Roman Road #4: Receive the Gift
Hey, so far on this “Roman Road” journey, we’ve talked about some heavy stuff: how everyone has sinned (Romans 3:23), how sin has a serious punishment (Romans 6:23), and the fantastic good news about Jesus stepping in to take our punishment (Romans 5:8). We’ve also seen that God offers us an incredible free gift – eternal life!
But here’s the thing: knowing all those facts in your head isn’t enough. You can know all there is to know about playing basketball, but until you pick up the ball and play, you’re not actually in the game, right?
The 12-Inch Conversion: From Head to Heart!
This is where the final, super important step comes in: receiving that free gift of salvation and eternal life. We call it the “12-inch conversion” because it’s about what you know in your head dropping down and truly landing in your heart.
Some people have what we call “head-faith.” They agree with the Bible. They think, “Yeah, God is real, and Jesus did those things.” But that’s not enough to truly save you! Even demons believe in God – and they tremble! (James 2:19). Just knowing facts isn’t the same as truly trusting and receiving.
Receiving Christ is an act of true faith that starts deep in your heart when you really hear and receive God’s Word.
Believe With Your Heart, Confess With Your Mouth!
This is the core of Roman Road Step #4. It’s all about how we receive Jesus and His amazing gift.
Romans 10:9-10
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
It might sound simple, but it makes all the difference:
- You need to believe in your heart.
- You need to confess with your mouth.
So, what does this mean for you?
Heart-Faith Leads to Righteousness!
When you believe with your heart, something incredible happens: you become righteous in God’s eyes. On our own, our best efforts and good deeds are like “filthy rags” to God (Isaiah 64:6). We can’t earn our way to Him.
But when you truly believe in Jesus, God looks at you and sees Christ’s perfect righteousness instead of your sinfulness! It’s like being instantly clothed in a brand-new, perfect outfit.
Confession Leads to Salvation!
“Confess” means “to say the same thing as.” It’s not just intellectually thinking about it; it’s speaking out loud! When you confess Jesus as Lord, you’re not just saying words; you’re literally speaking them with your tongue, your voice, and your very breath.
Part of this confession is repentance. This isn’t just feeling bad or guilty about your mistakes. Repentance is a total 180-degree turn! It means turning away from your old, sinful ways and turning toward Jesus Christ, making Him Lord and Master by surrendering your entire life to Him.
When your confession mixes with genuine heart-faith, that’s how we RECEIVE Jesus!
Welcome to Your New Life: The New Birth!
When you receive Jesus, you experience a miracle the Bible calls the New Birth or Regeneration. It’s like a brand new beginning!
John 1:12-13
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Another word for the New Birth is regeneration. It is the miracle God performs when you receive Christ. He makes you spiritually alive and gives you a brand new nature, enabling you to believe in Jesus and live for Him. It’s the beginning of your new life as a child of God.
Titus 3:4-6
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of REGENERATION and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
That having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
This next verse unveils an amazing truth:
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
A person who is born again is quite literally a “new species”! When you’re born again, you actually become a “new creation”! The old you, tied to sin, is gone. You get a fresh start, a brand-new spiritual identity.
Jesus is Knocking: Will You Open the Door?
Jesus gives us a powerful picture of what it means to receive Him:
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Let’s break down this awesome verse:
- Jesus is Knocking: When you hear the Word of the Gospel, the Holy Spirit begins to bring conviction “of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment” to your heart (John 16:8). You begin to recognize that it is Jesus knocking at the door of your heart.
- Hearing Jesus’ Voice: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). There are many voices in the world, but when it’s God’s Word, faith comes, and we recognize that it is Jesus calling to us.
- Opening the Door: This is an action of your new “heart-faith.” You believe the Word of the Gospel and open the door of your heart to RECEIVE Jesus!
Once the door of your heart has been opened, Jesus says that He will enter in, and the “dining in sweet fellowship” begins! This “dining” involves all the wonderful things that happen to us now that we are in God’s family. Let’s look at these verses:
Dining Together with Jesus
When you open that door and receive Jesus, your life gets totally transformed. We could say that Jesus sets all of the following “dishes” (and many more) are set on that dining table of our heart:
- From Death to Life! We were “dead in our sins” (Ephesians 2:4-5), but now we have “passed from death into life” (John 5:24)! Your name gets written in the Book of Life (Revelation 20:12, 15), and you get to spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus (Revelation 21:4)! No more death, sorrow, crying, or pain!
- Rescued from Darkness! For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14 NASB). You are pulled out of darkness and brought right into God’s amazing kingdom!
- Children of God! You were once disobedient, but now, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1-2). You are now a child of God!
- Eyes Opened! Your spiritual blindness is removed: Jesus appeared to Paul to “open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:16-18). You can now see things clearly!
The Ultimate Choice
If you have not yet RECEIVED Jesus Christ as your Lord, Master, and Savior, just realize all that Jesus did on the Cross to make this new birth possible for you.
He is calling and knocking at the door of your heart, waiting for you to hear His voice. Right now, take a moment to listen. Open that door and invite Christ Jesus into your life. It’s the most important thing you could ever do! Just pray like this:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner, and I need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins now and ask You to come into my heart and life.
I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior from this day forward. Thank You for Your amazing grace and for the gift of eternal life.
In Jesus‘ Name, Amen.
Did you just pray that prayer from your heart? If so, welcome to the family of God! What’s your next question about this amazing new journey!
