Many people think that when they die they will go to Heaven because they have lived a good life, attend church regularly, obey the laws, give to charities, and treat their neighbors kindly. They believe that since they are basically a "good person", they have earned the right to enter Heaven. Others are so busy with their lives that they rarely give it a serious thought. Still others believe that when they die, that's it - the "lights go out". And some people think that it doesn't matter what you believe, that as long as you believe in God everything will be fine, that "all faiths lead to God".

Don't you think we ought to pay attention to what God says about it? After all, He is the one that created us, and He is the one who ultimately will decide what happens to us when our short time here in this life is over. Have you ever seriously sat down to think about your eternal destiny? If you were to die tonight, what would happen to your soul? What about your children and loved ones?

Most people have health insurance and life insurance, because they want to be prepared for the future, but few stop to consider the most important questions: Why am I here? What happens when I die? Am I right with God? My friend, the time is now, and you must seriously consider your condition before God. If nothing else, I pray that this article and this web site will lead you to consider the most important decision in your life.

Fortunately, we have a book that explains exactly what God says about our purpose in life, what happens when we die, and how we can be absolutely sure we are right with Him. You knew it was coming, didn't you? Of course you did. That book is the Bible. So please, take a few minutes to consider these matters seriously. You will never regret it.

There is a thread of thought in the book of Romans that has come to be known as The Roman Road. This thread shows us the good news of God's plan of salvation for us. Let's walk that road together right now.

Step 1 - We are all sinners, utterly unable to keep every point of God's holy law.

Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one..."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God..."

The first step toward salvation is the simple recognition that you are a sinner. Many will say, "But I am a good person!". In the eyes of men, you may very well be a good person, but remember, were talking about your condition in God's eyes. Have you perfectly kept every one of the Ten Commandments throughout your whole life? You've never lied? Never harbored ill will toward another person that may have done you wrong? You've put God first and foremost in your life without fail? None of us can make that claim, if we honestly evaluate ourselves before a holy and righteous God. All have sinned. What is the penalty for that?

Step 2 - Transgression of the law is sin and requires punishment. God cannot break His own law.

Romans 6:23(a) "For the wages of sin is death..."

"But wait", you say, "That's unfair." Perhaps I am a sinner but I've only sinned a little. It's not like I've murdered anyone. In another book of the Bible, the book of James, he writes "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10). God's law is perfect, and even the slightest transgression has separated us from God, because that's what sin does. A holy God cannot tolerate sin. It's not a question of God's love at this point. It's a question of His holy nature. So we see that the result of sin is death: physical death, and more importantly, spiritual death. Since you are a sinner, if you haven't taken the remedy yet, then you are in a state of separation from God, and dead in sin. How can that be remedied?

Step 3 - The perfect remedy for the penalty of the law is in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:23(b) "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

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

The remedy is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. God, who is holy and righteous and requires payment for sin knew we could not remedy the situation. And so He sent us a Savior, the man Jesus of Nazareth who was God in the flesh. He bore the burden of our sins when He was crucified at Calvary. He suffered a terribly painful and humiliating death at the hands of sinners, but more importantly, He bore the punishment for sins in our place. What a loving God! To think that He cared enough for us, even though we have sinned against Him, to humble Himself and die for us and instead of us, so that He might restore the relationship that we once had with Him! The Gospel of John tells us, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13).

Step 4 - We must believe on and receive the remedy in order to benefit from it.

Romans 10:9,10 "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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

It seems simple, doesn't it? That's because it is! If we recognize the fact that we are sinners, and understand that Jesus paid the price for our sins, and believe that He is who He said He is and did what the Bible says He did, then we are saved! Who did He say that He is? God. What does the Bible say He did? He died for our sins and was raised from the dead. At this very moment, Jesus Christ is in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father, because when He gave His life at Calvary for our sins, His work was acceptable in the eyes of the Father. The resurrection is the proof that what He did was acceptable to God.

Step 5 - The free gift of salvation is available to everyone.

Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

There is no distinction with God. It does not matter who you are. It does not matter what sins you've committed in the past. It certainly does not matter what church you go to, or the frequency in which you attend. The Bible says whosoever, and that means that God is holding out the free gift , waiting for anyone to take it. Have you taken it? Why not?

What matters is that you understand where you stand with God, recognizing that you are a sinner. By doing this, you are taking God's side in the matter against your own sinful nature. And then, by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, you again take God's side in the matter, believing something that most of the world will not believe. Most important of all, you receive the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

That's the Roman road! Have you traveled that road yet? It is a simple path to follow, and it leads to everlasting life.

Click this link to read the book of Romans online.

The word Gospel is a Greek word that means good news. In the Gospel of John we can read about the wonderfully good news of salvation. Like the other Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) it tells us about the life and death of Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.

In the beginning of John's Gospel, he writes:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John starts out right away telling us that the Lord Jesus Christ (referred to as the Word) was God, and became flesh. He then writes about the many miracles and teachings of Jesus, and finally about His unjust trial and execution. John also records for us Jesus' very own words explaining why He came to earth:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

This is truly the good news of the Gospel of salvation. But Jesus also continues by saying:

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

You see it, don't you? The choice is between not believing and believing. The results of that choice are death or life. Which do you choose?

Toward the end of his Gospel, John writes this about all the things he has recorded for us:

John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

John tells us that the things he wrote in his Gospel were written so that we might believe the things about Jesus. Read the Gospel of John today, won't you?

Click this link to read the Gospel of John online.