1. The History of Calling on the Name of the Lord

    1. Calling in the Old Testament

The Old Testament provides an extensive record of many who called upon the name of the Lord. Listed below are some of the prominent seekers who enjoyed this simple, basic practice of calling on the Lord.

Abraham “…And there he built an altar to Jehovah and called upon the name of Jehovah” (Gen. 12:8).
Isaac “And he built an altar there and called upon the name of Jehovah…”(Gen. 26:25).
Samson “And Samson called on Jehovah and said, O Lord Jehovah…”(Judges 16:28).
Samuel “And Samuel called to Jehovah…” (1 Sam. 12:18).
David “I call upon Jehovah, who is worthy of praise; and from my enemies I was saved” (2 Sam. 22:4).
“In my distress I called upon Jehovah and called to my God…” (2 Sam. 22:7).
Elijah “Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Jehovah, and the God who answers by fire, He will be God” (1 Kings 18:24).
Jeremiah “I called upon your name, O Jehovah…” (Lam. 3:55).

Not only did God’s Old Testament people call on the name of the Lord, but they prophesied that others would later also call on the name of the Lord.

Joel “And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved” (Joel 2:32). Although many are familiar with Joel’s prophecy regarding the Holy Spirit, not many have paid attention to the fact that receiving the outpoured Holy Spirit requires us to call on the name of the Lord. In this verse God does not pour Himself out apart from the cooperation we render Him by calling on Him. Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost and, in fact, continues to be fulfilled throughout the New Testament age.
Zephaniah “For then I will change the language of the peoples into a pure language that they may call upon the name of Jehovah” (Zeph. 3:9).

    1. Calling on the Lord in the New Testament

The New Testament believers continued to practice calling on the name of the Lord. On the day of Pentecost God poured out His Spirit and the early Christians received the Spirit by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:17, 21). As Stephen was being stoned to death, he called upon the Lord saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” (Acts 7:59). Saul of Tarsus received authority from the chief priests to bind “any who were of the Way” (Acts 9:2)—in other words, “bind all who call” (v. 14). This juxtaposition clearly indicates that all the early Christians habitually called on the Lord’s name. Their calling on the Lord was a mark that identified them as Christians. It was easy for Saul to find them and bind them because they were all calling on the Lord.

Their calling on the Lord was a mark that identified them as Christians.


As Saul was en route to Damascus with the intention of binding more of those who called on the name of the Lord, he was met by the Lord and was blinded. The Lord then sent a little disciple named Ananias to visit Saul and to speak a word from the Lord to him. Listen to what Ananias said to Saul: “And now, why do you delay? Rise up and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16, Gk.). Once Saul called on the name of the Lord Jesus, he bore the same “mark”; all the Christians could see that their persecutor had become one of their brothers. His calling on the Lord was a strong proof that he had been genuinely converted.

After Saul became the apostle Paul he, too, stressed the matter of calling on the name of the Lord. When he wrote the book of Romans, he assured the believers, “For there is no difference between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all and rich to all who call upon Him. For, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:12-13). In Romans 10:12 Paul said that the Lord is rich unto all who call on Him. By this he indicated that the way to lay hold of the riches of the Lord is to call upon Him. Then in verse thirteen he quoted Joel’s prophecy that whoever calls on the Lord’s name would be saved.


He assured the believers, “For, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”

Paul continued this emphasis of calling on the Lord in 1 Corinthians which he addressed, “the church of God which is in Corinth…with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, who is theirs and ours” (1 Cor. 1:2).

Furthermore, in 2 Timothy he charged Timothy to pursue spiritual things “with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).

By the clear, consistent, testimony of all these verses from the Word of God, it is more than evident that the first-century Christians regularly practiced calling on the name of the Lord. Throughout the Old Testament, as well as in the early years of the church, the Lord’s people faithfully called on His name.