The Romans Road Gospel – Part 1

Jesus commanded His disciples, throughout all ages, to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). The first step in making disciples is to bring people to salvation. To have them believe on Jesus as their Savior and Lord. The message of salvation is the Gospel. It is the “good news” that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and that His resurrection indicated God’s acceptance of His sacrifice on our behalf.

The Apostle Paul details the Gospel in the book of Romans. He told the people, “I am eager to preach the gospel to you… For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:15-16). Paul detailed the important elements of the Gospel to the people in Rome. His presentation of the Gospel, the steps to salvation, is called the “The Roman’s Road.”

Step 1: Our sins prevent us from having a relationship with God. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Step 2: Sin has eternal consequences. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Step 3: God has provided a means for our salvation. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Step 4: How we receive salvation. Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Step 5: Results of salvation. Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul warns Christians to reject anyone who “preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached…or a different gospel” (2 Corinthians 11:4). To the Galatian believers he noted, “There are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” Paul also stated “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (Galatians 1:7-8)

Paul wanted to share the Gospel “that you should turn…to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (Acts 14:15). God created us to be in a loving relationship with Him. His creation is one means by which He reveals Himself to us, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Romans 1:20).

God added His words, the scriptures, to the message of creation in order to reveal Himself fully to us. Scripture also tells us His plan to reestablish the relationship with His people that Adam and Eve disrupted when they sinned. The “Romans Road” leads us back to God.