Friday, May 16, 2008 - The Roman's Road to Heaven
If you died today, do you know that you have been saved the Bible way? Do you know the Bible way to be saved? If what you believe about going to heaven is wrong, you would want to know wouldn't you? The Book of Romans is one of the greatest books in the Bible to show us how to be saved from our sins and to be certain that we have eternal life. We often refer to the truths found in this book as "The Roman's Road." Walk with me down this road and let me show you several truths.
Romans 3:23 states emphatically that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." What the verse means is simply that all of us have disobeyed the laws of a holy God. Because God is absolutely Holy, it is impossible for Him to allow us into heaven. We are sinners and our sin prevents us from having a relationship with the Creator God of the Universe. He is also a just God who perfectly judges our sin. Because we are sinners, we are kept from heaven because of His Holiness. Because we are sinners, we are condemned to a literal burning eternal hell because of His Righteous Judgement of our sin. In Romans chapter three, the Bible states that "none are righteous" and that "none do good" and that "all are guilty." This chapter is a revelation of the fact that you and I are sinners who cannot go to heaven. We are in need of Divine Intervention to rescue us from our sins and from an eternal death in the place called hell. Is there hope? There most certainly is.
Romans 5:8 states very clearly that "God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." God is Holy, and we cannot go to heaven because of our sins. God is righteous and just, and his judgement condemns our souls to an eternal hell. However, God is also love. He could, because He is God, simply force us to do right and have a relationship with him. However, He deals with His creation on the basis of love. He wants to forgive our sins and give to us eternal life, but He cannot because of His Holiness and because of our sin. However, He has made a perfect way for us to be forgiven and to have eternal life. Our sin debt had to be paid. So God gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins! Jesus was the Virgin born, sinless Son of God, who died for the sins of the whole world. He paid our debt. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Baptism is a good work, but cannot rescue us from our sin. Going to church is a good work, but it cannot rescue us from our sins either. Being good and doing good are just that: Good! However, they cannot take away our sin and give us eternal life. However, Jesus can. He died in our place. He paid our sin debt. He "bore our sins in his own body on the tree." God "made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." In order to have eternal life, I need the forgiveness of sins that is available only through Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:23 is another classis verse on the Roman's Road to heaven. Remember that the writer of this book is showing us how to be saved from our sins the Bible way. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Notice that there are two sides to this verse: Sin has a wage and it is death (hell); God has a gift and it is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (heaven). Because of our sin, we are condemned to hell. But God has given Jesus Christ to die for us and through Him a sinner can have eternal life. Notice that Jesus Christ is the issue, not being baptized or going to church or being good or doing good. No matter how good we are, we are still sinners and the wages of sin is always death. However, through Jesus Christ eternal life is available. He is "the way, the truth, and the life." No one comes to God except by Him. He is the "mediator between God and man." He says that "I am the door, by me if any man enter in he shall be saved." "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby you must be saved." Only through Jesus can a sinner be saved. So, how does a sinner get saved through Jesus? One more passage will answer that question.
Romans 10:9, 10, and 13: "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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." What does all of this mean? A sinner must recognize that he is a sinner and that he cannot save himself. He must recognize that only through Jesus He can be saved. He must turn from all else (his baptism, his own righteousness, his own works, etc) and turn to Jesus Christ alone. He must believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven and he must trust Him as the only Savior. When a sinner turns to Christ by faith, trusting Him alone as the only way to heaven, God forgives the sins, declares the sinner forgiven and righteous, and makes the sinner His child. There is no other way to be saved. Have you been saved the Bible way? If not, turn to Christ and trust Him as Savior. Have questions? Email us via the contact page and we will be happy to help you from the Bible!
Sincerely,
The David Young Revival Team
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Previous Devotionals Sorted by Date:
Thursday, March 18, 2010 - Revival Issues - Do you still believe in revival?
Thursday, March 4, 2010 - Revival Issues - From Dr. Rick Flanders on Baptists and Revival
Friday, December 25, 2009 - Soulwinning - It is Christmas Morning
Friday, December 11, 2009 - Encouragement - Thoughts about Christmas by Pastor Dan Wolvin
Monday, August 17, 2009 - Revival Issues - Transforming our Lives
Monday, May 11, 2009 - Revival Issues - What about Heritage Christian School in Findlay, Ohio
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - Encouragement - A Lesson from Some Birds
Sunday, June 22, 2008 - Revival Issues - Psalm 85:6
Friday, May 16, 2008 - Soulwinning - The Roman's Road to Heaven
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - For Ladies - For Me to Live is Christ!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 - Encouragement - Does God Order the Bad Steps Too?
Monday, February 4, 2008 - Encouragement - Faithful Are the Wounds of a Friend by Evangelist Dave Young
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 - Encouragement - Facing Life's Deeper Troubles
