Call

The act of calling upon the name of the Lord is presented in Scripture as the foundational expression of true religion and relationship with God. The practice of calling upon God's name began in the generation of Enosh (Genesis 4:26) and continues as a defining mark of the covenant people throughout both Testaments. Paul quotes Joel's promise — "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13) — as the ground of universal gospel proclamation. The term also encompasses God's call to individuals for salvation, service, or prophetic mission, a sovereign initiative running through the narratives of Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, and the apostles. The New Testament epistles frequently describe believers as those who are "called" (klētos), marking divine election and vocation as the bedrock of Christian identity.