What does Romans 10:13 mean by "calling on the name of the Lord"? Text of the Verse “For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ” (Romans 10:13) Immediate Context in Romans 10:5-17 Paul contrasts righteousness by the Law (v. 5) with righteousness by faith (vv. 6-8), then summarizes salvation: belief in the risen Lord Jesus and confession with the mouth (vv. 9-10). Verse 12 stresses that the same Lord is “rich to all who call on Him,” setting up the Joel 2:32 quotation in v. 13. Verses 14-17 then describe how hearing, believing, and preaching relate to that calling. Old Testament Foundations 1. Genesis 4:26 – “Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” Pattern of worship and dependence originates early. 2. Joel 2:32 (Hebrew MT & Dead Sea Scrolls 4Q82 f8) – “And it will come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” Paul quotes the LXX verbatim, demonstrating prophetic continuity. 3. Psalm 116:4; Isaiah 55:6-7 – depict crying out to Yahweh for deliverance, repentance, and mercy. Usage in the Early Church • Acts 2:21 – Peter cites Joel 2:32 at Pentecost immediately after proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection. • Acts 9:14; 22:16 – believers are identified as those “calling on His name,” and baptism (“wash away your sins, calling on His name”) publicly seals that appeal. These passages show that “calling” includes prayerful invocation, public confession, baptismal identification, and lifelong allegiance. Confession and Faith in Tandem Romans 10:9-10 ties “call” (v. 13) to: 1. Belief “in your heart that God raised Him from the dead” (inner trust). 2. Confession “with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’” (outward declaration). Calling is therefore a holistic act—trusting and voicing allegiance to the risen Lord. Lordship of Jesus and Deity Affirmed By applying Joel’s Yahweh text to Jesus, Paul asserts: • Jesus shares Yahweh’s divine name and saving prerogative. • Salvation hinges not on ethnicity or Mosaic covenant but on personal appeal to the Lord Jesus as Yahweh incarnate. Universality of the Promise “Everyone” (πᾶς) abolishes ethnic, social, gender, or generational barriers (cf. v. 12; Galatians 3:28). Calling is the single doorway for Jew and Gentile alike. Mechanics of Calling 1. Repentant prayer (Luke 18:13) 2. Public confession/baptism (Acts 2:38; 22:16) 3. Continual invocation in worship and obedience (1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Timothy 2:22) Not a magical phrase but a faith-saturated appeal that yields life-long discipleship. Not Mere Verbal Formula Jesus warned of empty words (Matthew 7:21). Genuine calling involves: • Heart-level trust (Romans 10:10) • Submission to His authority (Luke 6:46) • Fruit of transformed life (James 2:17; 1 John 2:3) Assurance of Salvation Because the promise rests on God’s character (Hebrews 6:17-18), the one who calls in faith is saved (perfect tense in Joel & Romans signals completed action with continuing results). Prophecy Fulfilled and Apologetic Weight Joel’s forecast predates Christ by ~800 years. The historical resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, multiply attested by early creeds dated ≤5 years post-event) gives objective grounding for trusting Paul’s interpretation. Archaeological corroborations—e.g., the Nazareth Inscription prohibiting corpse removal, empty tomb narratives, early Christian graffiti like the Alexamenos graffito (1st-2nd cent.) acknowledging Jesus as “God”—reinforce the credibility of the risen Lord to whom we call. Answering Common Objections • Is Paul teaching universalism? No—only those who actually invoke the Lord in repentant faith are saved (cf. Romans 2:5-8). • Is “call” a work? No—faith’s expression; Scripture contrasts it with works of law (Romans 3:28). • Must one vocalize the words? The norm includes outward confession, yet God hears silent prayer (1 Samuel 1:13); the heart posture is decisive. Practical Evangelistic Application Invite seekers to: 1. Acknowledge personal sin and inability to self-save. 2. Believe that Jesus died for sin and rose bodily. 3. Pray, “Lord Jesus, save me; I submit to You.” 4. Confess publicly, be baptized, unite with a Bible-teaching church, and pursue obedience. Summary “Calling on the name of the Lord” in Romans 10:13 is a wholehearted, vocal, faith-filled appeal to the risen Jesus—Yahweh in flesh—for mercy, forgiveness, and deliverance. Scripture, manuscripts, prophecy, and experiential evidence converge to affirm that everyone who thus calls is eternally saved. |
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