How to Share the Gospel

The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

In a world where many people are searching for meaning and purpose, Christians have been given the incredible privilege and responsibility to share the hope of Jesus Christ. Every believer needs to be equipped to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope within us. One of the most effective and time-tested methods for sharing the gospel is known as the Roman Road.

What is the Roman Road?

The Roman Road is a simple, scripture-based approach to sharing the gospel using verses from the Book of Romans. This method provides a clear pathway to help someone understand their need for salvation and how to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. While there are many ways to share the gospel, the Roman Road offers a structured approach that anyone can learn and use.

Why Do We Need to Share the Gospel?

Jesus commanded His followers to preach and share the gospel with everyone on earth. Before His ascension, He told His disciples that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit and become His witnesses. This calling extends to every believer today.

The reality is stark: people are lost without Jesus. When they die without knowing Christ as their Savior, they face eternal separation from God. This truth should burden our hearts and motivate us to share the life-changing message of salvation.

Step 1: Everyone Has Sinned

Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"

The first truth people need to understand is that everyone has sinned. Some people don't realize they need to be saved because they don't know they're lost. This verse helps establish that universal truth.

The Greek word for sin, "hamartia," means to miss the mark. Picture an archer aiming at a bull's eye, doing their very best, but the arrow falls short. No matter how good someone tries to live, they still miss God's perfect standard.

Many people compare themselves to others, thinking they haven't done "really bad stuff." But we're using the wrong standard. God's Word declares that all have sinned. We're rebels by nature, preferring our own way instead of God's way.

How Much Sin Does It Take?

How much sin does it require to separate someone from God for eternity? Just one. The book of James teaches that if you break one of God's laws, you're guilty of breaking them all. Even wanting to do wrong makes us guilty before God, as Jesus explained when He raised the standard in the Sermon on the Mount.

Step 2: Sin Carries a Penalty

Romans 6:23a - "For the wages of sin is death"

The second truth is that our sin carries a serious penalty. Wages simply means payday. The Bible teaches that "the soul that sins, it shall die" and "it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that, the judgment."

This isn't just physical death, but spiritual death - the second death. Those who die with their sin intact, not knowing Jesus as Savior, will experience eternal separation from God at the great white throne judgment.

This may sound harsh, but it's the truth. Most of us came under conviction of our sin at some point and knew we were accountable to God for what we were hearing. That conviction led us to repent and be born again.

Step 3: God Offers a Free Gift

Romans 6:23b - "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"

Here's the good news! While sin's wages are death, God offers something completely different - a free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

This verse beautifully illustrates the difference between law and grace. We earn death through our sin, but God freely gives eternal life. If you pay for something, it's not a gift. If you earn it, it's not a gift. A gift is offered freely by the giver and received freely by the recipient.

God's Love Demonstrated

Romans 5:8 - "But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"

People need to know that God loves them and has provided a way to be saved. This verse is particularly powerful for those who struggle with feeling unworthy. God loved you when you were still a sinner. It's not that God loves you more after you get saved - He's always loved you and always had a wonderful plan for your life.

Step 4: We Must Make a Choice

Romans 10:9-10 - "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"

No one is forced to be saved. While the Holy Spirit convicts and makes us aware of our need, we must make a personal choice. This involves both believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth.

Romans 10:13 - "For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved"

This promise is available to anyone who calls upon the Lord. Have you made that decision? Have you surrendered your life to Christ in faith, knowing that apart from what He did on the cross, there is no hope of salvation?

Step 5: Only Jesus Saves

Acts 4:12 - "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"

What you do with Jesus Christ determines your salvation. In our multicultural world with various religious expressions, people often claim that all roads lead to God. While all roads may lead to God, when you stand before Him, the only thing that will get you into heaven is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus Himself declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." There is no other name by which we can be saved.

How to Lead Someone to Christ

When sharing these truths, remember that you don't need a seminary degree or perfect knowledge of the Bible. You have your personal testimony of what Jesus did for you. The Holy Spirit brings conviction as you share how you recognized you were a sinner, how God dealt with you, and how your life changed when you called on the Lord.

Let the Holy Spirit Work

When you ask someone if they're ready to receive Christ, give them time to respond. Don't interrupt what the Holy Spirit is doing in their heart. It's okay for people to be uncomfortable under conviction - that's the Holy Spirit working. Your job is to share the truth; the Holy Spirit's job is to bring about the new birth.

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to identify at least one person in your life who doesn't know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Begin praying for that person daily, asking God to prepare their heart and open a door for you to share the gospel with them.

Study and memorize these key verses from the Roman Road so you'll be ready when the opportunity arises. Remember, you don't have to be perfect or have all the answers - you just need to be willing to share what Jesus has done for you.

Consider these questions as you reflect on this message:

• Who in my life needs to hear about Jesus?
• Am I prepared to share the gospel clearly and simply?
• What's holding me back from being a more active witness?
• How can I better rely on the Holy Spirit when sharing my faith?
• Am I praying regularly for the lost people in my life?

The Roman Road provides a simple, biblical framework for sharing the most important message in the world. Every person deserves to hear that God loves them, that Jesus died for their sins, and that they can have eternal life through faith in Christ. Will you be ready to share this hope when God opens the door?