STEPS DOWN THE ROMANS ROAD TO SALVATION

I believe I am ‘good’… That should be enough, shouldn’t it?

Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:10 – As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 5:12 – Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

In 1 John 1:5, the Bible tells us that God is light and there is NO darkness in him at all. God expects his creation to obey the laws He set in place. These laws began with the 10 Commandments we find in the book of Exodus. While I might consider myself ‘good’ compared to most people, How do I measure up against God’s law? The smallest lie makes me a liar. In James 2:10, the bible says, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Is sin really that much of a problem? If so, what hope can I possibly have?

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Disobedience to God deserves consequences. God reveals His character and his laws in his creation around us. Our conscience has been implanted within our hearts. God gave us his WORD, the Bible. No good judge would let the guilty go free. Knowing these things we realise a righteous God would not allow a sinful man to go unpunished… God LOVES man whom he has made in his image so much that He has provided a way of ESCAPE from eternal consequences from our sins. He sent his only son to die in our place on the cross. Jesus Christ took all the weight of our sins so we can be saved through grace, NOT our works.

After what I’ve done to disappoint God… How could send his Son to die in my place?

Romans 5:8 – But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Dying on the cross, Jesus was mocked, spit upon, and cursed. In Luke 23:34, The Bible tells us Jesus said Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do… With such forgiving love, Jesus died in our place. He knew every evil act, word, and thought we would all commit. What a powerful love! He loves us unconditionally even to the point of death when we are at our worst!

So, how can I be Saved?

Romans 10:9-10 – That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

We can never be saved by just being a good person. Our works do NOT get us to heaven. Ephesians 2:8-9 state this very clearly… For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. We can only be saved by confessing our sins and placing our faith in God’s son, Jesus Christ who died and paid for all of our sins on the cross. We must surrender our life to God and turn away from our old ways. We need to put God in charge of our lifes. Both John the Baptist and Jesus himself began their preaching with the word, ‘Repent’. In Matthew 4:7 it says, From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.To repent means ‘change one’s mind’ or to turn — to go in another direction. The first step to repentance is to truly feel sorrow for the way we have chosen to live. 2 Corinthians 7:10 explains this to us… For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. Worldly sorrow is more like the regret of a criminal who’s just been caught whereas Godly sorrow is the deep remorse or conviction that produces a change in direction. Have you ever felt convicted after doing something wrong? In the Bible, it tells us that the Holy Spirit is the one that convicts us of our sin in John 16:7-8.

Did God accept me, did he hear me?

Romans 10:13 – For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

We are promised in the Word that “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” ~ John 1:12 Yes, we were promised and God is NOT a liar. God does hear and accept ALL who come to put their faith in Him. There is no need to fear the sting of death anymore because Jesus BROKE the power of sin and death on the cross with his own blood that HE shed for US, all of US. The price for our sin has been paid in full and it is God’s promise to receive all who come to Him by placing their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. As a believer, you have a new life in Christ. Jesus did NOT remain in the grave. He rose from the dead after three days as Mark chapter 16 shows. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV the Bible says, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

I am SAVED by the Grace of Jesus Christ, what do I do now?

Romans 10:17 – So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Your journey as a child of God has just begun! Get to know Him in daily prayer and by studying his Word, the Bible. You must also find fellowship with other believers in a Church that teaches and preaches the Bible. You should also now confess Jesus, your savior before men. Share about your new faith in Christ with your family, coworkers and others whom God has placed on your daily path. They deserve this Salvation as well.