Salvation and Atonement

ATONEMENT: the belief that Jesus' death on the cross HEALED the BROKEN relationship between GOD and MANKIND.

Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, destroyed the perfect relationship with god and mankind and introduced sin into the world.
Some Christians believe that because of this we are born with original sin.
The sins that people commit in there daily life take them further away from God.
Christians believe that God became human in Jesus to REPAIR the broken relationship and that through his death he paid the the price and attoned our sins.
This offers mankind SALVATION, which means they can live on for erternity with god in heaven after death.
Before Jesus, the JEWS often used animal sacrifices to ATONE or make up for there sins they had committed. A lamb or goat.
Jesus became the SACRIFICIAL LAMB to take upon himself he sins of the world.
His sacrifice meant that there was NO longer any need to sacrifice animals as he paid the price for human sin ONCE and for ALL.

The Last supper

Why was the last supper an important event in the life of Jesus?

Jesus was celebrating he Jewish PASSOVER festival with his disciples. But he gives this SHARED meal a new significance. He tells the disciples the BREAD they are eating represents his BODY and the WINE represents his BLOOD. He predicts his death on the cross and says sacrificing his body and blood, human sin will be forgiven. This quotation forms the basis of the euchsrist (holy communion).
The passage also contains the PROMISE of ETERNAL LIFE in heaven.

PROPHET ISAIAH

christians believe that suffering and death of Jesus was FORETOLD by Isaiah 700 years before Jesus was born. He wrote about the Messiah or suffering servent.

ISAIAH'S PROPHESIES

"Despised and rejected by mankind"

"Was pierced for our trangressions"

"He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth"

"He was lead like a lamb to the slaughter"

JESUS' LIFE

Rejected by the Jewish community and the Romans.

Nailed to the cross for our sins

mentally a physically abused (flagrum), yet he did not say a word

Carring his cross down the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha

THE RESURRECTION

The belief taht Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday conquring death.

The msot importnat event in christianty
The greatest miracle of all
Gospels all agree that on the Sunday following Jesus' crucifixion. some of Jesus followers went to his tombe.They found the stone rolled away and the body gone.

What happened next?

Jesus appeared to Mary and the eleven disciples ( Judas had killed himself).
Paul, and apostle, also claims Jesus has appeared to him.
Jesus appears on 11 occasions to more than 500 people.

Important note

The gospels in the new testament record these significant events in a similar, but not identical way.

The ASCENSION

After Jesus rode from the dead there are a few references in the Gospels to what Jesus did
After a period of time the gospels record that Jesus ASCENDED to heaven.

What does this mean ?

Some Christians believe that Jesus physically acsended to heaven in a literal sense.
Others believe that the description of Jesus physically rising up to heaven are just meant to be symbolic, showing that Jesus' time in human form on earth was over.
For Christians this event marks the physical end of Jesus' presence on earth but marks the beginnig of Jesus' spirit at work in the world.

Salvation

Law-bible

why is the bible important?

Sacred text or scripture
66 books
inspired by God
old testement written before the birth of Jesus
new testement conatins the Gospels that tell us about Jesus
the bible is a book f REVELATION -God is revealed
bible is a record of DIVINE LAW - the law of God
rules on how to live and treat others - provides GUIDENCE

Accept word for word or a book of interpretaion ?

Some christians accept the bible word for word - "word of God"
Other christians believe the bible requires INTERPRETATION
Some christians take a more liberal view, They don't believe that all the events it talks about actually happened, but they are symbolic stories that show us how God wants us to live.

Sin: A sin is an immoral act that goes against the law of God. The bible links sinfulness with salvation.

ORIGINAL SIN

Some Christians believe that we are born with original sin- the tendency to disobey God.
Original sin came into this world as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve.
Adam's sin has been past down from generation to generation
It is orignal sin that seperates humans from God.

Some modern christians

Identify problems with original sin. They believe it would be unfair for God to punih ALL humanity for an act commited by ONE man.
Also, they take a non-literal interpretation of the bible and don't elieve the events of the fall actually happened.
Even if it did happen as stated in the bible, it's hard biologically to explain how original sin is passed from one generation to the next.

INTERPRETATION

Modern Christians ow understand original sin to be a useful way of understaning that humans are PRONE to doing bad things aand acting in a way that is aganist God's law.

SIN AND SALVATION

Human sinflness SEPERATES humans from God.
Christians believe that Jesus' death on the cross atoned for human sin and allowed them the hope of SALVATION ( a chance to live with God for eternity after death).

How do christians achieve salvation?

Different ideas about how they can achieve salvation

Roman Catholics believe that taking part in the sacraments they will go to heaven.
Protestants believe that they Must have Faith in Jesus and REPENT their sins to achieve salvation.

GRACE AND SPIRIT

In order to help christians live a goof life God has sent them the HOLY SPIRIT to bring them GRACE.
The upernatural gidt to GRACE means that christians are able to pray for help from GOD.
Many Christians believe n the special RITES called sacraments (Baptism, holy communion-eucharist) here the Holy Spirit comes down upon them when these sacraments are preformed.
Some Christians believe in ' faith healing', where the holy spirit works in miraculous ways to heal people.

THE AFTERLIFE

Eschalogical Beliefs

ESCHALOGICAL refers to beliefs bout death, judgement, heaven and hell.

Christianity and the afterlife

Christians believe in life after death- this belief is cenral to christianity. Christians relieve that Jesus came back to life after his death.
There are a number of references in the New Testament concerning ESCHALOGICAL beliefs and the afterlife.
Belief the AFTERLIFE is stated in the APOSTELS CREED and the NICINE CREED.

"I look for thee resurrection of the dead and of the life of the world to come."

Why is the story of the crucifixion and the resurrection so important?

Important because it provides christians with EVIDENCE that death is NOT the end although physical bodies die, our SOUL lives on.
The CROSS is symbolic of both DEATH and RESURRECTION.

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

Often referred to as the 'eschatological gospel' as there are frequent references to the AFTERLIFE.
In ONE account, Jesus raises a man called LAZARUS from the dead.
Christians see this MIRACLE as a SIGN of his power over death.
Jesus said that anyone who believes in him will never die "I am the resurrection and the life.".
Jesus described heaven as his Father's house with many rooms. Jesus said he would prepare is palce for his followers
Follow Jesus and you will find heaven. " I am the way and the truth and the life... no one comes to the father except through me".

JUDGEMENT

Christians believe that there will be a JUDGEMENT DAY when people will be judged by God for the QUALITY of their LIVES.
Christians believe that on the day Jesus will return to earth in a "SECOND COMING" - this will mark the END of human existance on the earth.
This belief is also know as the PAROUSIA.
It is described in the PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND GOATS - those who have looked for opportunities to help others will be on the RIGHT, they will be the sheep. They will go to heaven. Those who have not helped others will be LEFT, they are the goats. They will go to Hell.

What about those who have already died?

The APOSTLES CREED states that God "Shall come to judge the living and the dead".
People shall be BODLY resurrected on this day bu they will transformed into a GLORIOUS STATE.
Illness, pain and death will no longer exist- The world will be purified of SIN.

	Created by Michela Felice about 7 years ago

Note on Christianity: Beliefs and Teachings, created by Michela Felice on 14/09/2017.