The Roman Road – A Brief Panorama
The Roman Road is a simple, yet powerful presentation of the Gospel message drawn directly from the book of Romans. The Book of Romans, penned by the Apostle Paul around A.D. 56 to the believers in Rome, stands out among the New Testament epistles. While Paul was the human instrument, the true author is the Holy Spirit, guiding every word. Romans has a very logical structure. It unfolds the Gospel by beginning with Creation, the fall of man into sin, and his need for salvation. Then it progresses through God’s full provision of salvation, made possible by Christ’s work on the Cross.
I vividly recall the first time I used the Roman Road to share the good news of the Gospel. It was the summer of 1976, before my senior year of high school, shortly after I had experienced salvation and being “born again.” It was a God-arranged opportunity to share my newfound faith with my sister, Julie, who was a year younger than I. To be honest, I felt quite unprepared. However, I had highlighted the four “Roman Road” verses in my Bible and jotted down a few notes.
I began with the first verse, perhaps a bit awkwardly, then moved to the second, and then the third. As I reached the fourth verse, my sister’s eyes welled up with tears, and she told me that she wanted to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Despite my inexperience, the Holy Spirit was unmistakably present, anointing God’s Word and opening her heart to its truth. I prayed with her, and she received Christ and was marvelously “born again.” Shortly after we had retired to our bedrooms, Julie was so overwhelmed with joy that she simply had to come running back down the hall to my room. Joy was radiating on her face as she told me once more how grateful she was that I had shared the Gospel with her. Oh, how wonderful is the soul-saving power of both the Holy Spirit and the Word of the Gospel!
Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
1 Corinthians 1:18,21 (KJV)
For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Since that precious night with my sister, I have had the privilege of using the Roman Road countless times – in both English and Spanish, with children and with seasoned adults. One can only imagine how many Bibles throughout history have had these precise verses highlighted or noted in the margins, much like the one I had that night. I often contemplate the countless redeemed souls we will encounter in Heaven on that glorious day, who will excitedly recount that they are there because someone took the time to lead them down that “road” of four simple Bible verses! Oh, what a day that will be! Hallelujah!
The profound beauty of the Roman Road lies in its adaptability. It can be presented as simply or as comprehensively as the situation requires. I consider these four pivotal points as four foundational “hooks” upon which a wealth of other supporting Scriptures and expanded teachings can be “hung,” enriching the understanding of each central idea.
Below, I offer a concise overview of the four steps of the Roman Road. Each step includes a link to a corresponding write-up on my blog, providing expanded teaching with additional details and Scripture references specific to that step.
Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know if these teachings prove helpful to you.
Roman Road – Step 1: All Have Sinned
Key Verse: Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
The journey begins with recognizing a fundamental truth about humanity: we all stand as guilty sinners before a holy and righteous God. It’s a sobering reality that the Bible lays bare, making it clear that none of us are exempt. Our natural inclination, our very human condition, is to fall short of God’s perfect standard. We might try to compare ourselves to others, believing we’re “good enough,” but God’s measuring stick is His own flawless character.
[Click here for the expanded version of Roman Road Step #1.]
Roman Road – Step 2: Punishment for Sin is Eternity in Hell
Key Verse: Romans 6:23(a)
“For the wages of sin is death…”
When Paul speaks of “death” in connection with sin, he’s not just talking about physical death. He’s referring to something far more severe: eternal separation from God in a place of punishment and torment called Hell. This “death” is an eternal debt, a spiritual bankruptcy that no person can pay for themselves or for anyone else. Think of it like a cosmic overdraft – an infinite amount owed because of our rebellion against an infinite God. Since every single person is a sinner, every single person has this colossal, eternal debt with God. And because of that, every single person desperately needs a Savior to pay that debt for them.
[Click here for the expanded version of Roman Road Step #2.]
Roman Road – Step #3: The Free Gift
Key Verse: Romans 6:23(b)
“…BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Here’s where a crucial word changes everything: “BUT.” This small word ushers in the astounding good news. Because of what Jesus, God’s one and only Son, accomplished through His perfect life, sacrificial death, powerful burial, and victorious resurrection, God now extends an incredible offer: the free gift of eternal life.
Yes, salvation and this gift of eternal life are truly free to us. You don’t earn it, you can’t buy it, and you don’t work for it. However, “free” certainly does not mean cheap. This incredible gift came at an unimaginable cost to God: the profound suffering and sacrificial death of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only one who could bridge the infinite gap created by our sin and pay our immense, eternal debt. He did exactly that with His death on the Cross, and then, in the ultimate triumph, He rose again, completely conquering sin, death, and the grave. His resurrection proves that His payment was accepted and that He truly is Lord.
[Click here for the expanded version of Roman Road Step #3.]
Roman Road – Step #4: Receive the Gift
Key Verse: Romans 10:9-10,13
“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.”
Here’s the final, crucial step: While eternal life is a free gift from God, it’s not automatically yours. God patiently waits for each person to receive it. This means actively confessing Jesus as Lord – openly declaring His authority over your life and making Him the boss. It involves a genuine surrender to His Lordship, letting Him guide and direct you completely. And you must believe in your heart that Jesus, the One God raised from the dead, is the only Savior capable of saving you.
This is what it truly means to “receive Jesus”: a heartfelt belief in who He is and what He did, coupled with a public declaration of Him as the ultimate authority in your life. It’s the moment your spiritual debt is canceled, and you step into an eternal relationship with God.
[Click here for the expanded version of Roman Road Step #4.]
