Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

i would view the term "calling on the name of the LORD" as used in the cited verse as not just the employment of words in addressing God (as indicated, for example, by Jesus' statement in Matthew 7:21 that "not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord" shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven"), but instead as speaking of an appeal for active help or assistance from God that arises out of genuine faith (particularly in relationship to a situation where the ultimate answer to that appeal can come only from God), accompanied by a willingness to accept the form in which God's answer to that appeal comes.

To me, the first and greatest application of that term in relation to believers would be an appeal for the forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life that only God can grant, and that can be obtained only through faith in Christ.

October 11 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

Romans 10:13: To call “on the name of the Lord” or to seek for the salvation of my soul, I must meet this condition (NASB):

“‘That 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 call on the One who raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 10:9). I don’t call on any other ‘lord.’ And there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’ (1 Corinthians 8:5). I don’t call on any of these except on the One true God! Why are there many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’? Because people are deceived by the master deceiver, Satan.

“In saying, then, that confession is made unto salvation, the apostle does not mean that it is the cause of salvation, or that without it the title to salvation is incomplete. When a person believes in his heart, he is justified. But confession of Christ is the effect of faith, and will be evidence of it at the last day. Faith which interests the sinner in the righteousness of Christ is manifested by the confession of His name in the face of danger.” 
--Robert Haldane

October 12 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt

Romans 10:13 seems to say that “calling on the name of the Lord,” is the way to be saved from hell. A careful analysis reveals that it means something different. 

Everywhere else, those “calling on the name of the Lord” indicate what a believer does, as in Acts 9:14, 21, I Corinthians 1:2, II Timothy 2:22, I Peter 1:17. It is the same in the Old Testament, as in Genesis 12:8, 13:4, 21:33, I Kings 18:24, II Kings 5:11, Psalm 116:13, 17, Zephaniah 3:9. In each case, believers call on the Lord in worship and praise or call on Him for help and assistance. The first mention, Genesis 4:26, alludes to this, contrasted with those going away, Genesis 4:18.

Then Romans 10:13 adds, “shall be saved,” as also Acts 2:21, both references quoting Joel 2:32. But, “saved” is mistakenly thought to always mean salvation in the eternal sense. Earlier in Romans 2-4, Paul discussed what is now called salvation, without using any form of the word “save” or “salvation.” Instead, he used “justified” and “righteous.” Some occasions that Paul used “save” and “salvation” are outside this section. Romans 5:10 is deliverance by God’s power from the bondage of sin in everyday experiences. Romans 8:24 is the final redemption of the body, the hope of every believer. Romans 11:26 is the deliverance of the nation of Israel when Christ comes. 

In Paul’s other epistles, “save” does not always mean deliverance in the eternal sense. For example, he writes of deliverance from despair, danger, disharmony, Philippians 1:19, 1:28, 2:12. Also, James and Jude do not use it that way either. 

The context of Romans 9-11 answers the question, “What is God going to do with Israel?” Paul answers this for Jewish believers. This section does not describe eternal salvation but deliverance from judgment which Israel was under because, nationally they had refused God’s righteousness by rejecting Jesus as the Messiah, Romans 9. (God’s wrath did come in AD 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.) In Romans 10, Paul shares with fellow believers the hope of Israel’s deliverance, which they must accept, not by the law, but by faith. Belief of the heart in Jesus leads to confession by the mouth that Jesus is their Lord. Then, Romans 11 promises that Israel, in a state of blindness, will be restored as a nation. 

Calling on the name of the Lord is not being saved eternally, but believers calling to the Lord for deliverance in every danger, difficulty, need, and problem. Believers, whether Jew or Gentile, are assured they will not be put to shame. Calling on the Lord is not a one-time event, but a continual practice to keep from failing spiritually. 

In Acts 25:11, Paul, appealing to Caesar, Acts 25:11, used the same word as “call.” Calling on the name of the Lord is to appeal to Him as the highest authority. Just as Paul appealed to Caesar for deliverance, so the believer appeals to His Lord for deliverance.

November 03 2022 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report