August 5–11

Romans 1–6

“The Power of God unto Salvation”

What promptings do you receive as you read Romans 1–6? These promptings could help you select from the following teaching ideas.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to share what they did in response to any invitations you gave them in last week’s lesson. For example, did they talk to their families about the shipwreck described in Acts 27 and about following the prophet?

Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

Romans 1:16–17

I can show my faith in Jesus Christ by following Him.

Paul taught that the gospel has the power to bring salvation to everyone who lives by faith in Jesus Christ. How can you help the children show their faith in Jesus Christ by following Him?

Possible Activities

• Help the children find Rome on a map. Explain that the book of Romans contains a letter that Paul wrote to Saints in Rome to help them understand gospel principles such as faith.

• Read Romans 1:17 to the children, and help them memorize the phrase “The just shall live by faith.” You could assign each child one word in the phrase and ask them to say that word when you point to them. Explain that this phrase means that we should live each day with faith in Jesus Christ. Do the children know what faith is? Show a picture of Jesus Christ and explain that we believe He is real even though we haven’t seen Him. This is faith—believing in something even though we haven’t seen it.

• Explain that we show our faith in Jesus Christ by obeying Him. Hide pictures around the room of people doing what Jesus has asked us to do. Let the children take turns finding and describing the pictures. What can we do to follow Jesus?

• Blindfold one of the children, and guide him or her across the room toward a picture of Jesus. Let each child have a turn. Help the children understand that they should follow Jesus’s teachings just as they followed your guidance.

Romans 6:1–11

Being baptized is like becoming a new person.

The children you teach are preparing for baptism. What can they learn about baptism from Paul’s instruction to “walk in newness of life”?

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to repeat the phrase “Walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Explain that when we are baptized, we are forgiven of our sins. We have the chance to go forward by making good choices, repenting when we make mistakes, and striving to become more like Jesus. Use this week’s activity page to teach the children that baptism helps us become a new person.

• Tell the children how you felt when you were baptized, and invite them to share experiences when they have attended a baptism. Invite them to draw pictures of themselves on their future baptism day and share what they can do to prepare for their baptisms.

• Sing with the children a song about baptism, such as “When I Am Baptized” (Children’s Songbook, 103). What do we learn about baptism from this song?

Baptism symbolizes beginning a new life as a disciple of Christ.

Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

Romans 1:16–17

I can show my faith in Jesus Christ by following Him.

Paul taught that the gospel has the power to bring salvation to everyone who lives by faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is the first principle of the gospel. It motivates us to obey the commandments. How can you help the children better understand faith?

Possible Activities

• Ask a child to find Rome on a map. Help the children understand that over the next few weeks, they will learn from letters Paul wrote to Church members in various places, beginning with his letter to the Romans.

• Write the text from Romans 1:16 on the board, replacing a few words with blanks. Ask the children to look up the scripture and fill in the blanks. Point out the phrase “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,” and invite children to share what this phrase means to them.

• Invite a child to read aloud Romans 1:17, and ask the other children to listen for a word that is repeated. What does it mean to “live by faith”? Help the children find a definition of faith in a resource such as Guide to the Scriptures, “Faith,” scriptures.lds.org. How would our lives be different if we did not have faith in Jesus Christ?

• Show the children a plant and a seed, and ask how we help a seed become a plant. Explain that when we plant and water a seed, we are showing that we have faith that it will grow. How do we show that we have faith in Jesus Christ? Consider singing a song about faith, such as “Faith” (Children’s Songbook, 96), as part of this activity.

Romans 3:23–24

We all need Jesus Christ in order to be forgiven of our sins.

Paul wanted the Romans to understand that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ and His grace. Ponder how you can teach this truth to the children.

Possible Activities

• Invite one of the children to read Romans 3:23–24. What do the children think these verses are teaching us? Explain that “grace” in verse 24 means the Savior’s gift of love and mercy, which makes it possible for us to receive forgiveness for our sins.

• Hang a treat or picture high on a wall or in another place that the children cannot reach by themselves. Let them try to reach it, and compare this to what Paul teaches in Romans 3:23. Then help them reach it. What has the Savior done for us that we cannot do for ourselves? Invite the children to share how they feel about the Savior when they think about what He has done for them.

Romans 6:1–11

Being baptized is like becoming a new person.

Paul taught that baptism symbolizes the death and Resurrection of Christ. It also symbolizes the “death” of our sinful selves and being raised up to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). We renew our commitment to walk in newness of life every time we partake of the sacrament.

Possible Activities

• Invite a child to read Romans 6:3–6. What did Paul say baptism is “in the likeness of”?

• Discuss how baptism symbolizes death and resurrection. Consider showing the video “The Baptism of Jesus” (LDS.org). Why are death and resurrection good symbols of what happens when we are baptized?

• Read together the sacrament prayers (see D&C 20:77, 79). Remind the children that when we take the sacrament, we renew the commitment we made when we were baptized to follow Jesus Christ. How does the sacrament help us “walk in newness of life”?

• Invite the children to make posters that show what it means to them to “walk in newness of life.” The children could hang these in their rooms to help them remember to make good choices.

Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to ask family members to let them know when they see the children doing something that shows faith.

Improving Our Teaching

Build the children’s confidence. To help children build confidence that they can learn the gospel on their own, praise them when they participate in class.