Calling Upon the Name of the Lord (Eddie Ragsdale)

Today's post is from my friend Eddie Ragsdale, pastor of First Baptist Church in Marshall, Arkansas. He's the husband of Laura and father of Brady and Corey. He is a wonderful brother in Christ and my fellow podcaster! It's always worth listening to what he has to say. His words are below:

There is an interesting phrase found first in the scriptures at the end of Genesis 4. It says there that at that time people first began to “call upon the name of the Lord.” This wording is used several times in the scriptures. Another notable occurrence is found in the book of Joel. In Joel’s prophecy scripture states that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved! Peter at Pentecost proclaims that the amazing display of power and efficacy in their preaching was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy and reiterates the invitation to those hearing this early gospel message to know that “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

If these references were not enough Paul picks up this phrase in Romans chapter 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Wow! What an amazing promise. That everyone, that is every single person, who calls upon the name of the Lord will (for sure) be saved. It is staggering to think about the mercy, grace, and love of God displayed in this statement that every wicked sinner who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Every struggling addict, every self-righteous religionist, every idolater, every liar, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 

But all of this begs one question: What does it mean to call upon the name of the Lord? The weight and gravity of this promise is incalculable but what does it mean? Possibly you are saying “well it’s obvious it means that everyone who calls out to God will be saved.” Ok. But that isn’t exactly what it said. Certainly, it is true that every person that truly calls out to God asking to be saved out of the convicting and transformative work of the Holy Spirit is saved but is that what this text is about? As we begin to track the way the phrase has been used throughout the bible going all the way back to Genesis 4 and considering the linguistic choices of both the Greek and Hebrew writers it is probably better to interpret this as meaning worship of the Lord. I know that for many years my assumption has been that this phrase, especially as it is used in Acts and Romans, just referred to the initial act of calling out to God for salvation at our conversion. However, upon further study and meditation, it seems clear that those who will be saved are those who become “God worshippers” and to be even more specific to the New Testament passages those who confess Jesus as Lord and trust in Christ alone. 

The point I’m making is that calling upon the name of the Lord is not just something that you did to get saved. No as a disciple, follower, and worshipper of Jesus, calling upon the name of the Lord is what you continue to do and will always do. As a matter of fact, throughout all eternity, we will be calling upon the name of the Lord and worshipping Him as trophies of His grace and eternal evidence of His saving power. So let us all call upon the name of the Lord and the true and living God! Let me urge you if you are not a worshipper of Christ then you are not a believer in Christ. Please turn from your sin and trust Christ! Call upon the name of the Lord today and you will be saved!