Well-Equipped Volunteer: Train & Grow Your Children's Ministry Volunteers

Sharing the Gospel with Kids – Talking about Salvation Part 2

BELIEVE IN JESUS

Believing in Jesus means that you believe true things about Him. You believe that He is God’s Son, that He never sinned, that He died on the cross, that He was punished for your sin, that He is alive and living today. You believe that He is the only one who can save you and bring you to heaven to live forever with God.

But believing in Jesus is not just about knowing and agreeing with true things about Jesus.

Illustration: For example, let’s pretend that I am on vacation. I have decided to go scuba diving. I’m in the boat in the middle of the ocean, but before I can get any of my gear on, a freak storm comes up and our boat sinks. I am in the water with nothing. I need someone to save me. A rescue helicopter arrives and a man jumps out wearing the full gear. Now, I can believe that this man is a fully trained rescue diver, but if I am afraid to swim to him and hang on to him and let him get me safely out of the water, I am showing that I do not really believe in his ability to rescue me. If I believe that he is good at his job, I should trust in his ability to rescue me and not be afraid. That is a little like what it means to believe in Jesus. (Use an inflatable saving device as a prop.)

Believing in Jesus means that you trust him to save your life. You are depending on him. You are putting all your confidence in him. You believe he died on the cross for YOU not just for other people. You believe that he will bring YOU to heaven to live forever with God.

So, to believe in Jesus (or trust in Jesus or put faith in Jesus) to depend completely on what He has done in his death and resurrection for my sin, so that my hope of being right before God is all because of Jesus and has nothing to do with any good thing I might ever say or do.

This faith we put in Jesus involves a hope in Jesus and a love for Jesus that leads us to obey Jesus.

Repentance and belief always go together. If you believe in Jesus (if you trust Jesus) you will also repent of your sins. If you truly repent, you will also live to obey Jesus, trusting Him to save your life and help you live for Him.

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

The next post is all about talking with kids about what it means to follow Jesus.

Check out the other blogposts in this series!


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