John Nelson Darby treats “calling upon the name of the Lord” as (1) the universal, faith‑expression of any sinner who believes the gospel (Rom 10:13), and (2) the characteristic mark and practical bond of all Christians everywhere (1 Cor 1:2), especially as it relates to gathering simply to Christ’s Name.[1][2]
## Romans 10:13 – universal, faith‑born calling
– In his *Notes on the Epistle to the Romans*, Darby comments on Rom 10:13 (“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”) by stressing the breadth of “whosoever”: God “had associated deliverance with calling upon His name; not with observance of law,” so that the promise is open to Jew and Gentile alike. Calling upon the Lord is thus the believer’s response to the preached word, not a legal or ritual condition.[3][1]
– Darby follows Paul’s chain (Rom 10:14–15): preaching → hearing → believing → calling, so that calling is the outward cry of a faith already produced by the gospel. It is therefore the expression of grace received, not a meritorious work that earns salvation.[1][3]
## 1 Corinthians 1:2 – identity of those who “call upon”
– Darby’s translation of 1 Corinthians 1:2 reads: “to the assembly of God which is in Corinth… with all that in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours.” In ecclesiological writings he takes this as a definition of Christians generally: all true believers are those who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, regardless of locality.[2][4][5]
– In *Is the “One Body” the Ground of Gathering?*, Darby appeals to this verse to argue that the practical ground of Christian fellowship is not a denominational label but the fact that people are “those who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.” The phrase therefore becomes a functional description of the universal church: all who invoke Christ as Lord form one body, and gatherings should recognize that reality.[2]
## Moral and devotional use: calling “out of a pure heart”
– In his letters, Darby cites 2 Timothy 2:22 (“call on the Lord out of a pure heart”), exhorting believers to separate from iniquity and pursue fellowship with “them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.” Here “calling on the Lord” is equated with sincere Christian life and communion, contrasted with mere profession.[6]
– Darby’s broader Bible arrangements and translation work highlight texts like Acts 2:21 and Acts 9:14, 21 (believers known as those who “call upon this name”), reinforcing the idea that calling on the Lord is both worship (prayer) and identity (what Christians *are*).[7][8]
Sources
[1] Notes On The Epistle To The Romans – John Nelson Darby https://biblecentre.org/
[2] Is The “One Body” The Ground Of Gathering? https://plymouthbrethren.org/
[3] Romans 10 (KJV) – Bible Truth Library https://bibletruthpublishers.
[4] 1 Corinthians 1:1–2 (DARBY) – Paul, a called… – Biblia https://biblia.com/bible/
[5] 1 Corinthians 1:2 Chain Links: To God’s church that was made holy … https://biblehub.com/chain/1_
[6] Letters of John Nelson Darby, Volume 1, Letter 287F, of 1,031 … https://
[7] Acts 2 (JND) – Bible Truth Library https://bibletruthpublishers.
[8] Romans 10:13 Commentaries: for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE … https://biblehub.com/
[9] Preface to the Vevay New Testament, 1859 – Bible Truth Publishers https://bibletruthpublishers.
[10] Romans 10:13 (KJV) “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the … https://www.facebook.com/
[11] 1 Corinthians 1:2 – Bible Gateway https://www.biblegateway.com/
[12] JESUS – a Name which is above Every Name – A Day of Small Things https://adoss.co.uk/jesus-
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be Saved … https://www.facebook.com/
[14] Calling on the name of the Lord Jesus – Andrew Perriman https://www.postost.net/2017/
[15] Romans 10 – Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible – StudyLight.org https://studylight.org/
