“For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” vs13

This is how God saved me. I heard the true gospel of sovereign grace and the finished work of Christ. I heard He chose whom He’d save, paid for their sins particularly, and then God raised Him from the dead. I heard the elect WOULD be saved, and as I sat in my seat wondering, “How can I get in on this,” the preacher said, “It is for all who believe.”

Then, a flood of scriptures rushed my mind. “He that believes in Him will not be put to shame,” and again, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved [vs11, 13].” I said, “I believe, and therefore, I am saved.” I took God at His promise and trusted the finished work of Christ. How about you?

The way of salvation is easy: You must hear the truth and believe that believing saves you. THEN joy, peace, and power came into my soul. Then, I had assurance. If the preacher told me to “do,” then I would have “done,” and I would never have assurance. I would have been outside the Feast, forever, because it is ONLY by faith that we enter.

First, you must believe [vs10]. “For in the heart is belief unto righteousness, and in the mouth is confession unto salvation.” Nobody can believe God for you. YOU must do this. You must believe that God saves by faith, and faith ADDS NOTHING to Jesus Christ; it is the opposite of working, doing, or improving. It is trusting Him only. Can you do that? Can you believe on the Son? He is reliable, and He is sufficient! If God demanded more, then He would say so!

Secondly, “the Scripture says, “Everyone believing on Him will not be put to shame [vs11].” Is this not enough for you? Is the testimony of God concerning His Son sufficient? Look at election and predestination. Is God not the doer of all things? Did He not choose whom He would die for? Is not Christ sufficient to pay for sins? Isn’t it right for God to save according to His word, and to justify the ungodly [Rom 4:5]? This makes the gift free.

We have heard it all our lives: Salvation is the gift of God. All that matters is the Scripture saying it, over and over, “Believe and you will not be put to shame.” He means it. He’s been saying it all the time [Isa 28:16].

Thirdly, all who call on Him shall be saved [vs12]. “For there is no difference between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord of all is rich toward all those calling Him.” It doesn’t matter who YOU are - how sinful, how depraved, or how hypocritical: He will not let you down. You are not too weak. YOU will not be put to shame, but He will keep you. He’ll give you the whole of salvation, which includes perseverance. He will save you to the end. “wherefore also He is able to save to the uttermost those drawing near to God through Him, always living to intercede for them [Heb 7:25].”