HOW SHALL THEY CALL UPON HIM?
SEEK YE THE LORD while he may be found, CALL YE UPON HIMwhile he is near: -- Isa 55:6
In hope of ETERNAL LIFE, which God, that cannot lie, PROMISED BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN[the Plan]. -- Titus 1:2
Calvinists, who believe in “realizing” that they are the elect (Realizers), often condemn anything associated with “calling on the Lord” or even seeking and finding the Lord and repenting, believing, and/or praying FOR salvation. While there may be elements of truth on both sides of the issue, one thing is for sure, calling on the name of the Lord is always prayer. Still, prayer is not always calling on the Name of the Lord, for ONLY saved people call on the Lord. Lost people may pray, but they do not call on the Lord.
The scriptures teach us that God promised a plan of eternal life before the world began. Seeking, finding, and trusting the LORD is part of that plan, whether the O.T or the N.T., and that is not a dispensational thing. Controversy over what calling on the Lord is, what it does, when it is done, and what are its results seems to have caught the attention of the brethren and has seemed to confuse many of them on both sides of the issue. Some say you should call upon Him when seeking salvation; others say that you should not. Some say that a lost man cannot seek the Lord.
Adams Family & Patriarchs Called on the Lord from the Beginning
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then BEGANmen TOCALL upon the NAME of the LORD. Gen. 4:26
And Abraham . . . CALLEDthere on the NAME of the LORD, the everlasting God. Gen. 21:33
And he (Isaac) builded an altar there, and CALLED UPONthe NAMEof the LORD, and pitched his tent there . . . Gen. 26:25
Calling on the Lord is not a N.T. doctrine. Calling on the Lord is an O.T. doctrine that goes back as far as the Adams family dispensation, regardless of how hard some try to dispensationalize such calling on the Lord as solely N.T. territory.The Adamsfamily was, for all practical purposes, O.T. Gentiles not under the Mosaic Law, and they began to call on the Lord in the time of Adam and his sons. Since the Mosaic Law was nonexistent then, after the fall, they had to be saved somehow.
Like Noah, the Adams family found GRACE in the eyes of the Lord and was clothed by God in bloody animal skins, and then they began to call on the LORD. Abel’s sacrifice was much like our water baptism, a testimony that he was righteous by faith (Heb. 11:4). Both Abraham and Isaaccalled on the Lord. So, how could they call upon Him in whom they had NOT believed? Their “CALLING on the Lord” not only involved prayer but identification with Jehovah God. These early Patriarchs called on the Lord and offered the proper blood sacrifice, learning from their parents as there were no written scriptures as of yet. Still, even we are reckoned as Abraham's seed and heirs and sons according to PROMISE (Gal. 3:29; 4:7) and are Isaac's seed. Isaac portrayed Christ in figure (Heb. 11:17-19), even being called Abraham's ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. These all died IN FAITH NOT IN WORKS(Heb. 13:13).
Calling on the Lord Under the Law Was an O.T. Faith Identification and Witness
For this commandment which I command thee this day, IT IS NOT HIDDEN FROM THEE, neither is it FAR OFF. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldst say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it down, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea, for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the WORD IS VERY NIGH UNTO THEE, and in thy mouth, an IN THY HEART, that thou mayest do it." -- Deut. 30:11-14
I WILL CALL ON the LORD, who is worthy to be praised . . . 2 Sam. 22:4
And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. -- 1 Kings 18:24
For what nation is there so great, who hath God SO NIGH unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we CALL UPON HIM for? -- Ps. 99:6
O give thanks unto the LORD; CALL UPON HIS NAME, MAKE KNOWN HIS DEEDS among the people. Psa. 105:1 (also 1 Chron. 16:8)
Not only has calling on the name of the LORD always been identification with the Lord(even under the LAW), it also has always been a witness to those observing it. We declare that there is a God that expects to be called upon as LORD. This has not changed from the Old Testament days. Paul makes the connection between Romans 10 and the Old Testament (Deut 30:11-14). The calling on the LORD that he speaks about was rooted in the LAW.
Calling on the Lord NOWbecame a New Testament term, whereas it was originally Old Testament. Moses, Aaron, Samuel, Elijah, and David called on the Lord under the law and exercised the same faith as did the patriarchs and earlier O.T. saints. The LORD answered them, for they were His people, and they identified with their LORD. Elijah made sure that everyone knew that he identified with the LORD God, whom he called upon and that his enemies identified with BAAL, whom they called upon. Elijah engaged these prophets of Baal, and the LORD heard Elijah.
It was not unusual for Israelites to call upon the LORD. What was unusual was when Gentiles and all the nations fell under the all embracing "whosoever" and now were invited to call upon him. Calling on the LORD runs though every dispensation as do the blood and faith. In this respect, there is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE between the O.T. Jew and the N.T. Greek.
Calling on the Lord and the Two Diverse Camps
Have all the workers of iniquity NO KNOWLEDGE? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and CALL NOT UPON THE LORD. -- Psa. 14:4
I will CALL UPON THE LORD, who is worthy to be praised . . . -- Psa. 18:3 (2 Sam. 22:4)
Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have NOT CALLED UPON GOD. -- Psa. 53:4
Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that HAVE NOT KNOWN THEE, and upon the kingdoms that have NOT CALLED UPON THY NAME. -- Psa. 79:6
Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that CALL UPON HIS NAME; they CALLED UPON the LORD, and he answered them. Psa. 99:6
Those, who do not call upon the name of Lord, DONOT KNOW Him;they are lost -- not saved -- in either Testament -- they lack saving faith. You must KNOWthe Lord in BOTH Testaments. The enemies of God always persecute those who do call upon Him, if given the opportunity, when they find themselves in the right politically correct environment. Clearly, they are the enemies of the righteous and are the workers of iniquity WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE. To know Him is to CALL upon Him and vice versa. This has not changed since O.T. days. Calling on the Lord has always been a means of identification with the LORD and a differentiation between the two camps of believers and unbelievers.
Calling on the Lord Identified Christians to each Other and to their Enemies
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place CALL UPON THE NAME of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 1 Cor. 1:2
And they stoned Stephen, CALLING UPON GOD, and saying, Lord Jesus [Jesus is the Lord God], receive my spirit. Acts 7:5
And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that CALL ON THY NAME . . . But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which CALLED ON THIS NAME in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? Acts 9:14, 21
As with the O.T., the N.T. saints were identified by calling on the name of the LORD, after they were saved, having had the proper faith and sacrifice revealed to them in every dispensation. In this case the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world and the cross of Christ were preached also to them that subsequently believed. Even their enemies knew how to determine who was a Christian and who was not, even though over-dispensationalists brethren are not able to distinguish who is who in the O.T., the Gospels, and sometimes even the N.T. The Christian’s enemies knew how to determine who was a Christian and who was not and used it against them.
Calling upon the Lord has Always been upon or after Salvation
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I CALL UPON HIMas long as I live . . . I will take the cup of SALVATION, and CALL UPON THE NAME of the LORD. Psa. 116:2, 13
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD. Acts 22:16
. . . follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that CALL ON THE LORDout of a pure heart. -- 2 Tim. 2:22
In the Old Testament, like the New Testament, men began to call on the Lord after they believed upon him, for how could they call on him in whom they had not believed? With true believers, this calling on the Lord continues until their death in any dispensation without loss of salvation. Still, lost men do not just recite a little 1-2-3 repeat after me prayer in order TO GET salvation.
We have not found one example, O.T. or the N.T., to doing so inresponse to the Calvinist challenge. However, we would never oppose a new or prospective convert from calling on the Lord at any time, as long as the prospect is aware that it is heart felt repentance and TRUST or belief in Christ that saves him and not the call. Who can tell, when belief arises in a lost man’s heart or the timing thereof? The receiving of Christ and repentance and heart belief is what initiates salvation, and it is with the heart that man BELIEVETH UNTO SALVATION.
The New Testament saints called on the LORD, AFTER belief, during baptism, and at Death. Believers called on the Lord after they repented and believed and were saved. How shall they call on him whom they have not believed? Whether Stephen at his death or Paul at his baptism, they were not requesting salvation, for they were already saved. They called on the LORD as a means of identification with Him and confessing Him and a testimony to Him. Calling on the Lord was a New Testament means of identification with Christ in Acts and the Epistles.
What about the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and beyond in the Tribulation?
And it shall come to pass, that WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in THE REMNANT whom the LORD shall call. Joel 2:32
And I will bring the third part THROUGH THE FIRE, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: THEY SHALL CALL ON MY NAME, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. Zec. 13:9
And it shall come to pass, that WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL ON the NAMEof the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, UPON WHOM MY NAME IS CALLED, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Acts 15:17
God's Spirit was poured out visibly and audibly at Pentecost. Clearly, there were Jews, Proselytes, Galileans, and whosoever would, by faith, receive, embrace, confess, and identify with the LORD Jesus Christ. They had the promise of salvation regardless of nationality or race. Did Joel's prophecy inform them or us that something different was going to happen in the future that was not happening then? Yes! The difference was that it was not only going to be Jews but also the Gentiles that would be calling on the Lord. WHOSOEVER! Whosoever will may come!
The promise of deliverance was also to Gentiles, a people who would call on the Lord, as the Jew had always done, since they would also believe and be delivered. Not only the Gentiles and the residue of men would call on the Lord but also the remnant of Tribulation Jews. Joel’s prophecy, quoted in Acts 2:21, was a partial fulfillment. God's Spirit was poured out audibly and visibly. Nevertheless, Joel was not telling them or us that men would BEGINto call on the Lord, for they had been doing that since the beginning of time.
The Controversial “Call on the Lord” Passage
But what saith it? The word is NIGHthee, even in thy mouth, and IN THY HEART: that is, the WORD OF FAITH, which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE IN THINE HEART that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be SAVED. ForWITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; and with the mouth confession is made UNTO salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For WHOSOEVER shallCALL UPON THE NAMEof the Lord shall be SAVED. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And who shall they preach, except they be sent . . . Rom. 10:8 – 15
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that CALL ON THE LORD out of a PURE HEART. 2 Tim. 2:22
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that NO MAN CAN SAY that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. 12:3
Working backwards in Romans 10, the salvation of a man in the N.T. is such that what must happen first is that someone must be sent to preach and must preach -- a preacher (vs. 14, 15). The next thing that has to happen is that the sinner must hear the preaching, but he cannot hear without a preacher (vs. 14). The next thing that must happen is that they must repent and believe to be saved, and they cannot do that unless they hear; the lost man must believe or exercise faith. The next thing that happens is that believers become a people that call on the LORD out of a PURE HEARTbrought about by faith’s regeneration. Then the new convert makes confession unto the salvation that he now possesses.
A man that knows the Lord, trusts the Lord, and believes the LORD shall be saved, whether in the O.T. or the N.T. No man can call on the risen Lord or call Him LORD WITHOUT the Holy Ghost. The man that identifies with his risen Lord by calling upon Him has this promise of salvation.The poor Calvinist is in trouble here, for He does not believe that any scripture is written to lost people, even though Paul, in Romans 10, was trying to connecting lost people with Deut. 30 and encouraging them to believe, using Moses’ words from Deut. 30:11-14. Paul is saying that the word of faith is nigh them even in their heart and in their mouth, waiting to take root. Strange words to be saying to lost folks, indeed, but let us go a step farther.
The Rest of the Story—Their CRIES
And they CRIED unto the LORD, and said, WE HAVE SINNED, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim . . . 1 Sam. 12:10
Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. As for me, I will CALL UPON GOD; and the LORD shall SAVE ME. – Psa. 55:15, 16
I CRIED unto thee; SAVE ME, and I shall keep thy testimonies. Psa. 119:146
This poor man CRIED, and the LORD heard him, and SAVEDhim out of all his troubles. -Psa. 34:6
They CRIEDunto thee, and wereDELIVERED: theyTRUSTEDin thee, and were not confounded. Psa. 22:5
He will fulfil the desire of them that FEAR him: HE ALSO WILL HEAR THEIR CRY, and will SAVEthem. -- Psa. 145:19
And they have NOT CRIED unto me WITH THEIR HEART. . . Hosea 7:14