The Romans Road (click here for discussion) is a well-known sequence of NT verses (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9–10, 13) that walk a person through the gospel beginning with sin → judgment → God’s love → response of faith → salvation. Below is a pictorial summary of the Romans Road in the New Testament.
THE DREADFUL DILEMMA
THE DEADLY DECEPTION
THE DEPENDABLE DELIVERER
The Old Testament doesn’t present the Gospel in exactly the same way, but it contains a clear pattern of human sin, God’s holiness, atonement, and promised salvation. And remember that saints in the OT were saved the same way as NT saints, by grace through faith in Messiah. Of course, their Old Testament understanding of Messiah was not as clear as it is for us in the New Testament. Paul makes it very clear that the Gospel was present in the Old Testament writing "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” (Galatians 3:8+).
1. All are sinners
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Ecclesiastes 7:20+ — “Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.”
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Isaiah 53:6+ — “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.”
2. Sin brings death/judgment
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Ezekiel 18:4 — “The soul who sins will die.”
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Psalm 5:4–5 — “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity.”
3. God provides atonement / salvation
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Isaiah 53:5+ — “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.”
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Exodus 12:13+ — “When I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you.” (Passover pointing to substitutionary sacrifice - see 1Co 5:7+)
4. Salvation is by God’s mercy and love
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Exodus 34:6–7+ — “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth… who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.”
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Micah 7:18+ — “Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession?”
5. Response: Faith / Calling on God
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Genesis 15:6+ — “Then he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3+)
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Joel 2:32+ — “And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered.” (Romans 10:13+)
6. Assurance of Salvation / New Life
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Ezekiel 36:26–27+ — “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you… I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.”
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Isaiah 55:7 — “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
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All have sinned (Eccl 7:20; Isa 53:6).
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Sin leads to death/judgment (Ezek 18:4).
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God provides atonement (Isa 53:5; Ex 12:13).
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God saves out of love and mercy (Ex 34:6–7; Mic 7:18).
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Salvation received by faith (Gen 15:6; Joel 2:32).
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God gives new life (Ezek 36:26–27).