Romans Road Step #5: The Appeal

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been focusing on an evangelism method called “The Romans Road”. If you missed previous posts, here’s a recap:

(1) “The Beginning”, using Romans 1:20. If you were sharing this step with a friend or neighbour, you would talk about God as Creator. You would explain that creation cries out His existence and that mankind is without excuse.

(2) “The Need”, using Romans 3:23. You explain what sin is and how it separates us from God. You explain that because of sin, mankind is in need of a solution, something or someone to take away that sin that prevents from accessing a Holy God.

(3) “The Solution”, reading Romans 5:8. You explain that God loved us so much, that He saw our need and provided a solution. God sent His one and only Son, Jesus to die as a single perfect sacrifice, to cover our sin.

(4) “The Options”, using Romans 6:23. You explain that even though sin has been conquered, each person must choose. We can continue a life of sin, which leads to spiritual death, an eternity in hell. Or we can accept God’s gift of eternal life in heaven, through our Saviour Jesus Christ. You friend is left at the fork in the road of eternity.

The Appeal

Today, we take the fifth step in The Romans Road, (5) “The Appeal” using Romans 10:9.

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

This fifth (5) step in The Romans Road, carries a verse that really brings together any and all evangelism tools and methods. This verse explains the crux of our salvation in the simplest of terms.

This is the moment where we move from darkness to light, and according to this verse, it comes down to (1) confession and (2) belief.

Confession

Let’s look at the confession first. “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’” (Rom. 10:9)

The first piece is to confess with our mouths. Many translations use the word “declare” instead of confess. Now most of us understand these two words pretty well, but for interest’s sake, let’s unpack them a little further with a couple of definitions.

To confess something means,

“to acknowledge or avow by way of revelation, to own or admit as true, to declare or acknowledge, to acknowledge one’s belief or faith in, to declare adherence to.” (Dictionary.com)

And now the word often used interchangeably in Romans 10:9. To declare something means,

“to make known or state clearly (especially in explicit or formal terms), to announce officially or proclaim, to state emphatically, to manifest or reveal.” (Dictionary.com)

Belief

Now let’s focus on the belief. “…believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)

In order to be saved, there must be a confession that Jesus is Lord. But talk can be cheap. If the heart condition does not match what is being confessed then that person is just not going to make it. True heart-felt belief is crucial!

In order to be secure our eternity in heaven, we must believe in the very core of our being that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sin, and that He rose from the dead on the third day. Sin and death were defeated. Do you believe it?

Gazing Into Eternity

At this point in The Romans Road, our prayer is that our friend or neighbour will be under the Holy Spirit’s conviction, as they gaze into their own eternity.

We can’t push or pull anyone into heaven. The decision is theirs. Do they believe? And if so, are they willing to confess that belief?

The Sinner’s Prayer

Perhaps some of you have heard of something called “The Sinner’s Prayer”? Perhaps some of you have tried to find it in the Bible? Spoiler alert; it’s not there.

However, Romans 10:9 and verses like it, point to the principles of the sinner’s prayer. The Sinner’s Prayer brings the confession and belief of Romans 10:9 into a single moment in time.

In the sinner’s prayer, we acknowledgement that we are a sinner, but more importantly, we offer a whole-hearted confession that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He will be Lord of our life from that point on.

If we see that our friend or neighbour has accepted the belief component, then the Sinner’s Prayer is a simple way to lead them into the confession component.

Can I get your feedback?

Romans 10:9 speaks of confession and belief. In your opinion, why are these two components of faith so closely connected?

Please comment below or share your answer on Facebook or Twitter.