Calling upon the name of the Lord is the God-given cry of faith that triggers the promise of salvation.
Romans 10:13 says, 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,' and Paul connects this to heart belief in the risen Christ and mouth confession. Les Feldick teaches that this call is not a public performance but a simple, even private, verbal cry for help from someone who knows he is a sinner and believes Christ has done everything necessary (Clips 1, 4, 6).
Romans 10:13 — This is the central promise that answers the question: whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:9-10 — Paul explains the heart-faith and mouth-confession that lead into the call of verse 13.
The Bible makes the central answer explicit in Romans 10. After declaring that 'the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart' (Rom. 10:8), Paul says, 'That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved' (Rom. 10:9). He then explains, 'For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation' (Rom. 10:10). Verse 13 is the heart of the promise: 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Paul immediately adds, 'For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed' (Rom. 10:11). Peter quotes this same Old Testament promise at Pentecost: 'And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved' (Acts 2:21; cf. Joel 2:32). The Bible consistently joins the act of calling on the Lord with His promise to save.
Les Feldick teaches that calling upon the name of the Lord is the step that triggers the salvation described in Romans 10:9. After hearing the gospel, he says, 'we are to believe that Christ died and rose from the dead, but God expects us to cry out on that basis for His help, for His saving power' (Clip 6). He compares this to a lifeguard hearing a weak cry for help from a child in a noisy swimming pool: even though the crowd does not notice, the lifeguard—and God—hears and springs into action (Clips 1, 6). According to Les, this cry does not have to be public or dramatic. He says you can say in the privacy of your own prayer closet, while driving down the road, or washing dishes, 'Lord I'm a sinner, save me, because I believe that You've done everything that needs to be done' (Clip 4). The confession of the mouth is not a mandate to tell a crowd before salvation; rather, 'if you're excited about what God has done for you, you're going to tell people' (Clip 2). He also draws a careful line about lordship: Les does not agree with Lordship salvation because it smacks of works, but when a person enters by faith and experiences the new birth, 'one of the other things that happens is that Christ becomes Lord of our life' (Clip 3). The assurance of salvation does not rest on feelings but on the promise—'whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved' (Clip 5). Salvation is not just a fire escape; it is day-by-day assurance that we are His, known because the Book says so (Clip 7).
Les teaches that calling upon the Lord is exactly what Romans 10:13 describes: a person who realizes his need cries out to God for salvation. He explains that the person must 'come to the place of realizing that they are in need,' and 'when they're in need, they cry out and God responds' (Clip 6). It can be as simple as a private verbal prayer—even while driving or washing dishes—saying, 'Lord I'm a sinner, save me, because I believe that You've done everything that needs to be done' (Clip 4).
No. Les explains that confession made with the mouth is the natural result of salvation, not a precondition. He says, 'If you're excited about what God has done for you, you're going to tell people. That doesn't mean you have to get up in front of 300 people at once' (Clip 2). The call itself can be completely private (Clip 4).
Les pictures God as a lifeguard with a trained ear. In a pool full of children screaming and playing, the lifeguard hears 'some feeble call of some kid that's going under for about the third time' and springs into action (Clip 1). In the same way, 'when God hears that sinner is in need of salvation, and immediately He's there to save' (Clip 6).
No. Les explicitly says he does not agree with Lordship salvation 'because that smacks of works.' But when a person enters in by faith and experiences the new birth, one of the things that happens is that 'Christ becomes Lord of our life' (Clip 3). It is the result of salvation, not a work added to it.
Les points to the promise of Romans 10:13 as the basis for confidence: whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Clip 5). He also reminds believers that salvation is more than a fire escape; it is 'day-by-day assurance that you're His and He is yours,' known 'because the book says so' (Clip 7). God is duty bound to fulfill His Word when a person says, 'God, you've said it. I believe it with all my heart' (Clip 0).
Believing with the Heart
Les shows that saving faith is heart-level belief that results in God imputing His righteousness, setting the stage for the call of Romans 10:13.
Calling Triggers the Promise
Les teaches that after presenting Romans 10:9-10, the trigger for salvation is to call upon the Lord—a cry for help that God hears the way a lifeguard hears a drowning child.
Confession as Natural Overflow
Les explains that 'confession is made unto salvation' is not about taking a stage; it is the natural, joyful sharing of what God has done when you are excited about your salvation.
Christ Becomes Lord, Not Lordship Demanded
Les clarifies that confessing Jesus as Lord is not Lordship salvation (which smacks of works); when someone enters by faith, Christ becomes Lord of their life as a result.
A Simple Verbal Cry from Anywhere
Les shows exactly what 'calling upon the name of the Lord' looks like: a simple verbal cry, even in private—'Lord I'm a sinner, save me'—and he ties this to the Romans 10:13 promise.
Whosoever Calls Shall Be Saved
Les holds up Romans 10:13 as the promise: whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved, connecting it to heartfelt belief in Christ's resurrection.
God Hears the Needy Sinner
Les pictures God as a lifeguard with a trained ear: when a sinner realizes his need and cries out, God immediately responds to save him.
Salvation Is More Than a Fire Escape
Les teaches that salvation is more than a fire escape—it is day-by-day assurance that we are His, known not by feelings but because the Book says so.
Romans 10:8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Paul identifies the 'word of faith' that brings the message of salvation near to the mouth and heart.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
It states the confession and heart belief that lead to salvation.
Romans 10:10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Explains the relationship between heart-belief (righteousness) and mouth-confession (salvation).
Romans 10:11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Adds the assurance that no one who believes on Him will be ashamed.
Romans 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The direct promise preserving the exact answer: whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Acts 2:21: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Peter quotes this same promise at Pentecost, applying it to all who call on the Lord.
Joel 2:32: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
The Old Testament source of the calling-on-the-Lord promise.
Les says you can verbally call out wherever you are—in your prayer closet, driving down the road, or washing dishes. He gives the example: 'Lord I'm a sinner, save me, because I believe that You've done everything that needs to be done' (Clip 4).
No. Les distinguishes between the private cry of salvation and sharing your faith afterward. 'If you're excited about what God has done for you, you're going to tell people,' but that is not the requirement for salvation (Clip 2).
Romans 10:13 promises, 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Les calls this a promise that God cannot lie about, tied to believing that Christ died and rose again (Clip 5).
Watch the Teaching: How Can You Know You're Saved? The Plan of Salvation in Scripture