Halfway to Hell on a Highway of Sin — E.A. Johnston

Four Categories on the Highway of Sin

I submit to you, friends, that there are four categories of people in the world who are on a broad highway to hell. In fact, the world is halfway to hell on a highway of sin. And that's the title of my message today, friends.

I'm going to prove to you today that the world's population is made up of four main categories of individuals who are halfway to hell on a highway of sin. I will first list them and then elaborate upon each head.

Number one is the godless atheist. Number two are the followers of world religion. Number three is the Epicurean. And number four is the unregenerate church member. Well, let's look at this first category of individuals, the godless atheists.

Atheism and the Denial of God

In Psalm 14 .1 we read, The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. This person looks at religion as a crutch. They shake their fist in the face of God and dare him to do anything about it. They're very vocal about their hatred of God.

Voltaire, the French philosopher, was a big atheist and he was quoted as saying, There is no God, but don't tell that to my servant, lest he murder me at night. Voltaire also said that religion was the enemy of reason and that the Bible would become an outdated book.

A popular atheist of our day was Stephen Hawking who was quoted as saying, There is no God, no one created the universe, and no one directs our fate. And his big quote was, There is no God, but my Bible says that this great scientist was just a fool.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Well, let's look at another category of individuals who are halfway to hell on a highway of sin and these are the followers of world religion. Jesus pronounced woes against the religious leaders of his day.

Religious Hypocrisy and False Assurance

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you're like unto white sepulchres which indeed appear beautiful outward but are within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanliness. Here the scribes and the Pharisees were very religious individuals.

They were known for their religion but they were lost religious individuals. They wore long black robes in public and made an outward show publicly when they prayed their long, loud prayers. But Jesus compared them to white sepulchres that looked good on the outside but inside are full of rottenness and decay and dead men's bones.

The followers of world religion, the Muslim, the Mormon, the Buddhist, the Catholic, all those individuals who cling to the religion as a hope of heaven will be greatly surprised on judgment day. They're hiding behind their religion as a safety net but they won't find safety there.

Epicureanism and the Pursuit of Pleasure

Another category of individuals who are halfway to hell on a highway of sin are the Epicureans. King Solomon spoke of these pleasure seekers and whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them. I withheld not my heart from any joy.

While their motto is eat, drink, and be merry, the definition of the Epicurean states that this person is fond of luxury and indulgence in sensual pleasures, having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.

Well, that's our society today, friends. The world is full of these pleasure seekers. They must have the finest vintage of wine, the most costly clothes. They're into lavish living and sinful lifestyles.

They see nothing wrong with sin. They have no problem committing adultery. They see nothing wrong with it. They can have 100 sex partners and feel no guilt or shame whatsoever. Rather, they brag about it.

They glory in their shame. But God describes these individuals in the book of Job how much more abominable and filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water. In other words, they can't get enough of sin.

Their belly is their god. Money is their god. Their lusts are their god. They live for greed and sensual pleasure. Well, lastly, we have the fourth category of individuals who are halfway to hell on a highway of sin.

The Unregenerate Church Member

And these are the unregenerate church members as seen in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Five were foolish. Here is the hypocrite church member who calls himself a Christian but who is a stranger to a work of grace upon the heart.

They joined the church and were baptized by merely giving a mental flip to Jesus. They are the unconverted church member who mistook church membership for salvation. They know nothing about vital Christianity for they've never been born from above and washed in the blood.

Hypocrites they are and hypocrites they'll be. In the days fast approaching will they be found out and they'll be shocked and dismayed for Isaiah declares that the sinners in Zion are afraid. Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the divine one fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings.

The Only Way to Heaven Is Through Christ

There you have it friends the picture and description of all those individuals the world at large who are halfway to hell on a highway of sin. The godless atheists the followers of world religion the Epicureans the unregenerate church members they're literally crawling over each other's backs to see who can get to hell the fastest but there's only one way to heaven and peace with God and forgiveness of sin and that one way is through the person of Christ Jesus.

Jesus declared about himself I am the way the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the father but by me. Here Jesus answers the three greatest questions of the human heart. How can I be saved? Jesus said I am the way.

How can I be sure? Jesus said I am the truth. How can I be satisfied? Jesus said I am the life. And in John 6 .35 Jesus declared I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Christ's Invitation to the Hungry and Thirsty

Listen to me friend. The gospel is for the hungry the weary and the thirsty. Let me ask you friend Are you hungry for God? Are you sick and tired of your sins? Are you thirsty for Christ? He is the only remedy of sin.

Jesus invites poor sinners to come to him and believe on him. The duty required is to come and he has a pure gospel promise to all who come In him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Maybe you friend while you've been listening to this message have discovered and you've been convicted about something about yourself that you have been halfway to hell on a highway of sin.

It's not too late to get off that highway friend and get over to Christ. Your only hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Get off that broad road. Get on the narrow one and trust in Jesus. Confess you are a sinner and own him as your Savior and Lord.

Let us pray.