Bible Questions & Answers Archive 

The Public Invitation - Part Five
By Dr. Max D. Younce
0109

 Question 

Do I have to come to the front of the church and confess Christ to be saved? (Part #5, Romans 10:13).

 Answer 

Romans 10:13 states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD, shall be saved.” This is a direct quote from Joel 2:32 where “saved” is translated “delivered” from the Hebrew. This is not speaking of salvation; but, being delivered, or saved, from the persecution they were going to receive after they were identified as being a Christian.

Before Paul was saved, he consented to Stephen’s death. (Acts 7). “And Saul was consenting unto his (Stephen’s) death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church...” (Acts 8:1). After Paul was saved, he suffered great persecution for being a Christian. He testified to the Thessalonians, “For ye brethren...also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us;...Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved...” (I Thessalonians 2:14-16). To the Corinthians he wrote, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” (II Corinthians 4:8,9).

Now, let us look Romans 10:13,14 together. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved (i.e., ‘delivered’). How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed...” Therefore, those who are believers in Christ now have the privilege to call upon the Lord, to deliver them through whatever persecution they may endure. These verses have nothing to do with coming to the front of the church and confessing Christ.