When I was a teenager, I was taught what is called the Romans Road as a way to explain to others why and how we enter into a relationship with God through Jesus. At the time, it was helpful to me. I knew what I believed, but I struggled with how to articulate it to others.
But as time went on, the Romans Road seemed to be a bit reductive, reducing Paul’s incredible letter to the Roman church into a four-step process for evangelism. At the same time, it reduced salvation to me, and I wasn’t all that happy with American individualism and the wreck it makes of spirituality.
So, I took a look through Romans again and expanded what I’d been taught of the Romans Road. Is there more to the story of God in the Bible? Yes. And is there more to this life of following Jesus and pledging allegiance to his kingdom? Yes. But it’s still a pretty good basic articulation of what we would call the gospel.
1. There is a Creator God who made us and loves us. [Rom. 1:20]
2. But we rebelled against him. [Rom. 3:23]
3. That caused a break in our relationship that we simply don’t have it within us to fix. [Rom. 6:23]
4. But God, in sending Jesus, has paved the way to restoring that relationship. [Rom. 5:8]
5. All we have to do to reenter that relationship is say YES to Jesus. [Rom. 10:9]
6. To live into this salvation, we clothe ourselves with him and live his new life, not the world’s old life. [Rom. 13:14]
7. Essential to this new life is becoming part of the one people of God. [Rom. 15:5-6]
8. Through this process, we join God in defeating the power of Evil in the world. [Rom. 16:20]