2.1.3 Salvation and Importance of Bible Flashcards
What does Salvation mean?
Means to be saved from sin and its consequences.
What is sin?
Means to break God’s law, its what separates a person from God.
What is original sin?
The idea that humans have a built in tendency to do wrong - human nature to be selfish, not perfect and don’t always choose good. Sin was introduced in the creation story with Adam and Eve.
What is atonement?
The belief that Jesus’ death on the cross healed the rift between humans and God.
Why was Jesus’ crucifixion an act of atonement?
It healed the rift between God and Humans.
How can salvation be achieved (3)?
- Many believe it is achieved through good works - by following the teachings and example of Jesus, e.g. The Law of Love.
- Catholics believe that salvation can be achieved through the sacraments. E.g. baptism which cleanses a persons soul by removing the effects of sin, penance/ confession/ reconcilliation where catholics confess their sins to a priest who can absolve them from their sins if they carry out a penitent act (e.g. fasting, praying) to show how sorry they are.
- Salvation is ultimately given by God through Grace which is brought by the Holy Spirit.
What is a sacrament?
A ritual which causes a spiritual change to a persons soul.
What is God’s Grace?
God’s unconditional love for all humans, even if it seems undeserved. God shows love to humans despite what they do or do not do, they don’t need to earn it as it is a gift.
Why is the Bible important (5)?
- It is a guide to Moral Living.
- It teaches Christians about the nature of God.
- For religious practices based on the Bible.
- It answers questions about the meaning and purpose of life.
- Contains a record of the life and teachings of Jesus => perfect Christian living.
Why is it important to understand God’s Will?
- By living a life that fulfils God’s will, you can avoid sin and achieve salvation.
- You can achieve one of life’s purposes, to build a relationship with God.
How do Literalist/Fundamentalist Christians interpret the Bible?
Believe Bible is the exact word of God. The Bible is free from error as it is his exact word.They disagree with the Big Bang Theory and Evolution as it contradicts the Bible.
How do Conservative Christians interpret the Bible (3)?
- Believe God inspired the Bible writers and they recorded God’s word in their own style using their own language and cultural ideas.
- Passages in the Bible may be symbolic stories, which require interpretation and are not meant to be read literally.
- Since Bible reflects the views of the author and their culture of the time parts of it may not be relevant to present day.
How do Liberal Christians interpret the Bible (3)?
- Believe Bible contains symbolic stories that need to be interpreted.
- Rather than God directly inspiring the Bible writers, they believe they were inspired by what they saw around them and wrote down their thoughts to share their insights about God with others.
- They try to find the important truths in Biblical Stories.
