Paul so vividly described the process of salvation when he wrote his letter to Rome. “For whoever calls on 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” (Rom. 10:13-14)? The plan is so simple that it is amazing how complex men have made it.
You cannot be saved without calling on the Lord. This is far more than simply acknowledging Him as Lord and praying to Him. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven . . .” (Matt. 7:21). It is obvious that though Paul had seen the Lord on the road to Damascus, had submitted to His will, and had been praying to the Lord (Acts 9:6, 11) that he had not been saved by this. He had not called on the Lord (Acts 22:16).
You cannot be saved without believing. Far too many say that at the moment one believes in Jesus he is saved, yet this verse shows that they are two separate actions. After one has believed he can call on the Lord.
You cannot believe without hearing. This simple affirmation by Paul shows that God does not operate directly on the heart of a sinner, convict him of his sins, and turn him to God. His simple plan is for everyone who believes to have had that faith produced by hearing. It is foolish for one to sit, waiting for God to tell him when it is time to turn to God. He’s already told us when that time is in His word (2 Cor. 6:2)!
You cannot hear without a preacher. That “preacher” might be Peter, Paul, Matthew, John or some other writer of the New Testament. When the church at Jerusalem was scattered by persecution, those “preachers” were men and women who taught the lost and produced faith in the hearts of lost mankind (Acts 8:4).
You cannot preach without being sent. The primary “sender” is Jesus who has told every Christian to teach the lost around them (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15). The early church, unlike so many Christians today, understood they were part of that simple plan.
Think about it. If men are not calling on the Lord, is it because you have not heeded the words of the Sender?