Where the Roman Road Goes Astray:

Understanding Why It Falls Short of The True Salvation Message

The ‘Roman Road’ was created as a method for presenting the gospel using a sequence of verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament. While no particular individual or group is credited with its creation, it is predominantly used in protestant evangelical circles. The purpose for the Roman Road is to highlight key concepts of Christian salvation, such as sin, grace, faith, and the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, instead of accurately emphasizing the gospel of salvation as presented in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, the ‘Roman Road’ is sometimes used to support the false gospels of ‘confessing Jesus is Lord’, ‘accepting Jesus as Lord’, ‘confessing your sins’, or ‘making Jesus the Lord of your life’. In particular, the concept of 'confessing Jesus is Lord’ is supported by selecting an English translation that best supports the presenter’s theological view on salvation. This approach contrasts with a faithful interpretation of Romans 10:9-10 based on the original intent of the Apostle Paul.

Along the "Roman Road," the issue of sin is appropriately addressed using Romans 3:23. In the broader context of Romans, Paul explains that humanity is subject to death because of Adam's sin (Romans 5:12). The righteousness of God comes through faith in Christ, as all have sinned in Adam (Romans 3:23). Therefore, propitiation is necessary for redemption (Romans 3:25).

Our next stop along the way is at Romans 6:23. Here, the penalty for sin is emphasized: sin results in death. However, Paul is not referring to physical death but spiritual death. The wages of the sin nature—not just individual acts of sin—lead to spiritual separation from God. In the broader context of Romans 6, Paul has been addressing the sin nature. Starting from Romans 5:12, Paul discusses the consequences of Adam's sin and trespass. Adam's sin brought physical death to all (Romans 5:12), while his trespass caused spiritual death, which he passed on to all of humanity (Romans 5:17).

The gift of righteousness, however, counters the penalty for sin (Romans 5:17). Whereas the gracious gift deals with the punishment imposed because of his trespass (Romans 5:18). Therefore, the wages of the sin [nature] are [spiritual] death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23).

At this point, the "Roman Road" begins to take a problematic direction, even though it attempts to highlight the looming consequence of sin for all humanity.

The emphasis then shifts to the demonstration of God’s love as we arrive at Romans 5:8. Here, the truth that Christ died for our sins is accurately presented. He did this while we were still sinners, underscoring that salvation is not based on personal works (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, this truth alone is insufficient to correct the problematic direction that results from interpreting Romans 6:23 as referring merely to physical death.

The next stop is the most problematic one of all the stops along the ‘Roman Road'. This is where we get into how a person is saved. Due to many erroneous translation, Romans 10:9-10 is often used to imply that we make Jesus the Lord of our life—or confess Him as such—to be saved. However, the original text does not agree with this interpretation, nor does Paul’s presentation of the gospel message in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, which states that we are saved by believing that Christ died on behalf of our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.

The issue arises due to the word "confess" and a mistranslated preposition. Let us examine how this passage should be translated in order to properly understand Paul's intent. For context, we will begin with verse eight.

But what does it say? The utterance is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the utterance of the faith, which we proclaim, that if perhaps you should agree with your mouth Lord Jesus, and you should believe with your heart that the God has raised Him out from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it [the utterance of faith] is believed because of righteousness, and with the mouth it [the utterance of faith] is verbally agreed upon because of salvation.

It is not the confession that Jesus is Lord that brings salvation. Instead, it is belief that Jesus was raised from the dead that causes a person to confess. In the context of Romans, Paul has made it very clear already that Christ died for our sins (Romans 5:9). He has also clearly stated that we are justified because of Christ’s resurrection from the dead (Romans 4:25).

The utterance of faith that Paul is writing about is that righteousness is through Christ. We are righteous before God because Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead. Therefore, with the heart the utterance of faith - Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures - is believed because of His righteousness. This belief results in salvation, which is why, with the mouth, a verbal agreement is made that Jesus is Lord.

The Jews, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, sought to establish own righteousness through the Mosaic Law. However, Christ is the end of the law because of righteousness. Therefore, a Jew who believes in the righteousness of God will verbally agree that Jesus is Lord because they believe that righteousness through Christ’s death for sin and resurrection from the dead.

The "Roman Road" does not actually lead to a requirement to confess that Jesus is Lord in order to be saved. It is those who deviate from the well-trodden path laid by Paul who introduce this false gospel. When we stay on the true path, it leads to the belief that salvation is given to all who believe in Christ's death on behalf of sins and His resurrection from the grave three days later.

Paul clearly states that this is the gospel for salvation in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4:

Moreover, brethren, I make known to you the gospel which I evangelized to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, through which also you are saved, since you hold fast the word I evangelized to you, expect you believed without an object (in vain). For I delivered unto you at first that which also I received, that Christ died on behalf of our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and the He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

Salvation comes by believing that Christ died on behalf of our sins and was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures. Salvation thereby makes it possible for a person to verbally agree that Jesus is Lord.

The Roman Road, while a well-intentioned tool for evangelism, often does not lead to an accurate salvation presentation because it can misrepresent the nature of saving faith as explained by Paul. The focus should always be on the core gospel message—Christ’s death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Salvation is about trusting in Christ’s finished work and recognizing His righteousness, rather than relying on human actions or verbal declarations alone. Only by staying true to the full and contextual gospel message can we ensure that people are genuinely brought into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Do not take the wrong path down the "Roman Road." Instead, use 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 to ensure that you are presenting an accurate gospel message—one that is based on Christ’s righteousness, not on establishing our own.