Because everyone sins (Romans 3:23) everyone needs God’s grace.
Paul said about certain Jews: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God”(Romans 10:3).
 

We must submit to God’s righteousness to be saved. This requires obedience. Paul says in verse 16: “But they have not all obeyed the gospel.”
 

Because of our sin, we can never establish our own righteousness, but we can be obedient. We must obey the gospel. Being obedient is not the same as being without sin. Someone who is obedient strives to do the will of God. Although no children are perfect, some are obedient.
 

“The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). God’s Son was sent as Savior for those who have an obedient faith: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does those things shall live by them.’ But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, ‘ “Who will descend into the abyss?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ ”
 

Christ is the end of the law because He offers righteousness from God that depends on obedient faith rather than perfect law-keeping. In chapter 8 Paul explained: “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3, 4).
 

When Christ died on the cross He paid the price for sin. This enables God to forgive sinners without overlooking sin. Christ met the requirement of the law in our stead. Because of this grace, perfect law-keeping is no longer required. Those who have an obedient faith, who confess their faith and call on the name of the Lord can be saved.
This good news must be preached! “How then 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 unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’ ” (Romans 10:14, 15). “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
 

Before people can be saved, the good news of salvation by grace must be preached. The one who hears must believe with his heart and confess with his mouth that Jesus is the Christ.
 

After the resurrection, before ascending to the Father, Jesus commanded His followers to preach the good news to everyone in the whole world. “And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’ ” (Luke 24:45-47).
 

When Jesus appeared to the eleven as they sat at table, He told them: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15, 16).
 

Before He ascended to the Father, He said to them: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
 

Joel prophesied that after God poured out His Spirit, “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was pour out (Acts 2:1-4) and Peter preached the good news “That whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).
 

How were his hearers to call on the name of the Lord? They were told: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Later, after Saul of Tarsus believed and repented, he heard from the preacher sent to him: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
 

Thus “calling on the name of the Lord” requires that the gospel be preached, that the hearers believe it, repent, confess their faith and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins.
 

Paul was so thankful for God’s grace that he preached the gospel the rest of his life.
 

We need grateful men today who will dedicate the rest of their lives to preaching the gospel.
 

As Paul explains: “ ‘Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ How then 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?” (Romans 10:13, 14).