Roman's Road - A Path to Light?

Let's talk about the concept of light, which we came across at the end of Luke 8. John 3:19 picks up on this idea. Jesus (the light) came into the world. Evil men chose darkness over the light because the light showed their evil deeds for all to see. Those of us who do good (true) deeds seek out the light so our deeds can be demonstrated to be of God.

Perhaps this is an answer to why people who do not follow after Jesus experience such a reluctance to come before God. Opening ourselves up to Jesus forces us to confront our own inadequacy and evil. No one likes to be told they are unworthy, but it is true, no matter what angle you look at the problem from.

Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Now follow the inevitible line of Bible logic

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
So we are lost, without hope except through Jesus. Good news for us actually.

Romans 5:8 - "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 10:13 - "For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

These four verses together comprise the old "Roman's Road" approach to evangelism. They clearly lay out a direct path from the weight of our sin, it's direct consequence (death) and show why and how one can find salvation. Still, these verses seem more relevant than ever in light (no pun intended) of John 3. If sinners are ashamed to have their deeds seen in the light, the only answer is to understand that all are filled with sinful deeds, and it is for these exact sinners Jesus died. There are NONE worthy, and EVERYONE needs forgiveness and redemption.

I love Romans. It's a deep look into the mind of Paul. His attention was always on what was beyond this world. It is a unique and powerful view. He was so little concerned with the things of this world that he could even be said to have held them in disdain. This freed him from the fear and concern of the persecution and discomfort he suffered as a result of his service to Jesus. In fact, he carried his affliction (both imposed and personal) as badges of honor earned in service.

This is the key to overcoming the thorns. This is how we need to be. Unafraid of what happens when we speak out on behalf of our Lord. Though we may be ridiculed, mocked or even attacked for our beliefs or words, we are only experiencing a small part of what Jesus suffered, and should have joy that our faithful service is true and following in His perfect footsteps. (See Phil 1:27-30)

The "Roman's Road" is a traditional and perfectly valid way of sharing our faith. Feel free to use it if you like. The most important thing to remember here is that what we are truly there to offer is the third step. God demonstrates His love for us by offering us Christ to die for our sins. We are loved beyond all hope of comprehension. We share because we share in that love and would see none lost. I encourage you see the world through the eyes of Paul. He lived fearlessly and acted aggressively. Call on the Holy Spirit to give you boldness to act. Our time is not without end. Be a light in the world while we have the time.