Faithful Road Trip: Following the Roman Road to Salvation (Ep 127)

Introduction and Welcome

---

Jason: Thank you for listening, and welcome to the podcast. I'm your host, Jason McConnell. Now, I hope you packed your bags, grabbed your favorite coffee, Tumblr, and you brought your Bible along for the ride because we're going on a road trip, but not just any road trip. This is a spiritual journey through one of the clearest, most powerful explanations of the gospel in all of scripture, I'm talking about the Roman Road to salvation.

Now, before you get panicked, no, we're not actually heading to Rome. There's no tolls or GPS signal drops along the way. This road runs straight through the book of Romans, and every stop on it leads us closer to understanding how we go from being lost in sin to found in Christ. I want you to think of it like this.

If salvation is the destination, Romans is the roadmap, and every verse we hit on today is a mile marker pointing to the way to eternal life. Now we're gonna be making five essential stops. The problem in Romans 3 23, the consequence, Romans 6 23, the solution in Romans five, eight, the response in Romans 10 verses nine and 10, and then the promise in Romans 10 13.

Now, whether you're new to the faith asking questions or you've been walking with Jesus for years and just want a refresher, this episode is for you. No theological jargon, no spiritual detours, just straight gospel truth with a few pit stops for some fun and maybe a spiritual snack or two. Remember what Romans 10 17 says.

Faith comes from hearing the message. So let's tune in and open our hearts. Are you ready? Seat belts on. Hearts open. Let's start this journey down the Roman Road to salvation.

Personal Ministry and Call to Action

---

Jason: Alright, before we fire up the engines and dive into today's spiritual road trip, I wanna take a moment to kind of speak from the heart, like any podcaster.

Yeah, I want to grow my audience, but listen, this isn't about popularity for me. It's, it's definitely not about platform. This is my ministry. This is the mission God has placed on my heart to glorify him and to share the gospel with as many people as I possibly can and, and to bring my own stories into it with me.

So here's my call to action for you, my brothers and sisters in Christ. If this episode speaks to you, please share it. Post it on social media, text it to a friend. Use the hashtag my ministry mission to help spread the word. And if you've got 60 seconds, leave a rating or review on your favorite podcast app, especially like iTunes or Pod Chaser.

Those reviews go a long way to helping others find this ministry, find this podcast. But above all, would you pray, pray that this podcast reaches the ears, the hearts, and, and the minds of those who need the hope of Christ most. If you're being blessed by this content, don't keep it to yourself. Let's spread the good news together.

Now, having said that, let's go ahead and hit the road.

Stop 1: The Problem of Sin (Romans 3:23)

---

Jason: All right, my friends, we've started the engine, the spiritual snacks are packed, and the worship music is, is ready to go. Welcome to stop number one on our journey down this Roman road to salvation. And let me warn you of this. This isn't a scenic overlook.

Now this is, this one's more like pulling over because your check engine light came on. So this first stop's a little rough. We're coming up to Romans three, verse 23, and it hits us fast. It says, for all have sinned, fall short of the glory of God. Now, I don't know about you, but when I read all quote unquote all, sometimes I wanna do a little theological acrobatics.

You know, like surely Paul meant all of those other folks, right? The ones who don't return their shopping card or, or leave church before the last song, but nope. Paul says all that he means. All this includes me, this includes you. This includes your sweet old grandma who knits blankets for orphans and bakes banana bread for the neighborhood.

Yeah, even grandma needs grace. But here's the thing. When Paul wrote this letter to the Romans, he was addressing a deeply divided audience. Jews who thought the law made them righteous. Gentiles who had no law, but a lot of Gods and parties. And Paul being Paul said, guys, y'all are both wrong. Everyone is in the same boat and it's sinking, and you can almost hear the gas in the room.

When this letter was read aloud, all have sinned. This isn't God just being petty. It is God, being honest. I mean, he's showing us the starting point of the gospel. You can't appreciate grace until you realize you need it. I mean, imagine trying to convince somebody they need a life preserver when they're casually floating on a unicorn.

Raf sipping sweet tea. They don't see the problem, but the truth is, spiritually, none of us are floating. We're all like on the verge of drowning or worse. And the, but the second part of this verse is just as important and fall short of the glory of God. And that word fall short in Greek is aero. This idea of missing the mark, like shooting an arrow and having it land like in a, in a completely different zip code.

I mean, honestly, it really doesn't matter how close you get. If perfection is a bullseye, we might as well be firing with spaghetti noodles. But, but here's where I want to kind of land the plane on this. Stop or park the car, if you will. God isn't surprised by our sin. I'm gonna say that again. God isn't surprised by our sin.

He's not pacing nervously going, oh no, Jason messed up again. Hey, angels, plan B, plan B. God knew we'd fall short. He knew I'd fall short, you and everybody. And that's exactly why he made a very specific, very perfect plan to meet us exactly where we are. So I guess the question is how do we apply this knowledge?

I think we should start with humility. We stop pretending like we've got it all together. Maybe it's time to quit the performance, take off the mask and admit I'm not okay, but God's grace sure is. Let your weakness lead you to God's mercy. Not a guilt trip. That's not where you need to be. If someone came to me and said, Jason, I'm not a bad person.

I mean, I've never killed anyone. I mean, I might reply with, you know, praise God for that. But the standard isn't, don't be a serial killer. It's the glory of God. And none of us have that hit that mark. So here's a little encouragement as we, as we finish up this first stop. First John one verses eight and nine.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us. So take a deep breath. We're all broken, we're all beloved. This isn't the end of the journey. I mean, we're just getting started. It's our first stop.

Stop 2: The Consequence of Sin (Romans 6:23)

---

Jason: As we move on, our next stop, we're gonna pull up to a very important crossroads at Romans six, verse 23.

The cost of sin and the greatest offer you're ever gonna receive. So don't pause the podcast yet. Don't go anywhere. This verse tells us, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Now, I don't know how many of you have ever worked a job you just absolutely couldn't stand, and maybe it's flipping burgers at a drive through where the ice cream machine was always mysteriously broken.

Just saying. Even in the worst job, you, you still expect a paycheck, right? I mean, you put in the time. You expect the wage. Well, Paul says, sin pays wages too, and spoiler alert, it's not a vacation and a bonus, the wages of sin is death. That's a hard truth, but it's an honest one. Here's the thing, sin doesn't give you what it promises.

It's gonna promise you a lot. It's not gonna give you anything. It, it gives you what it's costs. It promises you freedom, but chains you up. It offers satisfaction, but leaves you hungrier. It whispers fulfillment, but shouts regret the morning after. And at first it might feel fun. Uh, thrilling, even freeing.

You think, I mean, this is what I've been missing. Sin is a bait and switch artist. It lures you in with this pleasure, with the fleshy stuff, and then hands you the bill and the price is always higher than you expected. What starts as a, as a harmless habit becomes a spiritual weight. What looks like, uh, liberation turns into an addiction and slowly but surely, it leads to spiritual bankruptcy, uh, empty soul, strained relationships, lost peace, and worst of all.

Separation from God. And just like the prodigal son in Luke 15, he chased the pleasures of the world thinking it would make him whole. But where did he end up feeding the pigs? Longing for scraps while his soul starved. And that's the danger of sin. It never tells you what it's really gonna cost until you've already paid with your joy and your peace and your pur purpose.

The wages of sin is death. Look, check it out. In ancient Rome, most people got paid At the end of each day, you worked, you earned, you got your wage. It was that simple. Paul uses that familiar idea here to make a powerful point. When you sin, you earn something too, but the paycheck isn't a few. Ari, I mean, it's death now.

Paul isn't just talking about your heart stopping. He's talking about something much or as much deeper, a spiritual death, and that means being separated from God, cut off from his presence, his peace, his purpose for your life. That's the real tragedy here because the sin, the sin doesn't just lead to a bad day.

It leads to a broken eternity unless something, or rather someone intervenes. But I mean, thank the Lord. This verse doesn't stop there. God is not only just He is generous, but the gift of God is eternal life and Christ Jesus our Lord. I mean somebody out there, you better be saying, amen. Throw your hands up.

Amen. Unless you're driving, keep your hands on the wheel. But here's the thing. I want you to notice this contrast here. Wages versus gift. You earn death. You're freely given life. You can't hustle or behave your way into salvation. You can't go tip God enough or volunteer your way into eternal life. This isn't a reward for the good little boys and girls.

It is a gift freely given by a God who loves to give good gifts to all of his children. I mean, it says so in Matthew seven 11. If you then though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give good gifts? To those who ask him. It's basically saying, if we're broken and terrible, we still give our children good gifts.

How much more would a perfect father give to you? And hey, just a quick note if you like that verse. I plug myself here, check out my Kingdom Living series where I go through the entire sermon on the mound in Matthews chapters five, six, and seven. Go check that out. Not now. Finish this episode first.

Anyhow, so how do we live this one out? We need to recognize that life is either lived under the paycheck of sin or the promise of grace and, and we can stop trying to earn something that God already gave us. Maybe if you're listening, you've been trying to perform your way into God's approval, but God doesn't give you salvation like a boss handing you a bonus.

He gives it like a father giving his child a home. Your good work should be a reflection of God's gifts, not an attempt to earn his grace. You don't. You don't have to earn it, it's free. Uh, look at Ephesians two, verses eight nine. For it is by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves.

It is a gift of God. I wanna ask you something real quick. If someone hands you a birthday present and you refuse to open it, did you really receive it? I think the answer is technically no. It's just awkward, right? But. That's how some of us treat God's gift of eternal life. It's sitting there in front of us, beautifully wrapped in Jesus, but we're we're holding onto our sin paycheck, like it's some sort of a winning lottery ticket.

Spoiler, it's not. So, let, let's recap really quick. Stop one revealed the problem. We have all sins stop. Two revealed the consequence and the cure. Death is what we deserve, but life in Christ is what we have been offered. Alright, so we're gonna move on to our next stop. It's a beautiful roadside view.

You're gonna love it. It's a place where, where love meets justice. It's a place we call the cross. Are you ready?

Stop 3: The Solution in Christ (Romans 5:8)

---

Jason: All right, let's go off to our third stop and let me just say this one, I really mean it. This one has the best view on the road. If the last stop reminded us of the steep price of sin, this one is gonna show us the unbelievable generosity of our savior.

Romans five verse eight. God demonstrates his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. I'm gonna rephrase it a little bit. We were all still sinners, but Christ died for us anyway, and I want you to think about that because that, but is one of the most important in all of scripture.

It's the divine U-turn, the heavenly plot, twist the moment when God says, yeah, your situation looks pretty hopeless down there, but check out what I did. Now listen, this isn't some distant philosophical love. This is God demonstrating his perfect love, not just saying it, not just riding it in the sky, not sending us a cosmic hallmark card.

This is him demonstrating it. He put skin in the game literally through Jesus Christ. And here's the real kicker, while we were still sinners. Not after we cleaned up our act. Not once we had memorized the book of Leviticus, not when our, when we got our lives together and deleted half our social media history.

No. Christ died for us at our worst. Right in the middle of the addiction, the pride, the jealousy, the double life, all of it. That's when he died. For us in the Roman world, love was usually transactional. You love those who were worthy of love, noble citizens, family members, patrons, and so on. You didn't just die for someone who disrespected you.

That wasn't love, that was foolishness. But Paul is saying that's exactly what God did. He broke every expectation and turned Roman honor culture upside down. He does that a lot. If you haven't noticed, Jesus didn't wait until we came running towards him. He ran towards the cross while we were booking it the other way, and I wanna get a little personal for one second here.

There was a moment in my life when I thought God probably loves future me more than current me. You know what I mean? The the future me, that that has a more consistent quiet time where he reads the Bible and does prayer better where he doesn't mess up so much that future me. A future me that says, God bless you instead of watch where you're going, idiot in traffic.

But this verse says, God loves you in your present mess and the cross proves it. So how do we live this one out? What do we do with this one? Again, stop trying to earn what God has already given what he's already demonstrated. Start trusting that you are fully known and fully loved, and let that love change you.

You don't work for it, you respond to it and you respond to it by loving others with as, with as close to the same as you can. Have you ever met that guy that says, I'll come to church when I get my life together? I mean, that's kinda like saying I'm gonna go to the ER once the bleeding stops. Right.

Church isn't for the perfect, it's for the broken and the cross is the invitation. Paul was once Saul of Tarsus, a man who actively and viciously persecuted followers of Jesus, and he underwent a dramatic, dramatic conversion to become a key missionary and writer of a good portion of the New Testament.

And I want you to listen how he described what Christ did for him in First Timothy one verses 12 through 14. I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has given me strength. That he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that to ring Christ Jesus. If you ever doubt your worth, I want you to remember this, the cross of Christ. Is the receipts paid in full while you are still a sinner? If Saul of Tarsus can be redeemed by Christ, imagine what he can do for you.

Whew. Okay. Take a deep breath because stop. Number four is where we move from belief about God to belief in God. So hang. I gotta tell you guys, this is one of the most fun podcast episodes I think I've ever done.

Stop 4: The Response of Faith (Romans 10:9-10)

---

Jason: So anyways, here we are, stop number four, Romans 10 verses nine and 10 and that. And this is the moment.

This is the moment where your faith gets real. If you declare with your mouth Jesus' Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. That's it. That's the moment where the rubber meets the road. Or as we might say in church life, the altar call. Now if you're anything like me, there was a time when this idea of confessing with your mouth, it was kind of intimidating.

I mean, speak it out loud like in front of people. I mean, what if I say it wrong? What if my voice cracks like I'm 14 again? Paul says, confession isn't about performance, it's about proclamation. It's saying to, to the world, Jesus isn't just a Lord, he is my Lord. Calling him Lord in the, in the Roman empire.

Woo. That was dangerous language in Paul's day to say Jesus's Lord was to say Caesar is not. It was a declaration of allegiance, not just belief to them. You could lose your job, your family. You could lose your life. So when Paul writes this, he's not calling for a polite mumble at the end of church service.

He's calling for a public confession of inward transformation that is both dangerous and controversial, and let's not skip over the belief in your heart, that part of it. See this isn't just intellectually agreeing. This is a heart level trust. This is more than believing Jesus rose from the dead. Like some historical figure, uh, trivia fact, it's believing in such a way that it changes your entire direction.

It's the difference between knowing a parachute exists and actually jumping outta the plane, wearing it. Lemme make a few things clear. You don't need to be a Bible scholar. You don't need a, a fancy religious resume. You don't need to clean yourself up before coming to God. You need one thing, faith in Jesus, and a willingness to say so.

So, so what do we do with this? Well, you confess, you believe. And if you've already done that, I mean, praise God for that. You've stepped into the greatest relationship you'll ever know. You're walking in the light of grace and there is no condemnation for you in Christ Jesus, according to Romans eight, one.

That's something to celebrate. Maybe, maybe you haven't quite taken that step yet. Maybe you've been circling the edge of faith, curious, cautious, maybe a little quiet, or maybe your faith has been private, like a light kept under a, a, a basket burning but unseen. Maybe you believe in your heart for a long time, but you fear, pride, or, or uncertainty has kept you from opening your mouth.

And I, I wanna lovingly challenge you something. Today's the day to speak out. Don't wait for the perfect moment. It'll never come. Don't wait to clean up your act. That may not come either. Don't wait to fix your past or understand every theological detail. The perfect moment is now because the invitation to salvation has never been about perfection.

It's about surrender. Romans 10 10 tells us it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Let your heart beat loudly for Jesus and let your lips follow. Declare his lordship, say his name with joy, with boldness, with the conviction that you belong to him.

And he, he's already done everything to bring you home. Whether you're sitting in a car, walking the dog, folding laundry, just listening in bed, God hears you. He hears you. Right now, the moment your heart aligns with your mouth and says, Jesus is Lord. Heaven's gonna rejoice. Don't hold it in. Don't let this be another moment where you say, I don't know, maybe later, let today be the day you confess and, and you turn this into a celebration.

Let your faith go from private to powerful. I, I kind of wanna tell you a story. So one of the most defining moments in my journey of faith, it was about a year after I'd started joining the church. Maybe not quite a year, but by that point I had been. Showing up regularly, singing in the songs, sitting through the sermons, even joining a small group.

I kind of got involved with that. And from the outside I looked very christiany, I believe, christiany, is that a word? Anyways, I was learning the language, nodding at the right times, uh, slowly soaking in the word, but deep down, I hadn't quite crossed the line in my heart. I didn't realize it, but I hadn't, I hadn't definitively confessed with my mouth.

One afternoon I was talking with a friend, somebody who wasn't a believer, um, and, and she asked me a question. She said, so are you a Christian? Kinda like, I can't believe you're doing this. And that question hit me kinda like a freight train, not because it was complicated, because it was so direct, no pretense, no pressure, just truth on the table.

And I froze for a moment and it wasn't because I don't know the answer, but because I realized I had never actually said it out loud. I paused, I looked up and with a mixture of like nerves and conviction. I said, yeah, I am. And I'll be honest with you, that was something broke in my, in that moment. It was like all this wrestling, all the wondering, all the what ifs I just looked at behind in that one short sentence.

Yeah, I am. That was the moment my faith found its voice. That was when I stopped just walking around the edge of belief and stepped fully into it. That was the moment my, of my profession. I didn't realize it until until much later, but it was as if heaven had been holding its breath. And when I said those words, it exhaled with joy.

And from that day forward, I have been unapologetically a follower of Christ. Not because I have it all figured out, not because I felt worthy, not because I have a cool podcast and it is a cool podcast. I'm just saying it was because Jesus had already done everything necessary to call me his own. I was forced to look back at that entire year of church going and ask myself, was I just attending a building or was I surrendering my life?

And when I said it out loud, yes, I am a Christian. Yes I am. That was the moment my heart declared its allegiance to the savior who had been pursuing me all along. And let me tell you, it was one of the most freeing moments of my life because there's something. Powerful that happens when you, when your belief becomes your boldness, when your faith finally, as I said, gets its voice.

Matthew 10 32 tells us, whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my father in heaven. Look, guys, salvation isn't a riddle to be solved. It's simply a savior to be received. So if you feel the tug on your heart right now, I'm begging you, don't ignore it. Today could be the day you're cross.

You cross that line of faith and just say, Jesus, you are my Lord. Now if you're wondering, could God really accept someone like me? Oh, you're definitely gonna love our next stop.

Promise of Salvation (Romans: 10:13

---

Jason: Alright folks, now we get to gaze into the wonder. That is Romans 10 13, which says, this gift is for everyone. This is the last signpost before you pull into the eternal destination of grace.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Did you catch that? Everyone say it with me wherever you are. Yes. Even in traffic, everyone. Not everyone well-behaved. Not everyone with a theological degree. Not everyone with never messes up after being saved. No. Everyone who calls this is the wide open door of the gospel and trust me.

God didn't install a heavenly ring camera to make sure you look presentable before letting you in. He hears your cry from the alley, from the pit, from the broken down places we don't want anyone else to see. Paul is actually quoting Joel 2 32 in Romans 10 13 in Old Testament prophecy that God's salvation wouldn't just be for Israel, but for all nations.

Now, Joel, 2 32 reads. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance as the Lord has said. Even amongst the survivors whom the Lord calls in Rome, power was restricted for citizens. Access was limited by class, birth, uh, and bloodline.

But in Christ, there is no class barrier, no family pedigree required. No patents of nobility required. If you're a nights tale fan, that that was pretty good. You like that one? The kingdom is open for business and Jesus tore the members only sign off the door. Lemme paint you a quick picture here. Imagine someone shows up to a fancy restaurant wearing muddy boots, torn jeans, and smelling like they just finished wrangling livestock.

rvation was made in your name: 2000

Because salvation doesn't come by knowing the, the roadmap. It comes by walking it. It's not enough to just agree that Jesus says, Lord, you must call that word call. It means to cry out, to invoke it. It's relational, it's personal. It's saying, Jesus, I need you. Not, not somebody else, not some other time. I need you right now today.

Look, maybe you've walked with Jesus for years, but you've, you've found yourself wandering. Maybe you're brand new to the faith. And, and you're wondering, could God really save someone like me? This verse is your answer. Yes. Yes he can. Yes he does. Yes, he will. When you walk into a church, the pastor won't know your past, but Jesus does, and he still died for you.

He saw the whole thing and he paid for it in full, and now he's saying. Just call my name. We see this in Isaiah 55 verse six. Seek the Lord while he may be found, calling him while he is near, or or two. Peter three, verse nine. He is patient not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance you.

You've seen the road. You've heard the truth. Now it's time to make the call. God isn't looking for fancy prayers. He's looking for a surrendered heart. All right.

Reassurance and Final Thoughts

---

Jason: I know I said that was the last stop. But before we pull into that final parking spot on this road trip, I want, I wanna highlight a few bonus mile markers, tho those reassuring signs along the way that says, yes, you're still on the right road.

And yeah, God's grace is still holding you. You see, after we confess and believe in Jesus, a lot of new believers ask, but what if I mess up again? What if I fall short? What if this or that happens? Will God still love me? Will he still keep me? Look my friend, I want you to hear something very carefully.

Salvation isn't a tightrope, it's a finished bridge, and it was built by Jesus, not by your performance. Romans five, one tells us, therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God. And that's not temporary peace. It's not peace until your next bad decision. That's relational restoration.

Once you've been justified. Declared righteous in Christ. You are no longer God's enemy. You are his child. And if that's not enough to ease your heart, let me take you to Romans eight, one again. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Read that again. No condemnation, not Psalm, not reduced, not pending.

Review none. And that means the guilt from your past, it's gone. The shame that tries to whisper. You're not good enough Silenced. The enemy's accusations. Overruled. I want you to walk in this reassurance. You, you should stop living like God's gonna change his mind about us. Stop checking your spiritual pulse every five minutes to make sure we're still saved.

We start growing, we start trusting. We start telling others about this unshakeable grace. And here's a quick picture for you. Imagine salvation like boarding a cruise ship, not, not a canoe. You have to row the moment, you step on deck, you are part of this journey. Sure, you might stumble, you might spill your coffee.

You could even fall asleep in a deck chair and get sunburned, but the ship is still moving towards a destination, not because you are steering it, but because a captain is faithful. Philippians one verse six says, he who begins a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

So if you have received Christ, I want you to rest in him. You're saved, you're sealed, you're secure.

Conclusion and Farewell

---

Jason: All right, my friends, we have arrived at the end of the Roman Road, but don't take off those spiritual seat belts just yet, because while this may be the last stop in today's episode, it's just the beginning of the adventure that God has for you.

We've traveled from the reality of our sin to the richness of God's grace. We've looked at the cost. We've seen the cross, we've heard the call to confess, believe and receive. And if today you called in the name of the Lord for the first time, or you've committed your heart to him. Welcome to the family.

There's a celebration going on in heaven right now, and I'm pretty sure somebody's baking a casserole, but, but listen, don't, don't walk this journey alone. Find yourself a good local church. Get into the word, connect with believers. Start walking the path of discipleship, not just salvation. So wherever you happen to be headed today, whether it's the school pickup line, the grocery store, just back to the couch.

Know this. You are forgiven, you are loved. You are on the road that leads to life. Until next time, keep loving your neighbors. Dive into God's word daily and may the Lord bless you and keep you and fill you with his peace. Take care. God bless, and I'll see you in the next episode.

Share Episode

Shownotes

Transcripts

Follow

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube