Everyone Who Calls (part 4 of 4)

Verse ten of the tenth chapter of Romans chapter reads, “For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation” (10:10).  Oftentimes, these two concepts are allowed to coalesce.  However, it is necessary to make a delineation and see that belief in or on Jesus is somehow a work of the Spirit, owing to the power of the Gospel proclamation, in which the believer is made to experience the Creator God’s covenant faithfulness (righteousness), which is represented by the resulting fact of belief (in an altogether incredible proposition) and its power to include the believer as part of that God’s covenant people. 

This righteousness is most certainly not a moral quality that is given to the believer.  Though one could and should become a more moral person as a result of the righteousness (covenant inclusion, right standing).  The proclamation of submission to the claims of the Gospel---the open confession of Jesus as Lord (a highly-charged and risky proposition in the day in which Caesar himself is declared to be Lord, with claims contrary to this being punishable by death), and a life live in line with the proclamation, is what breaks the curse of Adam (death) and ends the exile from pure fellowship with one’s Creator.  That is salvation, and it is distinct from righteousness.    

So how does one know that the Apostle Paul is addressing the divisions and claims of Jew and Gentile as he writes of belief, righteousness, and salvation?  Paul appears to go on to make this quite clear in verse twelve, writing that “there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek” (10:12a).  It would be difficult to be more clear than that.  He goes on to write, “for the same Lord is Lord of all, Who richly blesses all who call on Him” (10:12b). 

One cannot lightly dismiss or skim over Paul’s repeated use of “all” throughout the letters that are attributed to him, as it is highly significant for his worldview and opinion concerning the reach and purpose of the Gospel.  Additionally, with his use of “richly blesses,” Paul seems to be making what should be considered to be an unmistakable allusion to the Abrahamic covenant (which would also pass through Isaac and Jacob, on to Israel).  

Before bringing this study to an end, it is worthwhile to pay a quick visit to the words of that covenant, as one turns to Genesis to read, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name” (12:2-3).  The rich blessing of the covenant God is a key component to the worldview of the covenant people.   

Yes, by calling on the name of the Lord---by believing in Jesus as Lord and confessing Him as such, the blessings of Abraham would fall to all, both Jew and Gentiles, with no distinction.  Paul is desperate to make it clear that without boundary or work of the law or division or claim to superiority or inferiority, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (10:13).