Steadfast, Immovable, Abounding

Introduction to the Romans Road series

Human beings live in a state of constant preparation. Each night we prepare for the next day; each week we prepare for our weekend plans; and now, as the year is growing old, we prepare for the holidays when we will gather with friends and family to thank God for the gift of His Son. We prepare for tests, moves, careers, celebrations, and everything in between. Yet throughout all this intense planning, how often do we even think about preparing ourselves for the next steps in the Great Commission to which God has called us?

1 Peter 3:15-16 says, “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame” (emphasis mine). Peter’s wording makes me think of an unprepared bookkeeper, scrambling to find his scattered accounts when the auditor arrives. The apostle urges us to be ready for the world’s questions about our faith—we must never be caught by surprise when asked why we can have hope in such a messed up world. Apologetics, “the defense of the faith,” is too often overlooked and pushed to the back burner in Christian circles. The only way to be truly ready for the next mission God has for us is to be dedicated to studying His word and seeking to know Him more. I love what one verse says: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Our Bible is not a lifeless collection of dead men’s words—no, it is a living epistle breathed by the Spirit of God.

As we journey together through this study of the “Romans Road,” a collection of 5 passages describing our sin and Jesus’ saving grace, I challenge you to reignite your passion for knowing what you believe and why you believe it. Sometimes we are exposed to the gospel so consistently that it grows “stale” in our eyes. We cease to be in awe of its incomprehensible simplicity. I ask that we return to these basic tenants of Christianity with fresh eyes, ready to marvel at the amazing grace of our Lord. In studying God’s plan of salvation, we actively prepare ourselves to share His gospel with the fallen world.

But it’s not enough to know these 5 steps of the Romans Road by heart if we are not living out their truth through our daily actions. One of the most common accusations the world throws at Christians is the charge of hypocrisy. They claim that we demand humanity follow our standards yet do not act any different than the world. This misunderstanding is partially due to the darkness of the world, a darkness which despises Christ and always finds fault with His followers. But I don’t believe we are wholly innocent either. How can we expect to win souls to Christ when we wear a worldly camouflage to fit in with those around us?

1 Peter 2:9-10 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” We are set apart for the specific purpose of proclaiming the name of Christ, but we can’t do that if we aren’t seeking to live in a Christlike manner. I love what Paul writes: “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Philippians 4:1).

Yet this all circles back to my earlier comment: we can’t know what we believe and why we believe it if we aren’t invested in God’s word and becoming more like Him. And if we don’t know what we believe, how can we “give an account for the hope” that we have? Psalm 119:130 says, “The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple,” and in verse 133, “Establish my footsteps in Your word, and do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.”

God tells us to “prepare [our] minds for action” (1 Peter 1:13), be “prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21), and “be ready in season and out of season,” (2 Timothy 4:2). The Lord has great work for us to do in building His kingdom. But will we be ready for our next step when it comes? Are we using every moment to seek constant spiritual transformation? Do we strive each day to become more like Christ and less like the world? Are we digging deep into His word so that we may know Him more truly? Are we proclaiming Christ’s excellencies through counter-cultural righteousness and love? He has gone to prepare a place for you—have you prepared yourself for Him?