The Romans Road

Maybe you have heard the term “saved” and did not know what it means until now. If you think your past is too horrible, your sins are too many, or you are just not good enough to be saved into God’s Kingdom, think again. Read John 3:16 again. The “whoever” is anyone who believes, even you. Remember, this is not about religion, this is about a relationship with Jesus. Once you are saved, you will have a desire to fellowship with like-minded believers. You will want to grow in your faith through the teaching of God’s Word in a Bible-centered church.
If you want to know what the Bible says about being saved, there is a series of five passages all found in the book of Romans in the New Testament. We call it the Romans Road.

Read through these verses:
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Translation: Every person who ever lived (except for Jesus) was born a sinner and falls short of God’s plan for creation. Think about this – do you have to teach a baby to be selfish?
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Translation: You have a choice to make. If you live in sin you will die and suffer eternal death. If you accept God’s gift of salvation, you will live forever with Him.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Translation: Jesus Christ came to earth to atone for our sins. Sin has a penalty. God sent His Son as the sinless One to pay the penalty once and for all.
Romans 10:9-10 “That if you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Translation: Jesus was the first to be resurrected (raised to life after death). When we believe that and accept that, we can share in that resurrection. When we believe, we are justified. Justified can be translated, “just as if I had never sinned.” Many people will miss heaven by 18 inches, the distance between their head and heart. They believe the facts in their head about Jesus, but do not have a change of heart.
Romans 10:13 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Translation: “everyone” is the same as “whosoever” in John 3:16. Your past doesn’t matter.

If you believe these verses, then pray a simple prayer like this: Dear Jesus: I know that I am a sinner and do not deserve your free gift of eternal life. Please forgive my sins and be the Lord of my life. I turn it all over to you to save me from myself. From this point forward, I will trust you to direct every detail of my life. I give you the praise and thanks for what you have done and what you will continue to do in my life. Amen

If you prayed that prayer and meant it, you are now a child of God. There is nothing physically you can do to earn citizenship in God’s kingdom. It is a gift. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2: 8-9). If you prayed this prayer, send me an email to let me know and I will connect you with some materials that will help you grow as a new Christian believer. If you don’t have a Bible, tell me that in the email and I will see that you receive one, either electronically or in the mail. If you have a Bible but have never read it seriously, I suggest you start by reading the book of John in the New Testament. John was Jesus’ closest companion and relays a concise and straight-to-the-point record of Jesus’ ministry while here on earth.