Bottom Line Up Front
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:16-18 ESV)
The Short Version
These verses, often called the Roman Road, describe our condition and need. They are in the Book of Romans
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
This verse establishes the universal condition of sin—everyone, regardless of background, has sinned and is separated from God.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
This highlights the consequence of sin (spiritual death) and contrasts it with God’s free gift of eternal life through Christ.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
This reveals God’s initiative in salvation—Christ’s death was not for the righteous, but for sinners, demonstrating divine love.
“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.” Romans 10:9
This outlines the personal response required: confession and belief as the means of receiving salvation.
“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
This emphasizes the accessibility of salvation to all who call upon God in good faith.
The Long Version
The Background
God
- There is one true God. (1 Titus 2:5)
- God is holy. (Psalm 99:9) He does not accept unholiness. (Isaiah 59:1-2)
- God created everything. (Genesis 1:1)
- God can do anything. (Jeremiah 32:17)
- God is everywhere. (Proverbs 15:3)
- God knows everything. (Hebrews 4:13)
God created man and woman. (Genesis 1:27, 2:22)
- They lived in a beautiful garden. The Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:8)
- Everything was provided for them. (Genesis 2:9)
- God spent time with them and talked with them. (Genesis 2:16-19, 3:8-13)
Man and woman sinned
- They disobeyed God. They did something He told them not to (ate from the tree). (Genesis 3:6)
Their sin brought consequences
- Sin separates us all from God. God kicked them out of the garden. They could not be trusted (Genesis 3:22-23).
- He made childbirth painful for women. (Genesis 3:16)
- He made man have to work (till the earth) to get food. (Genesis 3:17-19)
The man, the woman, and their descendants (you and me) were all contaminated/infected with sin. (Romans 5:12)
- Even if we try very hard, we cannot stop sinning. (Romans 7:19)
- Sin leads to spiritual death, eternal separation from God. It can also kill your body. (Romans 6:23)
The world became so corrupt that God started over. (Genesis 6:12-13)
- He sent a flood that killed everyone (Genesis 6:17) except one family and a boat full of animals. Noah and the ark. (Genesis 6:18-22)
- The world refilled with people and animals. (Genesis 8:17)
- Sin remained because it was in the family’s people. (God knew this.) (Genesis 8:21)
God made a promise to a man named Abram. (Later renamed Abraham) (Genesis 12:1-2)
- Abram and his descendants would worship God and follow His commands. (Genesis 17:1-2, Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:11-12)
- God would be their God and make his descendants outnumber the stars. (Genesis 15:5)
- This is the beginning of the people the Bible calls Hebrews/Israelites/Jews (Abram was a Hebrew) (Genesis 14:13)
- Through this nation, God would demonstrate to the world that He was the one true God by His blessings on them. (Genesis 12:3)
God gave them laws and rules for worship. (See the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers)
- They built a magnificent temple for God. (1 Kings 6:1-38)
- People still had sin in them and often fell short of God’s commands. (2 Chronicles 36:14)
- Sin required the spilling of blood to pay for it. (Leviticus 17:11)
- There were a lot of sacrifices. People gave their blemish-free best for the sacrifices. (Leviticus 22:19-25)
Over time, the people became so corrupt that God warned them to repent. They did not, and they were punished severely. (See the book of Jeremiah)
- The nations split into two: the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) (1 Kings 12:16-24)
- God turned them both over to pagan nations. The people were enslaved and carried away to other countries. (2 Kings 17:6, 2 Kings 24:10-16)
God allowed some survivors to return to Judah. (Ezra 1:1-3)
- They started over, worshiping God and obeying His commands. (Ezra 3:1-6)
- They rebuilt a smaller temple in Jerusalem. (Ezra 6:14-16)
Things went ok for a while, then fell apart again.
- The people were not able to obey God. There was idol worship, gross injustice, cheating, treachery, and even child sacrifice. (See the book of Nehemiah)
God sent Jesus to teach and be the all-time sacrifice for mankind’s sins. (Romans 5:8)
- God still loves us all, even though we sin, and wants to save us. (John 3:16)
- Jesus’s mother was a virgin, impregnated through a miracle by God. (Matthew 1:18)
- The counting of our calendar years started here. The year is approximately 0 AD.
Jesus was God (Matthew 28:18). He came as a human to tell us some very good news. (John 1:1, 1:14)
- The good news, called the Gospel, is that He came to provide a way for our restoration to the Kingdom of God. (John 3:16-18)
- Without restoration, we are doomed to eternal separation from God in a place of everlasting fire. (Matthew 25:41)
- Jesus did many miracles to demonstrate He was God (John 11:47), including raising people from the dead. (John 11:43-44)
- We are restored/redeemed/saved by faith. Salvation is free; you cannot earn it or buy it (Ephesians 2:8), but you must intentionally accept it (Romans 10:9).
Jesus came to teach us how to live to please God and how to spend eternity in Heaven. (Mark 4:1, John 3:16)
- Believe Jesus is God’s son, turn from your sin, follow His commands, accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and believe He rose from the dead. (Romans 10:9)
- Whoever calls on Jesus with sincerity will be saved. (Romans 10:13)
Jesus came to be the blood sacrifice that God requires to forgive sin. (Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:22, 9:28)
- This is why we don’t sacrifice goats, sheep, and oxen anymore. Jesus covered it once and for all. (Hebrews 9:28, Hebrews 10:10)
- Jesus voluntarily died on a Roman cross in a most horrible death to be that sacrifice. (Matthew 26:53)
- Jesus told his disciples that He would die and rise again in 3 days. He did. (Matthew 17:22-23, Acts 10:40)
Jesus rose from the dead, met with a lot of people, and then ascended to Heaven. (Luke 24:6, Luke 24:36-47, 1 Corinthians 15:6 )
- When Jesus left, He sent the Holy Spirit to live within believers to help us. (Luke 24:49, John 14:26)
The Great Commission: Just before He left, Jesus told us to tell everyone the Good News and teach them to follow His commands. (Matthew 28:18-20)