The Simplicity of the Gospel
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. -Romans 10:13
The simplicity of the gospel is this: if you call out to the Lord, He’ll save you. While it is true there are a few basic facts to understand in this salvation, they are so simple that even a child can understand them.
The problem and the solution
The first and main fact that must be understood is that we need help. It wouldn’t occur to too many people to call upon the name of the Lord to be saved if they don’t know what they are being saved from. Yet, who can fully understand the terrors of hell, or the depravity of sin? All that is necessary is to see that we have a need—an earnest need—and that we may take this need to the Lord.
Secondly, we must take our need to the Lord and trust in Him by calling upon His name. This is an equally critical point to recognizing our need: finding and calling out to the correct person that is capable of saving us. If we are deceived, and have a false god, or an imagined god, it won’t do us any good if we call out to him/her to be saved. We must call on the name of the one true Lord and Savior, which is Jesus Christ. And as Christians, it’s our job to share this simple message, and this simple Name with people in the world.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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? -Romans 10:13-14
Jesus saves
There are, even in the brief accounts found in the New Testament, stories of a number of people who have been saved by calling upon the name of Jesus. No comprehensive theological training is necessary. A person must simply see their need for a savior, and call out to Jesus to be saved.
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. -Proverbs 18:10
The first example is the thief on the cross. He was crucified along with Jesus. Jesus died an innocent and undeserving death, yet this thief was dying justfully for his crimes. Yet still, in his dying moments, he cried out to Jesus and asked Him for mercy: and he was saved:
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. -Luke 23:42-43
The second example of the simplicity of the gospel, and its unfailing effectiveness, is seen in some of the disciples that were in Ephesus. They were still new in the faith, and didn’t understand very many things, yet they were still saved, and were still referred to as “disciples.” Look at this revealing dialogue between those disciples and Paul:
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. -Acts 19:2
They hadn’t even heard of the Holy Ghost, the third person in the Trinity! Yet they were still saved.
Spiritual growth
Even though the gospel is simple, and the path to heaven is plain, (though it’s seldom traversed by most people of the world because of pride and self-sufficiency), God does not want us to remain as simpletons. He wants to redeem us, but He also wants to make us wise, and build us up for His great work.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. -Psalms 19:7
When we are initially saved, we’re not expected to know everything and understand all the mysteries of God. Yet, with God’s help, and with His Spirit illuminating our hearts, we are to make progress. When we’re born again, we begin as babies and children in the Lord: we are called to grow in the Lord. God has a meaningful and productive spiritual adulthood planned for us. He has a purpose and a path for us to take.
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: -Ephesians 4:14-15
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