Why does God expect people to say things out loud instead of only thinking them?
God expects verbal confession because He is a communicator and seeks a spoken acknowledgment of truth, not merely a private mental assent. Romans 10:9 calls for confessing with the mouth, communicating to God and others, and verbalizing the steps of recognizing sin and salvation.
Les explains from Romans 10:9 that God expects a person to confess with the mouth, communicating this not only to Himself but also to others. God is a communicator and expects us to verbalize these things. Many people have only a mental assent, saying they believe in God, but that is not what God is looking for. He is looking for a verbalization of the various steps, including telling Him out loud that you recognize from Scripture that you are a sinner.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
More Questions
Is just saying 'I believe in God' enough, or does God want more?
A mere mental assent—saying 'I believe in God'—is not what God is looking for.
Is mentally believing in God enough, or does God want more?
A mental ascent such as merely saying 'I believe in God' is not what God is looking for; God is looking for a verbalization of all the various steps.