What is the first step of faith on the road to salvation?
It is realizing and admitting that we are sinners—believing what God says about us, that all have sinned and come short of God's glory. A person must acknowledge they have fallen short and are sons of Adam, rather than assuming they are good enough or that good works can get them to heaven.
Les teaches that when using the Roman road, you start with this verse because it is the very first step of faith on the road to salvation. What is it? We have to realize we're sinners. Many people think they are good enough, and there are a lot of good people, better than he could ever hope to be, but they are going to be lost because they have not trusted what God has done. The only thing believers can claim is not what we do; nothing can be done to get us into heaven. We have to rest on the fact that we are sinners, we have fallen short, we are sons of Adam. This first step is to believe what God says about me and you: we are sinners. Then verse 24 says even though God condemns us, we are already sinners, God has also declared that we can be justified—freely, no strings attached.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;