Christian Highway

"And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isaiah 35: 8-10)

"They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. " (Isaiah 49: 10, 11)

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40: 3)

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7: 13, 14 KJV)

A Christian is a "pilgrim" and a "stranger" in this present evil age. (See Hebrews 11: 13 & I Peter 2: 11) As such he is away from home. Yet, because he has become a citizen of the heavenly kingdom (See Philippians 3: 20 "But our citizenship is in heaven" NIV) he has a permanent address in glory, in a literal and spiritual (or metaphorical) sense. He has "title" to "mansions." (See John 14: 2) In some sense the Christian has left one path and entered into a another, and who, in the spirit, now lives in a different place, spiritually speaking. And, in both a spiritual and a physical sense, will live forever on "streets of gold" in the "New Jerusalem."

The "ransomed of the Lord" will walk a "highway" both now, in a mystical sense, in the elevated life that they enjoy from Christ, in their daily walk and fellowship with him, and also in the future when they inherit their mansions with glorified bodies, and sit on the banks of the "river of life" and eat from the "tree of life" that line its banks. The above prophecy of Isaiah is both a description of the present life of the believer and also of his life in the "age to come" and in the "New Jerusalem."

Let us think about how the metaphor of roads, alleys, highways, streets, and avenues, and other such terms, are used as idioms, and how they may be applied to the lives of sinners and of Christians.

Christians once were sinners like everyone else; Lost, unforgiven, guilty, full of shame, and doomed. They once lived, spiritually speaking, on "Skid Row" - in a district of a wicked city (and world) marked by spiritual poverty and living conditions.

Lost and wicked sinners live, not only in a wicked city and district, in an evil state, but also on a "dead end street," their lives going nowhere, and being without meaning, purpose, or a good destiny.

Some sinners live on "Easy Street," in a "condition of financial security or independence," in "comfortable, easy circumstances," living what is called "the good life." Yet, "Easy Street" is only a name, for those that live there are mostly the worst of the district, hypocrites having "taken over the area." So God warns those sinners who live here, who live in "Sin City," saying - "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion." (Amos 6: 1 KJV)

Some in this area of the district live on "Primrose Lane" and some live on "Memory Lane." Their homes are all beautiful "on the outside" but within it is all spiritual ugliness.

Sinners, spiritually speaking, live in a "Blind Alley" at a "blind corner." They need to live in the "highway of holiness" and to "walk the path of the just," which is "as the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day." (Proverbs 4: 18 KJV)

Jesus spoke of two roads. One is the proverbial "low road" while the other is the "high road" or "high way." Upon which one are we traveling? Sadly, it is this "high way" or "road to eternal life," that is the proverbial "road less traveled"!

Sinners, lost and under the guilt of their sins, before God, live in a spiritual "red light district," in the filthiness of their sins and in spiritual fornication and moral adultery, in their having broken covenant with God.

Sinners, because of their sins and alienation from God, live in a place called "Bluesville." They have no peace about their eternal destiny, about the coming Day of Judgment. Their sins have worn them out, made them weary with bearing the consequences of them, and they are often weeping over their sad situation, spiritually speaking.

What we are talking about is "where" does a man's soul "reside"? What is the spiritual address of a man? Do you live on the "sunny side of the street" and "walk on the sunny side of life"?

If you have become a Christian, then Lord God Almighty dwells in your heart and you live on "Regeneration Avenue," having "taken the exit" from the suburbs of sin, and from the "rocky" and "bumby road" of sin.

Solomon said - "the way of the transgressor (sinner) is hard (difficult)." (Proverbs 13: 15 KJV)

This is why he says to such sinners -

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30 NIV)

To get on the "Highway of Holiness," one must first get on "Regeneration Avenue," also called "New Birth Boulevard," via "Repentance Exit Road" and "Conversion Way."

Will YOU change your spiritual address today?