The Roman Road to Salvation

Christianity is a faith to be shared in two stories.

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

"The Roman Road"

Five steps, each of them based on a verse in the book of the Bible we simply call Romans.

Many good Christian believers are quite secure in their own faith, but when the opportunity comes knocking, they are unsure how to explain to someone else how to accept the Lord into their life.

Believers who are serious about being ready to share with a friend the simple steps to salvation mark their Bibles so that in the margin of each text would be written the next verse along the pathway of the way to salvation.

Step #1 All Are Sinners Romans 3:23

Sin is "harmartia", missing the mark, like an archer or marksman. The mark missed is the likeness to Jesus. And none of us consistently hit it.

Step #2 Sin Results In Death Romans 6:23

Christians believe that death is a reality.

Genesis 2:16, 17 Romans 5:12 Ezekiel 18:20, 21

The Greek word for "wages" is "opsonion" which means "compensation, wages, pay, support."

Step #3 The Cross Is God's Provision For Salvation Romans 5:6

God is always on time. Whatever your situation today, God has not forgotten you, the answer that you need will come right on time.

We all are unworthy of Jesus'sacrifice. We are "ungodly", "powerless" and "sinners."

Step #4 We Receive Salvation Through Confession and Faith Romans 10:9, 10

What "confess" literally means is, "to say the same thing", i.e., to agree with God about the identity of Jesus. He is God's only Son, born of a virgin, crucified to pay the penalty for our sin, and risen again to sit on the right hand of the Father.

"Lord" is "kurios", which means "master. Matthew 4:7 Matthew 11:25 Mark 12:30

So, when we say, "Jesus is Lord", we are saying, "Jesus is God".

The word "kurios" is the New Testament equivalent of "Jehovah."

To "confess" that Jesus is Lord means that you are pledging yourself to be a Servant of the Lord - He is your Master.
But according to Romans 10:9, 10, it is not good enough to just say it, it must be believed in the heart.

Belief in the resurrection is reasonable, but why is belief and confession concerning the resurrection so important?

Step #5 The Assurance of Salvation Romans 8:16

How do you know you're a member of your own family?

You just know!

How do you know you are a child of God, a Christian?

You know that you are a child of God; you know that you are "Born Again", because of the witness of the Holy Spirit.

With the inner certainty that we are "children", "sons and daughters of God", we also find out that we are "heirs with Christ".

Isaiah 64:4
"Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him."

The Five Steps on the Roman Road to Salvation:

All are sinners (1), and the penalty of sin is death (2); Jesus died to take our penalty (3); Confession and faith are necessary (4) to bring about the assurance that we are the children of God. (5)