How to Easily Share the Gospel

Sometimes, it can feel daunting to think about how to talk to someone about their need for salvation. We can get stalled out wondering, “Where should I start? What should I say? What Bible verses should I use?” The Romans Road is one method I use that succinctly pulls together all the essential parts of the salvation message. I like to keep things simple—and easy to find and remember, especially when I’m talking with someone about God’s plan of salvation. Showing them from the Bible what God says, so they can look it up again later, lays the foundation that the Scriptures are our “go-to” for the Christian life. Since the salvation message is most likely new for them, it’s helpful to keep things narrowed down to the gospel’s basic elements.

Know This When Sharing the Gospel

Be at ease and know that God’s Word is enough. God is the One who saves people and it’s the message contained in His Word that does it. Trust God’s Word to do its work in the heart of the person you are talking to. You are simply the messenger.

Don’t try to tell them everything you know. Again, the power to save is not in our super polished, amazing gospel conversation. If you are saved, you know the depth and riches that underscore every element of the message of salvation. You’ll be tempted to tell them everything you know—and then some. Try to keep the message simple. Trust the Lord to use what has been said. He saves in His time in His way—all for His glory. You are simply the messenger.

Don’t apologize or feel embarrassed for keeping it simple and sticking to the Bible. God’s message of salvation has never changed. It doesn’t need to be gussied up and made more “relevant” for today’s listener. The human heart is still the same—and it’s the Word of God that has the power to lay the heart bare, so the listener sees their desperate need for a Savior to save them from the sure judgment against their sin. Trust God to use His Word to quicken their hearts. Remember, you are simply the messenger.

Getting Started

To continue to keep things simple and easy to find, I have a note for myself in the front flyleaf of my Bible that reads, “The Romans Road begins at Romans 3:10.” I need all the help I can get, so it’s helpful for me to leave myself notes. Ahem. The first page of the book of Romans also carries the same note to my befuddled self. Then at each stop in the Romans Road, I list the next verse reference of the Romans Road. My Bible is then my guide, leading me from one verse to the next in sharing the Good News of the Gospel.

The Gospel Message

The First Stop—Romans 3:10, then Romans 3:23

There are different variations of The Romans Road. These are the verses and order I use: Romans 3:10; 3:23; 5:12; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9; 10:13. The first stop on the Romans Road at Romans 3:10 tells us, “There is none righteous, not even one.” I might explain how the verse shows us man’s problem—he is not righteous, that is, he is not without sin, or I might directly go to Romans 3:23 where we’ll read aloud, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Using the information from both verses, I explain that in order to have a relationship with God, we need to be as holy as He is or we would die trying to enter into His presence. The problem is that all men have sinned, which means there is no way they can have a relationship with God. This is our big problem. It’s an all or nothing scale. Someone is either all the way holy or they aren’t. God is all the way holy, but man, even if he only sins one time, is not holy.

The Second Stop—Romans 5:12

We have a sin problem that is even worse than we realized. Not only have we all fallen short of God’s glory by sinning even one time, but we learn in Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” I explain that Adam, the first man, sinned against God and then he passed his sin nature on to the rest of the human race. (At this point, don’t get derailed discussing evolution or things like that. The Bible is clear that God is the creator, that He created everything in six literal days, and that all mankind comes from one common ancestor, Adam. Those conversations can happen later. Try to keep explaining the gospel while traveling The Romans Road.)

I might illustrate that Adam passed his sin nature to us by asking them, “When a dog has babies what do they have?” Of course, the answer is puppies or more dogs. Then I might ask, “What about horses? When a horse has a baby, what is produced?” The answer? More horses. The same is true for people. Sinners give birth to more sinners.

Not only are we born with a sin nature, but when we do sin, even if it’s only once, the consequences of having sinned is death. (I like to keep emphasizing that sinning even once means we are found guilty. It’s important to get people past their “my good deeds outweigh my bad deeds” kind of thinking.) We are all guilty of sin. Still looking at Romans 5:12 and reading it again, I explain that when the Bible talks about death, it is far greater and more terrible than what we often think it is. Death is not just going to sleep and not waking up. The death that our sin has earned us is destruction, darkness, suffering, and separation from God forever.

The Third Stop—Romans 6:23

Thankfully, God has kindly provided help for us. In Romans 6:23, we learn some good news, “For the wages of sin is death.” I point out that wages are things we earn. I ask them what their sin has earned them. They can see the answer that God says they have worked at their sin and have earned death. Not such a great paycheck! I then direct them to keep reading the rest of the verse to see, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I ask them to look at the verse to see what gift God has given us and how we get that special gift. I might spend time discussing the difference between working to earn something and receiving a gift. I might also talk about how sin earns us death, yet God gives us life. It’s also helpful to point out that death and life are eternal.

The Fourth Stop—Romans 5:8

We read Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Then we talk about what we learn about God in this verse: He loves us. He loves us even though we are sinners and have no desire to follow Him. He shows His love in a special way—by having His Son, Jesus, die on the cross for our sins. I explain that Jesus is the answer to our sin problem. And God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die to take away our sin, so we could have eternal life with Him.

The Fifth Stop—Romans 10:9

Romans 10:9 tells us, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” I explain that the free gift of salvation is available when we make it our testimony that Jesus is our Lord, when we believe that Jesus conquered death when He rose from the dead. Just believing the facts about Jesus isn’t enough. Putting all our trust and hope in Jesus is how we can be saved. Jesus must be our Lord, our Master, the One we want to follow and serve all the rest of our days. When we put that kind of hope and trust in Him, we are saved.

The Sixth Stop—Romans 10:13

God assures us in Romans 10:13 that “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” If we place our hope in Jesus alone for salvation, then we will be saved. God wants us to be comforted and have this reassurance that salvation is that straightforward.

Then What?

Ask them if they have any questions about what you’ve just told them. See if you can clarify any points. Ask them questions to see what they really “heard.” It’s helpful to hear from them and what they think about your conversation. Ask them what they think man’s problem is based on what you told them. Ask them what God’s solution is and then ask them how they can be saved. Their answers will help you see if the Holy Spirit is at work in their heart.

Remember these truths when you are sharing the Gospel:

A battle rages for the soul of the unbeliever. Satan snatches away the word so that it doesn’t bear fruit. Some respond and seem to be saved, but time reveals a false profession. Finally, we see some whose seed bears fruit for God’s kingdom. Trust the Lord to do His work in their heart. Matthew 13:18–23 “Hear then the parable of the sower. “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

The truth of God’s Word is hidden from them. Satan blinds their minds, so they won’t see the light. Yet, God can easily heal them of their spiritual blindness. Our job is to tell them the truth, then trust God to work in them in His timing and in His way. 2 Corinthians 4:3–4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

God’s power is put on display when unbelievers respond to the gospel. One moment, the message of salvation may seem foolish, and in the next, they may be crushed under the weight of its glory. Trust the Lord to work in their heart. 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Repentance removes an unbeliever’s spiritual blindness. In a moment, God can remove the veil that keeps them from seeing the truth. Be patient, trusting in the Lord’s timing to save. When the veil is taken away, they will long to be saved and follow Jesus. 2 Corinthians 3:16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.