Introduction:
Earlier, I preached a sermon on calling on the name of the Lord for conversion without the ‘means’ of water baptism. Then, I preached another sermon on calling on the name of the Lord without a specific required sign of evidence for salvation. Much earlier in ministry, I thought that I would never come to place where I would preach: I believe that conversion is by calling on the name of the Lord but without legalism. Some teach that ‘standards of holiness’ are required in order to be saved, to be accepted by God, and in order to participate in the local church. Some teach a form of legalism in addition to being saved by grace through faith by complementing conversion with extra rules, practices, and forcing compliance to many standards. I used to be ordained in one of these organizations that preached legalism and required ‘standards of holiness’ in order to be saved, to enter heaven, and to be holy. As Methodists, we have always believed very strongly in conversion without legalism and ‘standards of holiness.’ We are not saved because of our own human volition, not our human work, and not our human initiation rites. Yet, we are absolutely convinced that we are saved by grace through faith without legalism. You must confess that Jesus is Lord. You must believe that God raised him [Christ] from the dead. And, a real Methodist will call on the name of the Lord and will do it without legalism. Therefore, ‘we believe that salvation is for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.’
In her work, False Holiness Standards, Linda S. Hopper is a spouse of a pastor who was also part of the same rigid legalistic organization of your pastor. Linda explains the uses of certain Scriptures in how some misinterpret, leading to a practice of legalism. Some give lip service to being saved by grace through faith, but unfortunately, they cannot agree with God or anyone that they are saved unless everybody adopts and conforms to their set of man-made rules. Even more unfortunate, these man-made rules are revised, changed, and lengthened to fulfill the needs of some leaders. Linda Hopper communicates: “Your family and friends may feel threatened by your confession of faith; it may take them out of their comfort zone.” Yet, Linda Hopper and her spouse used to be in an organization that teaches one has to be water baptized a certain way in the name of Jesus Christ, receive baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, and live a holy life (by adhering to lots of man-made rules). Now, she articulates: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [emphasizing] “Shall be saved.” It is the calling on the name of the Lord without legalism that gets the assurance, “Shall be saved.”
It has been revealed to me through much study that legalism is more than false holiness standards. Legalism can be any strict conformity to rules, behavior, specific rituals (e.g., water baptism, tongues), and doctrine. For instance, Paul mentioned that the Jews had a zeal, but the zeal was not according to knowledge. The application was of first of all about the Jews. The word “ignorant” connects with the phrase “not according to knowledge.” They were ignorant of God’s method of justification based on grace through faith. They were trying their own method of justification based on law/flesh/legalism. The emphasis is upon the words: “Their own.” They were trying to form their own method of righteousness, and they rejected the gospel, thought they could justify themselves, they had substituted their own standards, and their own interpretations of Scripture for their doctrinal conformity. The zeal was a form of righteousness that the Jews were producing to satisfy God. The Jew’s zeal was not driven because of their knowledge of the work Christ did for them, but their zeal was driven by the theological distinctions and conformity maintained by their group. The Jews were trusting in their theological distinctions, conformity, and adhering to certain rites to be saved, but they did not call upon the name of the Lord for conversion. Likewise, we have some who are looking to their theological conformity, man-made rules, and even legalism to obtain their assurance/false assurance in the place of God’s method: by grace through faith alone. Therefore, people are saved with just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord.
The Scriptural witness proclaims that just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, is the only required necessity for conversion. Everyone needs to hear that justification is the regenerating act that God does in your life. Justification is not a human-centric initiated event. If this was the case, people would not need Jesus, a Savior, the cross, or a preacher to bring the gospel. Yet, the questions need to be asked. At one point is someone justified? At what moment does someone experience conversion, justification, salvation, and assurance? Another way to say it, which point is one justified, receive the promise “shall be saved,” and receive the promise “will not be put to shame?” At one point is someone confirmed of their salvation? And, what does it mean to call upon the name of the Lord?
Just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, means you put your trust only in Christ’s work and authority for your salvation. Christ instructed on what “should be preached” in (Luke 24:45-49). Paul introduced the word of faith that ‘was’ preached in (Rom. 10:8b). He went on to explain how to be saved by using logical explanatory markers throughout his writing (for). Paul’s mastery of expository writing is built up (accentuated the positive) as the main emphasis of his letter. The zeal of knowledge that is to be acknowledged and obeyed: salvation is for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.
In Romans 10 verse 10, belief results in justification, and the confession confirms one’s salvation. Justification is an act of God that is performed independently of humans, unaided by humans, and without any human volition. Notice that believing in this Scripture is not the climax, and the confession alone is not adequate for salvation. Confession without believing from the heart is how churches and societies get false believers and false conversions. Even the great Protestant Reformers who taught the principle of salvation by faith alone (sola fide) also preached that intellectual (mental) assent alone does not bring salvation. There is a method for demonstrating a genuine (unadulterated) and legitimate faith and that is calling on the name of the Lord. According to Wallace, I observed that the present tense verbs for believe and confess are instantaneous presents (a.k.a., also known as punctiliar or aoristic present). Also according to Wallace, “The present tense may be used to indicate that an action is completed at the moment of speaking.” In other words, conversion occurs instantaneously in the present from a past aorist event for a future promise of salvation. Therefore, the moment you make just the faith statement, calling upon the name of the Lord; you get an instantaneous conversion.
So, what does calling upon the name of the Lord mean? In the secular Greco-Roman and Hebrew culture in the first century, to “call upon” meant to give your allegiance to the person who has authority and power. To “call upon,” in the scripture Romans 10:13, means to believe, believe that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God resurrected him [Christ] from the dead (the gospel in a nutshell). Paul was motivating everyone to call on the name of the Lord in order to experience conversion, and Paul closes the syllogism of the concise passage with four points. First, there is only one universal Lord for everyone. Second, the people who have faith from the heart (e.g., not mental assent) that God raised Christ from the dead call him Lord. The Holy Spirit prompts one to make the faith statement at conversion (I Cor. 12:3; without speaking in tongues, just the faith statement is the evidence). A person can be Spirit-filled without speaking in tongues. Third, those who have faith and call upon the name of the Lord will not be put to shame in the last days. Fourth, everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Finally, calling on the name of the Lord means you put your trust only in Christ’s authority and work for your salvation.
I have discovered in the last few years, as I have immersed myself in an open and thorough Bible study with a devotion to God, that there is an “assurance, confirmation” that goes beyond speaking in tongues, compliance to man-made rules, or awaiting a confirmation graduation. It is a conversion initiated by the divine agency of God’s Spirit, mediated through Christ’s atonement, believed from the heart, and completed by calling on the name of the Lord. When, at the moment, you call upon the name of the Lord; you receive the assurance, “Shall be saved.”
The United Methodist Church (UMC) was founded by John Wesley, and whom acknowledged that nothing other than instantaneous conversions occur in the Greek New Testament. Initially, some are preaching that justification and/or regeneration occurs at someone’s water baptism. Second, we had some discussion here about the effects of improperly instructing the confirmation graduation. This means that people are graduating from the confirmation graduation ritual thinking they are saved. Third, some have gotten into the instruction that conversion is a process. The Scriptures bear in mind that conversion is instantaneous, but our transformation is a process. Fourth, some in the modern ridged Fundamental churches are teaching the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, but ridged Fundamentals complement it with legalism and diverse man-made rules. For Methodist, we are not afraid to admit that just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, is required to experience conversion, and that a real Methodist will do it without legalism. Yet, the moment you make just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, you “Shall be saved.”
I spoke with lay leaders in our church and pastors in the United Methodist Church, and they said: “Just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, is required to experience conversion.” Lately, we have been framing our faith statement for our Methodist church that reads:
We feel strongly about everything… No really, this congregation flows in the Spirit-filled Evangelical stream of Christianity, but with a respect for tradition and for being charismatic. We focus on the joint-love command, to love God and neighbor as ourselves. We are absolutely convinced that we are “Saved by grace through faith” without legalism. We believe that salvation is for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. The moment you make just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord; you receive the promise, “Shall be saved.” We also believe that just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, is required to experience conversion, and you do it without legalism, without being strict, without doctrinal conformity, without specific ritual procedures, without water baptism, and without speaking in tongues.
This faith statement will be published on the web for global witnessing and for proclamation. For our mission, just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, is required for conversion.
I can relate with John Wesley's inquiry about instantaneous conversions of faith “in a moment” with the Moravians. Thus, I inquired with a Grace UMC member on how one can have an instantaneous conversion and be assured of salvation in a moment. Consequently, the Methodist member challenged me, “The scripture Romans 10:13 tells us: ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ ” I was startled because I believed like the Apostolic church that girls had to stop wearing miniskirts and come to church wearing hose without being bare-legged in order to be saved. I observed that the girls in this particular United Methodist church at conversion, without the water baptism, without speaking in tongues, without enforcing any rules, would make just the statement, would call on the name of the Lord, would do it while wearing a miniskirt, and would be bare-legged to look pretty. They strongly articulated that one is saved by grace through faith without legalism, and that conversion is concluded with just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord. I fought against it to maintain my tradition, but I still felt shame:
1. But Lord, I cannot think that they look pretty. I struggled with agreeing with myself and admitting that the girls looked very pretty. – “My grace is sufficient.”
2. But Lord, I have to enforce the ‘standards’ (the rules). – “My grace is sufficient.”
3. But Lord, if I don’t preach the ‘standards,’ the elders will think I’m a false prophet, a backslider, or “would need to get the Holy Ghost.” – “Just be faithful to Me.”
4. Bur Lord, first I’ll have them finish their salvation process and then tell them and enforce them to not wear miniskirts, wear hose to worship, etc. etc. – “My grace is sufficient.”
5. It’s a good thing that God did not require many rules of me to comply towards, or I would never be accepted by God. – …Just as God accepts me.
6. How about that? No conditions or promises ahead of conversion. No initiation rites. No required baptism. No requirement of speaking in tongues. No required ‘evidence’ (sign) of receiving the Holy Spirit. No required rules. No required ‘standards of holiness.’ – Alright, God can do anything He wants, with people, after they make just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord.
7. That’s why I now believe that just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, is required to experience conversion. The only thing that God requires is to call on the name of the Lord, and we do it without legalism.
Members in the Apostolic church and instructors taught against any grace plus nothing message. Some OP members would tell me, “These Methodists that take, 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved' as a conversion, Do Not Do It!” Yet, this simple message that the Grace Methodist member gave with lots of compassion and humility continued to deal with me and speak to me.
One of the richest realities of the gospel is that we are saved by grace through faith. We are absolutely convinced that we are saved by grace through faith without legalism, and we call upon the name of the Lord for conversion without legalism. I just would like to share something about myself: I came into the Methodist church numerous years ago being challenged to call upon the name of the Lord and to do it without legalism. Someone challenged me with the following conversion example as found in Scripture, from Romans 10:13: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The Methodist member accentuated, the moment you call upon the name of the Lord; you can experience an instantaneous conversion at the moment faith at this very moment. They also stressed, you call upon the name of the Lord with faith in God, and you do it without legalism. I was challenged to simply put my faith in Christ’s work, and we are saved by grace through faith. This meant giving up the Apostolic “false holiness standards.” I understood that the Methodist member interpreted our “standards of holiness” as legalism, but I had to realize this for myself. Before I knew it, I was going back to my previous organization telling them: “I want to preach Romans 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” for conversion as the only requirement for salvation, but without the legalism and without standards.
As a result of my sermon on August 7th, lately, we had a girl that came forward to call upon the name of the Lord, and to do it without legalism. She expressed: “Because we are saved by grace through faith, I want to make just the faith statement calling on the name of the Lord without legalism for conversion. I want to come, make the faith statement, wear a miniskirt, and do it bare-legged.” We communicated a lot about this in the office. One staff member was concerned. Yet, the senior pastor’s wife mentioned: “That because we believe that we are saved by grace through faith; that a Methodist would do that (wear a miniskirt), even after the Scripture on I Tim. 2:9.” Now, what matters is the sincerity in the heart. One staff member said, “It’s okay for her to wear the miniskirt. She can be bare-legged.” Another staff member mentioned, “Just the faith statement is required for conversion.” And of course, our staff mentioned: we are a church that believes that we are saved by grace through faith without legalism, and salvation is for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. And, we are saved with just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, without legalism.
Conclusion:
I conclude with another rich reality of the gospel. Others have wondered about how one is confirmed, experiences affirmation, or becomes sure of their salvation. Just like John Wesley studied out instantaneous conversions throughout his Greek New Testament, he found nothing other than instantaneous conversions. I too was like John Wesley wondering about how and when one is confirmed. After much intense and thorough study of my Greek New Testament, I came to realize nothing other than calling on the name of the Lord confirms one’s salvation. I also observed from reading throughout the whole Bible that water baptism, tongues, and legalism has no assurance of salvation. Calling upon the name of the Lord is the only condition observed in Scripture of someone receiving the assurance, “Shall be Saved” (future tense for saving action now of Christ’ work completed in one event in the past). I would have lost my pastoral license and ordination immediately from my previous group (e.g., United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), Apostolic Movement) with what I’m about to preach:
1. I am absolutely convinced that we are saved by grace through faith without legalism.
2. I believe salvation is for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.
3. I believe conversion occurs instantaneously the moment you make just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord. You shall be saved when you call on the name of the Lord for God to save you.
4. Bare faith alone justified Abraham alone, and he called on the name of the Lord before the law. He called on the name of the Lord with just the bare faith statement, without any rules, even without any ‘standards of holiness,’ even without circumcision, and it occurred in the Old Testament.
5. Therefore, we are saved with bare faith that God raised Christ from the dead.
6. We call upon the name of the Lord: without legalism, without being strict, without water baptism, without doctrinal conformity, without specific ritual procedures, without speaking in tongues, without false “standards of holiness,” and without any rigid conformity of any kind.
7. Now, I believe, For Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED.
[Altar Call Instructions: Motivate people to have faith, believe in the resurrection, and call on the name of the Lord with the promise “Shall be saved.” Emphasize that just the faith statement, calling on the name of the Lord, is required to experience conversion and do it without legalism.]
