Sixth Grade Lessons, Block 4—The Way of Salvation
Week 19
The Act of Believing
Reading Reference: Truth Lessons, Level 1, Vol. 3, lesson 31; Rom. 10:14-15, 9; 1 Cor. 15:14, 17; Rom. 10:10, 13; Psa. 81:10
Memory Verse: That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Suggested Songs:
Scripture Reading: Rom. 10:14-15, 9; 1 Cor. 15:14, 17; Rom. 10:10, 13; Psa. 81:10
Points to Emphasize
In Romans 10:14-15 Paul says, “How then shall they call upon 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 one who preaches? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” Therefore, believing is produced through hearing the word of the truth of the gospel.
- Believing with the Heart—Rom. 10:9
In the act of believing, man first believes with his heart. If man believes with his heart that God has raised the Lord Jesus from among the dead, he is justified (Rom. 10:9-10). The Bible does not ask us to believe in the death of the Lord Jesus; it only tells us to believe in His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:14, 17).
In Romans 10:10 Paul says clearly that with the heart man believes unto righteousness. Therefore, when man believes with the heart that God has raised the Lord Jesus from among the dead, the result is righteousness. This means that the righteousness of God is counted as the righteousness of those who believe in the Lord Jesus.
If we want to be justified, that is, to have the righteousness of God, we must believe with our heart that God has raised the Lord Jesus from among the dead.
- Confessing with the Mouth—Rom. 10:10
Romans 10:9 and 10 reveal clearly that believing is an activity with two aspects, an inward aspect and an outward aspect. The inward aspect is to believe in our heart the fact that Jesus Christ was raised up from among the dead by God. The outward aspect is to confess audibly and openly the Lord Jesus, calling upon His name. This confessing and calling results in salvation before men, for others can see that we have been saved.
In the act of believing, man also confesses with his mouth. If we confess with our mouth, “Lord Jesus,” we will be saved (Rom. 10:9-10). To believe is not only to believe with our heart that God has raised the Lord Jesus from among the dead, but also to confess with our mouth, “Lord Jesus,” before men. Hence, if we desire to be saved through faith, we need to confess the Lord Jesus and call upon His name. This will result in our salvation (Rom. 10:13).
God created us as vessels fit for containing Him. As vessels we have an opening—our mouth. Hence, we should open our mouth wide that we may receive Christ (Psa. 81:10). In order to be saved we need to call upon the name of the Lord [Use an example of a bottle with a cap to show that without removing the cap the bottle cannot be filled.]