The Offensive Truth That Saves Souls
We’ve all been taught that in order to be right with God, you’ve got to do the right things. That’s how you get in God’s good graces. Because after all, good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell—right? But that’s not the Gospel.
The book of Romans is a gold mine for understanding what it truly takes to be right with God. If it’s not one of your favorite books, you probably don’t fully understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That may sound like a bold statement, but today, the word “Gospel“ has become little more than a religious cliché. Many people use it without really understanding what it means.
Paul wrote Romans to a largely religious audience — Jews who were trying to earn God’s favour through their own efforts. Their faith was based entirely on performance. They were meticulous about outward rituals of holiness—tithing even on garden herbs, measuring their steps on the Sabbath to avoid breaking the Law, and blowing trumpets before they prayed. But their hearts were far from God. That’s why Jesus rebuked them, saying, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves“ (Matt. 23:15).
God Is Not Impressed with Your Checklist
Jesus’ words were stronger than horseradish. Did you know that this same religious mindset exists today? If you’re feeling confident because of what you do, the book of Romans will make you mad. It’ll expose you. Some people compare themselves to others and think they’re doing pretty well. But Romans destroys that way of thinking. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God“ (Rom. 3:23). For those who take pride in their own righteousness, Romans is a hard pill to swallow. But who wants to be the best sinner that ever went to hell?
Religion today is just as performance-driven as the legalism of Paul’s day. The rules may look different, but the mindset is the same. Instead of keeping Old Testament laws, many Christians believe they have to go to church, pay tithes, and read their Bible a certain amount to earn God’s blessing. Those things are good, but if we think they make us right with God, we’ve missed the Gospel. Grace isn’t something we achieve—it’s something we receive.
In Romans 1:18–20, Paul showed us that we don’t have to beat people over the head with their sin because there is an intuitive knowledge on the inside of every person. Romans 2:4 tells us that it’s the goodness of God that leads people to repentance. Yet the religious mindset steps in and says, “No, you’ve got to put fear in them! You’ve got to make them aware of how ungodly they are.“ But Paul was saying they already know.
Romans 1:20 makes it clear that even God’s eternal power and Godhead are understood, and Paul spends the rest of chapter one showing that everyone, at one time, had God reveal His wrath against their sin. But people can deaden themselves to it. They can walk away. As it says in 1 Timothy 4:2, you can sear your conscience with a hot iron so that it no longer functions and no longer convicts you. But that’s not how anyone starts out. Everyone knows in their heart that there is a God and that they are not Him.
Why Even Atheists Cry Out to God
I’ve been around people who claimed to be atheists and said they had no conviction over sin. But I guarantee you, when the bullets were flying and the bombs were dropping in Vietnam, these same people who claimed they didn’t believe in God were crying out to God for mercy. It’s a mind game.
There may be some reading this right now who think, I don’t believe in God. But I guarantee you that’s not true. If I stuck a gun to your head and cocked it, you’d cry out, “Oh God!“ The truth is, people distract themselves to avoid facing this reality. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.“ But people don’t like to be still. They keep themselves occupied with music, videos, social media — anything to avoid that quiet moment where their hearts begin asking, “Where did I come from? Where am I going? What is life all about?“
Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.“ Paul dropped this bomb right at the start — salvation comes by faith in God’s grace, not by our performance. And just like in his day, religious people today struggle with this truth. They think, You’re saying you don’t have to be holy? Most believe that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. But that’s not what the Bible teaches.
The Shocking Truth About Heaven and Hell
The Bible says only forgiven people go to heaven. Those who reject God’s forgiveness through Jesus are the ones who go to hell. So, there will be “bad“ people in heaven — people who accepted Jesus despite their past. And there will be “good“ people in hell — people who trusted in their own goodness instead of Jesus. It all comes down to what Jesus has done, not what we have done. That is the Gospel! It’s not about our performance. Jesus paid it all. All we have to do is believe and receive or doubt and do without.
If you’re struggling with feelings of unworthiness or trying to earn God’s favor, Romans will set you straight. Just like it did for me, it will revolutionize your understanding of grace. We’re offering Romans Highlights, a powerful two-week teaching that covers the first eight chapters of Romans. It’s available on USB, DVDs, and CDs. Plus, don’t miss out on the in-depth materials I’ve put together, including my Living Commentary. To order, go to awme.net/romans-highlights or call UK Helpline at +44(0)1922 473300.
We love you,
Andrew and Jamie
Romans Highlights
In this teaching, you’ll learn how to break free from the pressure of performance and live in the freedom of God’s grace.
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