While it is common to talk about the tenses of salvaiton, the already/not-yet of salvation, in Paul’s letters, it strikes me as odd how obviously Paul tends to view salvation as a future hope in Romans. That is, it strikes me as odd how people seem to ignore this:

• Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God (Romans 5.9).
• For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life (Romans 5.10).
• Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed (Romans 13.11).

Then there is Romans 8.24 which uses “saved” as a past event or present status and yet…

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

So we are “saved” when we have reason to hope for salvation. Kind of like God handing us a check.

Now consider Romans 10.8-13:

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Here we have statements that could be interpreted as immediate or future, with one possible exception. But I wonder. When someone calls on the name of the Lord is that only effective if God answers immediately? Romans 5.9, 10 would indicate that one believes in Jesus and is justified and then is promised salvation. One calls on the name of the Lord and then one is saved. In the meantime we experience the frustration Paul describes in Romans 8 but with the confidence and hope that we will see what we were promised.

There are some other uses of “saved” and “salvation” in Israel which work well with the conventional understanding, but I don’t think they contradict the above.