The Roman Road Plan of Salvation is used by virtually ALL denominations today. Those who use the Roman Road Plan of Salvation will tell a lost person, who sincerely recites the words of one of the various versions of the "Sinner's Prayer", that they are ready to go to Heaven, right then and there, POOF, just like that!
The following is how most people are taught to use the Roman Road Plan of Salvation: They will tell a person it is very easy to be saved (which is a true statement). Then, they will walk them through the following steps:
Step 1. They'll tell the person to realize they are a sinner. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23), which is very true.
Step 2. Then, they'll tell them to realize that a price must be paid for their sin. "...and without shedding of blood is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12), still, all very true.
Step 3. Next, they'll tell them to realize that a price had to paid for their sin AND that the price has already been paid by Jesus Christ! "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8), again, all very true.
Step 4. Then, they'll tell the person to ask Jesus to come into their heart and save their soul, and to accept His sacrifice as the punishment for their sin. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9), here's where things "begin to go South" (so to speak).
Step 5. At this point, they'll ask the person if they would like to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior right then. If so, they will ask the person to repeat after them the words of one of the versions of the "The Sinner's Prayer". And, they are saved at that very moment! Right then and there. POOF! Just like that!
There are some essential things missing in the Roman Road Plan of Salvation.
Consider the following...
The Jerusalem Road Plan of Salvation was presented by Peter, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, on the Day of Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2, following Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Upon being specifically asked what sinners must do, here's what God inspired Peter to say, as recorded in Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." A gift is not something earned. But, Peter didn’t stop there. In the very next verse (verse 39) he said, "For the promise is to you, your children, to those that are afar off, even as many as the Lord OUR GOD shall call". So, my question is, "Has God stopped calling?" ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Step 1. Repentance of sins
Jesus said in Luke 13:3 "... except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." And He COMMANDED in Luke 24:47 that REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS should be preached in HIS NAME among ALL nations, BEGINNING at Jerusalem.
Step 2. Water Baptism in the precious name of Jesus...
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:1-8 that unless a person is "born again" of water AND of the Spirit, they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And, He said in Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." The Greek word that was translated into English as "baptize" means to fully wet, immerse, submerge, plunge into, dip or bury.
Step 3. Receiving the Holy Spirit (the Bible way)
Jesus told Nicodemus this in John Chapter 3...
Verse 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Verse 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Verse 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
According to Jesus, Himself, although you cannot see the wind, or know where it came from or where it is going, there is a "sound" heard when it is present, likewise, there is a "sound" heard when everyone is born of the Spirit. So, my question is "What is the sound to which Jesus referred?"...
1) the 120 in the upper room in Acts 2:1-4, .... they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
2) the household of Cornelius in Acts 10:44-48, ... While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
3) the 12 disciples of John in Acts 19:1-6, ... And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
"Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" (Acts 19:2)
God bless!
The following is how most people are taught to use the Roman Road Plan of Salvation: They will tell a person it is very easy to be saved (which is a true statement). Then, they will walk them through the following steps:
Step 1. They'll tell the person to realize they are a sinner. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23), which is very true.
Step 2. Then, they'll tell them to realize that a price must be paid for their sin. "...and without shedding of blood is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12), still, all very true.
Step 3. Next, they'll tell them to realize that a price had to paid for their sin AND that the price has already been paid by Jesus Christ! "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8), again, all very true.
Step 4. Then, they'll tell the person to ask Jesus to come into their heart and save their soul, and to accept His sacrifice as the punishment for their sin. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9), here's where things "begin to go South" (so to speak).
Step 5. At this point, they'll ask the person if they would like to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior right then. If so, they will ask the person to repeat after them the words of one of the versions of the "The Sinner's Prayer". And, they are saved at that very moment! Right then and there. POOF! Just like that!
There are some essential things missing in the Roman Road Plan of Salvation.
Consider the following...
The Jerusalem Road Plan of Salvation was presented by Peter, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, on the Day of Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2, following Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Upon being specifically asked what sinners must do, here's what God inspired Peter to say, as recorded in Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." A gift is not something earned. But, Peter didn’t stop there. In the very next verse (verse 39) he said, "For the promise is to you, your children, to those that are afar off, even as many as the Lord OUR GOD shall call". So, my question is, "Has God stopped calling?" ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Step 1. Repentance of sins
Jesus said in Luke 13:3 "... except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." And He COMMANDED in Luke 24:47 that REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS should be preached in HIS NAME among ALL nations, BEGINNING at Jerusalem.
Step 2. Water Baptism in the precious name of Jesus...
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:1-8 that unless a person is "born again" of water AND of the Spirit, they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And, He said in Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." The Greek word that was translated into English as "baptize" means to fully wet, immerse, submerge, plunge into, dip or bury.
Step 3. Receiving the Holy Spirit (the Bible way)
Jesus told Nicodemus this in John Chapter 3...
Verse 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Verse 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Verse 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
According to Jesus, Himself, although you cannot see the wind, or know where it came from or where it is going, there is a "sound" heard when it is present, likewise, there is a "sound" heard when everyone is born of the Spirit. So, my question is "What is the sound to which Jesus referred?"...
1) the 120 in the upper room in Acts 2:1-4, .... they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
2) the household of Cornelius in Acts 10:44-48, ... While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
3) the 12 disciples of John in Acts 19:1-6, ... And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
"Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" (Acts 19:2)
God bless!