The verses Joel 2:32 and Romans 10:13 both contain the promise that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” This is a profoundly important statement that goes to the heart of the gospel message and what it means to become a Christian. In order to properly understand this promise, it is helpful to examine the context and background of these verses, what it means to “call on the name of the Lord”, who the “Lord” is that is being referred to, and what “being saved” entails according to Scripture.
Context and Background
Joel 2:32 occurs in the midst of the book of Joel, which was written by the prophet Joel to the nation of Judah. In chapter 2, Joel is describing God’s judgment on the “day of the Lord”, but also how God will pour out His Spirit and those who call on His name will be saved. The passage reads:
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:32)
This verse promises that even amidst God’s judgment and wrath, those who call upon Him for salvation will be delivered. The mention of those who “escape” and the “survivors” implies a remnant of people who will be saved from harm by taking refuge in the Lord.
Romans 10:13 occurs in the midst of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. In chapter 10, Paul is making the point that salvation comes through faith in Christ, not by works. Romans 10:13 reads:
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
Paul is quoting Joel 2:32 to demonstrate that salvation is available to both Jews and Gentiles by calling upon the name of the Lord. This verse comes after Paul contrasts the “righteousness from the law” versus the “righteousness based on faith” (Romans 10:5-10). His point is that faith in Christ is what is necessary for salvation, whether one is a Jew or Gentile.
So in both contexts, the verses stress the availability of salvation by calling on the Lord, despite one’s background or circumstances. This promise is not limited, but is available to “everyone” and “whoever.”
What Does it Mean to “Call On the Name of the Lord”?
The idea of “calling on the name of the Lord” was common in the Old Testament as well. The phrase connotes worshipping the Lord by invoking His name in prayer and praise. Several Psalms mention calling on the name of the Lord:
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:3)
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord (Psalm 116:13)
So calling on the name of the Lord is essentially offering prayer and worship to Him. It demonstrates dependence on God by seeking Him in praise and petition. Later in Romans 10, Paul expounds on what it means to call on Christ as Lord:
But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? […] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14,17)
Paul connects calling on Christ to believing in Him, and explains that faith is necessary. This faith then comes through hearing the gospel message contained in the “word of Christ.” So calling on the Lord involves hearing the good news of salvation through Christ, placing your faith in Him, and responding in prayer to call upon His name for deliverance. The call is an outward expression of inward faith in who Jesus is and what He has done.
Who is the “Lord” Referenced?
It is clear from the context that the “Lord” mentioned in these verses refers specifically to Jesus Christ. Joel does not directly identify the Lord whom he is quoting, but the passage indicates that it involves the same “Lord” who is granting salvation from the coming judgment.
In Romans 10, Paul has just finished explaining salvation through Jesus Christ in Chapter 8-9. Romans 10:9 states plainly that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So the “Lord” of Romans 10:13 must be understood as Jesus.
This fits the overarching New Testament identification of Jesus as Lord. Acts 2:21 applies Joel’s prophecy to Jesus. Romans 10:9 equates Jesus as Lord along with the Father. Calling on the name of the Lord for salvation is synonymous with calling on Christ.
What Does Being “Saved” Mean?
Being “saved” as described in these verses refers primarily to salvation from eternal judgment and separation from God. In the context of Joel, it meant being saved and protected from the coming day of the Lord. For believers in Christ, it refers to being saved from the punishment for sin.
Romans lays out the theology of salvation most fully. According to Romans, all people have sinned and face death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). But Christ took the punishment sinners deserve by dying on the cross, so that those who have faith in Him can be spared condemnation and declared righteous (Rom 5:8-9). This salvation through Christ’s atoning work grants peace with God (Romans 5:1).
So being “saved” means being rescued from the penalty of one’s sin through faith in Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection. Those who call on Jesus as Savior and Lord are spared God’s wrath and ushered into right relationship with Him both now and for eternity.
The Universal Offer of Salvation
These verses contain an open invitation to salvation for all people. They do not limit God’s offer to any one group, but say “everyone who calls”, “whoever calls”- Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, moral or immoral- all who call on the name of Jesus will be saved.
As Paul says in Romans 10:12: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.”
Some key points about this inclusive offer:
- It removes racial, cultural, and ethnic barriers. Jesus is Lord over all.
- It removes moral and class barriers. Jesus saves the immoral outcast and the moral elite.
- It removes religious barriers. Jesus is Lord whether one has knowledge of Scripture or not.
- It asserts the universality and finality of Christ. He alone is the way to salvation for any who call on Him.
- It highlights the simplicity and availability of salvation. Simply calling on the name of Jesus with faith results in being saved.
God’s salvation through Jesus Christ is not meant just for a select few, but is open to any and all who recognize their need and call out to Him for rescue from their sin.
The Necessity of Proclaiming the Gospel
An important related point is that people cannot call on Christ unless they first hear of Him and develop faith in who He is. Paul stresses these logical steps in Romans 10:
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? […] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14, 17)
For someone to call on Christ’s name, they must first hear of Christ. And hearing requires someone proclaiming the gospel message of salvation through Jesus. Those who already believe in Jesus therefore have an obligation to spread the word so that others can have a chance to believe and call on the Lord for salvation.
When believers share Christ and nonbelievers respond in faith and calling on the Lord, this results in new life. As Paul puts it:
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:8-9)
Hearing the word of Christ through the preaching of the gospel and responding in faith leads to salvation.
Assurance of Salvation
This promise also provides assurance of salvation to all who call on Christ’s name. The verses do not say “some” or “a few” who call, but “everyone”, “whoever”- all inclusive terms. Jesus promised:
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)
God desires all to come to repentance and be saved (2 Peter 3:9). So any who answer the call to salvation can have full confidence that when they call on Jesus’ name, He hears them and will grant salvation. As Paul later states:
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? (Romans 10:13-14a)
Not only will Jesus not turn away any who come to Him, but He urges all to call on His name with the guarantee of salvation.
A Personal and Sincere Call
While this promise is broad in scope, at the same time calling on the name of the Lord must be more than just an outward statement made for show. As seen earlier, it involves genuine faith and repentance. It is a surrendering of one’s life to Christ and receiving Him as Savior.
Consider Ananias’ words to Paul at his conversion:
“And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16)
Ananias connects calling on Christ’s name with repenting and being cleansed of sin. It is not merely mouthing words, but engaging the heart. It requires sincerity of commitment, not just a technically accurate prayer.
Joel 2:13 gives the prescription for calling on God rightly: “rend your hearts and not your garments.” In other words, it must be done with an attitude of true mourning over sin and desire to turn to God. Calling on the name of the Lord for salvation involves humility, dependence, and a willingness to forsake sin.
The Starting Point of a New Life
While calling on the name of the Lord brings salvation through faith in that moment, theChristian life then starts and continues. It is both a statement of initial belief and an ongoing action. Paul says we are to offer continual thanksgiving, prayer, and worship to God and call on other believers likewise (1 Timothy 2:1; 2 Timothy 2:22). Calling on the Lord begins at salvation but continues as the lifestyle of a disciple.
Ephesians describes how we are to live out our new identity in Christ:
“assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus…to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life…and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:21-24)
So calling on the name of Lord marks the start of an ethical and spiritual transformation as one grows in Christlikeness. The salvation offered in that invocation of faith sets a believer on a path of walking with Jesus by the Spirit’s power.
A Contrast Between Seeking Salvation by Works or by Faith
This promise also highlights the difference between a works-based approach to salvation and a faith-based approach. Jesus explained that spiritual rebirth is not accomplished by fleshly effort but by the Spirit:
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)
No amount of good behavior or religious ritual can earn salvation – it is an act of grace received by faith. Paul says:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Trying to win salvation by being “good enough” actually fails to reach God’s holy standard (Romans 3:23) and amounts to an insult to Christ’s sacrifice which alone provides atonement from sin (Galatians 2:21). It is only by humbly recognizing one’s inability to save oneself and calling out to the Lord Jesus for mercy that one can be saved.
Jesus differentiated true salvation from false assurance:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
Mere actions and spoken belief do not result in salvation if not matched by genuine faith and repentance. But for all who sincerely call on Christ as Lord and Savior, trusting in His finished work, salvation is sure.
Genuine Faith Comes From Hearing the Message
Paul also highlights how saving faith is not conjured up by our own capacity, but is imparted by God’s Spirit through hearing the message about Christ:
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
The starting point is proclamation of the gospel – the facts about who Jesus is and what He accomplished. Hearing this message then allows the Holy Spirit to spark faith in a receptive heart. But for the one who persistently refuses to believe the message, even the offer of salvation by faith will not help:
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:16-17)
Some continually resist placing faith in Christ. But that does not undermine the universality of the offer. The invitation remains open to all. And all who believe the message and call on Jesus’ name will be saved.
Conclusion
The promise that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” offers a wonderful assurance. It declares that salvation does not depend on external factors, but on what is contained completely in Jesus Himself. Anyone who will place faith in Christ and call upon Him can and will be saved from sin and wrath.
This offer extends across all peoples in all places. But it necessitates faith in response to hearing the gospel message. Calling on Jesus’ name begins a life of following Him and relating to God not in works-righteousness but by grace and the Spirit’s power. While simple in concept, it encapsulates the profound truth of the gospel: that through Christ alone, salvation and new life are freely given to all who will put their trust in Him.