Lessons from Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan--Part 2--Vanity Fair & It's Challenges to Us in 2026

I am writing another continuation of the previous post about the lessons we can learn from Pilgrim’s Progress in 2026.  Specifically, I want to go back to the treacherous trap called Vanity Fair.  A dangerous city that all travelers must go through on their way to the Celestial City. 

Just as a brief reference point, the whole seed of the idea for this was a sermon/Bible study that I developed after a late-night conversation with Pastor Douglas Walker.  He had moved to Calgary, Alberta to take the pastoral leadership at Truth Church.  The conversation had stirred my soul and mind with some thoughts concerning modesty.  That word is somewhat ancient for a lot of us now and I really believe that we are lesser for it both spiritually and mentally.      

As we worked through the conversation, my interest was piqued with the concept of where that biblical word comes from.  Except “modesty” is not even in the KJV and “modest” only appears once in 1 Timothy 2:9. “Modest” is found only once in the NKJV, NASB95, NIV84, and in the NLT.  “Modesty” is found twice in the ESV and the Amplified Bible, and it appears once in NKJV, NIV84, and the NLT.  It is a small word but has huge implications for the modern-day New Testament church to the extent that it covers far more than the way people dress. 

In a book by E. R. Richards and B. J. O’Brien (2012) Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible, they write on the concept of modesty and present the following points (pp. 42-44):

Modesty addresses morality at large but particularly sexual morality.

Modesty addresses worship particularly in the arena of participating in communion.

Modesty deals with the matter of hair and head coverings in 1 Corinthians 11.

Modesty addresses deals with economic restraint in the matter of clothing.

Modesty addresses the bigger issue of monetary restraint as we walk through this world.

Modesty addresses the matter of where we sit in church worship services—noting the danger of separating the haves from the have nots.  (The reference was to the New England region during the time of the settlements in Early American life.  The appeal was made to James 2:1-10).   

Even further back than 2012, the early church father of the third century, Tertullian, dealt with modesty in some of his writings.  He asserted that it was more than just dress but generally having to do with the overall style of life—in dress, in conduct, in money, in the works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit.  Minucius Felix, another third century early church father, dealt with modesty in a similar manner but brought the matter of our mind being affected by modesty.  So that in this understanding that modesty very much is related to public worship and private prayer as well.

It should be obvious that when we look at the matter of modesty, it is speaking of patterns of thinking in the way that we walk through this world.  Much has been written about the way that our devices are now “listening” to us and the words that we say have stimulated advertisements that move us toward impulse purchasing.  That is the modern-day Vanity Fair that is attempting to sell me merchandise that probably I probably do not need.  But driven by desire, it is easy to add it to the cart and then one or two days later, the product arrives at my front door.  Vanity Fair is keen on selling vices although they might not be recognized as such, but for a lack of self-examination and spiritual reflection, we have been turned into consumers trying to fill huge spiritual vacuums that can only be filled with God and His Word.

What would be the opposite of vanity?  It would be virtue.  Virtue is something that has to be pursued and modesty is one of its avenues that are worth traveling down.  Virtue is something that is developed because of intentional spiritual living.  Another expression that might describe the pursuit of virtue would be to practice the spiritual disciplines.  These matters are absolutely crucial to my spiritual walk even though many fall into the trap of thinking that one (it used to be two) Sunday worship service can suffice for a week with little to no interaction with the Word or prayer in that seven-day period.  Vice is easier to come by and even if we do not practice the vice, it is very accessible to us to watch on rival streaming platforms that are now in the gazillion range.  Carnival hawkers, clowns of abundance, and charlatans of all tastes are doing their best to sell us the “glitterati.”  I don’t even remember where I ran across that word, but it means the highly fashionable celebrities who have money and fame and are generally looked at as the smart set.  They want you to buy into the idea that the “seven deadlies” are the greatest way of self-expression in our world.

Vanity Fair sets a trap for me; the spirit of the age wants me to fall into the snare of trying to wear, drive, live in and visit what the so-called “beautiful people” are doing.  In actuality, it is soul-emptying, mind-numbing, jealousy-inducing, and for holiness-minded people it is the persuasion toward compromise.  It postures the soul toward envy, competitiveness, pride, resentment, and bitterness that all lie just beneath the surface of a crafted public veneer that when the right pressure point comes along, the cover is blown.  If you will escape Vanity Fair intact, it will be because you make a conscious and careful decision to be very serious about sin—as in mortifying it or killing it!  There is a reason that multiple New Testament passages call for separation from the world (Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:5-14; 2 Peter 1:3-8).        

Once you have been born again, you are now the citizen of another kingdom, an eternal one that is diametrically opposed to the material world we live in now.  A change of citizenship to that kingdom completely changes your identity so that you now fall into the place of what Scripture defines: 

As a stranger and exile—Heb. 11:13

As a stranger—1 Peter 1:1; 2:11

As a sojourner—1 Peter 1:17

As a pilgrim—1 Peter 2:11

As a soldier knowing there are lusts that wage war against my soul—1 Peter 2:11

This world is NOT my home; I am just a passing through!  My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue, the angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore! . . . O Lord, you know this world is not my home! 

Paul is so clear in his warning to the young fledgling church in the region of Galatia; there is another gospel and it can be preached by angels or demons.   The gospel of Vanity Fair is a compelling deceiving gospel so much so that if he, an angel or demon preached anything else let that voice be accursed.  Let those voices and vices of that city be eternally damned!  It is an enticing message and a fake gospel that Paul warned them they could be deceived by the hiss of the serpent.  You don’t start in the Spirit and finish in your flesh; you walk in the Spirit the entire way.

William Ian Miller writes in his book, Faking It, that the flattery of the inhabitants of Vanity Fair is like a narcotic and it is addicting to the soul.  He writes:  It preys on two desperate and inescapable desires:  to be thought well of by others and to think well of ourselves.  We desire and need approval so badly that we seem more than willing to accept counterfeit coinage as well.  The antidote to this drunkenness that is being sold by Vanity Fair is modesty of mind and soul.  Clear thinking that has been established by Scriptural principle is a priority of holiness-minded people. 

Vanity Fair and the “glitterati” make strong appeals to all spiritual travelers and as I worked through writing this, I thought of some real life, boots on the ground ways that we can be successful in our trek through it:

The financially challenged who are still committed to tithing.

The pastor who faithfully preaches and prays for congregations that may have only 20-23 people.

The employees who resist sexual temptations at their job places.

The single young man/woman who knows the isolation of loneliness but still adhere to commitments of holiness that could be easily compromised to gain a date.

The young mother who faithfully cares for her young children.

The young father that consistently models a strong work ethic to support his family at a less than desirable job.

Stay faithful as you walk through this world.  Pray.  Fast.  Seek.  Give.  Develop.  Read.  Think.  Meditate.  Grow.  Listen.  Worship.  Lead.  Sing.  Journal.  Memorize.  Witness.  Repeat.

Thanks for reading. . .

Philip Harrelson