By Timothy W. Burnett
The words "call upon" are translated from the earlier Greek word "epikaleo." The New Thayers Greek-English Lexicon defines it as follows, "...to invoke...to call upon for one's self, in one's behalf: any one as a helper...to appeal to one, make appeal unto." (p. 239, Strong's Concordance number 1941). The Greek word "kaleo" is significant because it refers to calling upon another out loud. Anybody in the military might understand what it means to call upon a person of higher rank for help. Jesus Christ out ranks every person in the world. As it is written, "Which He [God] worked in Christ, when He raised him from the dead, and set him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come...and gave him to be the head over all to the church." (Ephesians 1:20-22).
Romans 10:8-13 includes multiple uses of figurative repetition, which places great emphasis on certain things. As we read the scripture notice how the words "mouth, heart and saved" are repeated three times.
"But what says it? 'The word is nigh thee, even in your mouth, and in your heart:' That is the word of faith which we preach" (Romans 10:8). This was quoted from Deuteronomy 30:12-14. In Romans it refers to the word being very near, even in the mouth and in the heart. The next two verses explain what the word of faith is, "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).
Verse 9 reveals that two conditions result in salvation. Verse 10 reveals the correct order the conditions follow, plus more details. It brings to light the results of each condition. To believe with the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is unto righteousness. To confess with the mouth is unto salvation. The "heart" figuratively refers to the inner depths of the mind. It is with the heart that people believe to sit in a chair without great fear of it collapsing. Think of it this way, if we can believe without doubt that a group of people in America declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776, then we can just as easily believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. According to Acts 1:22, it was important that the first apostles be witnesses of Jesus' death and resurrection. The result of their believing is recorded in Acts 2:4 where it says, "And they were all filled with holy spirit." It is just as important today as it was then.
Next week we will address the matter of what it means to "confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus," which is the condition that is unto salvation.
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