Journey to Hell

by John Bunyan

John Bunyan portrays one man's lifelong journey to hell and what we can do to avoid the same fate. What words will you hear on the Day of Judgment: "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire" (Matthew 25:41 NKJV), or "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you" (Matthew 25:34 NKJV)? Don't delay. Learn now how you can be ready to enter the eternal City of God.

Genres: Christian, Fiction, Theology, Classics

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2008

About the author

John Bunyan, a Christian writer and preacher, was born at Harrowden (one mile south-east of Bedford), in the Parish of Elstow, England. He wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, arguably the most famous published Christian allegory. In the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August.

Reviews

[Zach de Walsingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good.

Considered the reverse of Pilgrims Progress, this is the story of a man who never repents of his sins, and what his life is like from childhood up until his death. It's set in a conversational teaching format - one man tells the tale and offers commentary while another man asks questions. There were several helpful gems that came with this one, such as Christian standards in business dealings, your work habits, who you hang out with, and how you treat your spouse; which are quite applicable even in our own day.

The book was rather eye-opening in that sins which were considered outrageous then are considered normal and commonplace today.

[Rana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated John Bunyan's use of scripture to prove Biblically what Mr. Wiseman said to Mr. Attentive throughout the book. He didn't just give his opinions as to why he thought the way he did. No, he was able to back them up with Scripture. If only more of us could be so Biblically literate today! To think the 1600's was a time period where they didn't have computers with which one could instantly google whatever Biblical reference makes it so impressive that Bunyan used the Scriptures as well as he did. One can tell he loved God's Word and knew it well. He also stresses several times toward the end of the book the need for repentance to avoid going to hell. If one is never convicted about their sins, and thus never repents of them to God and asks Jesus for forgiveness--then just as Bunyan Biblically states, that person can never be assured of going to Heaven. Mr. Badman, in the story, was such a person. He was truly a bad man of horrible character throughout his life; nevertheless, had he truly repented of those bad sins--he would not have gone to hell. Unfortunately, he never repented. This book serves as a great warning to those who are on Mr. Badman's path. By the way, this book is not about a person's experience in hell: It's about a person's life from childhood to the grave that show how he was a bad man, his lack of repentance, his personal journey to hell, and the lessons we can learn from his experience.

[William Kringel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It uses a conversational style which is easy to follow and very down to earth in it's approach. I am a big fan of John Bunyan. While I liked some of his other works better, this one follows the life of a man that chooses to go to hell. It is a great way to show the reader that going to hell is not a one time choice but rather a life time commitment. God reaches out to this man over and over again to try to save him. In order to finally lose his soul this man rejects God's every effort, he despises everyone who tries to get him back on the path to heaven, he throws away the love and blessing that he is given, and ultimately forges a character that would not be happy in heaven even if God were to let him in. This is a wonderful book filled with trueth that we all can learn from.

[Charles Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Badman had every chance to live a Godly life yet chose to run to sin... He had every chance to cry out to Jesus yet He chose to gain the world and lose his soul. This is a story, a warning of what not to do. This reminds me of the book of Proverbs in what a fool does and the high price of sin. Sin will take you farther than you want to go- to Hell and keep you longer then you want to stay- forever!

2 Kings 17:32-33 They feared the Lord, but served their own idols.

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Isaiah 55: 6-7 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

[Jeff Danhauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent book, although i found the 'dialogue' format slightly less enjoyable than the 'storyboard' format used in Pilgrims progress. Nevertheless..... it IS John Bunyan.

[Mikey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's fairly remarkable how relevant the issues raised are to this day. " The funniest example to me, was how I found myself thinking of Walmart when he was talking about the evils of paying too much or too little for goods and services. But then of course he also deals with other common hot button topics such as abortion (although not by that name). I suppose it should not surprise "no temptation has taken us except what is common to man."

...I would only ask for [ :] prayers that God will give me much grace, that I may neither live nor die as Mr. Badman did." "...If anything [ :] said about Mr. Badman's life and death may be of benefit [ :], I will be sincerely glad. [ :] I desire [ :] to thank God for it and to pray wholeheartedly [ :] that I, along with you, may be "kept by the power of God through faith for salvation" (1 Peter 1:5)." --John Bunyan

[Luke Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG what a read!!! I can't help but highly recommend this book. Imagine to think that Christians knew this much history and knoweldge of the afterlife. Yes yes i will say that i dont agree on every little thing he says here but there was soo much good teaching and learning. I really started to see the need of repentance as a part of my everyday living and to acknolege that the way i live now determines the outcome of my judgement when i die.

I learned to start looking at sin as a situation that must be handled with awarness and wisdom from Christ. I learned that everything matters in your everyday life.

I really hope this book helps the everyday christian start to look at their life and make the changes that bring them closer to Christ.

[Biondy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled to finish it. I haven't read The Pilgrim's Progress, so I can't compare this to its more popular brother. It's about two people who sat and talked about the sins of someone who just passed away. Well, said man didn't live a good life, but my goodness, the body was still fresh.

I prefer The Screwtape Letters when it comes to this format of teaching about moral and religion through interaction between two people (or demons in TSL's case).

[Stanley · Rating 1 out of 5]

The entire book is a conversation between Wiseman and Attentive regarding the demise of Mr. Badman. Wiseman basically lectures Attentive (and the reader) on the vices of Mr. Badman in a most long winded fashion. I had thought this would be similar to Pilgrim's Progress however that is not the case. I did not care for this book.

[English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and thought provoking and rather convicting book by the Great preacher and writer of Pilgrim's Progress John Bunyan. I didn't entirely agree with the use or application of all the biblical passages.

[Cool · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Badman is a very bad man.

[Jake Spann · Rating 3 out of 5]

you ever feel catfished by a christian book but it wasn't by a prosperity gospel demon in disguise?

the original name of the book was more appropriate to the book. it is a great sermon series on ethics, real faith, the likely false faith of deathbed confessions, business ethics etc. there is much to learn and be convicteed here, and i feel rough giving only 3 stars as it is is really 3.5 stars, but i feel the publisher who changed the name hurt this book by setting it up to sound and smell like a dante's inferno meets the pilgrim's progress, which it is not.

[Michael Tigges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dialog between a "Wise" man and a curious "Attentive" man concerning the life of a "Badman." The conversation is dated, as to be expected, but the subtle deception and compulsion of sin remains the same. I have a couple disagreements, especially in regard to suicide, but all-in-all in agreement with Mr. Bunyan with the dire consequences of living a sinful life. A good complementary read to The Pilgrim's Progress.

[Ian Pablo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Espetacular!
John Bunyan agora nos apresenta a história do Peregrino às avessas. Aqui acompanhamos a história do Sr. Mau peregrinando não o caminho para Cidade Celestial, mas para o lago de fogo eterno, destinado ao Diabo, seus anjos e homens como o Sr. Mau que não reconheceram Cristo como seu salvador.

[Jorge Fernandes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um livro que descreve atitudes que podem te afastar dos caminhos da salvação. A história é um diálogo entre duas pessoas sobre a vida do Senhor Mau. Não espere um livro que seria o oposto de O Peregrino, pois não se trata da descrição de uma jornada até o inferno.

[Lylah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, powerful truths told in simple illustrations. Highly recommend it to any Christian or non-Christian.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a dialogue between two individuals than a story like Pilgrim progress. Still good but depressing.

[Rob Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main meanings seemed to be very repetitious.

[Claire Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know that John Bunyan had written a story showing a man's lifelong journey to hell, so was surprised when I picked this book up at a second-hand bookstore. It was a very interesting read that challenged me on several points of faith and helped me understand others.