Calling on the Name of the Lord

[Chateau d'If]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

...or do we stand there twiddling our thumbs expecting God to pick us up and transport us to where He says to go?

Salvation is a gift. We have the option of taking it or refusing it. But God is the one who saves. If we could save ourselves we wouldn't need Him at all.

We confess. We cry out for help. We believe He is willing and able to save us. By doing so we lay hold of the actions of our rescuer.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Chateau d'If

Salvation is a gift. We have the option of taking it or refusing it. But God is the one who saves. If we could save ourselves we wouldn't need Him at all.

We confess. We cry out for help. We believe He is willing and able to save us. By doing so we lay hold of the actions of our rescuer.

Sure, I agree with that, to some extent. But...you need someone to do the baptizing. Jesus was our example when he allowed John to baptize Him.



13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Consider the Ethiopian Eunuch...powerful scripture here: Acts 8:26-39

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

[Chateau d'If]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

Sure, I agree with that, to some extent. But...you need someone to do the baptizing. Jesus was our example when he allowed John to baptize Him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Consider the Ethiopian Eunuch...powerful scripture here: Acts 8:26-39

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Did John save Jesus?

Also, look at how one "obeys the gospel."

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith is the required action. It's how we obey the gospel. Baptism is because of, not for, salvation.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Chateau d'If

Did John save Jesus?

Also, look at how one "obeys the gospel."

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith is the required action. It's how we obey the gospel. Baptism is because of, not for, salvation.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

I see you trying to make a point about having "faith", but is faith really an action? What remits sin? Faith?

Jesus had no need to be "saved". He was baptized for an example to us. Matthew 3:13-17
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Why would people notwant to be baptized in Jesus Name if the opportunity is there to do so?

I've seen invalids get baptized using physical therapy lifts that dunked them into the water with the Name of Jesus being called over them. Those people would not have traded that experience for all the world's riches.

Now it might be a different story if there was no opportunity such as the thief on the cross. That is God's prerogative to whom He saves and how.

[J4Truth]

Originally Posted by Chateau d'If

If I am drowning and I grab onto the hand of the lifeguard as he reaches for me, am I saving myself?

Effectively, yes and no.

On the one hand you could choose to drown and reject the hand of the Lifeguard. By grabbing on the hand of the lifeguard you effectively chose to live and thus saved yourself from certain death.

But on the other hand the without the Lifeguard offering salvation you have no means of being saved. You see without the lifeguard, even if you chose not to drown, there's no salvation. He saves you from drowning where at first you had no hope of salvation.

[NorCal]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

I tried the "calling on the Name of the Lord" hoping to be saved. However, I always felt like there was something more to it than just calling on the Lord. When God led me to a UPC church to be baptized in the Name of Jesus, that is when I knew I had found Him.

Too bad so many UPC throw their converts away over non issues for salvation. I'd still be there right now if it weren't for the non-issues.

With over 100 million (confirmed) people baptized in Jesus Name world wide, I think you can find a Church that does Baptized in Jesus Name. UPC is only about 5 Million. Just a small fraction.

[Michael The Disciple]

The Holy Ghost had just fell.

2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 2:15 For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day. 2:16 But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:

2:17 ‘It will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions.
Your old men will dream dreams.
2:18 Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days,
I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
2:19 I will show wonders in the sky above,
and signs on the earth beneath;
blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
2:20 The sun will be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood,
before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
2:21 It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’*

In context calling on the name of YHWH is about receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. To Peter that was salvation. Thats his purpose in his Pentecostal sermon. The reason Jesus came into the world died and rose again was not only for the removal of sins but so the Holy Spirit would be given, that all who receive could be one with Messiah.

One calls on the name of YHWH in repentance and baptism. One calls on his name to receive the Spirit. Its summed up in Acts 2:38. New Testament salvation preached by the Apostles is not the same as Evangelical Protestantism.

One could start their journey just be calling on the name but it would not be the new creation experience of the New Testament Church.

[NorCal]

Originally Posted by Chateau d'If

Did John save Jesus?

Also, look at how one "obeys the gospel."

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith is the required action. It's how we obey the gospel. Baptism is because of, not for, salvation.

Incorrect. Baptism is FOR the Remission of Sins. It is not just a "Faith in Christ" statement. (Acts 2:38.)

Jesus told us in Mark 16:16 - Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Notice the keyword in the sentence. AND. Believes AND is baptized. You can not be saved with out being baptized. That word and is KAI. It can be said as AND or EVEN. So let us read it in a different manner.

"Whoever believes, even baptized, will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

So you could equate Baptism in Jesus Name as believing on Jesus Christ for Salvation.

Either way you look at it, to be saved you MUST be baptized to be saved.

[TGBTG]

Originally Posted by NorCal

Incorrect. Baptism is FOR the Remission of Sins. It is not just a "Faith in Christ" statement. (Acts 2:38.)

Jesus told us in Mark 16:16 - Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Notice the keyword in the sentence. AND. Believes AND is baptized. You can not be saved with out being baptized. That word and is KAI. It can be said as AND or EVEN. So let us read it in a different manner.

"Whoever believes, even baptized, will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

So you could equate Baptism in Jesus Name as believing on Jesus Christ for Salvation.

Either way you look at it, to be saved you MUST be baptized to be saved.

FYI: I believe water baptism is to be obeyed by new converts. But just for talking sake, let's look at the amount of times Jesus stress believing in Him to be saved.

John 3:18
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

(Please note when Jesus says a person passes from DEATH unto LIFE)

John 6
28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

John 6:47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Just to mention a few...

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by NorCal

With over 100 million (confirmed) people baptized in Jesus Name world wide, I think you can find a Church that does Baptized in Jesus Name. UPC is only about 5 Million. Just a small fraction.

Sister, I don't think you read my post correctly.
This is what I wrote:

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?
I tried the "calling on the Name of the Lord" hoping to be saved. However, I always felt like there was something more to it than just calling on the Lord. When God led me to a UPC church to be baptized in the Name of Jesus, that is when I knew I had found Him.

Too bad so many UPC throw their converts away over non issues for salvation. I'd still be there right now if it weren't for the non-issues.
***************
After I researched several churches, I was baptized in the Lovely Name of Jesus in late 1981.