The Romans Road Gospel - Part 3

The book of Romans details God’s plan for salvation. This presentation of the Gospel is entitled “the Romans Road.” Each of us must walk this road. The road leads us on a journey to receive forgiveness for our sins. The forgiveness we receive allows us to experience a loving relationship with God during our lives and to spend eternity in His presence.

God created us to be in a loving relationship with Him. Unfortunately, our relationship with God was severed when mankind fell into sin (Genesis 3). God knew this would happen and had already made plans to forgive our sins and to restore our relationship with Him.

The first step on the Romans Road identifies that we need salvation because each of us has violated God’s law. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). He quotes the Psalm in reminding the people “There is none righteous, not even one…There is none who does good, there is not even one” (Romans 3:10-12). We can never merit forgiveness for our sins; therefore, we all need a Savior.

The second step further explains our need for salvation. The sin that severed our relationship with God has eternal consequences, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Death symbolizes both the misery that sin causes during our physical lives and the eternal misery experienced as punishment for our sins.

Paul had earlier explained to the readers that a “wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due” (Romans 4:4). When we violate God’s instructions for living, we “earn” our punishment.

God told His people, “All souls are mine…the soul that sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). He is telling the people that the eternal destination of their souls is in His hands. He tells them there will be eternal punishment for those who sin. Adam’s sin brought physical death to the body and spiritual death to the soul. Spiritual death is eternal separation from God and punishment in hell.

However, God also said, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). God is saddened whenever a soul dies. It was never His desire, it was never His plan.

Jesus warned His followers, “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he [God in human form] you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). The soul that sins by rejecting Jesus will die. However, Peter explained that God “is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)

The solution for the dilemma caused by our sin is found in the second half of Romans 6:23, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Faith in Jesus “justifies the ungodly” and it “is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5).

Step three explains the gift of God.