Calling on the Name of the Lord - 7/26/09pm

Romans 10:1-21 -Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
Matthew 7:21-23 -Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord
Calling on the name of the Lord is linked to confessing Christ, and of course, salvation. However, we know from the passage in Matthew that it is not simply giving vocal acknowledgement of the Lord. Let us consider, again, some of the psalms which call upon the Lord.

Psalm 18:1-3 -David calls upon the Lord in praise
Psalm 31:9-18 -David calls upon the Lord
Psalm 105:1-7 -Giving thanks, praise, calling on the Lord
Psalm 141:1-10 -A prayer to be kept from sin
Psalm 148:17-21 -The Lord is near those who call upon Him
We see that calling on the Lord includes spoken confession, but goes far deeper. Calling on the Lord involves confessing Christ throughout all our lives, in word and in deed. Calling on the Lord involves turning to the Lord in all circumstances.

I Corinthians 1:1-3 -The church, those who call upon the Lord
II Timothy 2:14-26 -Those who call on the Lord with a pure heart
Those who truly call upon the Lord are the church, those who have been sanctified. If we wish to call upon the Lord, we must do more than simply do so vocally: we must live it.