In Romans 10:4 Paul wrote, “Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone that believeth.” We have observed that this statement is a declaration that Christ is the means through which Jews reached the goal of the law: righteousness. But that righteousness is not offered exclusively to the Jews; we have seen that the theme of Romans is that the gospel is God’s power to save all men (1:16). Jews and Greeks can both be saved, and that is why the apostle declares the universal offering of the gospel. When the apostle concluded his statement, “Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness” with these words, “unto everyone who believes” and further states, “Whoso believeth on him shall not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).
Immediately following that assurance Paul wrote, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord is Lord of all and is rich unto all who call upon him: for ‘Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (Romans 10:12-13).
This phrase “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” is a quotation from Joel, although Paul does not name Joel as he source of his quotation. However, Peter, in his Pentecost sermon (Acts 2) also quotes the passage and in his lengthy quotation from him, not only answers the question the astonished multitude asked on Pentecost (“What meaneth this?”) by saying, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel,” he further continued his quotation concluding with these words: “And it shall to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). Peter thus concludes that the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on Pentecost was what Joel had prophesied of and thus the time in which men might “call upon the name of the Lord” and be saved was about to be fulfilled as well.
Paul adds further explanation of the prophet’s words by asking, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? even as it is written How beautiful are of the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things” (Romans 10:14-15). This passage from Paul is significant. It chronicles the necessity of a series of different actions. God purposed the message of the gospel and prepared preachers to proclaim it. The preacher proclaimed the message and the hearer heard it. The message produced belief in the heart of that hearer who then “called upon the name of the Lord.” “Preaching” and “hearing” are two different items; so also are “believing” and “calling”.
But what does one do to “call upon the name of the Lord”? No better answer could be given than to see its demonstration in the conversion of Paul himself. He was on the road to Damascus to arrest and bind Christians and carry them back to Jerusalem to be punished. Suddenly, there was a great light from heaven and a loud voice crying to Paul, saying, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Paul (and those with him) had fallen to the earth and Paul responded, “Who art thou, Lord?” (Acts 9, 22, 26). The voice responded, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.” Paul asked, “What wilt thou have me to do, Lord?” He was told to go into the city where he would be told what he must do. The Lord sent a man named Ananias to him, who first laid hands on him to restore his sight (he had been blinded by the light he had seen), and then told him, “And now, why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Paul responded to Ananias’s words by arising and being baptized. His sins were washed away. He had called on the name of the Lord. To call on the name of the Lord is to call on the authority of the Lord. Paul did these things because Jesus had sent His apostles (preachers) out with this message: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he does not believe shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16).
As we have seen, God’s call to men to come to Him and receive salvation is universal. But all who come must “call upon the name of the Lord.” Paul “called upon the name of the Lord” when he was baptized. All men, in every age, in every corner of the globe call upon the name of the Lord in exactly the same way.
Jim McDonald