The Invitation
“Come” is one of the most inviting words in our language. It speaks of welcome, belonging, invitation, choice, and hope. God invites all people to come to Him and be saved. “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth” Isaiah 45:22. No matter how bad we have been, His invitation is open to all. “Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” Revelation 22:17.
God’s mercy is extended to us today. Because of our sinful rebellion He would be completely justified in destroying us. Lamentations 3:22 states, “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” His mercy withholds from us the judgment we deserve.
God’s salvation is a gift. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” Ephesians 2:8-9. When God gives a gift it is called grace. Grace is God at work in our lives to give us what we do not deserve. None of us deserve to be forgiven, to go to Heaven, or to be God’s children. We do not earn His love. We cannot work our way into His acceptance.
When the judge drops the charges against us it is an example of mercy. When the judge takes us home and adopts us it is an example of grace. When God forgives us, He does not release us for lack of evidence or because we are not guilty, but only because someone else took the rap and paid the price.
The Romans Road
A series of Scriptures in the New Testament book of Romans is often called the Romans Road of Salvation. This Romans Road will lead us on a journey from condemnation to freedom.
1. Guilty as Charged
The road begins in chapter one by explaining the wretched condition of the human race. Romans 3:23 summarizes this by stating “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Man is by nature a law-breaker. Everyone has broken God’s law and violated His holy standard. We are sinners by birth and by choice. We sin in both thoughts and actions. We miss the mark by doing what we shouldn’t do and by not doing what we should do.
2. The Sentence
The next sign on the road is Romans 6:23. Clearly stated, “The wages of sin is death…” Sin has dire consequences. The just reward of rebellion against God is spiritual death and separation from God for all eternity in a place called Hell and the Lake of Fire. This is separation from anything good, lovely, and pleasant with no hope of release or rescue. At death the unrighteous are placed in a horrible, fiery pit of suffering Luke 16:19-31. This will be followed, at the end of the world, by a resurrection of damnation where the sinners will be judged and condemned for eternity in the Lake of Fire. This place was originally prepared for the devil and his angels. However, if people reject Jesus Christ they are following Satan and will end up with him in the same place of eternal torment Revelation 20:11-15. If they will not accept God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, there is no other place to go. See Jesus’ words about this in Mark 9:42-48
3. The Pardon
The Good News is we can be saved from Hell by receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Romans 6:23 concludes, “…But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eternal life with all its abundance begins the moment Christ comes into our lives. Eternal life continues forever, and the Father’s house in the paradise of Heaven awaits the follower of Christ John 14:1-4. When the believer dies, he or she enters directly into the presence of Jesus Christ 2 Corinthians 5:8, Luke 23:43. This will be followed by the resurrection of the righteous John 5:28-29, where a body especially suited for living forever in God’s new heaven and new earth will be given to them 1 Corinthians 15:42-58. Entering into the joys, beauty, and blessings of Heaven will put all the suffering experienced on earth into perspective 2 Corinthians 4:17. What a gift! For more insights regarding Heaven, see Revelation 21-22.
4. The Savior
The only way salvation can be provided and sin can be forgiven is for someone to pay for it. Romans 5:8-9 says that Christ died to pay the price for our sins: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” This offers great hope for all sinners! We really can be saved from the pain of sin with all its sorrow and destruction. He has provided a way for us to be spared from the power and presence of sin and its resulting penalty. God offers each of us this hope of a better day ahead!
5. The Decision
The next signpost on the Romans Road is 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 all comes by living faith* in the person (who He is) and work (what He has done) of the Lord Jesus Christ. These things are absolutely necessary as God’s terms for receiving the gift of salvation.
Repentance is part of this salvation package. To repent means to have a change of mind that leads to a change of life. Jesus stated that repentance is a part of faith Mark 1:15, and unless we repent we will perish Luke 13:3. The apostles preached repentance: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” Acts 3:19. We must change our mind and attitude about God, Jesus, sin, humanity, eternity, and faith, accepting what God says about these things rather than what we think about them. This change in thinking will always lead to a new way of living.
6. True Freedom
The last stop on the Road is found in Romans 5:1: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus referred to two roads Matthew 7:13-14. There is a broad road that leads to destruction and a narrow road leading to eternal life. At the crossroad where the two ways meet, God Himself will meet us if we choose His way. We are set free from the oppression and captivity of Satan’s maximum security, and are released into the joyous liberty of God’s Kingdom Colossians 1:12-14, When we repent, believe, and confess Christ we are declared “Not Guilty!” by our Holy God and delivered from the controlling influence of sin.
How can I receive the gift and be saved? God has created us for relationship with Him. Sin has broken this relationship. Jesus invites us back to that relationship when He says “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” Matthew 11:28.
7. The Invitation
Dear Friend, God loves you and wants to save you. He has done everything necessary for your salvation. Would you now trust Him with your life? The call comes to you by His Spirit speaking to your heart and conscience. “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” Revelation 3:20. You can be saved right now. You may not know how to pray. But if you make this simple prayer your own, God will hear your heart’s cry, give you this wonderful gift of love, and receive you into His home.
“Lord God, I need a new life. You said to come and confess my sins to you, and I could have that life. I confess to you that I am a sinner and have sinned against You. I am sorry for my sins. I ask you now to forgive me by Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection. Today I receive you as my Savior and Lord of my life. Thank you for saving me. By Your grace I will walk with you. Through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.”
You can now have a relationship with God because sin no longer comes between you and God. Because you now know Christ as the payment for your sins, you are welcomed into God’s family.
Keep reading these articles to understand more about living the Christian life.
*Living faith is an active embrace of truth as compared with only a mental agreement.
Growth Point Summary — Salvation
Ever since God expelled humans from the Garden of Eden He has been seeking to draw us back to Himself. He reached out to men like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They chose to follow God. He even chose a great number of people, the nation of Israel, giving them the law through Moses. But the greatest example of God reaching out to us was when Jesus spread His arms on the cross and provided the way for us to experience the love of God. His open arms and dying love say, “Come! Return to Me.” He provides a way for not only our actions to change but more importantly for our hearts to change. Do not push Him away! Come, receive Christ and live!
Action Point: You need to make a choice to follow God