Losing Your Roll

The Omnibus class I’m teaching this year has been reading The Pilgrim’s Progress. We discussed in class last week when Christian lost his Roll.

He had stopped at the Arbor, a place built by the Lord of the land for His people to rest. Christian not only stopped, he slept. When he woke up and got going again, he realized he had lost his roll and had to go back.

What does the “roll” represent? What is it that a Christian can lose? He can’t lose his faith, or his salvation. Before the Arbor Christian’s burden (of sin) had fallen off at the cross, tumbled into the Sepulcher, and “it could never come out again.”

A Christian cannot lose his salvation, but he can lose his assurance of salvation. 1 John 5:13 states the purpose of that letter, “that you may know that you have eternal life.” John’s gospel was written that readers would believe that Jesus is the Christ, John’s first letter was written that believers would see fruit of that belief and have confidence.

Peter similarly says, “if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being unfruitful” (2 Peter 1:8). This is a way to confirm one’s calling and election, to have assurance.

All of this relates to the book of Titus and the repeated emphasis on good works. They are a fruit of grace, grace is not a payment offered for our works. And when we see good works, we can know that grace is at work in us, so we build up assurance of faith.

If you stop and sleep too long in your sanctification, you will lose your confidence. You are still saved, but you won’t be ready for the spiritual fight.