The Acceptable Sacrifice
Overview
Responding to David's words in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise," Bunyan addresses the proper condition of the human heart as an acceptable sacrifice, the broken heart.
Top Highlights
“The subject of a broken heart is one of vital importance, because it is essential to salvation. The heart, by nature, is hard, and cannot, and will not break itself.” (Volume 1, Page 685)
“Let two of Bunyan’s remarks make an indelible impression on every mind: ‘God will break ALL hearts for sin, either here to repentance and happiness, or in the world to come to condemnation and misery.’ ‘Consider thou must die but once; I mean but once as to this world, for if thou, when thou goest hence, dost not die well, thou canst not come back again and die better.’ May our spirits be baptized into these solemn truths, and our broken hearts be an acceptable sacrifice to God.” (Volume 1, Pages 685–686)
“The heart of man is harder than hardness itself, till God softeneth and breaks it.” (Volume 1, Page 687)
“And why is the breaking of the heart compared to the breaking of the bones? but because as when the bones are broken, the outward man is disabled as to what it was wont to do; so when the spirit is broken, the inward man is disabled as to what vanity and folly it before delighted in; hence, feebleness is joined with this brokenness of heart.” (Volume 1, Page 695)
“but is the peculiar gift of God himself. He that made the heart must break the heart.” (Volume 1, Page 687)
Bunyan has always been one of the most popular of the Puritans—no doubt because, while possessing the Word-centeredness as well as the depth of doctrine and experience of other Puritans, he also possessed a warm simplicity of style.
—Reformation and Revival Ministries, Reformation and Revival Volume 5, 2003
Bunyan is best known for his ageless classic, The Pilgrim's Progress. His literary genius in this work [is such] that people are prone to forget that this tinker from Bedford was first and foremost a Pastor and preacher...
—Thomas K. Ascol, The Founders Journal
For over 150 years the accepted edition of The Works of John Bunyan has been that edited by George Offor... This scholarly labor has contributed much toward a better appreciation of Bunyan's gospel motivated writings...
—From Bunyan Ministries
- Title: The Acceptable Sacrifice
- Author: John Bunyan
- Editor: George Offor
- Publisher: John Knox Press
- Publication Date: 2006
- Pages: 35
John Bunyan (1628–1688) is one of the most prominent Puritans of all time. Bunyan was well known as a respected preacher during his lifetime and remembered through his writing to this day—namely The Pilgrim's Progress.
After joining the Bedford Baptist Church of Bedford, England, in 1654, Bunyan began preaching in nearby villages. He was prosecuted under an Elizabethan act against nonconformity and imprisoned for three months which was extended to twelve years. Bunyan became the pastor of St. John's Church the same month as his release from prison.
The author of more than 60 books, Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Holy War, and his autobiographical book Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, gained a prominent and unique place in history. The Works of John Bunyan (3 vols.) includes 61 Bunyan-penned classics.