The Romans Road Gospel – Part 2

The Apostle Paul details God’s plan of salvation in the book of Romans. His presentation of the Gospel is called “the Romans Road.” Each of us must walk this road in order to experience a loving relationship with God during our mortal lives and to spend eternity in His presence.

God created us to be in a loving relationship with Him. Initially, Adam and Eve enjoyed this relationship. However, they severed that relationship when they disobeyed God. They chose to “exchange the true God with a lie” (Romans 1:25). The “lie” was that they could “become like God” (Genesis 3:5). God had told them not to eat from “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil… for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

Their desire to be “godlike” was greater than their love for God so they ate. Their sin caused God to curse His perfect creation. Even as He pronounced the curse, He introduced His plan for our salvation.

The first step on the Romans Road identifies that each of us also have violated God’s law. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We all need salvation. We all need a Savior.

Paul summarizes the depravity of man in Romans 3:10-12 “There is none righteous, not even one.” No one will stand before God and merit entering heaven based on their obedience to God’s commandments. “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

“There is none who understands.” We do not understand our lost condition without the Holy Spirit convicting us about our sins and drawing us to trust in Jesus. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares Yehovah” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

“There is none who seeks for God.” Because we do not understand our sinfulness and need for a savior, we do not seek forgiveness from or relationship with God. “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes” (Psalm 119:155).

“All have turned aside, together they have become useless” We cannot serve God if we are not obedient; therefore, we are useless to achieving God’s goals. “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed” (Titus 1:16).

“There is none who does good, there is not even one.” While many believe they are “good” and deserving of heaven, they are not meeting God’s standards (Isaiah 64:6).

The Bible describes life as a path we walk. Where that path is leading is the critical question. It may be to heaven or to perdition. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). The Romans Road is the narrow way.