Ephesians 2:5
“made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved.”
The means of salvation is something very specific and can't be missed. It's by grace. This doesn't come naturally. Those cultures who have religions based on nature are harsh, demanding and judgmental. Some used to involve human sacrifice. The worshippers are full of anxiety, hoping not to make their god angry. The best they could do is to hope their god wouldn't see them. Almost like the response of Adam and Eve in the garden. They hid.
To the best of my knowledge, none of the other gods are loving and gracious. They all have a works based system that has the worshippers trying to please their god. Some have gods of war, others have gods of pleasure and so on. While judaism was the true way, it was distorted to the point they didn't recognize its savior. They had their Ten Commandments, but broke those down into a multitude of smaller laws. The apostle Peter called it a burden that neither they, nor could their fathers carry (Acts 15:10).
Jesus came and wrecked the paradigms of all religions. He demonstrated true love and grace. The book of Romans is Paul's legal case for this new way. This was necessary as this was not going to be gotten, except by revelation. Human construction of religion was too harsh or way off the mark.
One of the high water marks of Romans is 8:1, "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." This is simply unheard of. Patrick Mayberry's song How You Love Me has a verse that says, "You're not mad and You're not scary". This is good news to the world and all religions.
Most people are hiding from Him. They think He wants too much or they think He's mad. One of the atheists of our day says because of evolution, they've made the world safe for people to not believe in God. He thinks that's good news. While I understand the logic, he's wrong. Evolution isn't true and people are accountable to God.
God's love caused Him to provide a way out for us sinners. Jesus' death and resurrection gave us a way to be right with Him. It's accepting by faith that His sacrifice is for us. We don't have to work for it, just believe. His grace gives it.
There is no other way to access it except to believe and receive. It can't be earned. Attempting to voids the deal. What about after it's received, do we do anything to retain it? John the baptist said in Matthew 3:8, "Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance." What does that mean? Simple, if we've been born again, we will act like it. Our new nature doesn't want to do the old things. The Holy Spirit also helps us to follow Him. An apple tree bears apples. I we've been born again, we will want to avoid sin and do God's will. It's natural to do this.
Lord, thank You for the good news that we can be forgiven and accessing it is by grace through faith.