances; you must always immediately submit to God and resist the devil. (In the original Pilgrim's Progress, Greatheart began to combat Grim immediately without offering him the chance to retreat.)

15. Grim: "Pah, you forget about my kittens! Would you have these sweet women to become food for them?"

16. Greatheart: These cats have neither tooth nor claw."

17. Grim: "Huh? And who told thee that?"

18. Greatheart: "'Tis common knowledge among pilgrims. 'Tis also known that they are chained, and that any who travel in the middle of the road may pass safely by."

19. Grim: "Pah, lies! Woman, seest thou chains upon my kittens?"

In the original Pilgrim's Progress, Grim never spoke directly to Christiana. In conformity to scripture's teaching of the man having spiritual headship, Grim spoke directly only to Greatheart, the spiritual leader of the group. In Jim Pappas' Amplified Version, Christiana and Grim are did most of the talking, and Greatheart allowed Christiana to negotiate with Grim. (Scripture teaches against negotiating or bargaining with the devil or his demons.) The example of the woman taking the spiritual leadership and the man allowing it, is a spiritually destructive one for the church. Christiana was not Greatheart's wife, but in the story he was the spiritual conductor and leader of the group, and thus would have been biblically the spiritual leader of the entire group, including her.

The original Pilgrim's Progress portrayed Christiana speaking only one sentence to Grim, and he did not even reply to her directly. He spoke directly to Greatheart (the male spiritual leader) only, and to the group at large.

20. Christiana: "No, not from here. But we have God's Word."

21. Grim: "But with thine eyes; with thine eyes, woman! Seest thou chains?"

23. Christiana: "No, only through the eye of faith."

24. Grim: "Faith hath no eyes. Go back."

25. Christiana: "It hath eyes clear enough to see through thee. Kindly step aside and let us pass."

It is wrong and unbiblical for Jim Pappas to portray a Christian asking the demon to step aside. She must command him in the name of Jesus to "get thee behind me, Satan!" (Greatheart should have done this.)

26. Grim: "This is not the way."

Satan consistently works to persuade the Christian to think the narrow way is not the only way to life. He wants the Christian to think the narrow road is not really the way because it is a holy, consecrated way, totally unrelated to the broad way that leads to destruction. Satan hopes the Christian will fall for the lie that the narrow way is idea, but optional. The broad way, or a detour will also work.

27. Christiana: "I think it is."

Remember that none of this dialogue between Christiana and this powerful demon occurred in John Bunyan's true-to-scriptural-principles Pilgrim's Progress. No Christian need ever wonder or think the way they are traveling is the narrow way. The Christian has the Holy Bible, and thus will have a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path.

28. Grim: "Nay, thou must go round about by yonder detour."

The listener is presented with the lie that there is a detour off the narrow way that leads to life! Sure, Grim said this, but that should be expected from a demon, right?

29. Greatheart: "What think you, madam? Would you have me take you by the detour?"

This Christian man, a spiritual leader and hero in the Christ-exalting real Pilgrim's Progress (but not the spiritual leader in Jim Pappas' distorted Amplified Version!) is actually heeding the demon's suggestion and offering himself in service to take another Christian off the narrow way that leads to life! This is an evil example that if heeded has grave repercussions: "And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea." Mark 9:42

Greatheart was the spiritual leader of the group and should have been depicted as making this important decision on his own, rather than being willing to knowingly take the group out of the right way of the Lord if the woman so chose. (Why did Jim Pappas have Greatheart act like Adam in the Garden of Eden? That was when the fall of mankind occurred. Pappas is promoting the fall of the Christian by depicting a godly Christian man entertaining such compromise!)

30. Matthew: "It looketh to be a well-traveled way, Mum."

31. Christiana: "But, will it take us to the Celestial City?"

Christiana asked Greatheart if this detour would indeed take them to the Celestial City.

32. Greatheart: "Some, well, I think some, have managed to get back onto the straight path."

Greatheart did not directly answer Christiana's question (this should have been done for the listener's sake) but merely told her some have managed to get back onto the straight path. His words indicated that a Christian may choose to turn back and sow to the flesh, and still have a chance of getting back onto the narrow way that leads to life. This is a message of trifling with the Holy Spirit and sinning willfully after coming to the knowledge of the truth.

33. Christiana: "You think?"

34. Greatheart: "Yes, ma'am."

35. Christiana: "And are there no dangers to be met on yonder detour?"

36. Greatheart: "There are."

Greatheart was shown to have known the truth, but to have been willing to go the wrong way if his woman companion (that he was supposed to be leading) chose it! This is exactly what Adam did in the Garden of Eden. He was not deceived; it was Eve who was beguiled by the serpent! Greatheart was willing to hold the truth in unrighteousness and lead his charges off the narrow way if that is what they wanted!

37. Christiana: "And might not the detours also have detours?"

38. Greatheart: "They may."

39. Christiana: "And does our map show the way through detours?"

40. Greatheart: "Nay, only the straight way."

The Bible declares that the straight and narrow way leads to life. There is no other way.

41. Christiana: "Then what you are really saying is that if we be true pilgrims we must do no detouring at all, but rather go straight through."

42. Greatheart: "The Lord would be pleased."

Warning: Greatheart is telling Christiana that the Lord would be pleased if they do not detour and remain on the narrow way, but he failed to tell her the Lord requires the true Christian to stay on the narrow way. Detouring is another word for sinning willfully after having come to the knowledge of the truth. The Bible says that this will result in there being no more sacrifice for sins. (Heb. 10:26) Greatheart did not warn that detouring is sowing to the flesh and that those who do so will reap corruption, not life everlasting. (Gal. 6:8)

43. Christiana: "Then straight we shall go. Aside, Bloody Man!"

Again we see the unbiblical example of Christiana leading the way with Greatheart trailing behind under her leadership.

44. Grim: "This is not the way. See how this path is all overgrown with grass? There hath not an enlightened pilgrim passed this narrow place in years."

45. Christiana: "And should the detours of others be reason for us to do the same? Should we not rather go straight on as our map and guide tell us?"

46. Grim: "You will die!"

47. Christiana: "Better to die in the right way than to wander forever in a maze of detours."

48. Grim: "You will give thy children to the death. That little one, him will I roast alive over a slow fire, and feed him to MY children."

49. Christiana: "This is the way."

50. Grim: "You shall not step in it."

51. Narrator: "With that the giant picked up his great club and straddled over the way. Behind him were the two lions on either side of the way, so that it seemed (to the eye of flesh) that even if one were to survive the club, he would die by tooth and claw.

52. Christiana: "I feel the inspiration of the Almighty in my heart. I am arisen a mother in Israel and I shall not be turned aside! Greatheart!"

53. Greatheart: "Madame?"

54. Christiana: "Canst thou take him?"

55. Greatheart: "All things are possible to she that believeth."

Warning: The producer, Jim Pappas, made Greatheart's spiritual success entirely dependent upon Christiana's faith! This is a perversion of scripture by making woman the spiritual head of man. (See 1 Cor. 11:3) This is such a dangerous reinforcement to the church (which is already out of proper spiritual order) to have Christiana in the position as Greatheart's spiritual leader. Women, as valuable to the kingdom of God as they are, are not equipped by God to be the first one under the Lord Jesus Christ in resisting and wrestling with Satan. The man is equipped by God to be right under the Lord Jesus Christ protecting and leading (being the head of) the woman, not vice versa.

56. Christiana: "Explain thyself. Canst thou take him?"

57. Greatheart: "If thou canst believe, I could hew down yonder mountain."

See #55

58. Christiana: "Then I choose to believe. Lord, help thou mine unbelief. Forward?"

59. Greatheart: "Aye, forward!"

60. Christiana: "What shall I do?"

61. Greatheart: "Raise thy hands to heaven and beseech God on my behalf."

Throughout the entire Amplified Version, Jim Pappas depicted Greatheart with no ability to stand against Satan unless Christiana held her hands up in the air and prayed. This made his spiritual success dependent upon Christiana's faith, not his own. This is another example of placing the woman in spiritual headship over the man, by making his spiritual success conditional upon her faith, not his.

62. Grim: "No!"

63. Greatheart: "I come to thee, Bloody Man! God hath found in this frail woman enough faith to consume thee and a thousand greater than thou."

The original Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan depicted Greatheart as a man with strong Christian faith. He was the pilgrim conductor who had already made the trip to the Celestial City many times. He was not dependent upon the spiritual strength of Christiana. She leaned upon and followed him, not vice versa. Why has Jim Pappas deliberately perverted the biblical roles of men and women?

64. Christiana: "Oh, God! Help him!"

65. Grim: "Wait, wait, wait. What be thy name, woman?"

66. Christiana: "My name be Christiana."

67. Grim: "Art thou wife to one called Christian? Who passed this way in early times?"

68. Christiana: "I am."

69. Grim: "Ah, now I see from whence thou hast such pluck and courage. Thou hast done well to stand thy ground."

Warning: Christiana's foolish banter with Grim (while Greatheart remained in the background) is not the way the Bible teaches to stand against Satan! Her discourse with Grim is an example of how to be overcome by Satan. She was willing to give Grim an opportunity, which is giving place to the devil. This wicked example is against the Holy Word of God. See Ephesians 4:27 and 1 Tim. 5:14.

(The lions begin to roar loudly.)

70. Grim: "Shut up! Foul kittens have no manners. Now, seeing that thou art so brave, I have decided to let thee pass through, unharmed."

71. Christiana: "And why this change of heart?"

72. Grim: "'Tis no change. I am only set here by thy Master to test thy resolution."

73. Greatheart (whispering to Christiana): "'Tis a lie."

74. Christiana: "Hmmm."

75. Grim: "Besides, I admire courage where I find it. Even in an enemy. Please, pass on."

Satan does not admire courage or any other quality in any Christian. He has nothing but murderous contempt for the Christian's soul which he will stop at nothing to ensnare. See more about courage in line #99.

76. Christiana: "Greatheart, what be the trick?"

77. Greatheart: "He doth see thee to be invincible. Therefore, he bargains for his life."

78. Christiana: "But what be the price of his compromise?"

79. Greatheart: "Greater than thou canst pay, I trow."

80. Christiana: "But what?"

81. Greatheart: "Ask him."

82. Christiana: "Mr. Bloody Man."

83. Grim: "Grim, ma'am. Heh, heh. My name be GRIM."

84. Christiana: "What be thy true name?"

85. Grim: "Grim, ma'am."

86. Christiana: "Thou liest to me. Mr. Greatheart...."

87. Grim: "Nay, wait! My name be Bloody Man, although I prefer to be called Mr. Grim."

88. Christiana: "Speak truth, Mr. Bloody Man. Is this overgrown path indeed the Way?

89. Grim: "Aye, ma'am.

90. Christiana: "And the lions. Are they truly chained and without tooth or claw?

91. Grim: (hesitating) "Uhhhhhh."

92. Christiana: "ARE they?"

93. Grim: "Aye, ma'am."

94. Christiana: "Hath not thy master set thee here to prevent us from passing?"

95. Grim: "Aye, ma'am."

96. Christiana: "Then why wilt thou let us pass?"

97. Grim: "I told thee. I admire courage."

See #99

98. Christiana: "Or perhaps thou dost fear the faith of one who takes God at his word and then depends upon that word to do what it says it will do."

Remember that Christiana and Greatheart did not really take God at his word in this Amplified Version.

99. Grim: "No, no, no, no. 'Tis courage I admire. COURAGE."

Satan's demons do not admire or think well of any Christian for any reason. They hate Christians with the same passion they hate the Lord Jesus Christ. They fear consecrated, sold-out-to-God, self-denying, prayerful Christians who knows how to wield the sword of the Spirit, and who are not ignorant of their devices. Devils do not grant favors to Christians due to their character qualities. Satan does not admire Christians; he seeks to steal, kill, and destroy their souls.

100. Christiana: "And what toll wilt thou ask that we may pass in peace?."

101. Grim: "None."

102. Christiana: "Greatheart, he saith no price."

103. Greatheart: "Press him on to details."

104. Christiana: "If no price, then what will thou ask of us?"

105. Grim: "Only one small privilege."

106. Christiana: "Being?"

This is an soul-snaring example of a Christian entertaining the notion of bargaining with the devil for favors. This happens in real life and has been the path to destruction for many a promising man (or woman) of God. When Satan offered the Lord Jesus Christ all the power and glory of the kingdoms of the world IF he would worship him, Jesus quoted the word of God in response. He did not bargain with Satan the way Christiana is shown to do in Jim Pappas' Amplified Pilgrim's Progress.

John Bunyan's true-to-the-Holy-Bible Pilgrim's Progress never portrayed any Christian bargaining with Grim! And Greatheart had minimal conversation with Grim. It was not long and drawn out the way Jim Pappas portrayed Christians conversing with the devil. Satan's followers seek to converse with the devil, not Christians.

Many Christians unwittingly bargain with Satan in exchange for his favors. Usually the "favor" sought is peace with people. This is not real peace that comes from God. It is a counterfeit, broad-way-that-leads-to-destruction "peace."

One woman was distressed because her children desire to read the Harry Potter books. So what? Do not give your children to the devil in exchange for a little compromised-induced "peace." This is exactly what Satan is plotting for: that parents will give their children to him in some way or measure so they will have the "privilege" they bargained for. What they do not realize is that they have given Satan permission to work spiritual destruction in their children's lives in exchange for the privilege of an unholy "peace."

107. Grim: "Let me visit with thy youngest alone. But for an hour."

108. Christiana: "What? That thou mightest roast him as thou didst threaten me?"

109. Grim: "Nay, I ask only a visit. Thou, and thy warrior friend may bind me and watch me from a distance if that wilt give thee peace of mind. No harm will come to him, I promise."

110. Christiana: "By who wilt thou promise?"

111. Grim: "By the god that I serve. And may my eye lose its glowing if I betray thee."

112. Christiana: "What is this he saith, Greatheart? He be willing to promise."

113. Greatheart: "It is part of the creed of his master that faith need not be kept with heretics."

Warning: Here is a statement that sends a message not to the Christian, but to the follower of Satan. Satan, of course, does not keep his word to God's people, but the implication is that he will be true to his own followers. This is the cruelest lie of all. He will not keep his promises to his own followers whom he hates but pretends to be impressed with so he can use them to the fullest advantage before he disposes of them.

Satan hates his own followers because they are human beings and thus made in the image of God. Satan merely uses his devoted workers for a season--in order to further his own agenda in this world. Yes, he rewards them in this life for their service (money, sex, power, even fame) but when they make mistakes in carrying out his plans, he punishes them with gleeful cruelty, which is only a precursor to the torment he knows they will suffer with him in the lake which burns with fire.

114. Christiana: "Then he may lie to me and believe that he hath not lied at all."

115. Greatheart: "Aye."

116. Christiana: "But he asketh only one hour. May we not grant it and save thee the danger of battle?"

117. Greatheart: "Look at his eye, madam."

118. Christiana: "What about it?"

119. Greatheart: "It doth cast a spell on all who look thereon."

120. Christiana: "Indeed?"

121. Greatheart: "Yea. In one hour a demon may infect thy child with such disease of mind that a lifetime of repentance cannot undo."

122. Christiana: "Then to battle."

123. Greatheart: "Aye."

124. Christiana: "But the danger to thee..."

125. Greatheart: "Only keep thy hands lifted to God and there is no danger."

See the reinforcing of the lie that Christiana's faith is the key to victory over Grim rather than Greatheart's faith? Even though Greatheart is being given the role of being visibly in battle, Christiana is really his spiritual head and the key to his success! (In witchcraft, it is the woman who is typically the highest spiritual authority, not the man.) This is backwards and a perversion of God's plan of spiritual authority as made clear in the Bible.

126. Christiana: "Then, to battle it is. Grim!"

127. Grim: "Dost thou grant me my hour?"

128. Christiana: "Nay!"

129. Grim: "Half an hour then?"

130. Christiana: "Nay! I will not give my child over to thee for ten seconds!"

131. Grim: "You will give me nothing?"

132. Christiana: "Nothing but thy due. We will not parley with you further. Thou shalt not so much as look upon my babe. And as for thee, thou shalt be food for the fowls of the air."

133. Grim: "You are sure?"

134. Christiana: "More than sure. Children, raise thy voices in supplication! You may proceed, Mr. Greatheart."

It is interesting that Jim Pappas had Christiana tell Greatheart when it was time to engage the enemy. This is a reinforcement of the sure-to-fail example of placing the weaker vessel up front to engage Satan while the spiritual head sits back and waits for orders.

(Greatheart goes into battle to fight Grim...)

Notes:

(1) Barry Martin, The Time Spiral, http://www.spiritwheels.com/writers/kiara/barrymartin.html (It is not surprising this article was removed from the internet. You may read this documentation at archive.org.) We credit this insight to http://www.ellenwhite.org/orion.htm.

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