Salaries and Gifts – A Great Bible Verse Memory Activity for Elementary School Kids
The first part of Romans 6:23 says this: “For the wages of sin is death.” This verse has always interested me because of the word “salary.” I go to work every day to earn a paycheck or salary. I work hard to earn money. But how many of us remember that our sin also brings a form of payment? The payment is death. In other words, if you want to work in sin, you will get a paycheck and your wages will be death. Oh! But praise God who sent his Son dead on the cross to pay for my sins “because the gift of God is eternal life.” Here is a fun Bible verse memory activity to play with your children to help them understand between sin and God’s gifts. It’s called “Salaries and Gifts.”
This is what you do:
For this game, you will need a large die. I made mine out of an 8 inch square box and then added colorful numbers 1-6 on the sides. You will also need 8 to 3-inch square images of a skull and crossbones to represent death and 12 to 3-inch square images of a gift. Laminate them for long-term use. Finally, you will need a copy of the questions below.
How to play:
Divide your class into teams. Have a child from the first team come up to the front and ask him a question about sin. If you answer the question correctly, you will roll the die. If he rolls a 1, 2 or 3, he wins a skull for his team and the play goes to the next team. If you roll a 4, 5 or 6, you will win a “gift” for your team. Also, if you can answer a question about God’s gifts, you can win another gift. So a team has a chance to win 2 gifts per round. After all the questions have been asked, the team with the most gifts wins.
True or false questions about sin
1. Psalm 4:4 says this: Fear, and sin not: speak from your own heart in your bed, and be still. Selah.
It is very easy to sin when we are angry. Anger is a very strong emotion. If we are angry, we should take the advice of this psalmist and meditate or think a lot about God and his Word to show us how to deal with our anger without sinning.
True or False: It is okay to sin when you are angry. (Answer: False)
2. Psalm 39:1 says this: I said, I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue: I will bridle my mouth, while the wicked stand before me.
Our tongue can get us into a lot of trouble. We must be careful that what we say does not cause us to sin.
True or False: It is possible to sin with my tongue because of what I say. (Answer: True)
3. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says this: For there is no just man on earth who does good and does not sin.
True or False: Besides Jesus, there are some people on earth who have never sinned. (Answer: False)
4. Matthew 18:15 says this: Furthermore, if your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him between you and him alone: if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
It hurts when someone does something bad against us. We might even feel like telling other people what they did to us. But this verse says that we must first go to the person who hurt us and talk to him alone. Hopefully, you will be able to resolve your issues without involving other people in the situation.
True or False: If someone sins against me, I should go and tell everyone I know. (Answer: False)
5. I John 1:9 says this: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
After we become Christians, we will probably continue to sin. It will not be until we die and get rid of our fleshly bodies that we will stop sinning forever. Until then, this verse shows us that when we sin, we need to go to God and confess our wrongdoing. When we do, God will be faithful to forgive us.
True or False: If we confess our sins to God, God will be too lazy to forgive us. (Answer: False)
6. Romans 6:12 says this: Let sin therefore not reign in your mortal body, so that you obey it in its lusts.
As Christians, we must stay away from all sin in our lives. We certainly must not allow it to rule or have power over us.
True or False: We must not obey the evil desires of sin. (Answer: True)
7. Romans 6:14 says this: For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under law, but under grace.
As Christians, we no longer have to let sin dominate us or have power over us. Jesus was victorious over the power of sin when he died on the cross. God showered his grace on us by sending Jesus to the cross to die for our sins.
True or False: Even if I am a Christian, sin will always rule me. (Answer: False)
8. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says this: He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Jesus never sin Not once. However, He willingly took responsibility for our sins so that God would see us as righteous and sinless.
True or False: Jesus never sin (Answer: True)
9. James 1:13-15 says this: When someone is tempted, let him not say that he is tempted by God; because God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone: every man is tempted when he is attracted. of his own lust, and he seduced. Then, when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, being consummated, gives birth to death.
God will never tempt you to sin. God always and only has the best wishes for you.
True or False: Sometimes God will tempt me to sin. (Answer: False)
10. John 8:34 says this: Jesus answered them: Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a servant of sin.
Every slave has a master. If you allow sin in your life, you will be a slave and sin will be your master.
True or False: A person who sins is a slave to sin. (Answer: True)
11. And so that your sins may be erased, when the times of refreshment come from the presence of the Lord.
Repenting of your sins means that you choose not to do that bad thing again. Turning to God will allow his sins to be completely blotted out, forever.
True or False: Repenting of my sins means that I keep doing bad things. (Answer: False)
12. Acts 10:43 says this: All the prophets bear witness to him, that all who believe in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.
The name of Jesus is powerful to save us from our sins. No other name can do this miracle!
True or False: The name of Billy Graham can take away my sins. (Answer: False)
True or false questions about gifts
1. John 14:27 says this: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you: I do not give it to you as the world gives it. Not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
As Christians we can have peace in our lives even when things are difficult because we know that life here on earth is not the end of our existence. Jesus is the true giver of peace.
True or False: I can only have peace when things are going well. (Answer: False)
2. John 15:9 says this: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: abide in my love.
God loves Jesus more than we can imagine. Jesus loves you and me more than we can imagine too!
True or False: Jesus loves me! (Answer: True)
3. Matthew 11:28 says this: Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Life can get quite difficult and exhausting at times, but God promises to give us rest if we turn to Him with all our worries and burdens.
True or False: When we are tired and worn out from life, God will give us rest. (Answers: True)
4. John 10:28 says this: And I give them eternal life; and they will never perish, nor will anyone snatch them out of my hand.
As Christians, even if one day our bodies die, we are promised eternal life with God forever and ever.
True or False: Eternal life only lasts a thousand years. (Answer: False)
5. Job 32:8 says this: But spirit is in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
There is so much to learn in this life that has been given to us. Where do we get the knowledge and understanding we need? From God, of course!
True or False: Understanding comes from watching television all day. (Answer: False)
6. Ecclesiastes 2:26a says this: For God gives to man who is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy…
True or False: True wisdom, knowledge, and happiness come from the Tooth Fairy. (Answer: False)
7. Luke 11:9 says this: And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek and you shall find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
There is so much that God wants to give us. But it is important to ask him for the things we need and want and seek him out. And when we knock on his door, he will answer us.
True or False: God wants us to ask for the things we need and want. (Answer: True)
8. James 1:5 says this: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives abundantly to all without finding fault; and it will be given to you.
Being smart is good, but being wise is better. Knowing how to do the right thing at the right time comes from God.
True or False: If I need wisdom, I should ask God for it. (Answer: True)
9. Ezekiel 11:19 says this: And I will give you one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh, and I will give them a heart of flesh.
Before we were Christians, our hearts were like stones. But when we ask Jesus into our lives, God promises to give us a new heart dedicated to Him.
True or False: When we ask Jesus to come into our lives, God promises to give us a new liver. (Answer: False)
10. Luke 11:13 says this: If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?
The Bible says that the Holy Spirit guides us, teaches us and comforts us among other things. What a great gift God has given us by giving us his Holy Spirit.
True or False: One of the good gifts that God gives us is the Holy Spirit. (Answer: True)
11. Psalm 136:25 says this: He who gives sustenance to all flesh, for his mercy endures forever.
What is your favorite food? No matter what it is, God is the one who gives it to you.
True or False: My food does not come from God; It comes from McDonald’s. (Answer: False)
12. Deuteronomy 8:18 says this: But you shall remember the Lord your God, for he is the one who gives you power to get riches, in order to confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as on this day.
Wealth and money don’t last forever, but they come from God who knows what we need while we live here on earth.
True or False: Wealth only comes from my hard work. (Answer: False)