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Will The Roman Road Lead To Heaven?

George L. Faull

Recently I was asked what I thought of the evangelism tool used by denominational people called “The Roman Road.”

The Roman Road uses 5 basic scriptures

1. WE ARE ALL SINNERS

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

2. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal live through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

3. JESUS PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

4. WE NEED TO CONFESS WITH OUR MOUTH AND BELIEVE IN OUR HEARTS THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD.

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

5. WE MUST CALL ON THE LORD TO BE SAVED.

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

BROTHER FAULL’S COMMENTS:

I. ROMANS IS A POOR CHOICE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS TO LEAD SOMEONE TO CHRIST.

Romans was written to people who were already Christians, not prospects. Leading men to salvation is not the purpose of the book of Romans. The book of Acts is the book to lead a person to Christ. Why? The book of Acts is the book of conversions AND the book of non-conversions. It gives nine snapshots of people being saved. It shows what happens when we are obedient to the Gospel. In contrast Acts also gives examples of several persons who rejected the Gospel. It is almost ludicrous not to refer to Acts in leading sinners to Christ. The Book of Romans was written to show the truth of:

Deuteronomy 30:11 and 14, “11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it [is] not hidden from thee, neither [is] it far off. 14 But the word [is] very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.”

Romans 10:9 and 13, “9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The above passage shows the Deuteronomy truth in a general way, and was not written as a proof text for evangelism to simply get people to believe and confess, but for observing its truth.

II. THE ROMAN ROAD DOES NOT SHOW THAT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS INSUFFICIENT AND THAT ONLY THE DEATH OF CHRIST IS SUFFICIENT FOR OUR SALVATION.

Romans 3:21-26, “21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, [I say], at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Romans 4:22-25, “22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

III. THE ROMAN ROAD DOES NOT EMPHASIZE THAT FAITH MUST BE CONTINUED IN ORDER TO RETAIN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IS BY FAITH IN CHRIST.

For example, the verse just referred to in Romans 3:

Romans 3:22, “The righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who continue to believe.”

Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

In Greek, the word “believeth” is in “continued action” in both passages. This continuous belief should be stressed not ignored!

IV. THE ROMAN ROAD FAILS TO EVEN MENTION REPENTANCE.

Jesus said that repentance and remission of sins would be preached, starting at Jerusalem.

Luke 24:47 “And that repentance and remission of sons should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

The Roman Road doesn’t lead men to repentance. It is totally ignored! This is one of great errors of “seeker sensitive” churches who do not want to offend anyone. John the Baptist and Jesus both demanded repentance. The sermons in Acts demand it. Peter preached it starting on Pentecost.

Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said, Repent, and be baptized for the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

It is so throughout his ministry.

Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come form the presence of the Lord.” Paul demanded it of both Jews and Gentiles.”

Acts 20:21 “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Acts 17:30, “And the times of this ignorance God wink-ed at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”

Acts 26:20, “But showed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judaea and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”

Any evangelical tool that leaves out repentance falls far short of what it should be. If one does not repent, he will perish.

V. THE ROMAN ROAD FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE GREAT COMMISSION.

The great commission is found in two passages.

Matthew 28:19-20, “19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Mark 16:15-16, “15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Obviously, the Roman Road presentation does not aid us to follow the commands of the commission.

A. It completely leaves out baptism though Christ put it in His commission.

B. It does not mention the order of salvation.

Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

It is not, “He that believeth and is saved should be baptized,” but rather, “He that believes and is baptized, shall be saved.”

C. It does not use the passage of Romans which so beautifully harmonizes with Jesus’ last commission before His ascension into Heaven.

Romans 6:2-5, “2 God forbid, How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”

D. It does not show that baptism is the point of pardon. Even after Saul had prayed and fasted for three days, he still had his sins.

Acts 22:16, “And now why tarriest thou? arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

E. It does not show that baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God.

I Peter 3:21, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

F. It does not show that baptism is a prerequisite to receiving the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Acts 5:32, “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”

G. It does not show that baptism puts one into Christ where there is no condemnation and one is a new creature.

Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Do you not find it rather ironic that though baptism is the one thing that is mentioned in the account of every conversion, it is omitted in The Roman Road?

VI. THE ROMAN ROAD DOES NOT CALL FOR A CONTINUED COMMITMENT OF DISCIPLE-SHIP TO JESUS CHRIST.

These are not “one time” events. One must continue to believe, repent, and confess. One must rise from the watery grave as a new man walking in newness of life as seen in the above verses.

CONCLUSION:

The Roman Road may be paved with good intentions but it will not lead one to Heaven. Unless men repent and are baptized, they have not obeyed the Gospel. The Gospel is not just what must be believed, but one that must be obeyed. Paul stresses this in the very Book of Romans.

Romans 1:5, “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:”

Likewise, at the end of Romans.

Romans 16:26, “But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.”

If men do not obey the gospel, they will perish.

II Thessalonians 1:8, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

I Peter 4:17, 18 “17 For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

Jesus died for our sins and arose from the dead and ascended to Heaven to God’s right hand. His disciples must not only believe those facts, but in repentance bury the old man of sin in Christian baptism and arise a new creature, walking in newness of life. Our righteousness is imputed to us by faith in Christ’s sacrificial death .

The Roman Road is only a roaming road. It’s better to follow Jesus, who is “The Way” to the Father. No one comes to God the Father, but by Him.