John Bunyan, the author of "The Pilgrim's Progress", deeply understood and appreciated the riches of God’s sovereign grace.  In his timeless classic he described with careful insight the manner in which genuine repentance and faith are experienced in the soul that is being converted.  Repentance and faith are equally necessary and are two sides of the same coin called conversion. 

As a pastor, he took seriously his duties as a physician of souls, and in this excerpt from the book he helps us see what coming to Christ looks like.  Consider that the allegory itself is really an evangelistic tract calling people to the road that Christian, Faithful and Hopeful walked.

Then Christian began, and said:

Christian.  I will ask you a question.  How did you begin to think at first of doing as you do now?  It is appropriate to ask a fellow pilgrim how he decided to follow Christ.

Hopeful.  Do you mean, how came I at first to look after the good of my soul? 

Christian.   Yes, that is my meaning.

Hopeful.  I continued a great while in the delight of those things which were seen and sold at our fair; things which I believe now would have (had I continued in them still) drowned me in perdition and destruction.  Hopeful was a citizen of Vanity Fair when he first met the two pilgrims, Christian and Faithful, on their journey.

Christian.  What things were they?

Hopeful.  All the treasures and riches of the world.  Also I delighted much in rioting, reveling, drinking, swearing, lying, uncleanness, Sabbath-breaking, and what not, that tended to destroy the soul.  But I found at last, by hearing and considering of things that are Divine, which indeed I heard from you, and also of beloved Faithful, who was put to death for his faith and good living inVanity-Fair, that the end of these things is death.  And that for these things’ sake, the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience.  Christian and Faithful were true martyrs is a “witness”.  They brought the threatening warnings and comforting promises of the gospel to the pagan city.

Christian.  And did you at once fall under the power of this conviction?

Hopeful.  No, I was not willing presently to admit the evil of sin nor the damnation that follows upon the commission of it; but endeavored, when my mind at first began to be shaken with the Word, to shut mine eyes against the light of it.  Conviction of sin does not usually come suddenly to those who are converted.

Christian.  But what was the cause that you remember to be the first workings of God’s blessed Spirit upon you?

Hopeful.  The causes were, 1.  I was ignorant that this was the work of God upon me.  I never thought that by awakenings for sin, God at first begins the conversion of a sinner.  2.  Sin was very sweet to my flesh, and I was reluctant to leave it.  3.  I could not tell how to part with my old companions, their presence and actions were so desirable to me.  4.  The hours in which convictions were upon me, were such troublesome and such Heart-frightening hours, that I could not bear, no not so much as the remembrance of them upon my heart.  Conviction of sin is unsettling and mysterious.  We might not be able to articulate that God is savingly at work in the midst of it.

Christian.  Then, as it seems, sometimes you got rid of your troubles.

Hopeful.  Yes, truly, but it would come into my mind again, and then I should be as bad, no, worse, than I was before.

Christian.  Why, what was it that brought your sins to mind again?

Hopeful.  Many things; such as,

1.      If I did but meet a good man in the streets; or

2.      If I have heard anyone read in the Bible; or,

3.      If mine head did begin to ache; or,

4.      If I were told that some of my neighbors were sick; or,

5.      If I thought the bell toll for some that were dead; or,

6.      If I thought of dying myself; or,

7.      If I heard that sudden death happened to others.

8.      But especially when I thought of myself, that I must quickly come to Judgment.

Christian.  And could you at any time, with ease, get off the Guilt of Sin, when by any of these ways it came upon you?

Hopeful.  No, not latterly; for then they got faster hold of my conscience; and then, if I did but think of going back to sin, (though my mind was turned against it) it would be double torment for me.  Notice that the pain of a guilty conscience is a good thing if it presses us to find true forgiveness.

Christian.  And how did you do then?

Hopeful.  I thought I must endeavor to mend my life; for else, thought I, I am sure to be damned.  These endeavors are reflective of Bunyan’s own testimony in Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.  When under conviction of sin, he first tried in vain to find peace of conscience by an outward, self-righteous reformation of conduct.

Christian.   And did you endeavor to mend?

Hopeful.   Yes; and I fled not only from my sins, but sinful company too, and began to do religious duties; as praying, reading, weeping for sin, and speaking truth to my neighbors.  These things I did, with many others, too many here to relate.

Christian.  And did you think yourself well then?

Hopeful.   Yes, for a while; but at the last my trouble came tumbling upon me again, even over the height of all my reformations.

Christian.  How did that come about, since you were now reformed?

Hopeful.  There were several things that brought it upon me, especially such sayings as these:  All our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags.  By the Works of the Law, no man shall be justified.  When ye have done all things, say, We are unprofitable:   With many more such like.  From whence I began to reason with myself thus:  If all my righteousnesses are filthy rags; if by the deeds of the Law no man can be justified; and if when we have done all we are still unprofitable, then its only folly to think that heaven can be gained by the Law. I further thought thus: If a man owes a hundred dollars to a shopkeeper, and after that begins to pay for all he obtains, his old debt still stands in the Books as unpaid.  Then the shopkeeper may sue him, and cast him into prison, till he pays the debt.  Notice that in true conversion the mind can engage in logic that will show the reasonableness of the gospel message. (See Isa. 64:6,  Gal. 2:16, Lk 17:10)

Christian.  Well, and how did you apply this to yourself?

Hopeful.  Why, I thought thus with myself; I have by my sins run a great way into God’s account, and that my recent reforming will not pay off that score; even after all my present amendments, how shall I be freed from that damnation that I have brought myself in danger of by my former transgressions?

Christian.  A very good application; but pray go on.

Hopeful.  Another thing that hath troubled me even since my late amendments is , that if I look narrowly into the best of what I do now, I still see sin, new sin, mixing itself with the best of what I do; so that now I am forced to conclude, that notwithstanding my former high opinion of myself and duties, I have committed sin enough in one duty to send me to hell, even if my former life had been faultless.  This is indeed seeing both the depth and power of indwelling sin!

Christian.  And what did you do then?

Hopeful.  Do!  I could not tell what to do, till I brake my mind to Faithful, for he and I were well acquainted.  And he told me,  that unless I could obtain the Righteousness of a man that never had sinned; neither mine own, nor all the Righteousness of the World could save me.  God uses the instructive testimony of true Christians to teach His elect how to be justified in His sight.

Christian.  And did you think he spoke the truth?

Hope. If he had told me so when I was pleased and satisfied with my own amendments, I would have called him a fool for his pains; but now, since I see my own infirmity, and the sin that clings to my best performance, I have been forced to agree with his opinion.

Christian.  But did you think, when at first he suggested it to you, that there was such a man to be found, of whom it might justly be said, that he never committed sin? All genuine and effective evangelism turns the attention to Jesus Christ.

Hopeful.  I must confess the words at first sounded strange, but after a little more talk and company with him, I had full conviction about it. 

Christian.  And did you ask him who this Man was, and how you must be justified by him?

Hopeful.  Yes, and he told me it was the Lord Jesus, Who dwells on the right hand of the Most High: And thus, said he, you must be justified by Him, even by trusting to what he has done by Himself in the days of His flesh, and suffered when He did hang on the Tree.  I asked him further, how that Man’s righteousness could be of that efficacy, as to justify another before God?  And he told me, He was the Mighty God, and did what He did, and died the Death also, not for Himself, but for me; to whom His works, and their worthiness, should be imputed, if I believed on Him.  To “impute” means to credit something to the account of another.  In the gospel message a repentant sinner’s guilt is placed against Christ’s account, and Christ’s perfect, righteous record is credited to the account of the sinner. (See Rom. 4:3, 5-8).

Christian.  And what did you do then?

Hopeful.  I made my objections against my believing, for that I thought He was not willing to save me.

Christian.  And what did Faithful say to you then?

Hopeful.  He bid me go to Him and see; then I said it was presumption; he said no, for I was Invited to come.  Then he gave me a Book, in which every jot and tittle thereof stood firmer than Heaven and earth.  Then I asked him what I must do when I came: and he told me, I must entreat upon my knees, with all my heart and soul, the Father to reveal Him to me.  Then I asked him further, how I must make my supplication to Him?  And he said, Go, and thou shalt find Him upon a Mercy-Seat, where He sits all the year long, to give pardon and forgiveness to those who come.  I told him, that I knew not what to say when I came.  And he bid me say to this effect: God be merciful to me a Sinner, and make me to know and believe in Jesus Christ; for I see, that if His righteousness had not been, or I have not faith in that righteousness, I am utterly cast away.  Lord, I have heard that You art a merciful God, and have ordained that Thy Son Jesus Christ should be the Savior of the world; and moreover, that You are willing to bestow upon such a poor sinner as I am, (and I am a sinner indeed) Lord, take therefore this opportunity, and magnify Your grace in the salvation of my soul, through Your Son Jesus Christ.  Amen. The evangelist points people to the authority of what God says, trusting that the truth of the Bible will change hearts and minds.  (See Isa. 55:10, 11; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12, 13).  This is a sinner’s prayer similar to that of the tax collector in Jesus’ parable (Lk. 18:13).  A promise is given that “all who call upon the Lord (pray with faith) shall be saved.  (Rom. 10:13, Acts 2:21)

Christian.  And did you do as you were bidden?

Hopeful.  Yes; over and over, and over.  (Ex. 33:1).  (Note that Bunyan realizes that there is no merit in the sinner’s prayer and no guarantee that the prayer prayed once will automatically bring saving faith and salvation.  (Mt. 7:8; Lk. 11:10)  God will have mercy upon whom He chooses to have mercy.  (Rom. 11:15; Ex. 33:19)

Christian.  What did you do then?

Hopeful.  What!  Why, I could not tell what to do.

Christian.  Had you not thoughts of stopping such praying?

Hopeful.  Yes; an hundred times twice told. 

Christian.  And what was the reason you did not?

Hopeful.  I believed that that was true, which had been told me, to wit, That without the Righteousness of this Christ, all the World could not save me; and therefore thought I with myself, if I leave off, I die, and I can but die at the Throne of Grace.  And withal this came into my mind, If it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, and will not tarry.  So I continued Praying, until the Father showed me his Son.  (See John 6:68, Mt. 11:12, Hab. 2:3).  This is a very wonderful description of God’s grace – to persevere in prayer, even with the knowledge of complete human inability.  The human struggle magnifies God’s mercy.

Christian.  And how was He revealed unto you?

Hopeful.  I did not see him with my bodily eyes, but with the eyes of mine Understanding; and thus it was.  One day I was very sad, I think sadder than at any one time of my Life; and this sadness was through a fresh sight of the greatness and vileness of my Sins.  And as I was then looking for nothing but Hell, and the everlasting Damnation of my Soul, suddenly, as I thought, I saw the Lord Jesus looking down from Heaven upon me, and saying, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.  But I replied, Lord I am a great, a very great sinner: And he answered, My Grace is sufficient for thee.   Then I said, but Lord, what is believing?  And then I saw from that saying, [He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on my shall never thirst] that Believing and Coming was all one; and that he that came, that is, ran out in his heart and affections after Salvation by Christ, he indeed believed in Christ.  Then the water stood in mine eyes, and I asked further, But Lord, may such a great Sinner as I am , be indeed accepted of thee, and be saved by thee?  And I heard him say, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.  Then I said, But how, Lord, must I consider of thee in my coming to thee, that my Faith may be placed aright upon thee?  Then he said, Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners.  He is the end of the Law for Righteousness to everyone that believes.  He dyed for our Sins, and rose again for our Justification: He loved us, and washed us from our Sins in his own blood: He is Mediator between God and us:  He ever liveth to make Intercession for us.  From all which I gathered, that I must look for Righteousness in his Person, and for Satisfaction for my Sins by his Blood; that what he did in Obedience to his Father’s Law, and in submitting to the Penalty thereof, was not for himself, but for him that will accept it for his Salvation, and be thankful.  And now was my heart full of joy, mine eyes full of tears, and mine affections running over with love to the Name, People, and Ways of Jesus Christ.  (See Acts 16:31; 2 Cor. 12:9; John 6:35) Faith is the “instrumental” cause of our salvation. It is a gift from God, and the means by which we become united to Christ and His blessings.  (Rom. 1:17; Eph. 2:8, 9); (John 6:37); (1 Tim. 1:15) (See Rom. 10:4; Rev. 1:5; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25).  Jesus likened coming into His kingdom to being born again or being ”regenerated.” (John 3:3ff)  The prophets spoke of obtaining a new heart.  (Ezek. 36:26).  It is necessary that the new birth precede the exercise of saving faith.  Faith is not the cause of the new birth.  The new birth is the cause of faith.  A heart that is “dead in transgressions and sin” does not have the ability to exercise saving faith.

Christian.  This was a Revelation of Christ to your soul indeed; but tell me particularly what effect this had upon your spirit?

Hopeful.  It made me see that all the World, notwithstanding all the righteousness thereof, is in a state of Condemnation.  It made me see that God the Father, though he be just, can justly justify the coming Sinner: It made me greatly ashamed of the Vileness of my former life, and confounded me with the sense of mine own Ignorance; for there never came thought into my heart before now, that showed me so the beauty of Jesus Christ: it made me love a Holy Life, and long to do something for the honor and glory of the name of the Lord Jesus; Yea, I thought that had I now a thousand gallons of blood in my body, I could spill it all for the sake of the Lord Jesus. (See 1 John 5:19; Rom. 3:26, 2 Cor. 5:17)  Bunyan realized that there is no salvation other than Lordship salvation.  The new birth, which is a monergistic work done by God alone, results in a radically changed, new heart and life.  Paul expressed this change in Phil. 3:4-10).