Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society, Autumn1999—Volume 12:23

Why Confess Christ?

The Use and Abuse of Romans 10:9-10

 

John F. Hart

Professor of Bible

Moody Bible Institute

 

I. Introduction

 

While it may not be in scholarly vogue, let me begin this rather theological article with a hypothetical story. Bob, a middle-aged salesman, was on a business trip in another state. Things have not been working well with his marriage. In fact, to his utter shock his wife had informed him a few hours before his flight that she was filing for divorce and leaving. The papers were in the process of being finalized. To make matters worse, after Bob arrived at his destination he discovered that his most substantial client had not responded to his business calls as expected. Bob was on the verge of losing this highly significant account.

In his motel room that evening, in a state of extreme despair, Bob remembered how his Christian friend had spoken of the unusual change that Christ had worked in his life when all else seemed hopeless. Just as Bob had suspected from the numerous times he had spent in a motel, a Gideon Bible was neatly tucked away in the drawer of his motel lampstand. Cautiously pulling it out, he searched for help from his despair. Some notes in the inside cover suggested he read the Gospel of John, chapter three.

He knew about the death and resurrection of Jesus from attending church as a young boy. He was even able to find the Book of John without great difficulty. After reading and rereading the story of Nicodemus, he placed his trust in Christ’s death and resurrection for his eternal destiny and fell asleep knowing that he had eternal life. But the stress and pressure of the emotional events of the last twenty-four hours had taken their toll. Bob suffered a massive heart attack and died in his sleep in his motel room.

In light of the often-used verses in Rom 10:9-10, this hypothetical but nevertheless real-to-life situation provokes several pragmatic questions. What seems clear is that Bob “believed in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead” (Rom 10:9b). But, on the other hand, did he really “confess with his mouth Jesus as Lord” (Rom 10:9a)? In fact, we must face the down-to-earth inquiry as to whether at his death Bob went to heaven.

I. Prevailing Interpretations of Romans 10:9-10

 

There are numerous options given to us by commentators and theologians for the Rom 10:9-10 passage to help explain what might have happened in Bob’s experience. 1) In order for salvation to be complete, the sinner must publicly confess Christ as Savior and Lord. “Believing with the heart” is insufficient in itself for eternal life.[1] 2) “Believing with the heart” is more-or-less synonymous with “confessing Jesus as Lord.” When the sinner believes in Christ, he is at the same moment confessing that Jesus is his Savior and Lord. To believe in Christ is to confess Christ.[2] 3) When one truly “believes with the heart,” he or she will eventually “confess Jesus as Lord.” This will be the evidence that genuine faith has been exercised. What takes place in the heart in faith eventually reaches the lips. True Christians publicly identify with Christ.[3] In Bob’s case, only God knows whether the faith in his heart was real. If it were, Bob would have confessed Christ publicly had he not died.

Identifying the exact position of commentators is rather problematic.[4] For some commentators and theologians, there is an indistinguishable blending of the options above without perspicuous logic. Many other writers vacillate between speaking of two conditions (confessing and believing) but also insist that the righteousness/justification and the salvation of 10:9-10 are interchangeable.[5] Option 3 or combinations of 3 with 1 or 2 above are associated with a traditional Lordship Salvation approach to justification and new birth.[6] John MacArthur argues that Rom 10:9-10 with its emphasis on the lordship of Christ is one of the “two clearest statements on the way of salvation in all of Scripture.”[7] For this reason, responses given to any one of the options below may likely apply to one or both of the other two viewpoints as well.

 

A. Two Conditions for Eternal Life

 

None of these interpretations escapes serious difficulties. The first option above is rather honest with the clear-cut statement of the text. On the surface, Paul does seem to be presenting two conditions for salvation (faith and confession) and not just one. In verse 9, Paul directly states that believing and confessing are both essential for salvation. In verse 10, while believing and confessing are now set apart into two separate clauses, confession is still declared to result in salvation. The Greek word homologeo (“confess”) in the NT is most naturally used of public confession.[8] Confession in this context cannot be as easily explained as that which takes place in the heart as a private act before God as might be implied by interpretive option 2 above. In using the term “mouth,” Paul must imply a public confession. God does not need one to “confess with the mouth” for his benefit. He can see into the heart to discern our faith, and grant us justification at the very moment of faith.

Yet the vast majority of NT passages mention faith (or believing) as the only condition for eternal life. It is a well-known fact that the Gospel of John alone uses pisteuo„ (“believe”) approximately 98 times, most to describe the response of the heart that brings eternal life. “Confessing that Jesus is Lord”[9] is never mentioned in the NT as a means of gaining eternal life unless one appeals to the statement by Christ in Matt 10:32 (par Luke 12:8): “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.”[10] 

Regarding the Matthean verse, several brief observations can be made. First, if the verse speaks of justification, new birth, or eternal life (all basically synonymous terms in the NT), Christ  (and/or Matthew) is certainly unclear in his language. What Christ actually confesses when He says, “him I will also confess before My Father,” is not distinctly specified. From the text as it stands, it is just as likely that Christ will confess us to be faithful believers as it is that He will confess us to be eligible for heaven.[11]  Second, the Christian does not have to wait for some confession before the Father in the future to discover he or she is bound for heaven. Eternal life is a present reality able to be known firmly when we place our faith in Christ alone (1 John 5:11-13). However, in the Matthean record Christ’s confession awaits the future world. Third, the climax of Jesus’ teachings to the disciples in Matthew 10 confirms that future rewards have been in view, not eternal life (Matt 10:41-42).[12] 

Fourth, Carson reasons that one’s eternal fate is determined by Christ’s confession before the Father. He states, “In view is his [Christ’s] special filial relationship with the Father, by which the final destiny of all humanity depends solely on his word…”[13] The difficulty with this reasoning is that the parallel found in Luke 12:8-9 has Christ making the confession and denial before the angels. Yet, they have no part in determining our final destiny. Fifth, except for Judas, the disciples already possess eternal life[14] and are the ones addressed in both the Matthean (10:1, 5, 16) and Lukan (12:1) passages.[15] This discipleship outline was a training process involving time (cf. the reference to the pupil becoming like his teacher, vv 24-25). Serious persecution was certain (10:16-17, 22-23) and martyrdom was possible (vv 21-22, 28). Those who endured with a firm faith to the end of life will be “saved” (v 22).[16] But this “salvation” must be joined with v 39 where Jesus alludes to the “saving of the life.” (Matt 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; cf. Luke 17:33; John 12:25)—a concept related to future rewards and not the gift of eternal life.[17] 

Finally, the similarity both verbally and structurally with 2 Tim 2:11-12 must be given full weight.[18] Contextually, believers are addressed, and Paul includes himself in the potential denial, “if we deny Him” (v 12b). Structurally, vv 11-12 form a chiasmus, as shown in the following outline:

 

A  For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. (v 11b)

B  If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. (v 12a)

B1 If we deny Him, He also will deny us. (v 12b)

A1 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (v 13)[19]

 

In the chiasm, A1 parallels A and B1 parallels B. Each line must be interpreted in conjunction with its counterpart. With this in mind, denying Christ is regarded as the converse of enduring (=to the end, cf. Matt 10:22).[20] Carrying the parallelism farther, since the reward for endurance is reigning with Christ, then the penalty for denying Christ must be the loss of reigning together with Him. The loss of reigning with Christ, however, cannot be identical with eternal punishment for several reasons. Any thought of losing eternal life for the one who has died with Christ contradicts the promise in v 11b: one who has died with Christ will live with Him both now and in future resurrection.[21]

But additionally, the believer’s death with Christ (v 11b) is explicit Pauline teaching about our Spirit baptism into the body of Christ (Rom 6:1-14).[22] As previously noted, A1 (v 13) is the complement to A (v 11b) in the chiasm: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” (v 13). Like its counterpart in v 11b, v 13 declares the inviolability of Christ’s promise to us of eternal life. But Paul’s thought may go deeper. Since we have been joined to the very body of Christ through Spirit baptism into his death and resurrection (A), it is impossible for us to think that Christ would be unfaithful to His own body (A1)—and we are His body! He cannot and will not dismember a part of His own body. While there is a promise of our eternal protection in 2 Tim 2:11-12, there is no promise of our temporal perseverance. Eternal life is certain for the believer; discipleship and endurance are not.[23]

 

B. Faith and Confession Are Synonymous

 

Regarding the second interpretation that faith and confession are rather synonymous terms for the same response, nothing in the text directly implies that to “believe with the heart” is essentially the same as “confessing with the mouth that Jesus is Lord.” Those holding this view are forced to depreciate Paul’s mention of confession. Several Free Grace advocates seem to blend the two conditions of the passage by insisting that these verses merely suggest that one must come to recognize by faith that Jesus is God (deity).[24]

One apparent support for this interpretation could be the parallelism of verse 10.[25] The statement that “with the heart one believes unto righteousness” appears to exist in parallelism with the clause “with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”[26] But if words mean anything, then the apostle has carefully chosen “heart” as the location of faith, but “mouth” as the place of confession. It is exegetically unwise to blur such distinctions. Since one does not believe “with the mouth,” why should we reconstruct the passage to read as if the confessing takes place “with [in] the heart”? If then, the heart and mouth are distinguishable, so is the belief and confession, and the righteousness and salvation.

Further, the two verses of Romans 10 are chiastic.[27]

A  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (10:9a),

B  and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (10:9b).

B1 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness (10:10a),

A1 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (10:10b).

 

Since this is the case, the confession of A is best paralleled with confession of A1, not with faith/belief.

 

C. Confession Is the Evidence and Outcome of True Faith

 

The third interpretive option also does not present much of a solution to the dilemmas already suggested. There are no hints in the passage that one who places faith in Christ’s resurrection will eventually confess Him as Lord.[28] If such an idea is theologically correct, it must be brought from another passage to Rom 10:9-10 as a theological aid to exegesis. Paul certainly does not state such an idea in the two verses under investigation. Like the second interpretation, this exegesis subtly reverses the text to say, “if you are saved, you will confess that Jesus is Lord.” Instead Paul declares, “if you confess that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved.” Hodges correctly observes, “Not only does this verse not say that confession is the result of salvation, it states instead that ‘salvation’ results from confession, while righteousness results from faith!” (italics original).[29]  We must honestly and directly face Paul’s assertion as it is rather than adjust it to meet our preconceptions.

What is more, the Gospel of John, written for the precise purpose of clarifying the condition for receiving eternal life (20:30-31), nowhere states that one’s eternal destiny is determined by “confessing with the mouth.” In fact, John writes the very opposite—that one can trust Christ for eternal life (and actually receive it),[30] but fail to confess the Lord publicly. He writes, “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [homologeo] Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue…” (12:42).[31] John knows of those who did not openly identify with Christ for fear of persecution and rejection, yet they had come to faith that brings eternal life.

 

III. An Alternative Approach to Interpretation

 

A. Justification by Faith in Romans

 

To find Paul’s meaning in Rom 10:9-10, a further investigation of the book itself is needed. In Romans, it is undeniable that Paul’s favorite term for redemption is the heavily theological word, “justification” (dikaiosune„). It is well agreed that justification for Paul is a legal or forensic term referring to the imputed righteousness the believer receives at the moment of faith. Paul has discussed justification in great detail in 3:21–5:11, climaxing his treatise with a discussion of a few of its marvelous blessings (5:1-11). Paul’s thorough treatment of justification has been completed in chapters long before he arrives at the Rom 10:9-10 argument.

In the 3:21–5:11 unit, Paul makes absolutely no mention of “confessing Jesus as Lord” in order to receive justification. In these early chapters, the apostle has repeatedly stressed the need for faith alone, just as the Reformers had discovered. It seems rather strange that in chapter 10 Paul would add to justification by faith the need for “confession” —a concept he completely excluded in the early chapters of his epistle. In fact, Paul never mentions confession as a requirement for justification in any of his other epistles.[32]

Practically speaking but theologically accurate, justification means “to be declared as righteous as Christ is righteous.” If one is as righteous as Christ, it might be asked what more is needed for eternal life? The answer should be evident: nothing more is needed to get to heaven than to be justified in the sight of God (Rom 3:20; 4:2). This is why Paul combines the two concepts in his phrase, “justification of life” in 5:18.[33] For Paul and his epistle to the Romans, there is nothing more needed to get to heaven than to be justified by faith in Christ alone. But nothing in Rom 10:9-10 contradicts this. Romans10:10a reads, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified…” (italics added, NIV).[34] In chapter 10, Paul is in perfect harmony with his own teaching in the other parts of his epistle.

As already implied, objections may be raised against forming a strict identity between “justification” and “salvation” in 10:9-10. But this identity is neither necessary nor ideal. What is transparent from the passage is that faith and confession take place in different locations. With a two-fold repetition (vv 9-10), Paul confirms that confession is with (in) the mouth, but belief is with (in) the heart. Just as the mouth and the heart are two separate locations that should not be identified, belief and confession are also two separate responses that should not be confused.

 

B. “Salvation” in the Book of Romans

 

 

 Solutions for understanding Rom 10:9-10 may be found by reassessing various assumptions brought to the text. These assumptions are compounded by the over familiarity of the verses. The first assumption that needs to be set aside is the identification of “salvation” with justification in Romans. A study of the term “salvation” (so„te„ria) and “save” (so„zo„) in Romans corroborates the impression that Paul does not necessarily equate the two.[35] One only needs to read Rom 13:11 where the apostle comments, “for now our salvation [so„te„ria] is nearer than when we first believed.” According to this verse, Paul can speak of a “salvation” that does not come to us at the moment of faith, i.e., when we are justified. In one sense, then, it is fully appropriate in Romans (at least in 13:11) to say that a believer is justified in Christ, but not yet “saved.” So then, Paul is certainly capable of using the Greek words so„te„ria (“salvation”) and so„zo„ (“save”) of something other than justification. Evangelical Christians recognize this “salvation” by the term “glorification.”

It is common in many Christian circles to speak of the “tenses” of salvation as a way of helping us to understand three uses of the terms “salvation” and “save” in Scripture. The “past tense” of salvation speaks of our deliverance from the penalty of sin. The “present tense” of salvation is our deliverance from the power of sin. And the “future tense” of salvation is our deliverance from the presence of sin. Romans 13:11 can be easily identified as the future tense of salvation.[36] From the perspective of Romans, it may be beneficial to conceive of salvation in each context as a victory over the power of sin. Sometimes it refers to a positional victory over its enslavement, sometimes a present experience of victory over sin’s power, and finally the complete victory over every aspect of its power at the resurrection.

1. Romans 1:16

 

The first use of “salvation” (so„te„ria) in Romans appears in 1:16 in what is generally agreed to be the first of two thematic verses for the book (vv 16-17).[37] Once again, our familiarity with the verse colors our objectivity. The apostle declares that he does not shy away from publicly proclaiming the gospel because he knows that it is God’s power for deliverance (“salvation”) for those who have faith.[38] What is that deliverance?  Since “salvation” in 1:16 is juxtaposed to the “wrath of God” in 1:18, it is fully appropriate to view the deliverance of v 16 as a deliverance from the divine wrath of v 18. On closer inspection, however, we discover that the wrath of 1:18 is not eternal damnation or hell, but a contemporary wrath being revealed (or inflicted) at the present time.[39] Paul intentionally uses a progressive present tense when he states, “The wrath of God is being revealed” (italics added, NIV) on those who “suppress the truth.” Three times in the following context (1:24, 26, 28) he defines the wrath with the phrase, “God gave them up” (paradidomi)[40] i.e., He no longer restrained them from deeper and deeper enslavement to sin.[41]

By using the term “gospel” in Rom 1:16, Paul is not limiting his thoughts to those central truths by which a person is given eternal life. For Paul, his gospel included such matters as justification by faith (3-5), sanctification through the Spirit (6-8), and God’s future for Israel (9-11). In fact, the gospel gathers together all the truths that are found in Romans.[42] Therefore, we can conclude that in Rom 1:16, Paul is expressing his confidence that the truths of justification, sanctification, and even glorification provide God’s power to deliver us from enslavement and bondage to sin.

2. Romans 5:10-11

 

After Rom 1:16, Paul does not refer to “salvation” again until 5:10-11. An observation that is rarely detected is that Paul has deliberately avoided using “salvation” (so„te„ria) and “save” (so„zo„) in his entire discussion about justification by faith in 3:21–4:25! At the climax of his discussion on the wonderful benefits of justification (5:1-11), Paul again refers to “salvation,” distinguishing it from justification. “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” While justification is a past event for the believer, Paul places salvation into the future.[43] We should note that this salvation is stated to be a salvation from wrath (5:9). Bringing forward the meaning of wrath in 1:18, the “saved from wrath” [44] in 5:10 is best interpreted to be a deliverance from God’s earthly displeasure against sin and the resulting human bondage to sin.[45] One should carefully note Paul’s wording, for he affirms that our justification requires the death of Christ, but our deliverance from slavery to sin requires the resurrected life of Christ.[46]

3. Romans 8:24

 

As chapters 6-8 unfold, Paul reveals that our baptism by the Spirit has joined us with the death and resurrection of Christ (6:2-5). God’s design was that we should no longer be slaves to sin (6:6). Christians are promised a bodily resurrection (5:2; 6:8; 8:23, 30). But when 6:4 uses a subjunctive verb in its statement, “even so we also should walk in newness of life” (italics added), the challenge is set before us to exercise faith and live out a “resurrection” now! For this to become reality, the power of Christ’s resurrected life must work through us. He is the powerful Son of God by virtue of His resurrection from the dead, a resurrection that was according to the Spirit whose character is holiness (1:4).[47] His gospel is also powerful through the same Spirit to work this freedom in our lives (1:16). But for freedom to be experienced, it is crucial that we consider ourselves as dead to sin, but also spiritually resurrected and alive to God (6:11).[48]

The problem in experiencing this freedom arises from the fact that we live in a dead, mortal body that drags us into sin. While we are new on the inside, we are old on the outside. But in faith, we believe in a God of resurrection who can bring life to a dead body in the future resurrection. But if we believe that, we can also believe Him to produce the qualities of (eternal) life in our dead bodies in the present (4:17, 19-21; 6:12-13; 7:24). The law is powerless to work this life and freedom in me (8:2-3),[49] but the Spirit can (8:4). Reality for the believer is that “the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (8:10). Paul continues in 8:11 by using a double reference to the power of God available through the resurrection of Christ. “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Of course, deliverance from bondage to sin is available for the believer positionally at the moment of justification.  But as we walk by the power of the Spirit (8:1, MajT; 8:4) or “live according to the Spirit” (8:5), a victorious freedom is reached rather than sin and condemnation (8:1). Total freedom from bondage to sin can never be reached in this life (i.e., sinlessness). Our complete deliverance awaits the time when even the creation itself is released from its bondage to corruption (8:21-22). Like the creation groans over its bondage, we too groan while we wait for a resurrected body that will replace this mortal, sinful one (8:23).

At this point (8:24), Paul reintroduces the word “saved” again. It appears here in the aorist tense for the first and only time.[50] But the word is combined with a prepositional phrase and reads, “we were saved in this hope.” Adding the phrase, “in this hope,” throws the thought into the future again. Given the focus of the context on our future resurrection, it seems safe to conclude that Paul is thinking of our positional deliverance from bondage to sin (cf. 6:7) in this mortal body made possible by Spirit baptism. Although it is conceivable to think of the word “saved” in 8:24 as justification, there is nothing that forces that on us from the verse.

4. Romans 9–­11

 

Romans 9–11 comprises a well-known unit focusing on Israel’s present and future relationship to the Lord. The final references to “salvation” in Romans occur in these chapters. Most of these references have the deliverance of Israel in view (9:27; 10:1; 11:14, 26). Besides Rom 10:9, 10, 13 (which are universal in scope according to 10:11-12), only Rom 11:11 speaks of the salvation of the Gentiles. In the case of 11:11, one could legitimately reason that Paul thinks of the justification by faith that has come to the Gentiles. On the other hand, justification without sanctification would not provoke Israel to jealousy (“to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles” v 11b).[51] Gentile Christians have escaped the wrath of God on them as delineated in Rom 1:18-32. Through obedience to the Spirit, “the righteous requirements of the law” are now being fulfilled in Gentiles (Rom 8:4).

The first and last of these references in Romans 9–11 (9:27; 11:26) are contained within OT quotes. In each case, Israel’s deliverance from its enemies and its preservation as a nation are the primary meanings of “salvation.” Beyond this, since each quotation has the Second Coming of Christ as its background, one needs to keep in mind that the introduction of the millennial kingdom will bring a reign of righteousness by Jesus Christ’s personal presence as King. Satan will be bound so that his deceptions will not prevent the reign of righteousness  (Rev 20:2-3). All rebels will be purged from the nation (Ezek 20:37-38; Matt 25:1-30; Mal 3:2-3, 5), which the Messiah will accomplish when He comes out of Zion (cf. Isa 59:20-21; Matt 23:37-39; Acts 15:16). This means that there will be no Jewish unbelievers in the millennial kingdom.[52]“The Second Coming of Christ referred to in Rom 11:26 confirms the OT predictions that Christ will deliver Israel from her persecutors and bring great spiritual revival to His ancient people.”[53] For Walvoord, this includes “deliverance from persecution and threatened martyrdom.”[54] When “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26), not only will sins be forgiven but the “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (italics added, 11:26). All idolatry will cease (Isa 30:21-22), and Jews will readily claim in public Yahweh as their God (Isa 44:4-5) because the Spirit will be poured out in a unique way (Isa 44:3; Joel 2:28-32). Devotion to the Lord will be consistent and extensive (Jer 24:7; 50:19-20; Ezek 11:19-20; 36:25-27; Hos 4:4-8; Zeph 3:9-13). This revival of Israel is nothing short of a “resurrection” since Israel’s future acceptance with God will be considered to be “life from the dead” (11:15). Again, Paul implies that salvation stretches beyond justification in its range of meaning for Romans.

 

 III. Salvation in Romans 10:9-10

 

Contextually, the salvation in Rom 10:9-10 is picked up in the word “save” (so„zo„) in v 13 where a quotation from Joel 2:32 is given: “whoever calls on the name of the lord shall be saved.” It is important to note that in verse 10b to confess with one’s mouth brings salvation, but in verse 13 to call on the name of the Lord brings salvation. The logical conclusion is that a similarity or equation exists between confessing with the mouth and calling on the name of the Lord. A closer look at the phrase “calling on the name of the Lord” may yield more insights into the nature of confession in this context.

 

A. Calling on the Lord in Romans 10

 

Certain parameters can be established by examining Paul’s use of “calling on the name of the Lord” in Romans 10. Romans 10:14a is the most helpful controlling verse: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?” It is surprising how often this text is ignored or left unexamined. The remaining three questions (10:14b-15a) all demand a negative answer:[55] 1) “And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” (v 14b); 2) “And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (v 14c); 3) “And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (v 15). In each case, the implied answer is, “They cannot!” Therefore, Paul’s answer to his first question is simple. A person cannot call on the name of the One in whom he has not yet believed. For Paul, calling on the name of the Lord can only be done by one who is already justified by faith in Christ.[56] So the order working backward is as follows: a preacher is sent, then the preaching takes place; people hear and some believe. Those who believe can then call on the name of the Lord.[57]

 

B. Calling on the Lord in the Old Testament

 

The term “calling on the name of the Lord,” is a frequent OT phrase.[58] There appears to be no uses of the term by those who are not already OT believers. The first use of the term confirms this fact, since at the birth of Enosh “men began to call on the name of the lord” (Gen 4:26). This was not, of course, the initial point in the OT at which people were able to receive justification by faith. Abel, for example, sacrificed in faith according to Heb 11:4. But it was at the birth of Enosh that believers began to invoke God’s help in open worship. This element of worship is all the more evident in the life of Abraham when he built an altar so that he could call on the name of the Lord (Gen 12:8; 13:4; 26:25). Similarly, Elijah defied the false prophets at Mt. Carmel. “Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the lord…” (1 Kgs 18:24a; cf. 18:25-27). They “called on the name of Baal” to no avail. Elijah appealed to God for help against his enemies and God answered.

The Psalms are also replete with the concept of calling on the Lord (Ps 14:4; 18:3; 31:17; 50:15; 53:4; 79:6; 138:3; 141:1; 145:18). Frequently, the phrase appears in the context of salvation from troubles and from enemies.[59] The psalmist in Ps 80:18 implies that God must first revive the heart before calling on God’s name is possible.[60] In a similar fashion, once God had bestowed his blessings on the OT believer, calling on the Lord was a natural response  (Ps 116:2).[61] Worship is also a part of the concept in Psalms (in context, Ps 99:6, 105:1; 116:17, etc.) as was the case with Abraham and Enosh.[62] The prophets also speak of Israel calling on Yahweh in despair and need (Is 55:6; 64:7; Jer 29:12). Prophetically, Zephaniah predicts in the end times, Israel will be revived by Yahweh. At that time, they will call on the name of the Lord.[63] So too, Zechariah sees Israel calling on the Lord as a result of their future spiritual refinement.[64]

 

B. Calling on the Lord in the New Testament

 

Hodges[65] and Dillow[66] have reviewed the NT references to “calling on the name of the Lord” quite adequately, and their research does not need to be duplicated here. A summary of their findings will be sufficient. 1) To call on the name of the Lord in the NT implies a request for divine aid in a time of need.[67] 2) The Greek word for “call on” (epikaleo„) is often used in legal settings, and comes to mean in those contexts, “to appeal to” (Acts 25:11-12, 21, 25). Paul used the identical term in Acts 25:11 when he replied to Festus, “I appeal to Caesar.”[68] The impression of all these references is that the Christian has the legal right to appeal to his resurrected and ascended Lord to come to his aid, just as Paul appealed to Caesar as his earthly legal “lord.”  3) The phrase is regularly employed of those who gathered in public worship of the Savior (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Tim 2:22).[69] 4) The disciples who gathered together in the Book of Acts are designated as those who “call on the name of the Lord.” Saul traveled to Damascus for the very purpose of destroying those who publicly declared Jesus as Lord (Acts 9:13-14, 21).[70] 5) In summary, as believers gathered together for public worship and by faith invoked God’s help in their trials, they were “calling on the name of the Lord” and thereby confessing Christ’s Lordship.

 

B. The “Salvation” of Romans 10:9-10

1. The Preceding Context

 

In Rom 10:1, Paul mentions his desire for Israel’s “salvation.” To limit Paul’s purview to justification by faith of individual Jews is to neglect Paul’s introduction of the OT doctrine of the remnant in the immediately preceding verses (Isa 28:16 cited in Rom 9:27-29), and to overlook the corporate nature of Paul’s concern for their national deliverance (Rom 11:26-27). The mention of salvation in Rom 10:1 also recalls the thematic statement of 1:16.[71] Dillow writes concerning 10:1, “The salvation in view is not deliverance from hell but the fulfillment of the promise to Israel that she would one day be restored to Palestine.”[72] Later, he writes, “We conclude then that being ‘saved’ in v. 1 refers to God’s promise of divine aid to His people in time. It is His provision for victory over their enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.”[73] 

The Jews had a zeal for God, but a misdirected zeal (10:2-3). They sought to establish a righteousness that had its source in outward works of the law rather than a righteousness that starts and proceeds from faith (1:17). Israel’s great mistake was to make sanctifying righteousness (produced by the works of the law arising from faith) into justifying righteousness done by works (or by works and faith). They transformed the law that was intended for their sanctification into the means of their justification. Sanctifying righteousness (relative righteousness) can never be produced unless one first receives the gift of God’s justifying righteousness (absolute righteousness).[74] Since Israel would not submit to God’s justification righteousness that comes by faith, they failed to attain either justification or sanctification righteousness. This line of thought lends helpful understanding to Paul’s theme in Romans 10.

The law never was a means of righteousness for justification. Paul made that abundantly clear in Romans 4 and his treatment of Abraham. Israel was under the law for sanctification with the assumption that first God’s justifying righteousness would be obtained by faith.[75] Moses promised “life” for “doing” the law (10:5).[76] Works were essential to this blessing. But God had always intended for His commandments to be done by faith with His divine help! With the coming of Christ, He Himself “is the end [telos] of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (10:4).[77] Now through faith in Him, the law has come to an end for any form of righteousness. The NT believer is no longer under the Mosaic Law (6:14; 7:4, 6, 8; 2 Cor 3:6-7) even for sanctification.[78] By setting aside the law for sanctification (its original purpose), God has struck a final blow to the Jewish misconception that the law could be a means of justification.

 

2. The Use of Deuteronomy 30

In contrast to the works of the law for any kind of righteousness, Paul demonstrates in 10:6-8 by a quotation from Deuteronomy 30[79] how Israel should have listened to the exhortation of Scripture that pointed her to the need for divine help issuing from faith. [80] Romans 10:9-10 is in reality a further interpretation of the truth Paul finds in Deut 30:12-14, namely that the righteousness that comes from faith is available to all, and so is the divine help (salvation) that can follow justification. Deuteronomy 30:11-14 reads,

For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious [difficult, NASV, NIV] for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say,  “Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?” But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

 

The context of the Deuteronomy passage is the speech Moses gave to Israel as they were about to enter the land of Canaan. Moses warned the people against rebellion and predicted that in their disobedience they would be scattered far beyond their own borders and relocated in many nations as a result of God’s judgement of them. But one day (at the Second Coming of Christ) God would bring them back to Himself, circumcise their hearts to be fully devoted to Him (the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31), restore them from their captivity, and bring them into the land to possess it (30:1-11).[81] Nevertheless, Israel at the present time should not complain that God’s revelation was so difficult it could not be obeyed or so unclear that more revelation was needed before it could be believed.[82] They must not think that someone should go up to heaven or cross to the other side of the sea to bring back divine truth and make the people able to obey it. Revealed truth was not distant, but as close as faith in the heart. That which was not revealed belonged to God alone, but what was revealed was given to be believed and obeyed.[83] Divine help was also ready at hand. If Israel would only turn to their Lord for help He would assist them in obedience. This help was as near as calling on the Lord, invoking His help with their mouth. In Paul’s interpretation of Deuteronomy, Christ is God’s present revealed truth given to all people in the gospel. Justification through faith in the heart and divine help for obedience to Christ (sanctification) are readily available to all, not just the Jew. Gentiles too can believe in the Lord Jesus and call on Him for help of all kinds. After all, Christ is rich to all that call on Him for deliverance. But first, one must believe in Him before he can call on Him.

One should observe that three times, once in each verse of Deut 30:12-14, the passage adds that Israel must “do” the requirements of the revealed will of God in the law. Paul does not include this phrase in his citation of Deuteronomy 30 but this must be in his thinking.[84] Otherwise, Paul has taken an OT passage that distinctly speaks of obedience to the law and finds in it a principle of faith alone, apart from obedience to the law. This would involve a gross aberration of the original context of Deuteronomy 30. What Paul finds in Deuteronomy 30 is that faith for justification is the supreme prerequisite of calling on the name of the Lord and must precede any confession with the mouth.[85] Calling on the name of the Lord can be done only by one who has first experienced the righteousness that comes from faith (10:6). So faith is the first and foremost response to God’s revealed truth. Therefore, Paul can also summarize both faith in the heart and confession with the mouth with the phrase, “the word [Greek, rhe„ma][86] of faith which we preach” (10:8).[87] 

The “word is near” in the sense that when the listener expresses faith in Christ in his heart, Christ will draw near in giving him righteousness (i.e., justification). Once a person is justified before God, Christ can also be near to them for deliverance when they publicly confess He is Lord and call on His name. This is the meaning of the phrase, “The word is near you, in your mouth.” The author of Deuteronomy has led the way to this impression with the only other reference in the Book to the nearness of God: “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the lord our God whenever we call on Him?” (italics added; Deut 4:7, NASB).[88]

 

3. The Meaning of Romans 10:9-10

The “saved” in 10:9-10 is directed to those who are already justified believers.[89] If this is the case, what then is the salvation? To begin with, one should understand that exegetically the nature of the deliverance is not to be found in the related Greek words (so„te„ria and so„zo„) themselves. A vast number of scholars assume these words speak of a final deliverance from hell.