What does "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord" entail? The Heart of the Verse “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) • Paul quotes Joel 2:32 verbatim, affirming that God’s plan of salvation has always centered on faith, not ethnicity or works. • “Everyone” removes every human distinction—Jew or Gentile, male or female, moral failure or moral success story. • “To call” indicates an earnest, dependent cry—an appeal to the Lord’s mercy and power rather than self-effort. Who Is “the Lord”? • In Joel 2:32, “the LORD” (YHWH) is Israel’s covenant God. • Paul applies the same title to Jesus (cf. Romans 10:9 – “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’”). • Acts 2:21, 36 shows Peter equating Joel’s LORD with the risen Christ: “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” What Does “Calls On” Look Like? • Verbal confession: Romans 10:9 – “confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord.’” • Heart belief: Romans 10:10 – “with the heart man believes unto righteousness.” • Repentant turning: Acts 3:19 – “Repent therefore, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away.” • Ongoing dependence: 1 Corinthians 1:2 describes believers as those “who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place.” The Scope of “Everyone” • John 3:16—“that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish.” • 1 Timothy 2:3-4—God “desires all men to be saved.” • Revelation 7:9—“a great multitude… from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue.” The Certainty of “Will Be Saved” • Present assurance: John 5:24—“has eternal life and will not come under judgment.” • Future security: Romans 8:30—“those He justified He also glorified.” • Unbreakable promise: Titus 1:2—God “cannot lie.” Practical Implications • Proclamation: Since the gospel is for all, we share it without discrimination (Romans 10:14-15). • Confidence: No sinner is beyond the reach of grace; the vilest who truly calls is instantly saved. • Humility: Salvation is received, not achieved; boasting is excluded (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Assurance: The basis of confidence is God’s sure word, not fluctuating feelings (1 John 5:13). A Promise to Stand On Take Romans 10:13 at its plain meaning: any person, in any place, under any circumstance, who genuinely looks to the risen Lord Jesus and calls upon Him for mercy will be saved—completely, immediately, and eternally. |
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