The Bible plainly says in Romans 10:14 that no one can call upon the name of the LORD until they first BELIEVE. So, those people in verse 14 are ALREADY SAVED, because they have already BELIEVED.
Many churches today are teaching a falsehood that you must pray to ask God to save you. They say that it is impossible to believe without also asking in prayer, but this is simply not true. Throughout the Bible we learn that lost sinners were saved by simply believing the GOOD NEWS (Gospel) of Christ. Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” This Bible verse clearly refutes Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1921-2016) and his wacky followers (e.g. William P. Grady and Robert Breaker) who falsely teach that people were saved by works in the Old Testament. Acts 10:43 plainly teaches that ALL THE PROPHETS preached salvation by faith alone in Christ. Beware of Ruckmanites!!!
Granted, there is nothing wrong with accompanying one's faith with a prayer to call upon the Lord, but it is very important to understand that it is not necessary to pray to be saved. It is common for people to pray at the time of salvation, and even to ask God to save them, but it is not required. God is already freely offering every human being His free gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life through simple childlike faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
I get frustrated when New IFB pastors use Romans 10:13 in a foolish attempt to teach that you cannot be saved unless you say a prayer. BELIEVING is enough to be saved. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
Verse 15 says, “How shall they preach”? You CANNOT preach (give testimony of) unless you first have a message to tell. The Scripture tells us, beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace! ONLY THOSE that give out the right gospel message ARE BEAUTIFUL in the eyes of the Lord. Those who preach the lies of Lordship Salvation and Wrong Repentance are preaching ANOTHER GOSPEL (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4).
The Gospel is simply this…
Here is the gospel: God says that we are sinners and that no amount of good works or behavioral changes on our part could ever make us holy enough to enter heaven. God sent His Son to pay for all of our sins. Jesus paid for our crimes by dying on the cross for us all. His dead body was buried in a grave. On the third day, Jesus arose from the dead. The instant you believe this, He knows it and He saves you. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). The free gift is based solely upon your trust in what Jesus did for you and has nothing at all to do with what you do for Him. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
SOURCE: Michael P. Bowen, “I Never Knew You,” p. xii
Romans 10:13 is simply NOT a part of the Gospel of free grace, because you get saved the moment you believe, not if and when you pray. Prayer is not necessary to be saved. The Bible is full of people who just BELIEVED and were saved. For example: Abram in Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH
