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Calling upon the Name of the Lord

Romans 10:13-14

In order to call upon the name of the Lord you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you must trust Christ. — “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” The mere fact that we call upon anyone for help demonstrates some measure of faith in that person, and some measure of confidence that he can and will help.

Without question, we must call upon the name of the Lord. We must seek him by prayer and supplication. But before we call, we must believe. In order to pray, we must believe. Faith comes first (Hebrews 11:6).

As I write these lines, I do so as a sinner calling upon God for mercy and grace in Christ. The very fact that I call upon the Lord God for mercy demonstrates that I do, at least in some measure, have faith in him. The fact that I am calling upon the Lord for salvation implies four things.

1. I am calling upon God for mercy, because I know that I need his saving mercy. I believe what God reveals about himself and about me, about his justice and my transgressions, about his holiness and my sinfulness, about his purity and my iniquity. I take sides with God against myself and acknowledge my need of salvation. This is the result of Holy Spirit conviction (John 16:8-11; Psalm 51:1-5). No sinner will ever seek Christ and the grace of God in Christ until he is brought to realize his need of Christ (Luke 15:14-17).

2. I am calling upon God to save me, because I believe God has provided a way of salvation for sinners. — Substitution (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Romans 3:24-26). Propitiation has been made. Justice has been satisfied. Righteousness has been brought in.

3. I am calling upon the name of the Lord, because I believe there is a Savior who delights in mercy (Micah 7:18-20; Matthew 1:21). The Lord Jesus Christ is able to save (Hebrews 7:25). He is willing to save (Isaiah 1:18; 55:6-7). And he is anxious to save. — “Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart.”

4. The fact that I am calling upon Christ, seeking mercy, grace, and salvation by him, implies that I do, in measure, trust him. I am not trusting anyone else. I look for hope to no one else. I am looking to Christ and Christ alone. I have let go of all other confidence; and falling into his mighty arms, I am saved.

How about you? Will you let go of all other hope and fall into the arms of Christ? In order to be saved, you must call upon God for mercy. But in order to call upon the name of the Lord in repentance and faith, you must believe. To call upon the name of the Lord is to look to the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, believing that he is able to save because of who he is and what he has accomplished.

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s