“11 For the Scripture says, everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
In verses 11-13 Paul takes a moment to provide security and comfort for those who have confessed and believed. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. There is no waiting period, there is no doubt or question. If you have called on the Lord Jesus to save you, confessing Him as Lord and you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you are saved. And this, Paul points out, applies to everyone whom God has chosen as His elect, not only to the Jew, but to any other people group as well.
We must praise God for this assurance of salvation through the gospel of Jesus, but what about those who do not call on the name of the Lord? How is it that anyone will know to call on the name of the Lord in the first place? Paul lays out a linear order of operations for how Christians must be involved in calling unbelievers to respond to the gospel:
1) We must send those who preach.
2) Those to whom the preacher preaches must have open ears to hear.
3) Those who hear the preacher must respond with belief.
4) Those who believe must call on God.
It is true that none of this would be possible in any human being if not for the saving work and heart change brought about by the Holy Spirit. However, Christians do have a very important, God ordained role in evangelism and are allowed by God to be involved in the salvation of His elect. Those who are obedient to God’s call to evangelism will be blessed. It is as Paul says in v. 15b, where he quotes Isaiah:
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace, who brings news of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”” — Isaiah 52:7