Many teachers and preachers take Romans Chapter 10:8-13 out of context to declare another way to salvation. But it isn’t another way to salvation as will be proven in this lesson. It is used by the baptism deniers to prove that baptism isn’t necessary in order to be saved. Such use of the verse is in plain contradiction to all that is written in the scriptures concerning how to be saved, especially Romans Chapter 6:3-6.

When all that is written concerning baptism is examined, it stands to reason that the assembly of God’s people at Rome came into existence the same way as the assembly recorded in Acts Chapter 2. Those in Rome who heard the message obeyed the gospel as those did that day Peter preached the first gospel message. To suggest anything else is conjecture and patently false.

The Roman letter contrasts several ideologies with the gospel. There were those in the church who were perverting the message, creating conflicts by trying to follow the law and pagan doctrines, practicing all manner of behaviors and sin believing that since they were under grace they could ignore the holy requirements of the gospel of Christ. Paul had to remind them of who they were, why they were and how they became that way as members of the body of Christ. He told them that righteous didn’t come though the law but rather through the gospel of Christ. In Romans 4:13 Paul reminded the church of the gospel message that they all had obeyed, For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. They were attempting to bring other things into the gospel and thereby subverting it.

Keep in mind that the Roman letter was written to the saved, not the lost or unsaved. Since there isn’t one word in the Bible, one verse or series of verses that teach otherwise, we must conclude that the assemblies (churches) in the various communities came into existence through the members being baptized, and anyone who teaches that such is not true is a false teacher. Paul addressed the Roman brethren in Chapter 6:3-6 to remind them of how they became members of the body of Christ and to lay the foundation for what was to follow and to bring into focus what he said in the chapters preceding Chapter 6. Chapter 6 is the pivotal chapter of the letter since being raised to newness of life is the believer’s beginning walk with Christ, verse 4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  It contrasts the way of righteousness in Christ with the old life of living in and practicing sin.

 Paul continued his teaching in Romans 10:8-13. Contrary to popular belief, the verses are not a new way to be saved. As was written in paragraph 3 above, Paul continued to remind them of who they were, why they were and how they became that way as members of the body of Christ. What would be the reason for him to tell them of a new way to be saved when they had already obeyed the gospel and were saved? What would be the reason that Paul would tell the lost how to be saved differently from what the Romans were told in the preaching of the gospel which includes the necessity of baptism? That would have made Paul a false teacher.

The term call upon (KJV) in verses 12 and 13 and call on in verse 14 are  translations of epikaleow and means to invoke or appeal to someone (Jesus) as a basis for a decision to be made or for some action to be taken; or a reference to that which has already taken place in reference to someone (Jesus). The context will determine which one is the correct meaning. (Call upon is used three times in three verses; call on is used 5 times in five verses, the word calling twice in Acts 7:59 and 22:16 all translated from epikaleow. In Acts 7:59, as Stephen was dying he called upon Jesus, which was his statement of faith, obedience and reliance on who saved him. Call upon or call on is always a reference to Jesus or God for the purpose of showing faith by following his commandments to be saved and also the showing of faith in Jesus after salvation. It was a common term or phrase in that day, and did not render the doctrine of baptism for remission of sins obsolete.

Those members in Rome had called on the name of the Lord by following his commandments when they obeyed the gospel. Paul wanted them to continue in the prayerful attitude of confession, the confession they made at the time through baptism. (Compare Acts 2:21 and verses following with Romans 10:13, Acts 10:47-48, and I Corinthians 1:2)

The next lesson will begin at verse 8 to develop the context of 8-13, concentrating on the meaning of the word confess/confession and continuing with what Paul wrote in the verses following.

© 02-15-2011 DEC

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