Highway to Hell

There is a quote in the book The Screwtape Letters written by C.S. Lewis that I’ve always found compelling:

“But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

It’s quite simple. The devil will do anything to separate us from God. The scary thing is that we tend to get so comfortable where we are and we have the mindset that all is well in our Christian walk, yet the road we are on is leading us right into Hell. The road we are on is nice, it’s got scenic views, the people aren’t that bad, there are neat things to stop and look at….That’s the devil at his best. The devil is smart and we don’t give him enough credit. He isn’t going to flaunt about in the open with a big gift and a sign that says FREE SIN HERE! No, he knows that doesn’t work. According to 2 Corinthians 11:14, the devil appears as an angel of light. As Screwtape mentions in this factitious story, cards will do the trick just like murder. Is the road you are on leading you to Hell? Gossip, lying, cheating, lust, fornication, pornography, hatred, unbelief, etc.; it all may seem little and ineffective in your spiritual life, but it is these types of things that are gradually going to lead us on that highway to hell.

Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”