Do these scriptures contradict? Mat 7:21 & Rom 10:13?

Question

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

help! I don't understand!

I am not attacking the faith. I am reading the bible and having a little more trouble than the rest of you in understanding how all these scriptures work together. Vic, I was just asking for someone to teach me not attack me

Thank you, believers, that makes alot of sense. I am truly needing help with bible study. Is there a place where a beginner who has trouble and needs the bible taught to them can get some beginner learning materials or something?

Answer 1

No, Matthew 7:21 and Romans 10:13 do not contradict each other. People can (and do) call unto the Lord -- God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit -- in times of extreme distress or use His name as a curse (breaking the third commandment, Exodus 20:7), and they do it without knowing who He really is. Or they do know and just don't care.

What Jesus cautions against in that passage from the Sermon on the Mount is the appearance of false piety -- that is, are we doing good just to do good or out of genuine love for God? Read Mathew 7:22-23: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. Without the right motives, without the Lord at center stage in our lives rather than as an audience member, all that we claim to do in His name is useless.

The Lord knows our motives; Romans 10:13 isn't a coverall for whoever calls on His name because the person who calls may not know Who He is. Reading further in that passage (14-15), How 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? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? In this context, a preacher can be anyone who knows AND believes what the Lord has said and goes to tell others -- anyone who witnesses.

The will of our Father in heaven is to share Him with all the world (the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20) and be the example of Him and His love while we're in it. We can't do that without knowledge, we can't do that without honesty, and we ultimately can't do that without love, as He has loved us.

For further Bible study helps, there's two web sites I recommend: Rapture Ready, which deals with salvation and many other Christian beliefs, and God's View, an online concordance and commentary

Answer 2

Matthew 7:21 is referring to people who claim to be followers of the Lord, but are really not. When those people come to Judgement Day, they shall see Jesus and call him Lord, but they are not true followers of Christ, and therefore they shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Romans 10:13 refers to those who call upon the name of Jesus, and accept Him as Lord.

When someone does not call upon the name of Jesus here on Earth, but then says it when they are at Judgement Day..it's too late. Even if someone calls upon the name of the Lord right before their last breath, they shall be saved.

Answer 3

These scriptures are not contradictory. They are speaking to 2 different audiences basically. It's important to read scripture in context by reading the scriptures before and after the one you're focusing on. Better yet, read the entire chapter. Also helpful are Bibles in other translations, specifically, the New International Version (NIV). Reading from the NIV Bible and then going back to the Kings James Version helps me understand what is being communicated in the King James Version a lot better. I have the New International Version Life Application Study Bible by Zondervan. It is an excellent resource.

Answer 4

I don't think that these contradict. In Rom 10:13, this provides a sort of "first step" to salvation...meaning you need to call upon the Lord. Mat 7:21 gives a sort of guide as to what you do after you have called upon the Lord...meaning you have to be sincere in your desire to connect with the Lord.

Both of these together mean that people who call upon the Lord and are genuine in his/her desire to follow the Lord's word and teachings will receive what they ask for. If you call upon the Lord but are not sincere, you may not get any response from the Lord. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Thank you for your sincerity and meekness.
These 2 scriptures do not contradict as it is that no part of God's word contradict itself.
Matthew 7:21 is showing that one must work according to God's will not just performing great works. Those who does this will be rejected. While Romans 10:13 is encouraging us to look towards God for salvation. The context of the chapter could help you to understand. Roman 10:8-10 shows that while it is believing that makes one righteous, that alone cannot give salvation but confessing with your mouth.
This agree with Matthew 7:21 that faith and obedience to God is needed because this is what makes you righteous. But if you do not believe and perform powerful works in Christ name it is in vain. So Both must be achieved that is faith and work. Those hoping and calling on God by doing what he wants will be saved but those doing what they like without trusting in God and doing his will, will be rejected. So this 2 scriptures complement not contradicts.
For a proper study of the Bible contact Jehovah's Witnesses in your area they know the Bible better and stick to its teaches rather than religious traditions.

Answer 6

It isn't just the saying, it is the doing.

I can make a step of faith and declare I will accept and follow Jesus, but then I have to do it. Paul was telling the Romans how to get in the door. Jesus was saying you don't just get in, you have to live it. Paul was not a contradiction, he lived it and said things like "Follow me as I follow Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Romans 10:13 says "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved". The "Lord" is boss, he rules your life. But notice what is said in 10:16, "But they have not all obeyed the gospel"--the context was saying how Jesus' direct kin, the Jews were not, speaking generally, accepting of Jesus.as their Messiah, the Christ, the promised One that God would send. They would claim God, through Moses, but not God's Son (see John 5:44-47).

In Matthew 21:28-31, "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain [which of the two] did the will of his father?" God is interested in obedience. He is God and you belong to Him. For those who obey Him, read Romans 8:38-39, "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Are you IN? Then live it. Don't want to live it? Then you aren't IN.
(But while He can be a hard boss, He is a very forgiving boss--see 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"). You'll do okay. If you make it a fire escape (I don't want to go to hell), it will be difficult keeping all the rules. But if you make it a friend/lover thing, he will overlook an amazing lot of failings, real or imaginary--and most of the failings Christians are accused of are imaginary, often from those who aren't even Christians and don't really know what God expects. You start as a child, with a child's expectations, then you grow up.

Answer 7

Jesus is referring to the fake Christians if you will you know the ones that on the outside they appear to be good but really their the devils little helpers also your false prophets also and whosoever shall call on the name of the lord shall be saved okay the ones that are fake or false people that if they repent unto god they will be saved but if they never repent then they will be denied on that day of judgment .....you really have to read into the scriptures and break them apart in order to seek the meaning but its good that you're reading gods word.

Answer 8

In Matthew, Jesus is talking about those who say they are followers but are not really in their hearts. Romans is talking about a person who in their heart sincerely calls upon the name of the Lord. God judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart and knows the difference between the sincere and the fakers.

Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) crosses denominational lines and teaches the Bible in group situations--very challenging. Search for locations on the web.

Answer 9

I can't ever believe questions to be serious inquiries or not but read down to Matt 7:23 and I think that will explain it.

And even then, you only quoted half of the sentence in verse 10:13.

We have a bad habit of pulling stuff out of the Bible and expecdting it to stand alone. That isn't how theings are read.

Answer 10

What they mean there is that merely going to church won't save you (saith unto me, Lord, Lord). You have to actually follow his rules and repent (doeth the will of my Father.)
Rom. 10:13 is an idiomatic expression. Here, "Call upon the name of the Lord" means to repent. So, no. They don't contradict. They just seem that way.

Answer 11

Good one. The thing is, there is a difference between making lip service to God, [Lord, Lord] and calling upon the power [Name] of the Lord. This is a consequence of having a book written in another language than what we are familiar with.

Hope that helps.