The Road to Life. Romans 3

Since the Garden, man’s sin has always separated him from God. Though men offered sacrifices to God to atone for their sins, these were incomplete offerings. Our gracious God, however, offered up the perfect sacrifice—the once-for-all sacrifice, Jesus Christ. Today we look at how Paul answers one of man’s biggest questions: HOW CAN I GET TO GOD?

As the picture above captures the invitation to the adventuring traveler, so too God draws his children to seek out the road that leads to him. A series of verses from Romans helps to direct our footsteps; this string of pearls is often called “The Romans Road.”

1st stop on the Roman Road... God Is The Creator Of Life. Romans 1:20-21: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they
knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but
their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” God
reveals himself to us - his divine nature and personal qualities -
through creation. It is ours to acknowledge God as the Creator and
sustainer of life.

2nd stop ... Why We Need Salvation – The Fact Of Our Sin. Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We must recognize that all of us are sinners and that we do not meet God’s perfect standards. Sin is serious in God’s sight and includes thoughts,
words and actions.

3rd stop … Man’s Inability
to save himself. Romans 3:10: “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one.”

4th stop … The Penalty Of Sin. Romans 6:23a: “For the wages of sin is death.” God’s holiness demands a penalty (consequence) for our sin, which is death. Eternal death is separation from God forever in Hell. God is a just God,
and he demands punishment for every sin.

5th stop … God’s Plan Of Salvation. Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus paid the penalty for us. God poured out his mercy to us, spelled: J-E-S-U-S

6th stop … God’s Promise Of Eternal Life. Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eternal life is a free gift from God, there is nothing we can do to earn it. Because of God’s amazing grace, he has given us eternal life through
Jesus Christ!7th stop … Man’s Responsibility. Romans 10:9-10: “That
if you confess 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 confess and are saved.” We must believe that the Lord
Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for us on the cross, rose from
the dead, and is Lord. We must put our trust in Jesus alone to make us
right with God. Salvation involves believing in our hearts (inward
belief) and an outward confession that Jesus is Lord.

Romans 10:13: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” There is no complicated formula for salvation; Jesus paid the price of our sin for us. Our response is to accept what he has done for us, and make
him the Leader of our lives. If we do, we will be saved from eternal
death in Hell to eternal life in Heaven.

Results Of Salvation ~
Romans 8:1: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” By accepting God’s gift of grace in Jesus, we will never be condemned for our sins.

Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Peace with God means we have been reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. We can now have a relationship with the living God because sin no longer
separates us from Him.

How does man get to God? Is it possible for man to have relationship with the living, holy God? J-E-S-U-S. This string of pearls from Romans makes it quite clear.

Christine