“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21

As I mentioned in my previous post, there was an immediate fulfillment of this prophecy from Joel that occurred in Judea before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Those who believed that the miracles were a sign from God to show that the gospel message was true, also believed the message of the gospel that Jesus was the Messiah. These people called upon God and followed Christ, and were physically saved from the destruction that came at the hands of the Roman empire.

But does this verse have any other significance in terms of salvation outside the events in the first century? I believe it does, but the salvation under consideration is a timely one just like it was in the first century.

First of all, Peter uses the word “whosoever” just like Jesus did with Nicodemus in John, Chapter 3. This shows that deliverance is not limited to just the Jews but any that call on God for help. Only those who feel a sense of sin and fear God will call. Remember what Jesus told Peter:

“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:17

Those that have no sense of their sin and are righteous in their own eyes see no need for the gosple because they don’t think they have done anything wrong. But those who have been changed by the new birth now have a good conscience that is convicting them of sin. These seek deliverance from guilt and assurance of safety.

The Apostle Paul uses the same terminology in Romans, Chapter 10:

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:1-3

We often only look at the Jews of the first century with the Pharisees and Sadducees in mind. These had no zeal from or toward God. They had a zeal for their interpretation of the law and their own reputation and standing. 

But there were some Jews who did have a zeal that came from God and reached back toward God. However, their natural understanding did not understand the work of Christ. They were holding on to the false teachings of their leaders and could therefore not comprehend why the Christ would need to die for their sins.

These are sick but are wanting to solve it with their own medication rather than looking to Jesus with the eye of faith. This did not take away their eternal salvation, but they certainly had no clear sight nor comfort of it.

Our call to God for help or salvation does not move God to give eternal salvation. Our desire to call shows that the new birth has already happened to us. Our call brings deliverance here and now with the comfort and assurance of the finished work of Christ, and possibly even some temporal deliverance of God’s judgments here in time.