Everybody, it's me Alexander Larson with Bible truth 23 here
Doing another video in this series for dummies where I talk about basic doctrines that the Bible teaches
That a lot of people misunderstand or misrepresent or a lot of people don't believe even though it's clearly taught in the Bible
So what I want to talk about today is the subject of calling on the name of the Lord now
I wanted to do this quite some time ago back in November
Because there's this popular YouTube channel out there called good
Hope which I think has like a hundred something thousand subscribers, and he came out with this
Doctrine and all these videos saying that you don't have to call the name of the Lord to be saved
Which is not what the Bible teaches, but because a lot of things in my life were I was distracted by them
I didn't get a chance to make that video, but recently there's been a few other people who have come up and
Started saying all this garbage that you don't have to call in the name of the Lord
So I decided to make this today just to you know get this
Clear and to make it clear what the Bible says about these things because a lot of people are confused on this and a lot
of people teach
wrongly that you don't have to call in the name of the Lord, but
The Bible tells us very clearly. Let's just start with a very simple verse
Romans chapter 10 and
This is not that difficult to figure out, but these people will
Twist Romans chapter 10 verses 9 through
14 and they'll try to say well
Somebody who believes it's possible for them to not call on the name of the Lord so basically
They're accusing us of teaching work salvation because for them somehow asking for a gift means
Earning it which makes no sense and nobody in their right mind would think that
but
They also say that that's a false doctrine and that you're adding to
Salvation by saying you also have to call on the name of the Lord, but as we'll see from the Bible
Calling on the name of the Lord is part of believing and somebody who does not call on the name of the Lord when they get
Saved do not believe in Jesus, okay?
It is a necessary part of salvation and is very clearly taught here in Romans chapter 10 as well as other places
So we'll start here because this is the clearest verse about it in the Bible Romans chapter 10 verse 9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised it from the dead
Thou shalt be saved verse 10
This is important for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
now
These fools out there who will attack this doctrine of calling on the name of the Lord
They'll say well, you know somebody who believes in their heart, you know, they're already made righteous
But then they literally just ignore like this good. Hope God norm Diamante. I think is his name
He just ignores the second half of the verse where it says it with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
Now if in the first half it says unto
Righteousness you understand that as meaning that you have to believe in order to achieve righteousness
Which is exactly what the Bible teaches in other places like in Romans 4 or 5
Or it says to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justified the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness in order to have
Righteousness imputed unto you. You have to have faith. You have to believe in your heart
So the with the heart man believeth unto righteousness means that when that person believes that's when they achieve righteousness
Okay, so before somebody believes they don't have righteousness yet. So it's the exact same
Wording used halfway
Or the second half of the the verse 10 right there. It says with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
So why would the word unto change meaning halfway through the verse it says unto righteousness in the first half
And then it says unto salvation in the second half because somebody who does not who is not called on the name of the Lord
They are not saved because it says very clearly with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
That means you haven't achieved salvation yet in order to receive salvation. You have to call on the name of the Lord
That's what it clearly teaches. Let's continue reading verse 11
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 overall is rich unto all that call upon him
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Okay now
They will twist this
Doctrine again
They'll just completely ignore what Romans 10 clearly says and what these people attack the call
The doctrine of calling on the name Lord what they say is that calling on the name of the Lord is something that happens after
Salvation they'll say well, it's when a believer prays to God. It's just talking about
Every day prayers that a believer does but it's not something you have to do to be saved. Okay, but
Verse 13 does not say whosoever is saved shall call on the name of the Lord
It says whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved so they're twisting it
They're making it backwards where the Bible tells us that in order to be saved
You have to call on the name of the Lord for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved meaning
They're not saved yet. Okay, but they're saying well, no somebody who is saved is gonna call on the name of the Lord
That's not what it says because again verse 10 says
With the mouth confession is made unto salvation
okay, so
These things take place simultaneously believing and calling on the name of the Lord
That's why verses 11 and 12 verse 11 talks about believing on him verse 12 talks about those who call upon him
Okay, these are not on two different things. It's not well
There's no such thing as somebody out there who believes in Jesus and then you know
Years go by and they haven't called the name of the Lord and then they go to hell
There's no such thing as that because the Bible makes it very clear that anybody who believes
Will call on the name of the Lord look at verse 14
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 how shall they preach except they be said as it was written
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things
Now a foolish argument that these people will bring up they'll say well, you're trying to make salvation about a prayer
You're trying to say that prayer save you. No, we're not. Okay, because
That would be just as foolish as saying that
You're relying on a
Preacher to save you as well
Okay
Let me explain because these people will say well if you teach that you have to call on the name of the Lord to be
Saved that means you're trusting in your prayer. No, it doesn't. Okay, because you're calling on the name of the Lord
You're not calling on yourself. You're not trusting in yourself. You're looking to the Lord still to save you
Okay, but it tells us clearly in verse 15. It tells us that there's an order of things. Okay
so first somebody is sent then they preach the gospel and
Then the the unsaved person hears the gospel and then they believe in him and then they call upon the name of the Lord
That's why it has verses 14 and 15 here because it says in verse 17
So that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God
See, nobody can believe in Jesus unless they have heard the Word of God preached by a saved man of God
That's what Romans 10 is teaching here now
Because of that fact does that mean that they're relying or trusting in the preacher to save them from hell
Does that mean their faith is in the preacher?
No, it doesn't but the preacher is a necessary component to them getting saved
Okay, because the Bible says faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and it says how shall they hear of him?
or I'm sorry, it says
How shall they believe in him in whom they've not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher?
So the Bible makes it very clear that without a preacher
They won't hear the gospel and therefore they won't believe and they won't call on the name of the Lord
But does that mean that the fact that the preacher is a necessary component to somebody getting saved
Does that mean that they're trusting in the preacher now? No, that's foolish. Nobody would think that
So why is saying that calling on the name of the Lord is a necessary component salvation saying that they're trusting in that prayer
Now if somebody is trusting in their prayer
They're going to hell because you need to trust in Jesus and his death burn on
Resurrection believe that he alone is enough to save you and not trust in yourself
But anybody who believes will call on the name of the Lord because these things take place simultaneously
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made into salvation
That's what happens when somebody gets saved. Okay, if they believe in their heart, they're going to confess with their mouth unto salvation
Okay, you can't leave that part out and say that there's people out there who believe and haven't called the name of the Lord
There's no such thing if somebody has not called on the name of the Lord
They're not saved not because they didn't say some magic prayer, but because they did not believe
Okay, if somebody does not call on the name of the Lord whether it's with their mouth or in their heart
They have not believed in Jesus and that's what Romans chapter 10 is teaching
Let's see some other scriptures on this
Again, Romans chapter 10 makes it very clear
Confession is made unto salvation. Okay. So if you say that it comes after salvation
You're a fool. That's not what the Bible says. I heard this preacher say
completely
twist Romans chapter 10 verse 10 and he said well it says a
Confession is made unto salvation not for salvation
But again, the first part says that with the heart man believeth unto righteousness
Okay
Nobody is gonna
misunderstand what that means that if you believe then it righteousness is imputed unto you as taught in
Romans chapter 3 and Romans chapter 4 and Romans chapter 5 and all throughout the rest of the epistles of Paul
That you need to believe in order to have righteousness imputed unto you
Okay, so in the same way somebody who believes in their heart they confess with their mouth unto salvation meaning
They haven't achieved salvation yet. If somebody gets saved when they call on the name of the Lord
That's the moment that they get saved. Okay
now if somebody calls on the name of the Lord or
Makes a prayer but they don't believe in their heart
They're going to hell according to the Bible because how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed
So we're not saying again and that this is a straw man that they'll use
They'll say well you're you're saying that you you know, you have to trust in a prayer that a prayer saves you again
No, that's not what we're saying. Okay, because anybody can just pray a prayer or just repeat a prayer
That doesn't mean they're going to heaven and we don't believe that and we don't teach that
Okay, like this norm Diamante guy the good hope guy
He was the video he made originally attacking calling on the name of the Lord
He tried to hide at first behind
The idea of well, you don't have to confess it publicly or you don't have to repeat a prayer and I agree with that
You don't have to repeat a prayer that somebody says and you don't have to confess it publicly
Okay, the key component is calling on the name of the Lord. Now. What does that mean calling on the name of Jesus?
Okay, the name of the Lord is Jesus
So if you call on him or if you speak to Jesus you ask him to save you or confess your belief to Jesus
That's what happens the moment you believe in your heart you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus you call the name of the Lord
Okay, but it doesn't have to be public and it doesn't have to be something that's repeated
I mean me personally when I got saved I got saved in my bedroom. There was nobody around
I was watching a video online explaining the gospel
Okay, I didn't repeat a prayer that somebody led me in and I didn't do it publicly
Okay, so we're not saying you have to repeat a prayer or do it publicly in order to go to heaven
Okay
We're saying that if somebody believes in Jesus they're going to confess with their mouth because that's what Romans 10 clearly teaches and it says
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved
Okay, it's not whosoever saved will call on the name of the Lord. They're twisting it. They're making it backwards. Okay
Let's see some other verses on this Acts chapter 2 verse 21
And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved again
Exactly what Romans 10 13 says
There's another really clear verse acts 22 verse 16
acts 22 verse 16
Okay
Bible says in Acts 22 verse 16 and
Now why terriest thou arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord now
It's pretty clear that baptism does not wash away your sins. Okay, anybody who's saved understands that so
What washes away your sins then there's only one other thing that's mentioned in the verse
Calling on the name of the Lord because again Romans 10 teaches that calling on the name of the Lord and believing these are simultaneous
Okay, they're the same thing practically. Okay. Somebody does not believe if they have not called on the name of the Lord, okay
another clear verse Psalm 116 I
Don't have these verses written down. I just have
the references so
Excuse me for a bit while I turn to these verses Psalm 116 verse 13
I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord
So, how do you take the cup of salvation by calling on the name of the Lord?
Just like Romans 10 10 says that confession is made unto salvation. Okay, Psalm 55 verse 16
Psalm 55 verse 16 the Bible says
As for me I will call upon God and the Lord will save me
Okay, so when you call upon God the Lord will save you. Okay
Psalm 86 I
Don't know why this is so hard to understand when the Bible clearly says it
Psalm 86 verse 5
For thou Lord are good and ready to forgive and plenteous and mercy unto all then that call upon me so
God has mercy upon those that call upon him. Okay. How are we saved? How do we have our sins forgiven?
How do we wash away our sins according to Acts 22 verse 16 by calling on the name of the Lord now?
They'll say well, you know, you're adding to salvation. You're saying that faith isn't enough
No, we're not saying faith isn't enough because faith and calling on the name of the Lord again. These are simultaneous
Okay, you need to have your faith in Jesus not faith in words or faith in a prayer
You know your faith in Jesus to save you
But somebody who believes is going to call the name of the Lord that is a necessary result of believing in your heart
okay as
Ephesians 2 verse 8 to 9 says for by grace are you saved through faith and then not of yourselves?
It is the gift of God not of work such any man should boast. Okay. Now they'll say well calling on the name of Lord
That's a work
You're trying to make salvation about works by saying that you also have to make this confession unto God or call upon the name of
The Lord that's foolish. Nobody in their right mind would think that asking for a gift is
Working for the gift. Okay, if I were to offer this Bible to you as a gift and I say well here
I paid for it. You don't have to work for it. You don't have to earn it
I did all the work for it. All you have to do is just take it and you say, okay
Can I have it does that mean you earn the gift? Does that mean you worked for it? No
But you asked for it
okay, because anybody if a gift is offered to them they're gonna ask for the gift in order to take the gift and
We'll see a verse in a moment of X or John chapter 4 verse 10
I'm not gonna read it right now
But later where Jesus made it very clear that if you ask for living water
He will give it to you in the context living water is eternal life
Okay now Romans 10 14 makes it very clear that if you don't believe and you could say whatever you want
But that doesn't count so you have to believe and confess as it says very clearly in Romans 10 9 and 10
Okay, somebody can't just repeat a prayer and go to heaven
They have to believe in their heart trust in Jesus and once they trust once they believe
Then they call upon the name of the Lord according to the Bible
Faith is expressed by calling as we'll see in a second Corinthians chapter 4 verse 13
second Corinthians chapter 4 verse 13 the Bible says
We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I believe and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore
Speak so why does somebody speak? Why does somebody confess the name of Jesus?
Why did somebody call on the name of the Lord because they have believed okay, so
Somebody who believes they call on the name of Jesus
It's not well. You know this is an extra requirement, or this is you know making it not by faith alone
No somebody who believes in their heart
They're going to speak they're going to confess that to God they're going to
Call on the name of the Lord. That's what the Bible clearly says these things are not separated
Bible also very clearly tells us that those who have called the name of the Lord
They are the people who are Saints it says in 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 2
Under the Church of God which is at Corinth and then 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
So somebody sanctified because they have called in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord
Okay, calling on the name of the Lord when you do that you have become sanctified meaning in the sight of God
You've been made holy your sins have been washed away
Righteousness of God has been imputed unto you another verse Matthew chapter 12
Matthew chapter 12 verse 36
But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account there of in the day of judgment
For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned
Now again the Bible teaches that we are
Justified by faith without the deeds of the law now these idiots out there who attack calling on the name of the Lord
They will say that oh you're trying to make salvation by works. You're trying to add to a
Salvation which again is ridiculous because asking for a gift or simply confessing that you believe is not working
It's not earning anything. It's not doing anything good. It's not doing any deeds or works
It's just you believe and you speak what you believe. That's not earning it. That's not
Trusting in yourself. That's just saying, you know, I believe can I have the gift that's not trusting in yourself
That's a foolish thing to say
But the Bible tells us by thy words thou shalt be justified and by the words thou shalt be condemned
and we even see this in
an example of this in Luke chapter
18
Luke chapter 18 when it talks about the Pharisee and the public in
Luke chapter 18 verse 13 to 14 and the public and standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven
But smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner
I tell you this man went down to his house
Justified rather than the other for every man that exalted himself shall be a base and he that humbled himself should be exalted
So he's giving this example of this man
who
Calls on the name of the Lord and it says God be merciful to me a sinner that would be asking for salvation
And Jesus says he went to his house being justified
Okay, because by thy words thou shalt be justified as it says in Matthew 12 36. He called on the name of the Lord
He said God be merciful to me a sinner
So he spoke to the Lord and the Bible says that how shall they call on him?
And who they not believe so we're not saying that oh this guy just prayed a prayer and that's it
No
He believed in his heart and that's why he called upon God to be merciful unto him because he's trusting in God
Now this guy is not trusting in himself. This guy's not trusting in his works
That's why he's calling on God to save him as opposed to the Pharisee who is also speaking to God
But he's exalting himself and saying, you know, look look how good I am. I deserve to go to heaven
I've done all these good things, but this man is humbling himself and saying, you know, I don't you know admit
I don't deserve to go to heaven, you know, God be merciful to me, right?
So that's because he has faith in his heart. He's trusting in God. That's why he's justified
So again, these things are in conjunction. You can't separate believing and calling on the name of the Lord. They happen at the same time
Okay
Another good example of this is the fact that Jesus asked believers if they believe
Okay, now the Bible tells us that Jesus
Of course, we know Jesus is God
So we knew everything and he knew the hearts of man
Says in John 225 and needed not that they should testify a man
Where he knew that what was in man and then it talks about in Matthew chapter 9 verse 4
An example of where Jesus says that he knows their thoughts
it says in Matthew 9 4 and Jesus knowing their thoughts said wherefore think ye evil in your hearts, so
Jesus knew the thoughts of the Pharisees. Jesus knew what was in man. Jesus knows our hearts. Jesus knows our thoughts. He knows what we believe
Yet we see several examples of where Jesus asked people if they believe in him
Okay, now why would he do that if he already knows the answer, okay, let me give an example
John chapter 9 verse
35
Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said unto him does thou believe on the Son of God?
he answered and said
Who is he Lord that I might believe on him and Jesus said unto him thou has both seen him
And he it is he that talketh with thee and he said Lord I believe and he worshipped him. Okay, so
Jesus already knew this guy's thoughts because Jesus knows the hearts and the thoughts of every man and yet
He still asked do you believe on the name of the Son of God? Why because he's prompting that
Confession out of his mouth Lord. I believe okay, so
They might say well, you know, God already knows your thoughts. God already knows your heart
So you don't have to call on the name of the Lord
It's just you believe and then calling on the name of the Lord something you do after salvation
But that's again not what the Bible says
We'd see an example right here of somebody calling on the name of the Lord once they have
Believed in their heart John chapter 11 is another example John chapter 11 verse 25
27
Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection of the life he that believeth in me though
He were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die
Then he asked believe is thou this now again Jesus knew Martha's heart. So why is he asking her?
Do you believe this he already knows the answer?
She sayeth unto him. Yea Lord. I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God which should come into the world
So again, she's confessing with her mouth the Lord Jesus as it talks about in Romans 10 9 and 10 10
And so this is the moment that she gets saved
Okay, because she believes in her heart and now she's confessing that with her mouth
Okay. Now I want to just talk explain what calling on the name of the Lord means itself because some people
Have a twisted definition of this but simply it just means to speak or to pray to God in any context now
It's true that
There are times in the Bible where it talks about calling on the name of the Lord
Where it's just talking about praying to God in other instances. Okay, for example, let me give you a few examples
Because you know, we want to have a balanced view of this as well
Psalm
116 verses 1 to 2 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications
Because he hath inclined his era to me. Therefore I will call upon him as long as I live. Okay
So again, you know as believers we should pray every day
Assuming that this is written by David. It doesn't really say but
You know, he's saying as long as I live I'll call upon the name of the Lord, right?
Then we see in 1st Kings chapter 18 verse 24
Another example we have Elijah who's of course already a saved man and in 1st Kings chapter
18 verse 24 he says and call ye on the name of your gods and I will call in the name of the Lord and
The God that answered by fire let him be God and of course with the context
This is when he's with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and he's saying, you know call in the name of your gods
Their gods were Baal and then he calls in the name of the Lord and then
fire comes down from heaven and consumes the offering that Elijah gives so
Another example of first Corinthians, I'm sorry first chronicles
21 verse 26 which chronicles 21 verse 26
And
David built there an altar unto the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and called upon the Lord and
answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of
Burnt offering and then just for one more example Psalm 18 verse 3
Psalm 18 verse 3 I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised
So shall I be saved from mine enemies?
So in that respect he's talking about not deliverance from hell
But he's talking about being delivered from his enemies saved from his enemies. Okay, but
To call on the name of the Lord again just means to pray that's why we see these examples that I just read
so when it talks about in
Romans chapter 10 calling upon the name of the Lord to be saved. That's again speaking to the Lord and
The name that we need to confess according to Romans 10 and the rest of the New Testament is is Jesus Christ
Of course in the Old Testament, they didn't have the name of Jesus revealed. So they either called upon Jehovah or God Almighty
But we are to call upon the name of Jesus once we believe in Jesus in our heart confession is made unto salvation
Okay, so there is that
Prayer that takes place now whether you call it a prayer or not
Because some people will make a big deal about well, do you really have to pray?
Do you really have to ask for it and they'll attack that and they'll say well, you know
Asking for salvation is in biblical but here's the thing. Jesus says otherwise John chapter 4 verse 10
Jesus answered and said unto her if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that sayeth to thee give me to drink
Thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water. So Jesus makes it very clear
If you knew the gift of God, okay, so he's making it clear that this that he's giving out the eternal life. It's free
It's a gift
If you knew what it was
You would say give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water
so if you
Know the gift you believe in Jesus you ask him he gives you the gift. That's how simple it is
Okay. Now do you necessarily have to phrase it in a
Question format no because what's important is that you're calling on the name of the Lord
What's important is not how you say it or the particular words that you say?
Okay, like I talked about at the beginning of this video. It's not
Repeating a certain prayer. There's not a certain
You know prayer format of what you need to say, okay, you don't have to make a public confession
It's just you have to call on the name of the Lord whether you're asking for that salvation or whether you're just confessing
The belief like Martha did she says yeah, I believe you know that thou art the Son of God, right?
So either way you still have to call on the name of the Lord and somebody who says that that takes place after
Salvation does not know the Bible because we just went through many verses that make it very clear that
First of all confession is made unto salvation and then whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved implying that they're
Not saved yet
And then it talks about you know rise up and be baptized
Washing away your sins calling on the name of the Lord. So you wash away your sins by calling on the name of the Lord
Okay, I believe therefore I have spoken the Bible says, you know by thy words thou shalt be justified by the words
thou shalt be condemned and we see the example of
The of the publican who said God be merciful to me a sinner and Jesus said he went away being justified
Okay, so it's not somebody's justified and they're saved and they're going to heaven and then they call on the name of Lord after now
We do because that just means to pray
But somebody who believes they're going to call upon the name of the Lord when they get saved that is just a fact
That's what the Bible teaches
so if there's somebody out there like if you're going soul winning for example, and you show them what the Bible says if
You know, they understand it
And they're following along with you, but they refuse to call on the name of the Lord. They do not believe
Okay, and I believe that strongly because the Bible makes it very clear that somebody who does not call upon the name of the Lord
They are not saved confession is made unto salvation. If you don't believe that you don't believe what the Bible clearly says
Okay, because these people are trying to say well
Asking for salvation is working for it, which is retarded. It's foolish
Okay, again going I don't know how simple I could make this
I mean this this series is called for dummies because I'm trying to simplify this as best as I can for
Anybody to understand it. Okay, if I were to offer this Bible to you and I say this is a gift I paid for it
It's free. You don't have to work for it. You don't have to earn it. You don't have to do anything good for it
You don't have to give me money. You don't have to to wash my car mow my lawn or or serve me or obey anything
I say all you have to do is just take the gift and you say, okay, I'll have it
Am I gonna say well now you're trying to work for it. Now. You're trying to earn it. That's foolish
asking for a gift or
Confessing that you believe that he will give you the gift. It's not working for it. It's not earning it. That's a stupid doctrine
So these people have their attack calling on the name of Lord
They have no idea what they're talking about. The Bible makes it very clear confession is made unto salvation
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, but how shall they call on him?
Okay, you need to believe and then once somebody believes they call on the name of the Lord, okay
They confess that with their mouth
Okay, that's why it says
Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart. Okay, it's not
You know, you can't separate it's not either or it's both. Okay, they take place at the same time. They're simultaneous
They're in conjunction
Somebody who believes they're gonna call on the name of the Lord if they don't they don't believe that's how simple it is
Okay
Thank you everybody for watching. God bless you and goodbye