Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
It is of vital importance NOT to lift the above verse out of context. Many, many false shepherds stop with verse thirteen – leading to many, many false conversions. Progressing to the next verse – the Lord gives us three essential questions, that must be considered along with verse thirteen.
Romans 10:14
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?
1. The first question, “How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed?”
The answer? The lost CANNOT call on the Lord to be saved until they believe –
- That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
- That Christ was buried.
- That Christ rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
2. The second question – “How shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard?”
The answer? The lost CANNOT believe in Him until they hear the good news of salvation.
- The eunuch had to hear to believe. (Acts 8:26-39)
- Paul had to hear to believe. (Acts 9:1-18)
- Cornelius had to hear to believe. (Acts 10: 1-46)
- The Philipppian jailor had to hear to believe. (Acts 16:25-40)
3. The third question, “How shall they hear without a preacher (witness)?”
The answer? They CANNOT hear the good news of salvation without a witness.
- Three thousand were saved at Pentecost because of the witnessing of the 120.
- The eunuch was saved because Philip witnessed.
- Paul was saved because Stephen witnessed. (Acts 7: 54-60), and Jesus the God-man witnessed, and Annanias witnessed. (Acts 9:1-18)
- Cornelius and his house were saved because Peter witnessed.
- The Philippian jailer and his house were saved because Paul and Silas witnessed.
- You were saved because someone witnessed to you.
According to the inspired Word of God, the lost CANNOT be saved without a witness. They must have a witness to hear, they must hear to believe, they must believe to call on Him, and they must call on Him in order to be saved. But – they CANNOT call until they believe, and they CANNOT believe until they hear, and the CANNOT hear without a witness!
The Vine Vigil 